Dry January: Month or State of Mind?

Every New Year, people take to social media to proclaim their resolutions — new gym memberships, cutting down on carbs, and renouncing alcohol. As the cliche goes, most of these are rendered moot by February or if you have some real stamina, March.

For many, Dry January — going through the first month of the year without a drop of alcohol — is something of a happy medium. Rather than quitting something for good, you can test the waters for a more permanent sobriety, or just give yourself the month to hit the reset button. According to a Morning Consult’s poll, 1 in 7 Americans participated in Dry January in 2021. In 2022, that number grew to 1 in 5.

Since Dry January (like everything else else) has become something of a social media meme, it’s easy to dismiss it as another fad or challenge that emphasizes temporary endurance over tangible lifestyle shift. But maybe there’s more to it. According to Nielsen data, non-alcoholic beverages popularity had a big 2021 — not just in January. Over the course of the year, N/A drink sales rose 33% ($331 million). In the e-commerce space, the category saw a whopping 315% increase in sales.

Whether you’re sober or sober-curious — not renouncing alcohol for good, but are trying to cut back — there have never been so many different non-alcoholic drink options, from N/A beers and wines to spirits and even cocktail bitters. We spoke to two icons of the non-alcoholic drinks world to get their take on staying sober — and how they enjoy their booze-free life.

Julia Bainbridge

Derek Brown

James Beard Award-nominated writer Julia Bainbridge shared her thoughts on Dry January in a recent Instagram post. She acknowledged that though the month has strayed away from its roots as a fundraising campaign for addiction treatment, it’s still a valuable opportunity for anyone who drinks alcohol to reassess how the substance affects their life.  In an email to District One, she elaborated on her post: 

“As someone with alcohol use disorder, I work hard to keep alcohol out of my life all year long, but I think a period of sober time is a great way for anyone to reset and reflect after December, which is, for most of us, a decadent month.

I'm not anti-alcohol — I think it’s important, pleasurable, and perfectly fine for those who can manage it consistently well — but I'm also glad that the conversation around mindful drinking seems to be growing. Alcohol is, after all, a drug, and a highly addictive one. Dry January helps lower the barrier to entry into this important conversation with oneself about one's relationship to alcohol. I'm here for it!” 

Derek Brown, the author of Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails, also shared his thoughts with District One: 

“Dry January has been a beacon for me for over seven years. At first, it helped me reset for the year. Then, it helped me reset for my life. I no longer drink. But the best part was when I realized I didn't have to give up anything –– I can still hang out with friends, drink delicious non-alcoholic drinks, and sing bad karaoke if I want. None of that ever depended on alcohol, least of all the bad singing.” 

Null Wines is our pick for a premium, de-alcoholized wine.

Perhaps, the fundamental misconception of Dry January is that it’s a solitary, monastic experience. You’re just giving up alcohol. You aren’t giving up all the other things you enjoy whether it’s cooking, crooning Mariah Carey, or now with the rise of non-alcoholic alternatives, entertaining and making cocktails with friends. 

Recently, the Financial Times ran a piece on the rise of non-alcoholic bottle shops all over the world. For the sober and sober-curious, a reliable non-alcoholic alternative can emulate all the enjoyable ritualistic elements of cocktails and wine-tasting — sampling, learning about terroir, and comparing and contrasting notes — without having to compromise on your commitments to cut back.

As we ease out of Dry January, we can continue the ethos of the month by exploring this rapidly expanding world of non-alcoholic alternatives. Some nights, you might want a spirited drink; but other nights, why not reach for a bottle of something bubbly and booze-free? Don’t be afraid to mix it up.

If you are looking for a non-alcoholic option for Dry January (or beyond), we recommend anything from Null Wines — a non-alcoholic wine label that sources from actual award-winning vineyards in Spain and Germany. Founded with a mission to make N/A drinking more fun, relaxed, and non-prescriptive, Null Wines is proof that don’t need alcohol to experience pleasure or quality. 🍷