No. 106 November/December 2023

Every December, I tell myself the same thing. “Nothing against this holiday season,” I’ll note, surveying the festive decorations in my home as I pull on my heavy coat and gloves before heading outside. “But next year, we’re doing this on a beach somewhere.”

I’m probably not going to make it to Mexico or Hawai‘i for the holidays this year, either. But I’ll still be yearning to dig my feet into a warm stretch of sand rather than my winter boots, and longing for a gentle sear of sunshine in place of the December damp.

Chances are many of you are right there with me on this one. I’ve got good news, though: While I can’t promise that a surf-and-sun vacation is in your future, we can bring the taste of a tropical getaway to your holiday celebrations. Check out our annual holiday drinks recommendations for recipes that spin great tropical cocktails in a seasonally appropriate direction.

Whether you’re hosting holiday gatherings this year or attending as a guest, you’re going to need to have plenty of wine on hand to accompany all the feasting. For this issue, Betsy Andrews finds the perfect wine pairing for every holiday occasion by looking to the nation of Georgia, where the ancient wine traditions are today turning out bottles ideal for the season.

Winter’s approach means many of us are spending more of our days indoors, often in the company of a favorite beverage. Tea houses may still be relative rarities in coffee-fueled North America, but that’s changing, and Max Falkowitz brings us some of the best. And the beer world has seen its share of ebbs and flows in recent years; Josh Bernstein explores how many favorite breweries are now retrenching, and focusing their attention on communities close to home.

We’ve also got Yolanda Evans’ recommendations for mixing cocktails with Sorel liqueur, an introduction to the force of nature known as ms. franky marshall, Kate Bernot’s meditation on falling back in love with favorite drinks, and ideas on where to drink should a trip to Vail, Colorado, be in your future. And do we have holiday gift suggestions this year? Of course we do, peruse our gift guide.