Booze-Free Beverages To Liven Up Dry January
Non-alcoholic beer, whiskey, tequila, mocktails and wine are among these hangover-free offerings.
It’s never been a better time to be a drinker — of top-shelf whisky or bourbon, sure, but Dry January is also a great time for moderation, reflection and…actual, honest-to-goodness taste and enjoyment? Believe it or not, yes.
Dry January is indicative of a consumer mindset that welcomes N/A options year-round, with flavor and complexity welcomed and indeed, expected, said Sebastian Tollius, beverage director at Eleven Madison Park, the famed, three-Michelin-starred Manhattan eatery.
“The Low and No-Alcohol movement isn’t just a passing trend — it’s a conscientious shift in how we approach the art of crafting beverages,” Tollius said, noting famed restaurant is going above-and-beyond with its own Dry January program, including a no-alcohol Negroni and its Fennel cocktail (made with the traditional Japanese koji-fermented sweet beverage clarified amazake).
Aside from the luxe confines of Eleven Madison Park, thirsty consumers have plentiful options to enjoy just a few clicks away, beyond even just more traditional low or no-alcohol beer. It’s a brave new world, so put the soda water down and try these delightful Dry January sippers, no hangover included.
Athletic Brewing All-Out Dark Non-Alcoholic Beer
Athletic Brewing has been a game changer in the N/A beer category, offering an excellent variety of styles to mimic even what you’d find at your favorite local brewery. Seeing as winter brings about cold weather and a craving for dark beers, consider the All Out Extra Dark option your ideal Dry January substitute. $13.99/6-pack
Boulevard Brewing Flying Start N/A IPA
Lovers of hop-packed brews might be skeptical of an IPA minus the booze, but Flying Start packs some excellent citrus flavor and a refreshing finish. It holds up, without the booze that can lead to a rough morning after a full-power IPA. $9.99/6-pack
WhistlePig Dank & Dry Old Fashioned
WhistlePig always pushes the envelope as far as ultra-aged whiskey is concerned, but its Dank & Dry Old Fashioned takes things in an even more bold direction. The Dank & Dry builds upon its Barrel Aged Maple Old Fashioned recipe, using Terpenes cultivated from cannabis grown in whiskey barrels to craft a concoction that lives up to its name. $49.99
Wilderton Bittersweet Aperitivo
The oft-surprising thing about many of the best booze-free beverages for Dry January? How often they can still bring out surprising flavors akin to your favorite cocktail, minus that booze kick. Take this Wilderton aperitivo: Soda water, ice and a lemon twist help drive home its orange blossom and grapefruit-tinged, aromatic kick. $29.59
St. Agrestis Phony Mezcal Negroni
Taking part in Dry January needn’t mean leaving your favorite rituals behind, like whipping up a distinct Mezcal Negroni for evening happy hour. In fact, it’s now even easier (again, minus the booze and the potential headache from one too many). It’s as simple as pouring this flavorful St. Agrestis option over ice and adding a citrus twist. $28/4-pack
Longbottom N/A Bloody Mary Kit
The reviving power of a Bloody Mary is a bit of a Godsend if you favor some “hair of the dog,” but the idea of packing that same flavor and richness into an N/A kit is nothing short of genius. Everything you to craft a perfectly spicy Bloody Mary, aside from a series of marathon pitchers at a boozy brunch, is included in this super-handy kit, including olives, rim salt and even hot sauce. $32/4-pack
Spiritless Jalisco 55 N/A Tequila
When we said it was a brave new world for your bar cart, we weren’t kidding: This N/A tequila does the seemingly unthinkable by using reverse distillation to preserve the flavor of a reposado tequila, but once more (repeat after us) without the booze. It helps that it looks every bit as premium as a fine bottle of tequila, and it’s smooth enough to sip on its own or mix into “mocktails.” $38
Ritual Zero-Proof Whiskey Alternative
Yet again, prepare to be wowed by an alcohol-free alternative to a famously amped-up spirit, in this case whiskey. They’ve sought to recreate the flavor of a “medium-bodied bourbon,” and on the surface and with its presentation, it appears they’ve hit the mark. Plus, it’s (of course) not as pricey as its high-proof brothers and sisters in arms. $25
Triple Cherry Lemon THC Seltzer
Here’s an interesting replacement for a hard seltzer: One that instead uses 3mg of THC for a truly mellow, calming effect. It’s a softer landing versus a sky-high feeling, and certainly something a luxury cannabis connoisseur (or even a category newbie) might prefer. $11.39/4-pack
FRE Alcohol-Removed Sauvignon Blanc
Just when you thought the N/A market couldn’t get any more astonishing, an alcohol-removed wine bursts onto the scene. Or rather, FRE offers up more than 30 years of experience in the category, offering an option for hard-to-please vino enthusiasts. $10
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