7 Sustainable Non-Alcoholic Drinks
For the gals who like to have options, you’re in luck. The non-alcoholic bevvie game is strong these days, and there are so many delish drinks on the market to give you the sweet summer sips of your dreams (without the headache, the stomach ache, the regret… lol what?). But how susty are all those canned drinkies really? Production can be wasteful, but NA beverages' biggest waste issue might be more in packaging and shipment. Where can we find fun eco-friendly NA drinks that look just as cute as your bestie's spicy margarita? We got you. There are loads of small-batch NA drinks, including more and more breweries and distilleries who are adding non-alcoholic drinks to their already susty business models.
Known for its signature non-alcoholic brew, Athletic Brewing is making drinks (NA beers, sparkling waters, and traditional beers) with sustainability as a focus. They are a B Corp-certified company meaning they are exceeding standards for sustainability and ethics. They are also putting their profits back into the natural environment by donating $2 million yearly to protecting and preserving trails.
Spare Food Co. makes sparkling tonics using upcycled whey. Spare Food sources its whey from the Greek Yogurt brand White Moustache in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Whey is naturally high in probiotics, providing a great base for their probiotic sparkling drinks. In addition to utilizing whey waste, Spare Food uses wasted ingredients in its drinks wherever possible.
This women-owned non-alcoholic aperitif brand makes a delicious aperitivo inspired by the flavors of Campari and the classic spritz cocktail. Their two products, Fiore and Fiore Frizzante, are great sober alternatives to your favorite cocktail-sipping experience. Fiore as a brand is involved in the 1% for the planet program and is dedicated to giving back to organizations that are preserving our planet. They donate directly to Harlem Grown, an organization providing youth education on urban farming and sustainable living.
Yesfolk is a small family-run business that makes specialty crafted kombuchas and kombucha vinegar, which can be used to make delicious NA cocktails or just sipped on all on their own. Influenced by the company's Mexican and Egyptian ancestry, fermentation is core to this brand's practice. They make their drinks in small batches and intentionally package them in lightweight cans that are more energy efficient to make and distribute.
5. Halmi
This Korean-inspired sparkling bev is perfect on a hot day. Their product is made in small batches in New York and uses cinnamon, ginger, jujube, and persimmon—ingredients meant to be easy on the stomach and good for healthy digestion.
DRAM is a Colorad- based brand making sparkling drinks, bitters, and CBD-infused beverages inspired by herbal and botanical flavors. Much of the ingredients used to make DRAM are foraged by the founders themselves and made from scratch in their workshop. They are committed to being as low-waste as possible in their production and distribution processes.
Tepache is a traditional Aztec and Toltec fermented beverage made from pineapple. De La Calle celebrates the various renditions and recipes for this indigenous beverage and is distributing this flavorful, naturally fermented beverage throughout the country. This beverage utilizes regional fruits and its simple nature makes it a low-waste drink to produce.