LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2023

INSIDE SCOOP

LOW & NO A Guide to Moderation

When stocking your bar this holiday season, don’t forget about guests who drink lightly or abstain from alcohol altogether. To help, we’ve put together a collection of popular low- and no-alcohol beverages, along with a new low-buzz libation and a festive mocktail from the archives. For more information, including products, recipes and tips, visit the Lighter Choices page (under Collections) at LCBO.com.

For an easy welcome drink, try our So Hip , a refreshing mix of red wine and kombucha.

LOW

From the many reduced-­ alcohol options, we’re especially keen on a trio from Ontario. For beer, there’s the easy-drinking Junction Krispy Light Lager ( LCBO 32787, 473 mL, $3.15 ) in the can’t‑miss neon can. Mindful Pinot Grigio Vidal VQA ( LCBO 32794, $13.95 ) delivers the light, crisp PG experience at only 8% alcohol. And with a bottle of 18.8 Gin ( LCBO 30282, $29.75 ), you can mix lower-­ buzz G&Ts.

SO HIP (P. 245)

NO

For the nondrinkers, Heineken 0.0 ( LCBO 589416, 6 pk, $12.95 ) is strikingly similar to the smooth, malty orig inal. Chilean Tarapacá ( LCBO 28557, $10.95 ) is fresh and fruity with a good sweet-sour bal ance. And to toast NYE with a zero-proof drink, try our pretty-in-pink Countdown Mocktail (recipe at LCBO.com/ fdholiday23). De-Alcoholized Sauvignon Blanc

Inspired by Spain’s Tinto de Verano— apopular drink of equal parts red wine and lemon soda— our version of the low-alcohol cocktail swaps in kombucha for the soda and adds a few dashes of bitters for com plexity. It’s fruity, not too sweet and very refreshing.

28 FOOD & DRINK HOLIDAY 2023