In Session: Low-Proof Cocktails for High-Quality Occasions

“Drinking less doesn’t have to be dry,” promise Grasse and Erace, who previously collaborated on The Cocktail Workshop, in this stylish and laid-back collection of low-ABV quaffs. The authors outline five methods for decreasing the alcohol content in any given cocktail: “stretch,” diluting the drink by increasing the amount of mixer; “swap,” replacing liquor with a lower-proof ingredient; “split,” cutting the amount of spirits used with a lower-proof alcohol; “reserve,” flipping a cocktail’s proportions; and “shrink,” reducing serving size. Recipes are organized by occasion—from brunch to holiday dinner—and each section offers recipes for both single serving pours and large batch punches alongside instructions for setting up DIY cocktail bars where guests can try multiple variations of a drink. Many cocktails are riffs on old favorites: a “carajilow” is an “easy-going alternative” to the espresso martini, the “Cousin Greg” swaps out the rum in a Cuba libre for cherry liqueur and fernet-branca, and the “Lower Manhattan” tones down the whiskey-based classic by using a zero-proof amaro. The collection is rounded out with elevated but accessible snack recipes, including guacamole and piña-pepita salsa for game day and brown butter hummus to serve at a book club, plus striking photography and party playlists contributed by War on Drugs drummer Charlie Hall. Hosts will find a fount of inspiration. (Nov.)