Page 34 - Sharp September 2021

Canned Heat
Canada’s new sparkling non-alcoholic beverages look as good as they taste
BY ADRIENNE MATEI
Y OU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT YOUR
local corner store’s drink fridge is get- ting stocked with more interesting stuff lately, and that your favourite breweries are offering locally made, non-alcoholic canned drinks, instead of just Coke. These days, it’s easy to find canned cocktails without the alcohol or calories (like those by Vancouver’s Opus) and functional waters (like Toronto-made vapor- wave-branded adaptogenic drink Daydream),
seltzer?” asks Hernández. “Guess what: a non-alcoholic seltzer.”
That more folks are reassessing their relationship with alcohol has also played a part; these days, there are plenty of alter- natives for the moments you don’t feel like drinking alcohol. Frankly, having some tasty, non-alc options at your party is very cool and considerate of you. And why not? There are so many out there to try.
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DRINKS
as well as no-sugar-added local fruit sodas, flavourful seltzer waters, fermented juices, and refreshing sparkling teas.
This profusion of options is linked to the decline of “Big Soda” and rising tides of health consciousness, says Andrea Hernández, whose ultra-cool Snaxshot newsletter chronicles food and beverage trends. It started with lower-cal alcoholic drinks like Nudes and White Claws, but “what’s even better [for you] than a hard
CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP LEFT:
1. OPUS APERITIVO SPRITZ. 2. SAP SUCKER THE ORIGINAL ONE.
3. ANNEX SODAS SASKATOON LEMONADE. 4. FARMING KARMA PEAR SODA. 5. SHANG BEVERAGE CO MANGO PASSIONFRUIT TISANE.
6. LOOP SPARKLING STRAWBERRY PROBIOTIC SODA. 7. DAYDREAM PEACH GINGER.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GABRIEL CABRERA