Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/46939
ALTERNATIVE BEVERAGES Gift Guide T A Non-Alc (You're Welcome) by Rachel Burkons he fi rst snowfl ake hasn't even hit the ground yet, but we're already thinking about our favorite gifts to give and receive during the holidays this year! To help make your holiday shopping list easier, here is THE TASTING PANEL's non-alcoholic gift guide, because let's face it: Not everyone on your list will get Opus One in their stocking this year! Cross off Your List: The Vampire Lover Every workplace has one: The Fan(g)atic who fl ipped when Sookie and Bill found love at fi rst bite in the HBO series True Blood (in THE TASTING PANEL's case, there may be more than one of us), or the Twilight devotee who is so on Team Edward. Inspired by the synthetic blood in the HBO hit, Tru Blood blood orange–fl avored soda is the perfect stocking-stuffer for anyone looking for a little bit of gory fun this Holiday Season. Fresh, fruity, and not at all blood-like, Tru Blood is fake-platelet goodness. Cross off Your List: The TEAtoler For every cat person who claims they don't like dogs, there's a tea-drinker who turns up his or her nose at the thought of a plain old cup of coffee. For the loose-leaf lover in your life, Village Tea Company's lineup of unique fl avors (Sassy Green Tea, anyone?) sourced from around the world offers a modern take on the classics. With a marketing platform that touts "More Flavor. Less Etiquette," Village Tea might even be the perfect gateway product for caffeine addicts looking to switch from the bean to the leaf. 50 / the tasting panel / november 201 1 Cross off Your List: The Breakfast Buff Maple syrup is like sushi: When it's good, it's good, and when it's bad, it's bad. Falling fi rmly on the so-good- it's-awesome side of this divide is Crown Maple, a perfectly crafted syrup produced from majestic sugar and red maple trees in New York's Hudson River Valley. The result is some of the purest, most nuanced pancake-topping stuff we've ever encountered, and with three fl avors to explore, we're thinking we need to learn how to make waffl es, stat. Cross off Your List: The Sodaholic Getting all hyped up after chugging a soda was charming when you were eight, but now that you're a gen-u- ine adult, perhaps it's time to branch out from the old tried-and-true sugar bombs. Bringing a gourmet take to the soda category is CasCal, a fermented soda that comes in fl avors like Ripe Rouge, a cherry/ rose/chocolate combo, and Crisp White, with a complex profi le boasting pear, apricot and magnolia. With interesting and complex fl avors and natural, low-sugar ingredients, CasCal is the perfect way to say, "I love you— but please grow up."