Clearsips Blog

We often get inquiries about the sugar content of our alcohol-free wines. Fair enough. Sugar has been a hot-button topic for quite some time now and it is generally understood that less is better and “added” sugar should be used with a light touch. Some would prefer that our wines had no added sugar at all, but we can assure you that you wouldn’t drink them. First, a little about how alcohol-free wines are made. Almost all of the wines we import begin as a wine containing alcohol. Using a vacuum distillation process the alcohol is gently removed at a low...

The latest publication from the Canadian Substance Abuse and Addiction (Update of Canada's Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines) is sobering to say the least. The last time these guidelines were updated was 2011 when it was reported that safe drinking for women was no more than 10 drinks a week and 15 drinks per week for men. Now, it's a very different story.

Almost 9 years ago I removed alcohol from my life. I can honestly say my main motivation wasn’t for “health reasons.” I was not particularly worried about my physical health. Not directly, anyways. Yes, I had noticed that alcohol helped me fall asleep, but not stay asleep. And I knew that poor sleep made me more irritable and anxious. But I can honestly say that I didn’t understand that there was a link between alcohol and major diseases.   A bit of light bulb went off for me in 2006 when my mother had a “catastrophic” stroke on an otherwise ordinary...

Finding your "why" during Dry January can set you up for success. Before you begin any kind of self-imposed challenge, it’s always helpful to find your motivation. For most people, the reason for going alcohol free is highly personal and somewhat unique to each individual.  Here are some reasons people have shared with me over the last few years: Curiosity: Would I feel better? How hooked am I? Would I find it easy or hard? Overall Health & Wellness: With or without the science, most people know alcohol isn’t a component of healthy living.  Irritation With the “Habit”:  Some feel slave to...