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Accessibility doesn’t always mean poor quality, especially for non-alcoholic beer brand Athletic Brewing Company. Available in over 17 different flavorsincluding Mexican-style coppers, darks, sours and IPAs among many other optionsyou’ve probably run into Athletic on at least one occasion in the grocery aisle. In fact, this overall best-tasting non-alcoholic beer is the first non-alcoholic brew I tried. Even after years spent tipping back other options, I keep returning to the bright and cheery Athletic cans on my local supermarket’s shelves.

Founded in sunny California and with operations in Connecticut, the US-based brand is tight-lipped about its proprietary brewing process. They’re also one of the largest dedicated non-alcoholic breweries that exist, period. My favorite flavors are the Run Wild and Free Wave Hazy IPAs, though they also offer fruity options and dark beers as well. Run Wild is a light and bubbly brew that tastes nearly indistinguishable from the real deal thanks to a pervasive underlying hoppiness and pleasantly bitter finish.

My partner best summarizes my thoughts on the brand: “Quality, consistency and ambition. They endeavor to make a genuinely good beer that won’t give you a hangover.” Whether you’re giving up alcohol for personal or health reasons, Athletic’s non-alcoholic drinks never cease to impress. That said, expect to place an online order for limited flavors like Hoppy Helles Trailblazer and Tropical Reset sour, which are only available on their website.

The post 6 Best Non-Alcoholic Beer Brands for Summer Sipping appeared first on Taste of Home.

Through Flaviar’s whiskey subscription, I’ve sampled new spirits from around the globe that I wouldn’t have tried on my own. Every three months, I look forward to tasting three new whiskeys and a full-sized bottle to share with friends.

What Is the Flaviar Whiskey Subscription?

Flaviar is a spirits subscription that advances the opportunity to experience top-shelf whiskeys from around the world. Members can select from tasting boxes or full-size bottles.

Every quarter (every three months), spirits specialists skillfully curate a sampling box of liquor and deliver it to your doorstep, along with informational guides and tasting notes. The selection includes a mixture of customer favorites and rare, hard-to-find bottles. It’s easy to try new whiskey and other spirits from the comfort of your own home.

Flaviar’s signature offering includes a whiskey subscription delivered each quarter. Every three months on the “pay-as-you-go plan,” pay $100 per delivery ($400 a year) for one full-size 750 ml bottle and one themed three-vial tasting box. Prepay $320 for a year subscription and save $80 annually (each delivery costs $80 instead of $100).

If you’re solely looking for insider access as a spirits enthusiast, Flaviar Black is a new entry-level membership. For $40, you’ll receive first access to The Vault’s rare bottles, limited releases, deeper discounts on tasing boxes and bottles and free shipping on select items. This is ideal if you’re not seeking a recurring quarterly delivery.

A Flaviar Black membership is automatically included for one year if you purchase the signature whiskey subscription. Thus, Flaviar Black perks are extended beyond the “pay-as-you-go” subscription period. Flaviar also offers whiskey gift subscriptions.

Flaviar makes exploring a range of rare, hard-to-find whiskies a breezewithout leaving your living room.

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Flaviar Whiskey Subscription

Flaviar offers a quarterly whiskey subscription that brings rare liquors from around the globe to your doorstep. Pick from three membership options and hundreds of spirits.

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Flaviar Whiskey Subscription Features

In addition to a quarterly whiskey subscription, your Flaviar membership includes so much more. Member perks include free shipping on any order over $60, discounts in the online liquor store, priority access to Flaviar original bottlings, free events, monthly access to The Vault, a community of spirits lovers, educational online resources, reviews, product and distillery outlines, cocktail recipes and distillery tours.

Flaviar’s online store sells over 15,000 spirits, including bourbon, Scotch, Irish whiskey and Japanese whisky. Other liquors include gin, rum and mezcal. The Vault offers members a private selection of exclusive bottles, original releases and rare, hard-to-find gems.

Whether you’re a spirit newbie, a seasoned aficionado or a casual sipper, Flaviar offers something for every drinker. Curated spirit samplers allow you to discover new favorites and expand your palate at an affordable price. Understand the nuances between each spirit and flavor with detailed tasting notes.

