Welcome to a better way to drink!
Inspired by The End of Vodka, Drink Unique offers alternatives to the status quo: vodka tonics, cosmopolitans, and martinis. Break the monotony and contribute to the mixed drinks discussion by adding your comments, favorite recipes and cocktail posts.
Filed Under (Eco-Drinks) on December 18, 2008
It is no secret that we live in a more eco-conscious society. This is made evident by the amount of products and services available to the public that specialize in eco-friendly variations of popular products. Going green doesn't only mean reconstructing your driving habits and other aspects of your life, but you can also be eco-friendly through what you eat and drink.
Sharing adult beverages with your friends is a great way to spend an evening together and have an overall great time. While there are numerous drink combinations available, there are also many eco-friendly drinks that can provide you with great tasting beverages that are friendly to the environment.
There are many eco-friendly drinks available to purchase and even make. Some of the most popular eco-friendly drink choices include organic wine and beer. Organically developed beverages have been produced with the highest green standards, thus their production is not harmful to the environment. VeeV is another eco-friendly alcoholic beverage. Made from the Brazilian açaí berry, it can be swapped for vodka in any cocktail. VeeV is the industry's first certified carbon-neutral company, and it donates $1 per bottle to the Brazilian rainforest.
The importance of choosing eco-friendly drinks, or green drinks, does not only help your body, by not consuming various chemicals and toxins, but also the environment greatly benefits from these green drinks. Choosing to purchase eco-friendly drinks means the overall production of greenhouse gases due to fuel-intensive transporting, such as through trucks and airplanes, is dramatically reduced.
Many major metropolitan cities have bars and other establishments that serve eco-friendly drinks. An example of such places is the Butterfly Social Club and the Funky Buddha Lounge, both located in Chicago, Illinois. These establishments are aiding the cause of green living, which are having a major impact on both local and worldwide green levels.
Eco-friendly drinks are not only becoming more popular among the mainstream, but they offer the everyday individual an opportunity to help the environment one drink at a time. While adult beverages are a mainstay in our society, consuming eco-friendly drinks will ensure our world will be around long enough for future generations to enjoy this social tradition.
Sources:
http://www.greenyour.com/home/kitchen-cooking/cooking/tips/serve-eco-friendly-food
http://chicago.metromix.com/bars-and-clubs/article/eco-lixirs/168268/content
Written by Jonathan McLelland
Filed Under (Eco-Drinks) on November 24, 2008

Today it is very important to make green choices when it comes to purchases that you make. However, while many consumers look for organic produce and buy items with recyclable packaging, not enough people are looking for eco-friendly drinks and eco-friendly beverages. This is unfortunate, because there are many tasty green drinks to choose from.
Locally Manufactured Drinks
One of the easiest ways to make your beverage choices eco-friendly is to buy them from local manufacturers. Buying your drinks from local producers cuts down on the amount of fuel that is used to transport your products and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. In Europe, buying locally produced drinks is very hip right now. In fact, some local soda and alcoholic beverages, like Bionade, are becoming so popular that large cola companies like Coca Cola are taking steps to try and crush these small companies. However, locals are dedicated to their local brands, and they are pouring more of their money into these drinks.
Mixing Green Drinks
When going green, you need to think about more than just recycling and buying organic products. You need to think about ways that you can infuse every aspect of your life with eco-friendly products. To get you in the right mindset for going green, try throwing a green drinks party. For this party you will want to use only green products and drink ingredients.
Your shopping list for a green drinks party is going to start with green beverages that are locally manufactured. Green sodas are great items to start with. To find a green soda, you will want to look for a product that has organic ingredients and is manufactured locally. Green juices also are great if you can find them, as they can enhance your green mixed drinks. Finally, if you want to serve alcoholic beverages, you will want to look for locally brewed products. Locally brewed beers and wines are going to offer you the options for your green drinks party. You can mix these eco-friendly products with your green sodas and local fruit juices.
Written by Eisla Sebastian
Filed Under (Eco-Drinks) on November 6, 2008

