# What is the best non-alcoholic beverage you've ever had? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2017, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854 "2017-09-09T00:36:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/1 "2017-09-09T00:36:52Z")
I just had a [Cascara Fizz](https://readanddrink.wordpress.com/2015/09/02/blue-bottle-cascara-fizz/) from Blue Bottle. So delicious. I think my all time favorite drink was a cookies and dough milkshake with a scoop of nutella. Dangerously good. It was stressful to not drink this everyday. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/2 "2017-09-09T00:41:29Z")
Gotta go with the chocolate cake shake at Portillo’s (local Chicago chain but becoming more nationwide every year). ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/3 "2017-09-09T00:45:54Z")
Dunno about you, but I could go for a Green River right now (carbonated or noncarbonated, doesn’t matter). :o ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/4 "2017-09-09T00:47:57Z")
A cold glass of water after a hard day of physical labor. Or so I’m told. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/5 "2017-09-09T01:03:01Z")
Hmmm, I think it’s a three way tie between, fresh mango smoothly, fresh watermelon juice, or ice Milo. Pretty sure at various times I have declared each one, “THE BEST!” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/6 "2017-09-09T01:03:22Z")
Mountain Dew Live Wire in a can, ice cold. It’s the best soda ever. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/7 "2017-09-09T01:11:30Z")
Something called Apricot Nectar, especially that made by a British firm called [**Epicure**](http://www.epicure.co.uk/about/), in tall glass bottles. Although it also seems known in [**Austria**](http://www.bailoni.at/en/products/bailoni-golden-apricot-nectar.html), France and Australia. The Cookie/Dough beverage sounds fascinating, with or without Nutella; is it a traditional American drink ? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/8 "2017-09-09T01:19:22Z")
A. J. Stephan’s Ginger Beer. Followed closely by a number of other good ginger beers. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/9 "2017-09-09T01:32:16Z")
> [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > The Cookie/Dough beverage sounds fascinating, with or without Nutella; is it a traditional American drink ? 😃 I’m going to say yes. God bless America. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/10 "2017-09-09T01:33:28Z")
Fresh starfruit juice in Penang, Malaysia. In the places I’ve lived, starfruit have ranged from outright unavailable to $1 each for a bruised tiny fruit so being able to get an ice cold cup of freshly squeezed juice made from a dozen starfruit for 30 cents was an unimaginable luxury. ---
**Author:** ![Textual\_Innuendo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@Textual\_Innuendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Textual_Innuendo)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/11 "2017-09-09T01:49:10Z")
If you’re near enough to the west coast to have In-n-Out’s in your city, do yourself a favor: Go and order a coffee and a chocolate shake, and ask for a third empty cup for water. Pour half the shake in the third cup, then pour half the coffee into the shake cup and mix until you have a thick coffee / thin milkshake. Their coffee is Kona and brewed fresh, and the shakes are made with 100% real ice cream, not any pre-processed powders or pastes. You’re getting the perfect blend of coffee and chocolate and cream…drink of the gods, drink and enjoy! ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/12 "2017-09-09T01:54:31Z")
A black-and-white milkshake from Fatso’s Last Stand, Chicago (near Humboldt Park). Followed by Virgil’s micro-brewed root beer. Scoop of French vanilla ice cream optional. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/13 "2017-09-09T02:37:12Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > A black-and-white milkshake from Fatso’s Last Stand, Chicago (near Humboldt Park). Fatso’s is the best! (The neighborhood it’s in is Ukrainian Village.) I haven’t tried their milkshakes, though. I need to rectify that. (I’m not really a milkshake person, but my wife and kids are, so we’ll have to plan another trip there soon.) I’m really stumped as far as the OP’s question goes, though. I feel like there should be an obvious answer, but all I could think of is lemonade. I just love me a nice, tart, homemade lemonade. That there is pretty much the pinnacle of beverages for me. A well made and not overly sweet horchata would be up there, too. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/14 "2017-09-09T03:24:08Z")
Limonata. [This](https://www.sanpellegrinofruitbeverages.com/intl/en/limonata-227) stuff. Or Manhattan Special. [This](https://www.manhattanspecial.com/products_pure_espresso.html) stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/15 "2017-09-09T04:11:15Z")
Allowing liquefied ice cream seems like cheating, but if we’re allowing milk shakes, I’ll go with a **chocolate malt**. If you’ve never had one, RECTIFY THIS! It’s like a chocolate intensifier, it makes it chocolate^2. I seriously can’t recommend it more highly. I can’t eat gluten anymore, but damn, I miss a malt. That and dark beers. One of the chain eateries around here has raspberry lemonade. Very good, very, very sugary. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/16 "2017-09-09T04:21:19Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > Limonata. [This](https://www.sanpellegrinofruitbeverages.com/intl/en/limonata-227) stuff. Oh, that’s a good one! ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/17 "2017-09-09T04:26:36Z")
I’m pining for a root beer float right about now. ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/18 "2017-09-09T04:32:51Z")
I miss Schweppes Bitter Lemon and Bitter Orange. There are hipster substitutes, but none as good. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/19 "2017-09-09T09:17:07Z")
Almost any kind of ginger beer. Old Tyme is particularly good. I think they also make a wonderful cherry lime rickey. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2017, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854/20 "2017-09-09T11:10:21Z")
Guarana, a fruity Brazilian soft drink with a cream-soda flavor. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-non-alcoholic-beverage-youve-ever-had/795854.md?page=2)