While Flaviar doesn’t offer a subscription option with only bourbon, it’s a stellar whiskey subscription. If you’re open to sampling varying kinds of whiskey alongside bourbon, it’s perfect. Note that Flaviar only offers a quarterly whiskey subscription at this time and has yet to expand to other spirits. However, their online store has rare full-sized bottles of various spirits.

Bourbon, whiskey and all spirits have an abundant history and specific lingo. Flaviar’s website is chock-full of dedicated articles and educational videos. Flaviar provides a community to connect with fellow spirits enthusiasts via forums and in-person and online events.

How We Tested It

Three weeks after placing my order, a black and gold Flaviar branded cylindrical box containing five glass 50ml vials arrived at my door. With the tasting box, you can perform blind taste tests or preview tasting notes before sampling. Five circular cards detail each spirit’s composition. Note that the standard quarterly tasting box includes three glass 50ml vials. However, I selected the Flaviar Awards 2023 Tasting Box, containing five vials of the most frequently gifted spirits across Flaviar’s website in 2023.

Flaviar surprised me with a tasting box and a bottle of Penelope Bourbon’s ros cask finish whiskey. Unlike typical whiskey, this spirit is finished in French ros wine barrels, giving it a hint of sweetness. Only 2,400 bottles were produced. While I never would’ve picked this whiskey finished in ros casks for myself, I was pleasantly surprised.

I like to know what I’m sampling before I sip. I appreciate each spirit’s story, including the whiskey name, proof and region.

Twist the cap of each vial to break the safety tape seal, and pour up.

Before tasting, open your mouth and gently inhale. Make a mental note of what you taste. First on deck, vial “A” contained a pale gold Kyr rye whiskey from Finland, emitting notes of toasted rye bread, honey and wild berries at 94 proof. Aromas of vanilla, caramel, dried fruit, stone fruit and a rye earthiness filled the room. The finish is spicy with pepper, as notes of coffee and caramel linger. The full-sized bottle retails for $61.99 on Flaviar’s website.

I reset my palate to square one with water. On to tube “B,” an earthy 400 Conejos Mezcal from Mexico. It smells fresh and smoky. The taste is soft and smooth with flavors of a smoky agave.

Cleansing my palate again, I move on to “C,” a Frey Ranchbourbon from Nevada. I smell various fruits with mountain cherries, sourdough bread, vanilla, oak and turbinado. While this bottle retails for $47, the Flaviar Black price is $40.

“D” encases a Hercules Mulligan rye whiskey from New York.“E” includes a decade-old Hardy cognac from France, smelling of floralrose and jasminewith notes of fig, marzipan and warm humidor. This bottle retails for $142.

The online spirits store features a few of my favorite bourbons, including Blade & Bow and Buffalo Trace. Blade & Bow is 15% off its usual retail price, and Buffalo Trace is 10% off.

Pros

• Thorough information about each spirit for club members
• Admission to comprehensive online spirits community
• Competitive pricing, and bargain pricing on rare bottles
• Quarterly or annual subscription payment options
• Can be gifted

Cons

• Only 27 states in the delivery region
• Shipping fee on orders less than $60

FAQ

What is the difference between bourbon and whiskey?

All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. Whiskey, also spelled whisky, is a blend of fermented grains (commonly corn, barley, rye or wheat)which are sometimes malted. Whiskey comes in various grades and varieties, classified by grain fermentation, distillation and aging in wooden barrels or casks. Whiskey is distilled around the world, i.e. Scotch or Irish whiskey.

All bourbon is made in the U.S. and consists of 51% corn, but most bourbons are closer to 70% corn. The remaining blend includes wheat or rye. It must be distilled at 160 proof or less and barreled at 125 proof or less. Legally bourbon must be aged for at least two years in a new charred oak barrel. 95% of bourbon is made in Kentucky. Beyond bourbon, there’s also malt whiskey, corn whiskey and blended whiskey.

Does Flaviar have bourbon?

Yes, Flaviar has whiskey made in the U.S. with a 51% minimum blend of corn. These bourbons are distilled at 160 proof or less, barreled at 125 proof or less and aged for at least two years in a new charred oak barrel.

Where does Flaviar ship from?

Flaviar ships from throughout the U.S. with a network of licensed retail partners. Your order ships from the vendor with the best price that is closest to you. Their vendors rely on various third-party courier services.

Flaviar delivers to 27 of 50 U.S. states, except for Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming. Note that shipping times vary regionally since most bottles are shipped by third-party vendors.

