THE BEST DRINK ALTERNATIVES FOR DRY JANUARY
If I say “Dry January,” you know what I’m talking about. It feels like this initiative has been around forever, but in reality it only started back in 2013, sparked by Alcohol Change UK. That year, led by creator Emily Robinson, 4,000 people agreed to give up booze for the first month of the year. It was an experiment in whether these people would notice any significant changes in their health in the short and long term, and it was a resounding success. Since then, the movement has swelled, with more and more people each year signing Alcohol Change’s pledge — or cutting out alcohol for January without knowing where the initiative came from in the first place. This year, 100,000 people signed up for the Alcohol Change campaign, whilst around 6.5 million people in the UK are expected to participate.
Kombucha was the big trend in the past few years — effervescent fizz with sweet and sour flavours, plus a caffeine hit from the tea and the promise of “healthy probiotics” made it the mixer of choice (though the alcoholic nature of well, alcohol/spirits meant that as a mixer said probiotics got slightly knocked out). Drunk straight, kombucha was a refreshing and chic alternative to saccharine sweet bottled orange juice or fizzy cola for the teetotalers.
As Dry January gained traction, people got more and more creative and these days there's a whole new breed of chic drink alternatives. Calling on fruits and flavours from around the world, these get as sophisticated and complex as a cocktail, come beautifully packaged (usually in a can) and are reminiscent of craft beer in design or for the slimmer cans, the trend of a G&T on the go in a can. Swig them as is, party-style or for a Dry Jan Mocktail (more on that here), mix them for something a little more cocktaily. These drinks are refreshing and great as a treat but beware of replacing your usual water intake with them! Some contain sugars and/or sweeteners. In Ayurveda cold bubbles are very Vata-aggravating and upsetting to the Agni (digestive fire), and it’s still a cold time of year, so enjoy them as a treat and party alternative (lockdown-style of course) rather than an everyday thing.
Punchy cans are so pretty you won’t want to open them, but when you do, you’ll find a lightly sweetened, natural punch alternative in a selection of creative flavours — blood orange, bitters & cardamom; cucumber, yuzu & rosemary; and peach, ginger & chai. Enjoy it in a cocktail glass for a non-alcoholic treat you can feel good about, that’s also gluten-free, vegan and plastic-free. Yes, please.
You may have noticed these sweet little flavoured sparkling water cans in your local supermarket, but you may not know that the brand is B Corp-certified, and uses “misfit” fruit that would otherwise go to waste to craft their products. The drink has no sugar or sweeteners and comes in five delicious flavours, peach, raspberry, blackcurrant, lemon and cucumber.
Treat yourself to some CBD-infused drinks in pretty pastel cans. These come in lovely flavours like peach and ginger, lemon and basil or elderflower and mint, and help you find a moment of relaxation in your busy schedule.
A sparkling water infused with fruit, LOVEAU contains no sugar or sweeteners, and is super affordable too. I love the watermelon flavour.
Another one with simply beautiful packaging, Something & Nothing drinks are a seltzer made with all natural ingredients, including extracts, juices, botanicals and flavourings. The cans are fully recyclable and made with 68% recycled content on average, as well as wrapped in cardboard, and part of the proceeds from each purchase benefit the Glimpse Foundation.
A fizzy drink made with real fruit and no artificial sweeteners that is vegan-friendly and comes in a fully recyclable can, Dalston’s is lovely for fans of all things fruity.
These are some pretty special drinks, made with a range of beautiful herbs. Their original rosemary botanical water was such a success that they made them with basil, fennel, juniper and many more too! Now is the time to try them — they have free UK shipping on all products throughout January!
Seedlip is something of a precursor in the non-alcoholic spirit space, and has become a firm favourite in homes and pubs alike (you know, back when you could go to those). I know their new release will tickle many of you pink: it’s a range of their signature spirit, premixed in a handy can, and comes in three lovely flavours.
I had to throw in MOMO Kombucha — if you’re looking for a little independent brand of Kombucha to try! Their kombucha is fermented in glass and in small batches, unfiltered and using organic ingredients. This great-tasting “booch” comes in flavours that make my heart sing: turmeric, ginger-lemon, elderflower and raspberry-hibiscus.
Meanwhile, what's the non-alcoholic spirit to your mixer then??? Well, last year (technically the year before now, 2019) I taste-tested some non-alcoholic spirit and wine alternatives — and the blog post caused a flurry of new ones to make themselves known to me, so I’ve also listed them below:
You won’t ever miss regular gin with this distilled non-alcoholic “alt-gin” made with exotic South African and classic gin botanicals. It comes in a gorgeous bottle that will adorn any bar cart.
Æcorn comes in three non-alcoholic declinations — Bitter, Aromatic and Dry — for a grown-up aperitif without the headache.
Pentire make fragrant botanical non-alcoholic spirits responsibly and sustainably. Perfect with a splash of tonic.
This collection of non-alcoholic aperitifs makes cocktail hour a true pleasure, with all natural ingredients and no added sugar.
Caleño non-alcoholic spirits come in two exciting options, Light & Zesty or Dark & Spicy, each opening up a world of possibilities when it comes to DIY cocktails.