Non Alcoholic Beverages

Smart, safe drinking is the byword for holiday parties. The following non-alcoholic beverages are interesting options for designated drivers and others who prefer not to drink spirits. Cranberries on swizzle sticks make a pretty seasonal garnish for Sleigh Ride, a cider-based drink contributed by the Ritz Carlton at Laguna Niguel, or for 12 O'Clock Clang, a New Year's beverage that is based on cranberry juice cocktail.

Take too much fun from the fun bank at Thanksgiving? With more holiday revelry coming up, we have three little words: alcohol-free wine. The notion of tinkering with perfectly good vino makes true wine lovers blanch, but alcohol-free wine has some advantages over its boozy cousin, including far fewer calories: about 15 to 25 calories for a 4-ounce glass, compared with about 90 for a glass of Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Take too much fun from the fun bank at Thanksgiving? With more holiday revelry coming up, we have three little words: alcohol-free wine. The notion of tinkering with perfectly good vino makes true wine lovers blanch, but alcohol-free wine has some advantages over its boozy cousin, including far fewer calories: about 15 to 25 calories for a 4-ounce glass, compared with about 90 for a glass of Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon.

RICH, creamy root beers, spicy-hot ginger ales, pithy citrus drinks with real tang, complex, herb-scented colas -- they're all out there, along with surprising one-of-a-kind fizzies in flavors as diverse as spruce, Key lime and espresso. This is the new golden age of soda pop. Following the first golden age, about 100 years ago, soda-pop flavor began a downward spiral.

The holiday season is a time for parties. Keep the happy in the holidays by celebrating responsibly. If you are going out to a restaurant, bar or party, go in a group and designate a sober driver to drive everyone home; take a cab, limousine or bus or drink non-alcoholic beverages if you will be driving. If you are giving a party where alcoholic beverages will be served: - Collect the car keys from each arriving driver and return them only if they are judged sober (a common practice in Europe)

A dispute is brewing over the advertising of non-alcoholic beers, such as those now being introduced by the nation's two largest brewers. Both No. 1 brewer Anheuser-Busch Inc. and No. 2 Miller Brewing Co. are opening the money spigots to mount national advertising campaigns for their new non-alcoholic beers, hoping to tap a movement away from alcohol.

A dispute is brewing over the advertising of non-alcoholic beers, such as those now being introduced by the nation's two largest brewers. Both No. 1 brewer Anheuser-Busch Inc. and No. 2 Miller Brewing Co. are opening the money spigots to mount national advertising campaigns for their new non-alcoholic beers, hoping to tap a movement away from alcohol.

After deciding that two state laws apparently conflict, the California Highway Patrol is expected today to instruct officers not to arrest motorists who drink "nonalcoholic" beers while behind the wheel. As the beverages have become more popular, CHP officials have increasingly received inquiries about whether the drinks--which contain less than 0.5% alcohol--violate the state's open container law when consumed by people inside a moving vehicle.

When American League club presidents voted to nix champagne for post-season clubhouse celebrations, the pennant-winning Oakland A's needed a palatable substitute. They didn't have to look far. It was Martinelli's Gold Medal Sparkling Cider to the rescue. Made since the 1920s in Watsonville, about 120 miles south of Oakland, the bubbly pure apple juice in the green champagne bottle has found its way onto many a Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinner table.

It was the "battle of the blenders" Friday at the Newport Dunes Resort as eight enthusiastic bartenders tested out their most creative nonalcoholic drinks in preparation for the Fourth of July. To bumping soul music, presentation category winners Ryan Gee and Ed Nankervis of the Roxbury South club tossed berries, ice cream and whipped cream into two blenders, over themselves, onto spectators and, finally, into 10 carefully stacked glasses.

It was the "battle of the blenders" Friday at the Newport Dunes Resort as eight enthusiastic bartenders tested out their most creative nonalcoholic drinks in preparation for the Fourth of July. To bumping soul music, presentation category winners Ryan Gee and Ed Nankervis of the Roxbury South club tossed berries, ice cream and whipped cream into two blenders, over themselves, onto spectators and, finally, into 10 carefully stacked glasses.

Bottoms Up, Nondrinkers: First it was lighter eating. Now a light drink craze is sweeping through the restaurant business. The Red Robin Burger & Spirits Emporium chain has added a list of nonalcoholic drinks as alternatives to the more potent stuff. The "mocktails" help add to bar tabs in an age when fewer people are drinking, which is always one of the most important sources of profit for restaurants.

The California Highway Patrol is expected today to instruct officers not to arrest motorists who drink "non-alcoholic" beers while behind the wheel. CHP officials have increasingly received inquiries about whether the drinks--which contain less than 0.5% alcohol--violate the state's open container law. The California Vehicle Code states that drinks containing any amount of liquor are "alcoholic beverages" and cannot be consumed inside a moving vehicle.

After deciding that two state laws apparently conflict, the California Highway Patrol is expected today to instruct officers not to arrest motorists who drink "nonalcoholic" beers while behind the wheel. As the beverages have become more popular, CHP officials have increasingly received inquiries about whether the drinks--which contain less than 0.5% alcohol--violate the state's open container law when consumed by people inside a moving vehicle.

The California Highway Patrol is expected today to instruct officers not to arrest motorists who drink "non-alcoholic" beers while behind the wheel. CHP officials have increasingly received inquiries about whether the drinks--which contain less than 0.5% alcohol--violate the state's open container law. The California Vehicle Code states that drinks containing any amount of liquor are "alcoholic beverages" and cannot be consumed inside a moving vehicle.

When American League club presidents voted to nix champagne for post-season clubhouse celebrations, the pennant-winning Oakland A's needed a palatable substitute. They didn't have to look far. It was Martinelli's Gold Medal Sparkling Cider to the rescue. Made since the 1920s in Watsonville, about 120 miles south of Oakland, the bubbly pure apple juice in the green champagne bottle has found its way onto many a Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinner table.

The Dutch brewer Bavaria BV said Friday it received a very large order for alcohol-free beer for thirsty American troops in Saudi Arabia. It declined to say just how big the order was, but a spokesman said there might be problems meeting it because stocks are low after a long, hot summer in Europe. Saudi Arabia's Islamic law prohibits the consumption of alcohol. U.S.