How much is a Flaviar membership?

For the best bargain, prepay $320 a year ($80 per shipment) for Flaviar’s whiskey subscription. This includes a tasting box and a full-sized bottle mailed to your door every quarter. That’s four shipments a year.

Or, pay $100 every three months ($400 per year) on the pay-as-you-go plan. To nix the whiskey subscription and receive insider access to the community and online store, purchase a Flaviar Black membership for $40.

What other reviewers/experts had to say

Thomas O. has really enjoyed his Flaviar subscription. “They have always sent me very good and interesting liquor. I have been able to try many different types and brands of liquor that in some cases I had never heard of.”

J Jeffery speaks highly of Flaviar’s customer service. “I bought the whiskey subscription as a gift for my husband. When he promptly received his first shipment, we had a question regarding the samples he received. Flaviar quickly responded and provided the answer.”

Wimbreth Carville swears by Flaviar’s advent calendar. “I’ve ordered the whiskey advent calendar three years in a row, and my husband loves it. I also order bottles occasionally.”

Final Verdict

The Flaviar whiskey subscription is ideal for whiskey connoisseurs who like to try new things. Chances are, you’ll discover your new favorite whiskey! It also offers whiskey novices the opportunity to expand their palates. Another benefit, you can sample expensive liquors before purchasing the entire bottle.

Flaviar’s whiskey subscription makes rare whiskey accessible from the comfort of your home. It also makes the perfect gift.

Where to Buy the Flaviar Whiskey Subscription

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Flaviar Whiskey Subscription

Flaviar offers a quarterly whiskey subscription that brings rare liquors from around the globe to your doorstep. Pick from three membership options and hundreds of spirits.

Buy on Flaviar

Flaviar whiskey subscriptions can only be purchased via Flaviar’s website. In addition, Flaviar offers some of the best discounts on rare liquor in their online store.

For $100 per delivery ($400 annually), opt for Flaviar’s pay-as-you-go plan for one bottle and one tasting box each quarter. You’re billed $100 every three months before your whiskey subscription box ships. Skip, pause or cancel this plan anytime.

Or, prepay for a year and save $80. Make a one-time payment of $320 ($80 per delivery) to receive one bottle and one tasting box each quarter. I chose this payment option to yield the best deal, saving $80. This plan can’t be paused or canceled. Any whiskey subscription automatically comes with Flaviar Black.

Flaviar Black is $40 a year and offers access to rare and vintage bottles from The Vault, priority access to limited bottle releases, early access to tasting boxes (like the advent calendar), special member pricing on full-sized bottles and tasting boxes and free shipping on select items. This plan is for you if you don’t want a recurring subscription and simply need insider access.

If unsure, I’d recommend starting with the pay-as-you-go plan and paying $100 for your first delivery. If you don’t like it, simply cancel. If you love it, upgrade and pre-pay $320 for the next year of deliveries.

The post Flaviar Review: This Quarterly Whiskey Subscription Expands My Spirits Palate appeared first on Taste of Home.

EMILY WAY/TASTE OF HOME

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In our tests of the best kombucha options, one brand consistently outperformed the others in terms of taste, fizziness, benefits and flavor: Health Ade. Whether it’s a replacement for canned alcoholic drinks or a healthful option for those looking to boost their gut flora, Health Ade’s impressive catalogue of 15 different flavors like Cayenne Cleanse, Bubbly Rose, Mint Limeade and Guava Dragon Fruit offer options for every mood. It’s the closest we found to traditional kombucha in terms of taste, toothough the zippy, tart flavor may be too acidic for newbie booch heads.

Health Ade is incredibly transparent about their brewing process, and they let each batch ferment for several weeks. That gives plenty of time for good bacteria (which averages at about 1 million per bottle) to feed, grow and release tons of tongue-tickling carbonation. At under 0.5% alcohol per bottle, it’s also safe for most folks to enjoy. Even better, it contains only around 70 calories per bottle, making it a much more waistband-friendly option than traditional soda. That said, with 13 grams of added sugar, it’s best to limit intake to one or two bottles a day.

Editors Favorite Flavor:Pomegranate

The post 4 Best Kombucha Brand Options for a Healthy Gut appeared first on Taste of Home.

