photo credit: Brian Hutson

“I’m never drinking again,” I said to a guy friend. 
“Sure,” he said.  

“I think I’m going to stop drinking,” I said to my colleague.  
“No, then you can’t drink bubbles with me, anymore,” she said. 

“I’m never drinking again,” I said on June 19th of this year.  

This time, I really meant it. I had a new mindset.  

Over the past few years, I’ve toyed with the idea of “breaking-up” with alcohol, but I didn’t have the courage to do it. Drinking in almost any capacity is a social norm, and unfortunately, abstaining from alcohol is not part of that norm. It’s kind of like glorifying busy-ness. There’s some type of unspoken “achievement badge” you get for throwing back some drinks. But it’s not right for everyone. And that’s okay. 

Although wine has been part of a lot of great memories in my life, including a stint as a wine writer earlier in my career and getting engaged in Napa Valley, it just didn’t have the same appeal to a working mother of two.  

photo credit: Brian Hutson

In all fairness, my bestie was right. I didn’t drink that much. I kept no alcohol in my home, and I didn’t drink around my family, but I was drinking socially. Although social drinking is perfectly fine for many, I didn’t feel that I was safe or that I put my best foot forward when I was drinking. So I put it out there on social media: “I’m breaking up with alcohol.”  

After turning 40 earlier in the year, I finally felt confident in the woman I was becoming, imperfections, quirks, and all. I became clear on my own personal “brand standards” in life and realized that drinking didn’t align with them. For me, alcohol was a false security blanket in social situations.  

I gave not drinking a chance, and I found that I could socialize just fine without my blankie. In fact, removing alcohol from social situations created opportunities to connect in a more meaningful way because I could be more authentic and present. Even more surprisingly, I found that I could still dance without liquid courage and that I still had plenty of jokes to share over a #TopoTuesday happy hour.  

Less than a week after removing alcohol from my life, the vision of a blog that celebrates an alcohol-free lifestyle with recipes and videos came to me like a gift from above. It felt purposeful. I knew that I wanted to advocate for alcohol-free options and to do it in a fun, delicious, and visual manner! It felt like a culmination of my unique experiences coming together in a meaningful way. As the CEO/Executive Producer of a branded content agency, Elevated Content, and with my background in the food & beverage industry, everything aligned. It’s like God took all my experience – a publicist to chefs, a wine writer, and a recipe video producer – and put me to work on a new mission.  

photo credit: Brian Hutson

It also aligned in my marriage. My husband’s a professional photographer with a focus on culinary content. He’s a former wine buyer and was my wine-writing partner. He has also been sober for nearly 7 years. Our constant search for alternative drinks for him served as a huge inspiration for the next step in our journey.  

Thanks to these blessings and challenges, The Elevated Elixir was born. The Elevated Elixir is a lifestyle brand and IGTV show that includes culinary-focused beverages and experiences that are also alcohol-free. We share recipes, produce and release video episodes, and feature other fun pieces of content like personal profiles, stop-motion photography, and more. The Elevated Elixer is really about celebrating the experience of sharing well-thought out beverages, just without the added alcohol. 

We also want to be sure to encourage a judgment-free zone. We believe that cocktails and mocktails can co-exist. Our goal is to inspire drinkers and non-drinkers alike with delicious flavor profiles and creative ingredients. We love showcasing the restaurants mixing up mocktails, as well as amazing brands offering fabulous products, from tonics to simple syrups, shrubs, and other ingredients. 

The response has been incredibly positive and encouraging. People are opening up with their own experiences with alcohol and saying that an alcohol-free lifestyle is relatable. I think people are still wanting to be social but are craving fresh alternatives on the beverage side. We’re here for that, and we hope you’ll follow along with and contribute to our journey.  

photo credit: Brian Hutson

The Spiced Apple Ginger

Ingredients

Bundaberg Spiced Ginger Beer
Spiced apple cider
Ice

Directions

Combine apple cider and ice in a shaker and shake vigorously. Pour over fresh ice in a glass. Top with spiced ginger beer and enjoy.

photo credit: Brian Hutson

Pomegranate Pear Fizz

Ingredients

Looza Pear Juice
Pear-cardamom sparkling soda
Pomegranate Italian soda
Ice

Directions

Combine Looza, pomegranate Italian soda and ice in a shaker and shake gently. Strain into glass. Top with pear-cardamom sparkling soda and enjoy.

The post Celebrating Non-Alcoholic Options With the Elevated Elixir first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.