Cosmopolitan, manhattan, martini... you'll hear these names frivolously thrown around any upscale bar or club.
Intoday's world, we aren't as frivolous with our clothes, our food or our cleaning products. The world is becoming eco-conscious, and consumers are searching for eco-friendly products to help them go green. Why stop when you order a drink at the bar? Eco-friendly cocktails are the newest trend for the environmentally conscious consumer.
Organic Beer and Wine MSNBC recently reported on this growing trend in the United States and commented that organic beer and wine are the first eco-friendly alcoholic drinks that many consumers encounter. For a beer or wine to be classified as organic, like Peak Organic Beer and products from The Organic Wine Company, the beverages need to meet the standards set by the USDA's National Organic Program. By doing so, they can be considered organic, and consumers can be sure they are helping the environment with their beer or wine choice.
Organic Juice, Fruit and Vegetables If you can't go without your favorite alcoholic cocktail at a party, consider adding to it with organic fruit and vegetables. Making a mimosa? Be sure to add Tropicana's organic orange juice. If you want a martini, add a Rawganique organic olive to your drink. Even if the alcohol itself isn't eco-friendly, there's no reason not to spice it up with a green mixer or garnish. Many cocktails have started adding organic tea as a mixer. What will they think of next?
Green Business Habits Another way to go green with your cocktail choice is to select beverages whose companies have environmentally friendly practices. The açaí berries used in VeeV, for example, are not only harvested from sustainable forests, but the company donates $1 for every bottle purchased back to the Brazilian rainforest. Seek out companies like VeeV, who make the word "eco-conscious" part of their business practice.
Eco-friendly cocktails are the newest trend for the environmentally conscious consumer. From organic beer, wine, mixers and garnishes to companies that make going green part of their business plan, selecting eco-friendly drinks is a lifestyle change you won't have to suffer through. The options for green cocktails are limitless if you open up your mind when ordering at the bar.
Sources:
MSNBC; Organic Booze Becomes Cocktail Trend at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25098479/
Peak Organic Beer at http://www.peakbrewing.com/
Organic Wine Company at http://www.theorganicwinecompany.com/
Rawganique at http://www.rawganique.com/Food-raw-organic-olives.htm
SmartsCo at http://www.smartsco.com/content/view/108/66/
Veev at http://www.veevlife.com/
Written by Kelly Herdrich
Filed Under (Eco-Drinks) on October 8, 2008

Going green gets even better when cocktail parties and special toasts are enhanced with some eco-friendly drinks; isn't it high time you enjoyed some cocktails with a conscience?
When you've made a commitment to live life on the greener side, it's easier than you think to mix up a lineup of green drinks that wow the crowds and the planet. Eco-friendly beverages can include açaí berry martinis, fresh fruit mojitos and cucumber cocktails made with a planet-friendly alcohol for the base.
Using fresh fruit and organic juice as a flavoring and then garnishing the cocktail with wedges of lime or lemon is all you need to put together a few eco drinks that support your green living habits.
A few eco drink recipes to try this season:
Açaí Berry Martinis The Brazilian açaí berry has been deemed one of the world's superfoods and is chock full of heart-healthy compounds. Using Veev, an alcohol made with the açaí berry, will enhance the flavor of any martini, and it will be beautiful when garnished with fresh berries. Try this one straight up for a 'healthy-tini' that is sure to become a crowd favorite.
Cucumber Spritzers Cucumber adds a crisp and cool flavor to drinks on the rocks, and a spritzer made with a few slices of fresh cucmber and lime delivers an invigorating surprise. Fresh cucumber-infused cocktails are leading the eco drinks menus at dozens of bars and restaurants across the country.
Berry Mojitos From blackberries to strawberries, the classic mojito goes green with fresh fruit infusions - and it will have you convinced you're sipping on a tasty fruit punch. Just add a sprig or two of fresh mint and sugar to the bottom of the glass, then load up on fruit for an intense tropical flavor.
Pomegranate Veev Cosmopolitan Pomegranate goes mainstream with the Veev cosmopolitan, the perfect way to kick off a night of revelry. Fresh pomegranate juice can be mixed with Veev and the cosmo is finished off with a wedge of lime or a handful of fresh berries.
Passion Fruit Punch If the night calls for entertaining a large crowd, an eco-friendly punch is sure to impress even the most discerning cocktail critic. Mix together fresh passion fruit juice, rum, organic strawberries, pineapple and oranges for a tasty addition to the drinks table.
Written by Sabah Karimi
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