If you haven’t been paying attention until now, I drink a lot of beer. Rarely do I ask myself if I’m going to drink today, but rather when I’m going to drink today. However, I’ve been known to drink beverages other than beer on special occasions.

This week, I give you five of the best non-alcoholic drinks for when responsibilities and obligations arise.

In fifth place, apple cider. Not only is apple cider a seasonal favorite, it’s also sweet and filling. Few beverages maintain equal pleasantness whether served hot or cold. Drinking apple cider on a late fall evening beside a fireplace, or on a hayride bundled up in blankets, just feels right. Try mixing things up a bit and melting a cinnamon stick in your mug next time. Thank me later.

Fourth place belongs to milk. Think about it. You’ve been drinking milk longer than virtually every other beverage. It’s good for your bones, it mixes well with so many things (powdered and liquid chocolate, predominantly), and it’s an undeniable fact that a warm glass of milk when you have a sore throat will turn your life around. Also, few other beverages on the planet pair well with every single cookie in existence.

Rooibee Red Tea is in third place for me. It’s made from the Rooibos plant, a native of South Africa. The tea contains about 1.5 times the amount of antioxidants in green tea, and Rooibee bottles contain a full serving of vitamin C. Conveniently, the tea comes in Unsweet, Peach, Watermelon Mint (my favorite), Vanilla Chai and Cranberry Pomegranate to please many flavor palettes.

The second place spot lies with Reed’s Premium Ginger Brew. Ladies and gents, this is not your standard ginger ale. Canada Dry could never hope to hold a candle to this genuine Jamaican ginger concoction. The slow fizz of this ginger ale warms the heart as the smooth flavor washes over the tastebuds. Look for this heaven-sent crowd pleaser in the organic section of your neighborhood grocery store.

The highly coveted first place belongs to the original people’s beverage, water. Shout out to water, honestly. We swim in it, we bathe in it, we cook with it, and this glorious fluid literally keeps us alive. It makes your liver happy and is crucial in preventing hangovers. Take some time out of your day to pat a water fountain on the head. Go do it. Now.

That’s all for now, and would you look at that! It’s beer:30. There’s a double imperial Irish coffee stout calling my name and I must go. Cheers.

Adam Pennavaria is the beer columnist for the Kentucky Kernel

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