Opius Featured on FOX 5 New York’s Good Night New York

A Basil Smash, Opius Albedo, and a late-night taste of what alcohol-free drinking can be.

Opius made its way onto FOX 5 New York as Good Night New York turned its attention to Drinks With Benefits, New York City’s festival dedicated to the growing world of non-alcoholic, functional and better-for-you drinks.

During the September 16 episode, hosts Christal Young and Ryan Kristafer were joined at the bar for a preview of the festival — and one of the drinks poured on air was a Basil Smash made with Opius Albedo.

A Basil Smash with Opius Albedo

Rather than simply talking about alcohol-free drinks, the segment put one in the glass.

With an Opius Albedo bottle sitting front and center, a Basil Smash was prepared for the hosts to taste. It was a simple moment, but one that captured exactly what we believe a great non-alcoholic drink should do: stand on its own, deliver genuine flavour and complexity, and never feel like the lesser option.

The reaction around the table said plenty. During the tasting, the hosts described the drink as “better than alcohol” and “more flavorful.”

We’ll take that.

Drinks With Benefits in New York City

The FOX 5 appearance came ahead of Drinks With Benefits, held on September 17, 2026 at The Altman Building in New York City.

Created by The Daily Pour, the festival brings together more than 60 brands from across the alcohol-free drinks category, alongside food, music, tastings and other experiences. The 2026 edition followed the event’s inaugural year and expanded the concept with a separate industry-focused Drinks With Benefits Summit the day before.

Opius joined the festival as one of the brands showcasing how far the category has moved beyond simply recreating traditional alcoholic drinks.

Because for us, alcohol-free was never supposed to mean compromise.

From Belgium to New York

Seeing Opius Albedo poured on FOX 5 in New York was a special moment for a product that started its life much further away.

Opius is handcrafted in Belgium in small batches, using techniques inspired by distillation, fermentation, maceration and perfumery to build the body, aroma and finish we look for in every bottle. The objective has always been to create something with an identity of its own — not merely an imitation of what already exists.

And that is perhaps what we liked most about this particular television appearance.

There was no lengthy explanation required. Albedo went into the shaker, the Basil Smash went into the glasses, and the drink did the talking.