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This holiday season, as you select drinks for hosting and gifting, opt for beverages produced by small, local businesses that prioritize socially and environmentally sustainable practices. With the winter holidays approaching, it’s time to deck the halls and stock the bar. As the days grow shorter, we gather with loved ones to celebrate and make the season bright—each in our own way, but often with something special in our glass for a toast. While the clink of champagne flutes and the flutter of their bubbly contents may be fleeting, when it comes to choosing a bottle to give or share in company, the impacts linger longer and extend far beyond our own festivities. Given their presentation in sleek glass or aluminum, it can be easy to forget that our best-loved beverages are as much a part of agricultural systems as our favorite foods. Whether made from grains, grapes, apples, or herbs, these liquified crops have similar environmental and social impacts on our ecosystems and communities. Fortunately, more beverage brands are adding information to their labels that can help us learn about their production practices. Look out for certifications from governmental and nonprofit organizations, such as organic, B Corp, and Fairtrade, which verify these practices and illuminate their effects on people and the planet. To cut back on carbon emissions from long-distance transportation, consider purchasing your holiday drinks from companies based in the U.S. Keeping things close to home can also help you find brands that align with your values and support entrepreneurs—including people of color, women, and queer folks—in your region, rather than international corporations. This year, as you select drinks for hosting and gifting, keep in mind that you can make merry while also making a difference by opting for beverages produced by small, local businesses that prioritize socially and environmentally sustainable practices. The Straightaway Twelve Nights of Cocktails advent calendar can be a fun gift for friends or a great way to sample a selection of the Oregon-based company’s canned cocktails. Lindsey Swedick MORE FOR YOU Canned Cocktails Whether you’re hosting a party or heading to a friend’s, Straightaway Cocktails are ideal for a fun, easy evening—and for those who are new to this Portland, Oregon-based brand, the 12 Nights of Cocktails advent calendar is a great way to get acquainted with its offerings of petite canned cocktails (100 ml each). Alternatively, keep things simple and stock up on cans of the Oregon Old-Fashioned, made with whiskey and bitters that blend the local flavors of filberts and fir trees. While the brand’s aesthetic is perfectly playful, Straightaway is serious about its commitment to social and environmental advocacy—besides B Corp certification, the company also donates to 1% For The Planet, as well as multiple national and regional nonprofit organizations focused on human rights. When you’re craving bubbles and looking to support US-based brands, Bauman Cider Company’s Loganberry Cider offers something that sparkles with festive flair. Bauman’s Cider Co. Celebrations call for bubbles, but sometimes you’re looking for something a little lighter on the alcohol–and a lot more local–than Champagne or Prosecco. This year, pop a bottle of Bauman’s Cider instead. Crafted by Christine Walker, a fifth generation farmer in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, every sip honors a long relationship with the land and a deep appreciation for the nuances of different apples. For festive flair and a unique taste of the Pacific Northwest, try the Mountain Rose Single Varietal or the Loganberry ciders, which are both a merry rosy hue. In Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Folly of Man produces wine according to organic and biodynamic practices that help care for local wildlife and waterways. Cheryl Juetten Searching for something special to sip over a holiday meal? With the 2023 Estate Pinot Noir from Folly of Man, enjoy notes of the berries that Oregon is so well known for—such as raspberry and bramble berry—along with the knowledge that this wine was produced with great care for the land, shown through regenerative, organic, and biodynamic farming practices. Just sixteen of the forty-eight acres that make up the Folly of Man property are planted with vines, allowing the rest of the estate to remain as a sanctuary for native wildlife. The Walls Vineyards in Walla Walla, Washington opts for lightweight glass bottles and has implemented a recycling program to reduce the carbon emissions generated through transportation and packaging. Ben Lindbloom When white wine is the perfect pairing for your festive feast, plan ahead to have a bottle of Lip Stinger from The Walls Vineyard chilling in your fridge. This bright Grenache Blanc-forward blend has notes of citrus and marzipan that hint at a European Christmas market, but its character is distinctly Pacific Northwest. The Walls team has sought out creative ways to reduce carbon emissions, including installing solar panels at their winery in Walla Walla, Washington. When considering the effects of packaging and transportation, they have also explored lightweight glass options and implemented a recycling program with a local nonprofit, Big Recyclers. Fast Penny Spirits’ Amaricano is an Italian-style bitter beverage made with ingredients that are carefully sourced from the Pacific Northwest. Amari—the bitter liqueurs that define so much of Italian drinking culture—mix well into a variety of cocktails, such as a negroni or spritz. They’re also perfect on their own (whether served neat or over ice) for sipping slowly after a big meal to pleasantly prolong the time around the table and aid with digestion. This holiday season, make sure to have a bottle of the Amaricano Rossa by Fast Penny Spirits on hand. Produced in Seattle, Washington with upcycled grapes, this amaro offers notes of Rainier cherries and locally foraged truffles for a drink that celebrates the unique ingredients of the Pacific Northwest as much as it does the Italian traditions behind the beverage. These luxurious flavors are thoughtfully sourced by the woman-run, B Corp-certified Amaricano team, which also donates 3% of bottle sales to nonprofits. Zyr Vodka is produced with certified organic grains from Janie’s Farm, a family farm in Illinois. If your holiday celebrations call for a classy vodka martini, the caffeinated pick-me-up of an espresso martini, or another vodka-based cocktail, stock up on Zyr. Though distilled according to Russian tradition, this vodka is produced in Illinois with all-American grains. Zyr sources certified organic wheat and rye from nearby Janie’s Farm. Farmhouse Gin is distilled from Regenerative Organic Certified wheat grown in New York state. Emma Jenkinson For those who prefer a gin martini or a simple G&T, it’s time to raise a glass with Farmhouse Gin by Anytime Spritz. This queer-owned company is dedicated to producing spirits in a way that supports sustainable farmers and healthy ecosystems. Its gin is made with regenerative organic certified wheat grown in New York’s Hudson Valley. Dappled Tonic Water is both a great cocktail mixer and a flavorful nonalcoholic option for holiday toasts. Tonic Water Whether you’re looking to spice up your usual gin and tonic or seeking a nonalcoholic option that still feels special for your celebrations, pick up a pack of Dappled Tonic. The flavors of its Aromatic tonic—made with cardamom, vanilla, and orange—are especially well suited to the season, while its Citrus tonic offers a bright pick-me-up. When you’re done drinking, don’t forget to recycle—the woman-run team behind these tonics opted for labels printed directly onto the aluminum cans, which makes them easier to dispose of. Wilderton Aperitivo offers all the flavor of an Italian cocktail without the alcohol or synthetic preservatives and colors. Aubrie LeGaul Nonalcoholic Aperitivo For fans of a negroni or a spritz who are seeking something lighter on the alcohol and the planet, Wilderton Aperitivo Co. is the ideal gift. This Italian-style beverage has the citrusy notes at the forefront and bitter notes behind that defines a good aperitivo, but none of the synthetic preservatives and colors that are typical of top brands used in Italy’s classic cocktails. Made in Oregon with real botanicals—like citrus and aromatic herbs—this drink is naturally nonalcoholic, so you can mix it into a low ABV cocktail or swirl with a splash of club soda and top with an orange slice instead for a deliciously alcohol-free evening. As you research recipes for festive drinks to enjoy all winter, sub in these sustainable beverages to end the year and ring in the new one with a positive impact that reaches from local to global. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
