January marks the beginning of a new year. We hear it all too often –  this is our year – I’m going to become a completely different person – say goodbye to the old me, say hello to the new me.

Obviously this rarely happens. You create some vague arbitrary goal that you don’t really have a plan for or set waypoints to follow along that journey. One of the biggest New Year’s goals is to “be healthy”. That is such a large all-encompassing goal, that it’s hard even thinking where to start. We here at Lakeshore Beverage are composed of all different kinds of people, and plenty of us have thought about drinking things that are “better for you”.

What is “Better For You”? Well, that too is an all-encompassing label. But in reality, it breaks up into several different things. For Lakeshore Beverage, “Better For You” could mean beverages that are lighter in carbohydrates and calories, it could mean real, minimal, and non-processed ingredients, lower alcohol content, or no alcohol content at all. You might be looking at some, or all of these things.

“Better For You” is really up to the person making the journey, and we here at Lakeshore Beverage want to help by providing you options and information to help you along. 

And hey, even though this only covers the beverage part of your health, you can take the momentum and apply it to other parts of your journey.

So, let’s get started, shall we?

Dry January

Dry January was created back in 2013, with 2023 being the 10 year anniversary of the movement. Those participating skip an entire month of drinking alcoholic beverages and look for potential benefits that may include  a better mood, better sleep, a better immune system, and a  better relationship with alcohol altogether.

(Source: Good Housekeeping: What Is Dry January? )

Now such a feat can be difficult, especially if drinking is an integrated part of your lifestyle. One way of tackling this is to make friends with non-alcoholic beers. These brews have the same taste and consistency as a normal beer, with zero percent alcohol. This lets you drink and celebrate with your friends and enjoy the great taste of beer without the alcohol.    

We have several stars in our 0.0% ABV beer category at Lakeshore Beverage.  First, let’s start with Budweiser Zero. Bud Zero contains all the flavor that the original Budweiser does, but at 0.0% ABV. Perfect for get togethers and sporting events during Dry January!

More of a craft beer person? We also have non-alcoholic options for you with the Brewdog AF (Alcohol Free) collection, and Boulevard Flying Start IPA. 

Need something with international flair?  Stella Artois Liberte has you covered. 

Love a good stout? Guinness has a new 0.0% brew that dropped last year, perfect for those Soccer meetups. (Just because the World Cup is over, doesn’t mean soccer is over 😉 ) 

Are sours your favorite style (like me?). Partake has an amazing Peach (!) Gose style that belongs in this blogger’s regular rotation, regardless of Dry January or not.

Regardless of what situation you’re in or what kind of style you prefer, there are many options for you, so you can take on Dry January with confidence, knowing that you have the tools to reach your goal.

 

Hard Seltzers

Beers are great, you’re probably drinking one as you’re reading this. But sometimes you want a change of pace!  So, hard seltzers have come along to give you an alternative. Typically lighter bodied, but also typically lower in calories, carbs and sugar as well. Whether it’s Bud Light Seltzer, a stalwart in the genre (just to clarify, there’s no Bud Light beer in Bud Light Seltzer, it’s all hard seltzer), to Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer if you want an organic option with some more adventurous flavors. Or if you’re looking for something different, we have Lone River’s Ranch Water – a hard seltzer inspired by the popular Texas drink, Lone River is  brewed with agave and fruit flavors

There are also seltzers made by combining real spirits with seltzer as opposed to being brewed and fermented.  Nutrl is a no-nonsense option if you want a clean fresh vodka seltzer with ingredients that you can certainly see and taste. Freshie, a newcomer to the scene, is the world’s FIRST organic tequila seltzer – and certainly a vibe booster whenever you bring a pack to a party. 

Regardless of exactly you’re looking for, the hard seltzer market has plenty for you to choose from. Feel confident that Lakeshore Beverage has a hard seltzer for any and all kinds of drinkers.

Beer

Okay, so let’s say you’re NOT a hard seltzer drinker, and you’d rather stick to your barley and hops and whatnot. You still have plenty of options to make better and healthier choices as a beer drinker.

Did you know that Bud Light released an absolute game changer in 2022? It’s called Bud Light Next – it’s a next generation beer that has ZERO carbs and sugar. It feels like cheating almost!

Next up is an award winner – Shiner Light Blonde! This 99 calorie light lager is brewed with the highest quality barley and aroma hops, creating a very crisp, clean beer.

Michelob Ultra is a mainstay for a post workout celebration (or during a NBA watch party), and if you’re watching your gluten intake, Omission has a line of gluten removed beers that allow you to drink with friends safely. 

 

Others

If you’ve been looking around, you might have noticed that Hard Kombuchas are a popular trend with drinkers today. Hard Kombucha is what it says on the can – Kombucha with added (clean) alcohol. 

For example, JuneShine, is a sustainably brewed hard kombucha made with all natural ingredients and probiotics. And don’t think you’re just chained to a single flavor, JuneShine has an entire plethora of flavors and varieties, with the best part is that they’re always creating something new.  Meanwhile in Ojai, California, north of JuneShine’s San Diego’s origins, another type of hard kombucha was being created.

Flying Embers, also fully organic, sustainable, and packed with real premium ingredients. On top of hard kombucha, they also create amazing hard seltzers, so you have plenty of options to choose from. On top of that, know that buying a pack of Flying Embers helps first responders fight natural disasters across the United States through various charities.

Loverboy Sparkling Hard Tea may have a fabulous background, created by Kyle Cooke from Bravo’s “Summer House”,  but its ingredients are true to earth, realistic, and absolutely nothing artificial. Loverboy is created with organic brewed tea, botanicals, juices, monk fruit, and gluten free alcohol. The end result is a beverage just as glamorous as its creators.

Owl’s Brew Hard Tea is a beverage on a mission. Its creators, Jennie and Maria, searched up and down for a natural, clean, real beverage. Disappointed with the results, they decided to create one themselves using fresh brewed tea as a base, a splash of fruit juice, and a dash of cane sugar, spiked to 4.8% ABV –  Owl’s Brew was born. Each of Owl’s Brew’s different flavors contains a different type of tea – whether its English Breakfast Tea & Lemon, Darjeeling Tea & Hibiscus, Jasmine Tea & Blueberry, or White Tea & Watermelon – you’ll have a completely new experience with each tea you drink.

Is cider more of your thing? Light Hard (oxymoron, I know) Ciders contain the full flavor profile of a regular hard cider but with less calories, carbohydrates, and sugar. 

The folks at Stem crafted a light cider that is by no means a downgrade. Their light cider is dry, with a hint of tartness, and is perfect to drink year around alongside their full catalog. Best part is that a can is only 100 calories,  just 3 carbohydrates, and a single gram of sugar. 

Regardless of whichever you choose, you’ll be enjoying premium natural ingredients in your beverage and that by itself is better for you. 

Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Your world isn’t enclosed to just alcoholic beverages – we have an entire world of non-alcoholic beverages here at Lakeshore Beverage to help hydrate, focus and energize you during 2023!

How’s your water? Chances are, it’s not doing as much as Essentia. Essentia is an alkaline water, ionized and supercharged to give a pH of 9.5 by removing acidic bitter tasting ions. This process leaves you with a clean, smooth tasting water with a balance of electrolytes and minerals that not only hydrates you, but also recharges you throughout your day.

Want some fun flavors with your energy? Popular brand Alani has a line of energy drinks called Alani Nu, that contain fun, ready to drink formulas that are vegan, gluten free, and zero grams of sugar. Alani Nu helps you glow at your brightest – even during your busiest days.