Table of Contents<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Copyright A Bar Above, generated with AI<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n Let\u2019s be honest: Whether due to anxiety or boredom or all those Zoom happy hours, alcohol consumption is on the rise<\/a> during the pandemic. So while \u201cDry January\u201d is a common New Year\u2019s resolution to get people back on track to healthier living (especially after a decadent holiday season), some of us may need this reset even more than usual. But that doesn\u2019t mean you have to only drink water or kids\u2019 \u201cvirgin\u201d daiquiris. There are so<\/i> many creative ways to skip the alcohol and still drink something tasty– all year round!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n Photo by Maddi Bazzocco, via www.unsplash.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s really a thing! The Alcohol Change<\/a> in the UK endorses a formal campaign each year to encourage people to stop drinking for the month of January. Although the concept stems back to at least 1942<\/a>, this more official effort was launched in 2014 and has caught on in the States in recent years. Speaking from experience, it\u2019s a great way to concentrate on health (both physical and mental) by cutting back on alcohol consumption. So let\u2019s explore some of our non-alcoholic options that can come in handy well past January.a<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t Beginning with the easiest option, when you would normally grab a cocktail, grab a carbonated option like La Croix or ginger beer instead. Personally, I use a SodaStream<\/a> and then infuse my own water with things like cucumber, mint, or lime; but there are lots of brands on the market that can satisfy your craving for a touch of flavor in lieu of alcohol if you don\u2019t want to invest in your own machine.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t While it\u2019s common to suggest reaching for the coffee or tea instead of liquor, kombucha<\/b> is– in my opinion– a more unique and fun alternative. You can even take up making your own!<\/i> Kombucha has been a go-to brunch trick of mine for a while: When friends and family want to break open the champagne, but I don\u2019t want to nap the rest of the day (or, let\u2019s be honest, can\u2019t<\/i> nap\u2014 because I always want<\/i> to), I often turn to kombucha as a carbonated alternative.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Copyright A Bar Above<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Say what? What even is<\/i> a spirit sans alcohol? One of the best known brands, Seedlip<\/a>, and other non-alcoholic spirits<\/b> are meant to replace liquor and can be added into traditional recipes. (Monday Gin<\/a> is another brand that came up a lot in our community group<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t As someone whose go-to drink is a whiskey highball<\/a>, an easy substitute is to skip the alcohol and simply combine soda water (or tonic if you\u2019re a gin and tonic drinker) and bitters. My recommendation is Fee Brothers rhubarb bitters<\/a>, although this does<\/i> contain some alcohol<\/a> for those of you who are strictly abstaining. Julia also wrote a great article<\/a> a few months ago about non-alcoholic bitters if you\u2019re curious about other options.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t Using botanical waters<\/b> (like Fee Brothers<\/a>— Can you tell I\u2019m a fan?) and simple syrups<\/b> can add a lot of flavor, making your drink feel more like a cocktail even when omitting the alcohol. Even better yet, make your own! Infuse syrups and shrubs<\/a> to make soda water more flavorful and fun… Or just infuse the water itself if you have a carbonated water machine. You can even combine this option with bitters to make your drink more complex.\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t There are plenty of cocktails you can turn into non-alcoholic beverages as well; drinks that include juices are easy to make without liquor, for example. We did an exploration of \u201cmocktails\u201d<\/a> earlier this year that goes into a little more detail, but you have a lot<\/i> of choices.\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Speaking of mocktails, here are a couple specific ones we pulled from our Craft Cocktail Club Facebook group<\/a> to get you started.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n This alcohol-free beverage is similar to a cucumber mule, sans spirit. If you want a lighter and\/or less sweet option, you can also swap out the simple syrup for soda water.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t Unique and delicious, this could easily become a traditional craft cocktail by adding 2 oz of vodka or gin.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t Combine strawberries, basil, and lemon in a shaker and gently muddle. Add all remaining ingredients except soda water and ice and shake vigorously. Top with soda water. If using egg white or aquafaba, strain into a glass without ice; if not using egg white or aquafaba, strain into an ice-filled glass and top with soda water. Garnish with a strawberry.\u00a0 [Just a side note: I changed Erin\u2019s original instructions just a tad after experimenting with this recipe; the above photo is of the aquafaba version.]<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Classic Mocktail Shirley Temples\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n Now that you know your options, we\u2019d love to see what you\u2019re drinking this month and all throughout 2021. Is there anything we didn\u2019t cover that you\u2019d like to add to our list? Leave us a comment below or come join us in our Facebook group<\/a> to discuss all things cocktails– with or without alcohol.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
![\"4](\"https:\/\/149347875.v2.pressablecdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/abaraboveteam_a_food_blog_photo_of_4_different_mocktails_on_a_140459f5-e6c9-4c7d-b4e0-e33de08fa840_3.png\")
<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/h2>\n
![\"calendar](\"https:\/\/149347875.v2.pressablecdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/maddi-bazzocco-waNAJOI7Jz8-unsplash-scaled-e1734978041973.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSO WHAT IS<\/i> DRY JANUARY?<\/h2>\n
![\"Alcohol](\"https:\/\/149347875.v2.pressablecdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Alcohol-Alternatives.jpg\" "\\"Alcohol")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\nALCOHOL ALTERNATIVES<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
GINGER BEER AND FLAVORED SODA WATERS<\/h3>\n
![\"Ginger](\"https:\/\/149347875.v2.pressablecdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Ginger-Beer-and-Flavored-Soda-Waters.jpg\" "\\"Ginger")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\nKOMBUCHA<\/h3>\n
![\"non-alcoholic](\"https:\/\/149347875.v2.pressablecdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/729251_GardenParty-P1_v1_052720-1-e1716563417405.jpg\")
<\/p>\nNON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS<\/h3>\n
HOLD THE BASE SPIRIT: MAKING BEVERAGES INTERESTING WITHOUT LIQUOR<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/149347875.v2.pressablecdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Hold-the-Base-Spirit.jpg\" "\\"Hold-the-Base-Spirit\\"")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\nSODA WATER AND BITTERS<\/h3>\n
![\"Soda](\"https:\/\/149347875.v2.pressablecdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Soda-Water-and-Bitters.jpg\" "\\"Soda")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\nBOTANICAL WATERS, SYRUPS, AND SHRUBS<\/h3>\n
![\"Botanical](\"https:\/\/149347875.v2.pressablecdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Botanical-Waters-Syrups-and-Shrubs.jpg\" "\\"Botanical")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\nMOCKTAILS\u00a0<\/h3>\n
NON-ALCOHOLIC COCKTAILS THAT ARE SURE TO PLEASE YOUR PALATE\u00a0<\/h2>\n
CUCUMBER VIRGIN MULE BY MATT PALACIOS<\/h3>\n
![\"Cucumber](\"https:\/\/149347875.v2.pressablecdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Cucumber-Virgin-Mule.jpg\" "\\"Cucumber")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\nINGREDIENTS:<\/h4>\n
\n
INSTRUCTIONS:<\/h4>\n
\n
FRAGOLA BALSAMICA BY ERIN PETREY<\/a>\u00a0<\/h3>\n
![\"Fragola](\"https:\/\/149347875.v2.pressablecdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Fragola-Balsamica.jpg\" "\\"Fragola")
<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\nINGREDIENTS:<\/h4>\n
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INSTRUCTIONS:\u00a0<\/h4>\n
![\"Classic](\"https:\/\/149347875.v2.pressablecdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/DSC00392.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWHAT NON-ALCOHOLIC COCKTAIL WILL YOU MAKE DURING DRY JANUARY?<\/h2>\n