10. Baskin-Robbins

The Original Cappuccino Blast from Baskin-Robbins is a combination of Arabica coffee combined with vanilla ice cream and ice to form a rich and creamy blended iced beverage. In keeping with our parameters of ordering a vanilla iced coffee drink, I requested a vanilla swirl be added to this particular order. The chain also offers an option of whipped cream topping as well as a dusting of ground cinnamon to finish off the drink, but I skipped that extra flourish for the purposes of this taste test.

This drink came in at the bottom of our list for a few reasons. At $6.79 for a small, this was by far the most expensive beverage we tested. The drink was overly sweet and drank like a heavy dessert rather than a pleasant warm-weather beverage. There was very little coffee flavor, while simultaneously being way too aggressive on the vanilla.

Bottom Line: We would save this as a once in a while indulgent treat, rather than a go-to iced coffee order.

The post 10 Best Fast-Food Iced Coffees, Ranked appeared first on Taste of Home.

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Topping out our list of the best hop water brands is a brew that’s hoppy, fruity and inexpensive. Athletic Brewing understood the assignment with their DayPack hop water. It combines hop oils and carbonated water for a distinctive kiss of herbal goodness in every sip, making it a worthy stand-in for NA beer, craft brews and sugary mocktails.

Four core flavorsincluding black cherry, blood orange, lemon lime and mangooffer ample selections for every sipper at the tailgate or beach. Upon cracking open a can of black cherry, a fragrant black cherry soda scent with a sharp herbal-ness at the forefront fills the senses. While the fruit flavors themselves are rather muted on the palate, they mix incredibly well with the pine-like taste of the hops, making this an excellent pick for both budding hop heads and craft beer drinkers alike.

The post The 5 Best Hop Waters for Summertime Sipping, Tested and Reviewed appeared first on Taste of Home.

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Our pick for the overall best tea subscription is Tea Runners, thanks to its approachable-yet-uncommon flavors, affordable price and incredible quality. Choose from four box options: Black, Pure, Herbal or Original. Each box includes four sampler pouches of tea, 10 tea bags and a postcard with some basic info about the club, tea origins and steeping instructions. Inside Senior Editor Katie Bandurski’s box, each tea impressed with its freshness and flavor.

She likens Moonlight Jasmine to “a warm summer night,” whereas Floral Nectar Black impressed with its subtle finishing florals. Even the Majestic Earl Grey impressed Katie, who isn’t a big fan of Earl Grey. “This is so deliciousmuch fresher than any Earl Grey Ive had before,” she notes.

Because of the myriad options available, Tea Runners is equally appealing to both beginners and seasoned drinkers. The Original Box is a great way to start experimenting and figuring out what flavors/types of tea you like. Then, youd have the option to dive further into a specific type with the Black, Pure or Herbal box.

While the tea is loose leaf, each box comes with 10 tea bags for steeping, which Katie notes is not quite enough to get through all the tea. “Youll need to supplement with another pack or a reusable option. I like this toucan or baby Nessie, but you could use plain ol stainless steel if youre boring,” she says.

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VIA MERCHANT

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With their claim of being “immortally delicious,” Bones Coffee Company has alotto live up to. We’re happy to report that we agree, earning them a spot as the overall best flavored coffee brand. I’ve been drinking Bones Coffee for years now, ever since they drew me in with their fun, edgy advertising and absolutely gorgeous bag art. However, what keeps me stocking them in my at-home coffee bar is their incredible selection of ever-changing and uncommon flavors and the quality of their beans.

Over 30 mouth-watering options like cookies and cream and cereal milk truly taste exactly as intended, as do the more traditional flavors like vanilla and Irish cream. There’s also frequent collaborations with other brands and franchises (including video games like Fallout and flicks like Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas) that introduce new, limited-time flavors almost monthly. We’re talking truly new flavors, toonot just their old options repackaged.

While testing, I especially loved the resealable packaging that keeps my beans and grounds fresh for weeks. The flavors aren’t always recognizable (for instance, the strawberry cheesecake flavor felt more strawberry than cheesecake), but they’re almost always delicious. Out of all the flavors I tried throughout the years, there’s only been one I wasn’t crazy about. However, my husband really enjoyed it, so I think that comes down to personal preference.

Even better, the coffees are never artificial-tasting or acidic, and there’s zero added sugar. Overall, if you’re a coffee lover looking for a great tasting brew that still feelslike coffee, Bones is your best bet.

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