Some days I just want something that isn’t water or the standard seltzer. I want something different, something out of the ordinary. I want the stuff I usually look at and put back because it doesn’t have a price tag.

So I’ve gone completely all in on buying zero- to low-ABV beverages. That’s right. Booze-free or booze-adjacent. Whatever you call it, I’m buying it. Because splurging on esoteric drinks is as wild as it gets right now. Here’s to keeping things interesting with some bubbly alternatives.

🥒 If you’re not drinking Spindrift by now, then you haven’t lived a full sparkling water life. Cucumber Spindrift is hands down the best carbonated drink on the market. It’s slightly salty, and heavy on the cucumber flavor in the best way possible. A spa water upgrade.

🍊I like kombucha with a punch, the kind that delightfully stings on the way down. (GT Gingerade, my one and only.) So when I first took a sip of spiked booch last summer, I was instantly hooked. This Flying Embers Grapefruit Thyme number is my go-to. At 4.5% ABV, you’ll feel a happy little buzz and still be productive.

🥤A recco from a girlfriend: Upstate Elevator Supply Co's CBD African Ginger & Mexican Lime Soda. So spicy, and so zen. Sipping this at the end of a long work week has become my wind-down ritual.

🍹And the best drink for last. Zuzu’s Calamansi Lime is the answer to all your lazy marg needs. This pre-bottled cocktail tastes like the grown-up lovechild of San Pellegrino soda + tequila. It’s super light and refreshing, with just 5% ABV.