A Balanced Thanksgiving: Inclusive hospitality means adding alcohol-free drinks to your bar, fridge and table

(Photo by Askar Abayev from Pexels)

This will be the first Columbus day/Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend in two years without any physical distancing measures still in place so people are getting ready to gather! Yet, far and wide, more and more people are indicating they’re rethinking drinking.

If you’re hosting a gathering, big or small, chances are that someone at your table may be looking for a non-boozy alternative and expecting club soda or tonic water. This is a chance to practice inclusive hospitality and stock your bar or fridge with the new breed of elevated alcohol-free options. Your non-drinking guests will be grateful. 

But what to offer? The new alcohol-free beer, wine and spirits brands are endless no matter your budget. Here is a roundup of options with a slightly higher price tag, available through online retailers across Canada. 

For The Bar

Alcohol-free spirits might have been a foreign concept a few years ago, but thanks to all the innovation in this area you can now add beautifully crafted non-alcoholic spirits to your Thanksgiving bar. 

Lyre’s Spirits from Australia makes a robust line of elevated spirits so spot on in taste and smell that you don’t notice the lack of alcohol. Their American Malt is a whiskey replica that is already a category leader. It has a lovely aroma of malted barley and spice with a hint of sweetness, with a mouthfeel that is lighter than expected but packs a punch as it goes down. Although it doesn’t burn like a traditional single malt, there is enough kick to liven up a cocktail. This is perfect for the person in your life who likes to order a ‘Jack and Coke’ or as an addition to the more complicated whiskey punch below. 

$42/bottle at lyres.ca or drinkrivalhouse.ca

Free Spirits is another import to Canada that drinks like a high-end cocktail bar. Their Spirit of Gin is a well-crafted classic, fruit-forward alcohol-free gin with a beautiful balanced nose and an unobtrusive flavour. It mixes well in a Negroni, or in a classic G & T. This is one of my favourites all around. $48/bottle at drinkrivalhouse.ca

If you want to make that Negroni mentioned above, you’ll need a base of Italian bitters. SexyAF Spirits is a Calgary-based brand winning awards for its unique products. Their Apertease classic Italian bitter is an excellent replacement for Campari and can make a whole range of sophisticated mixed drinks or punches. The depth of the bitter is well matched with the fruit and other herbs used to build the product, and it has a lovely viscosity that adds a nice mouth-feel. Mixed solo with some tonic over ice is a favourite go-to of mine. 

Sexyafspirits.com, $43.99

For the Game

Thanksgiving weekend is nothing without beer, and you don’t have to compromise on taste or experience if you’re choosing non-alcoholic beer. Thankfully the time-honed brewing techniques of craft beer translate well into the production of no- or low-alcohol beer (anything under 0.5% ABV is considered non-alcoholic by law). Canada is winning in this category. 

Libra is a new kid on the block from Halifax and already winning awards. Their North Cape IPA is a favourite across the country and south of the border. It’s an all-around, great tasting beer that anyone can drink. They have a limited-run Pumpkin Spice Libra for the fall that will add something unique to your fridge. Order direct from Libra.ca, AFBev.ca or well.ca. 

$29.99/12 pack

One For The Road is a Calgary-based brewery that produces a number of great options. A perfect October beer is their Marzen. A Marzen is a German-style lager traditionally served at Oktoberfest. It has a medium-to-full body and a perfect match for tailgating munchies. The version from One For The Road has a toasty head and is full-bodied with a very nice crisp finish. 

Soberlicious.ca, $19.99/6 pack 

You’ve most likely seen Sober Carpenter on the shelf at the grocery store, and that’s one of the reasons this brand makes the list. It’s easily accessible at Metro and IGA, among others, across the country. Their most recent Organic Session IPA is a big hit, and I personally enjoy their Blonde Ale because of its full flavour and citrus notes. 

Price varies, sold singularly.

For the Table

Even the Wall Street Journal agrees that celebrating Thanksgiving with a chilled bottle of sparkling wine is the way to go, and the same goes for alcohol-free options. The alcohol-free sparkling wine brand I recommend is called OddBird. 

A good spumante is a fresh, light-bodied, effervescent sparkling wine made from the Glera varietal of grape. You’ll know this varietal by its more familiar name - prosecco. A spumante will have soft, moderately sweet flavors of fruits such as oranges, pears, apricots and peaches. The sweetness should be balanced against crisp, lively acidity. OddBird Spumante has all of the above and more.

It’s got the light, tiny bubbles reminiscent of its boozy step-sisters and it’s absolutely delicious and mouthwatering. You will want to go back for another glass again and again. 

Above all, it’s exceptional because it doesn’t have the usual rubbery after-taste of many lower quality alcohol-free wines. Most good nonalcoholic sparkling wines have mastered this, but Oddbird Spumante takes the cake. It’s the least obtrusive I’ve had so far.

Their Blanc De Blanc Sparkling Wine is also a wonderful addition to any table and can be mixed well into a punch for a large crowd. 

For someone on a budget, the PC brand Rose flat wine will do in a pinch and works well with turkey and steamed veggies. Available at Loblaws and Superstores across the country.