Three Outside-of-the-Box Sips to Try on National Beverage Day

We’re continuously in awe of the sheer diversity of the alcoholic beverage offerings available in 2023. From wine, spirits, beer, and even kombucha, it’s fun to check them all out. Looking for an excuse to step outside the box? May 6 is National Beverage Day, a day literally made for you to try anything you want. We’ve gathered three tasty offerings from all things alcoholic for you to consider if you’re looking to mix things up.

Le Fraghe Bardolino Chiaretto “Rodon” 2022
($20, Free Run Wine Merchants)

The Italian region of Veneto is famous for its juicy red wine called Valpolicella, and its more muscular sibling, Amarone. Bardolino is a growing area that is often overlooked by wine shops and consumers alike. Moreover, the rosé of Bardolino is even less well-known. As with most pink wines, it is made by bleeding off some of the juice from red wine production. In Bardolino, that means a blend of Corvina and Rondinella. The wine is a truly refreshing rosé that
deserves to be sought-after.

Three Floyds Brewing Co. Zombie Dust Undead Pale Ale
($15 6 12-ounce bottles, Legends)

We’re not going to lie—we’d pretty much written off pale ales. Often, we find that pleasure and drinkability gets sacrificed in the quest for hoppy bitter bragging rights. Make no mistake, this beer is hoppy, yet balanced. One enjoys the malt foundation of this ale’s flavor profile as much as the high-toned, floral hops signature it supports. It’s a refreshing—and frankly amazing—take on a category we assumed had been beaten to death by a bushel of Cascade pale ales. We recommend it with pub fare but love it simply for the fact that it exists, and aren’t afraid to pour one into a nice pint glass and just enjoy it for beer’s sake.

Luis XIV Vermut
($20, Kysela Pere et Fils)

We tasted this wine before we read up on it and were astonished at how delicious it is. When we did the research, we found that this beauty is made from 100-percent Monastrell. Seventy percent of its composition is proprietary, with Monastrell as a base wine. That is then blended with 30 percent of Monastrell that’s been aged like sherry. The resulting beverage is herbaceous, sweet, and unique. We love using it in lieu of sweet vermouth to change up classics like Negronis, but it’s best served neat with some ice. It’s also great with aged cheese, chocolate, or dried fruit.