DRINKING WITH JENNA: LOWER YOUR SPIRITS

In your glass, that is! These cocktails are heavy on the flavor but light on the alcohol.

- BY JENNA HELWIG

FOR A WINE AND SPIRITS columnist, I am surprisingly a lightweight—usually one and done! But come summer, with the backyard barbecues and lazy afternoons that turn into long evenings, I yearn to enjoy two or even (gasp!) three drinks over the course of many hours, without getting too buzzed. Enter low-ABV (alcohol by volume) cocktails. Selfishly, I asked my REAL SIMPLE test kitchen friend Melissa Gray-Streett to create four quaffable cocktails that don’t pack much of a punch.

She delivered: These all come in at under 9% ABV. For perspective, a glass of wine is typically between 11% and 14% ABV, and a cocktail much higher. I’ll drink (a couple) to that!

PINEAPPLE-BEER COCKTAIL

ACTIVE TIME 10 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 10 MINUTES SERVES 4

A little spicy, a little sweet, this on-trend drink has a low ABV number (a cute 2.5%).