Sample Summary Critique Essay

Longer Summary

In her article published in the Chicago Tribune on October 3, 2019, “Spirit Free

Cocktails”, Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz discusses the seemingly up and coming rage that is drinking

traditionally alcoholic beverages sans alcohol. In her illuminating article, Alexia points to many

causes of which non-alcoholic spirits and such are becoming so popular. One of the biggest

draws is the obvious health benefits and lack of dealing with hangovers and dragging throughout

the day post libations. More people are aware due to the internet and just how fast information

spreads about the downsides of getting hammered. A health craze has seemed to take over the

world and Alexia states, “Even cocktails with alcohol increasingly are boasting ingredients such

as kombucha for digestive health, collagen for skin benefits and turmeric for its detoxifying

properties, making people feel less guilty when they do imbibe…”(Spirit Free Cocktails). Yet

another reason for which this trend is on the rise is due to the fact that some people don’t drink.

If you’ve ever been around them while you drink your alcoholic beverage, you can feel judged or

they can just for not partaking. Well with all the new drinks popping up like Heineken 0.0, now

your friends who don’t partake in drinking can grab a beer right along with you. The only thing

their beer would be missing is the alcohol, and probably a decent amount of calories. The last

reason substitutes are being found for alcoholic beverages, is to be a companion with those very

beverages. A lot of the companies creating these new drinks are founded by people who actually

enjoy drinking alcohol and think there needs to be alternatives when partying and celebrating.

Alexia mentions in the article, “Many of the launches are targeting drinkers opting to moderate

their alcohol consumption, not eliminate it entirely, so they can stay clear-headed as the night

wears on or not be useless at work the next day.”(Spirit Free Cocktails). In conclusion,
throughout the article, “Spirit Free Cocktails”, Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz does a good job of showing

those of us who know nothing or very little about non-alcoholic beverages, the ever growing

world that it is, and why it is that we might find them increasingly in bars near us.

Brief Summary

The article, “Spirit Free Cocktails”, written by Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz in the Chicago

Tribune, published October 3, 2019, introduces the world of nonalcoholic beverages to it’s

audiences. Using name brands, like Heineken, and introducing new brands like Ritual, Alexia

explores the ever growing world of beverages that mimic their alcohol filled counterparts. She

attributes the expansion of these beverages to peoples changing perspective on health, wanting to

feel included but remain sober, and also just having more options on what to drink on a night out.

Readers are left feeling more informed and with some healthy alternatives to current lifestyles.

Reflection

I started primarily with the article and it’s author, publisher, and date because that would

get that out of the way and allow me to establish what the rest of the essay will be on. Then I

tried to concisely write what I thought was the main concept and purpose of the paper,

establishing the main thread, non-alcoholic beverages are getting more popular, that holds

together the whole article. I then used the three things I felt underlined her main point, people

getting healthier, non-drinkers wanting to drink, and people wanting more options when it came

to drinking on a night out, to help lay out the reason for non-alcoholic beverages getting more

popular. The three points that I used were also used in order in which they appeared in the

article, to help facilitate a reader’s transition from reading my summary to the whole article. I
used two quotes in my summary so that I can show my audience directly where I pulled things

from the article. Both quotes that were used to help accentuate the points I am making in the

paragraphs where I utilized them. Each one of the major points have 2 or 3 sentences to get a

well rounded idea of what Alexia, the author of the article, is trying to get at in her article. The

ending I just tried to tie it up as neatly as possible and also add some relevance to the reader by

saying they might be witnessing the change in beverages in a bar near them soon.

Although the brief summary was shorter than the longer summary, it was harder for me to

chop it down to the bare bones and required more attention than the previous summary. I started

with the article title, author and publisher/publishing date. Same as the last one, just to establish

the main idea of the article, I also included a short intro to what the article was about. In the

second sentence I elaborated on how the author introduces her audience to non-alcoholic

beverages. In the third sentence I pulled out the authors major points that helps back up and

establish why one might want to drink non-alcoholic beverages as opposed to an alcoholic one.

