Aplos is a hemp-based liquor alternative that had me intrigued to try it. I like the idea of some calming side-effects without the booze, and the flavor description of citrus-led with notes of ginger and rosemary sounded delicious. It has 20mg of broad-spectrum CBD per 2oz. serving. Based on the taste, 2 ounces in one drink would be a lot for me, so I’d generally be drinking two “cocktails” to get the full serving of CBD.

I picked up a bottle from Boisson NYC for $48.00. Which seems like a lot, however if you look at how much I spend on CBD oil, it isn’t completely insane if it offers the benefits. At first pour, it looked almost like it glowed and the only color I can describe it as is Moonstone. It smelled citrusy and strong. I took a sip of it straight and my immediate, verbal response was “GROSS!” It has a strong bitterness, almost acrid, that surprised me.

However, it’s really grown on me! The interesting thing about drinking N/A’s is that you can try like hell to recreate something with alcohol, or else you can start to explore flavors and drinks that are totally different than anything alcohol has to offer. When mixed right, Aplos allows for exactly that.

Check out my CB Delish recipe for mixing ideas. I recommend playing into the ginger and lime and adding some sugar to put the bitterness in check.

Would I buy it again? Maybe. It’s continuing to grow on me, and I’d say it’s a strong possibility, especially if I could find it on sale.