No booze, no bother: On-trend tastes for your Dry January
This month, an estimated tens of millions of U.S. adults will take their favorite beers and bourbons, give each a wistful look—then stash them outside an arm’s length until the start of February.
It’s time for another Dry January, championed by enthusiastic Millennials and Gen Z’ers and intended to get all interested off on a healthier foot at the start of the new year. The practice gained significant popularity in 2022, back when many were trying to reverse poor drinking habits that took hold throughout the isolation and inactivity of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to some reports, more than 35% of drinking-age Americans took part in that abstention.
So what will participation levels look like this year? Estimates are now as high as 30% of drinking age adults, building on increases from previous years. But regardless of overall participation, one thing is certain: there’s never been more delicious and (fairly) nutritious ways to stay sober.
The proliferation of functional ingredients like adaptogens, nootropics, and probiotics in beverages meant to be imbibed socially continues to run unabated. The creation of mood drinks, health-forward seltzers, and plant-based cocktails has never been more inspired. And for those who think the taste of their precious craft beers cannot be replicated by non-alcoholic options, think again.
These are salad days for the sober-curious, so setting aside your regular rounds for 31 days is not only possible. It might even be easy—as long as you have the right tastes at the ready.
Luckily, we at The Martin Group have recommendations. Based on research done for our food and beverage clients—and our general familiarity with the market—here are four tasty bevvies for you and yours to hoist over the whole of this year’s first month.
With their fleet of colorful, magnesium-based selections and craft mocktails, the zero-proof purveyor has thrived on creating mood-improving concoctions while keeping everything non-alcoholic. For those looking to enhance their calm with functional ingredient-enabled flavors like Watermelon Mojito, Grapefruit Paloma, and Peppermint Bark ‘Tini, this might be your new go-to brand.
Nootropics to positively impact brain function. Antioxidants to reduce stress and inflammation. Individual selections to create your ideal mood, whether energetic, chill, or downright chatty. And most importantly, no throbbing headache and/or nausea when you have one too many. These are the many draws of these Ayurvedic medicine-derived, gluten-free beverages that claim to nourish the mind and body—and yes, they’re very tasty, too.
For those who’d prefer their mocktails to look like actual cocktails, there’s this popular non-alcoholic all-natural botanical elixir to step in for your regular three fingers of bourbon, gin, or vodka. With each mixable selection aiming to enhance your mood toward socialization, straight celebration, or just a comfortable mellow, you can use each to play bartender, shake up a few inventive selections, then sip your way to a sober good time.
For yet another non-alcoholic spirit, this award-winning selection—honored by the likes of Drinks International and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition—provides another way to hoist a fanciful, multicolored cocktail, but with none of the booze. Its four sugar-free, calorie-free choices boast plenty of natural, farm-to-table ingredients; and the company has taken all of the guesswork out of your cocktail prep. See their inventive recipe list here.
As for the beer drinkers? Relax; we didn’t forget about you.
There was once a time when selections like Buckler, Miller Sharps, and Coors Cutter were the best one could hope for when seeking out a non-alcoholic beer. Those days are over, thanks to brands like Athletic. The Stratford, Connecticut-born brand was created to deliver the full flavor of modern craft beers, but with none of the alcohol. Now operating out of San Diego, they’re considered the premier option in their realm, all while boasting incredibly popular IPAs, pilsners, and one-off selections to satiate even the most insufferable beer dork.
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