And finally I ended with a note which hopefully allows the audience see what they might get out

of reading the article, and encourage them to do so. I had to run through the paragraph a few

times because I was over the word limit by like 13 words. It was a little difficult to decide which

words to cut because I still wanted my sentences to make sense. It was like being a thesaurus,

just switching words with others hopefully getting the point across. The thing I noticed the most

was that I subconsciously would repeat something in a different way. In one sentence I said

introducing the subject to a new audience, but the word introducing already implies the newness

of the subject, so saying new audience isn’t necessary.

Critique

Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz paints a new world of beer and mixed drinks in her article, “Spirit

Free Cocktails”, published in the Chicago Tribune on October 3, 2019. She dives in depth to the

up and coming trend that is making its entrance into bars and the club scene, non-alcoholic

drinks. Establishing in the very beginning of her article that Americans are trying to drink less,

Alexia goes into all of the reasons why this is taking place and what alternatives are popping up,

allowing Americans and people all around curb some of their drinking, if not all of it.

Throughout the article Alexia uses 3 main points to help the audience understand why the

non-alcoholic trend is becoming a thing. Her first point is that most people are aware of the

health consequences of drinking alcohol or overdrinking it. With health and wellness being a

trend in it of itself, these drinks are coming out as an alternative to still let you feel like your

going out and drinking, without the negative side effects. Her second point is that there are

already people who abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages. Whether it be a religious choice,

an alcoholic who has to abstain, or a mother expecting, no one wants to feel left out while

everyone else is drinking. These beverages allow them to feel included in whatever event is

taking place. And lastly the drinks are meant to be able to help someone drinking alcohol help

spread out the night or split it up so that the night or the next day isn’t as messy as it usually

would be with a night out on the town.

Within the article, Alexia presents very clear information about non-alcoholic beverages

and uses interviews and statistics to help support her point, that these beverages are trending

upwards. On the topic of health trends, Alexia states, “Nearly half of U.S. consumers over 21,

and two-thirds of millennials, say they’re making efforts this year to reduce their alcohol

consumption, according to a Nielsen survey.”(Spirit-Free Cocktails). She uses the statistic to

give ground to her claim that many young people who are now consuming alcoholic beverages,

are trying to lead a healthier lifestyle and turn to drink alternatives.

She also adds credibility to herself by interviewing many people, especially people

focused specifically in the sphere of non-alcoholic beverages. Alexia interviews Sharelle Klaus,

the founder of Dry Soda, who was nursing and couldn’t drink at the time. Alexia quotes Sharelle

saying, “‘When you aren’t drinking you feel so left out,’ said Klause, who is based in Seattle.

‘It’s really all around the ritual of pouring yourself something.’”(Spirit-Free Cocktails). As a

founder of a company, she gives credibility to Alexia and also supports the statement that some

people that feel left out when their friends are drinking now have an in.

Diving even further into the article, Alexia keeps using statistics to prove that non-

alcoholic beverages are not just a fad and actually growing in popularity and demand. She quotes

the IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, saying that although at the moment the sales aren’t a huge

part of the american alcohol beverage market, “Ready-to-drink products in the category are

forecast to grow 39% per year through 2022, IWSR said.”(Spirit-Free Cocktails).

With all of her statistics and interviews, I feel as if Alexia does a thorough job of

enlightening her audience on the case of non-alcoholic beverages. From my limited experience

of life, I’ve met people who don’t drink, want to curb their drinking, or just want to be ok the day

after a party. I’ve personally posted/sent stuff while inebriated that I’ve thought probably wasn’t

the best look for anyone. I’ve also witnessed many people who have done much of the same,

expressing the sentiment that they wish they hadn’t drank that much afterwards. So her argument

that non-alcoholic drinks are on the uptrend is supported by her various reasons, as well as my

firsthand experiences. I know that if there’s a place where heavy drinking has occurred, there’s
soon to be a place where regretting heavy drinking will soon take place as well. Welcoming in

the non-alcoholic alternative market that is surely growing.

(should be on a separate page) Works Cited

Elejalde-Ruiz, Alexia. “Spirit-Free Cocktails. Alcohol-Free Spirits. Bars and Booze Makers Are

Cashing in on Americans' Efforts to Drink Less.” Chicagotribune.com, 3 Oct. 2019,

www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-alcohol-free-drinking-20191003-

c6hwt24hrvacjooyebsy7aotui-story.html.