There is no shortage of alcohol at The Big E.
Between pickle beer, margaritas topped with cotton candy and buckets of rum, vendors at the fair manage to up their drinking game every year.
But, if you’re not interested in alcohol while taking on the ginormous fair, W.A.V.E. Mocktail Cart offers an array of mocktails, including its Spicy N/A Margarita.
The 16-ounce drink is light and refreshing, with some added zing. Plus, the cup it comes in changes color.
Customers who order it will get a concoction of lime, lemon, sour mix and slices of jalapeños. Visitors can find the stand at The Front Porch area of the fairgrounds. See a map here.
I was pleasantly surprised on the first sip.
By no means is it a complicated drink. It’s a combination of sweetness, citrus and the right amount of spice. But that’s what I like about it.
It’s refreshing enough to keep yourself cool for the chaos of the fair. And its unique flavor keeps you hooked. After all, The Big E is Western Massachusetts’ mecca of flavor.
The only downside of the mocktail is the price. If you think a glorified spicy lemonade is worth the $12, go for it.
If you’re thinking, “There’s no way I’m going to spend over 10 bucks for a drink without booze in it,” then there are plenty of other non-alcoholic beverage outlets that charge less than $10 scattered across The Big E.
However, if you don’t drink, are not 21 years old or simply don’t like the taste of alcohol but want the heart of a cocktail, give it a try.
Keep in mind, too. I tried the mocktail around 10:30 a.m. opening day. It was pretty hot. If you’re not willing to bear some dehydration from alcohol, or you find it’s too early in the day, start off with a mocktail. The hundreds of different cocktails at the fair will still be there later on.
W.A.V.E. also offers other mocktails, such as a virgin mojito and a Shirley Temple, to name a few. All mocktails are served in a 16-ounce cup.
Overall, the spicy margarita mocktail is a solid 8 out of 10. It lost a few points based on the price. But, it is sold at a fair and fairs are notorious for jacked-up prices.
But don’t let me tell you what to do. Listen to your heart, your stomach, and, more importantly, your wallet.
