The Dry January System: How & Where to Start With N/A Drinks

Through a lot of trial and error over the past few years, I've realized most people make a fatal mistake when it comes to trying out non-alcoholic drinks for the first time. A majority of people are like me - we want to jump from a boozy Napa cab to a non-alcoholic version and hope it tastes the same.

Spoiler alert: it doesn't.

What usually ends up happening is disappointment and a fear of spending more hard-earned money on something else that won't live up to your expectations.

This can also be a major hurdle if you’re truly trying to reduce alcohol in your life, when you can't find something to scratch the itch, surf the urge, or fill your cup with.

I've created a simple formula or a step-by-step approach to trying non-alcoholic drinks that won't scare you away. And believe it or not, it DOES NOT start with red wine.

Follow my system below from one through five and prepare to finally enjoy non-alcoholic drinks this January.

1. Non-Alcoholic Beer

Beer is always a safe bet. It's the closest dupe across all categories and usually scratches the itch even if you're not a regular beer drinker. It's also single-serve and a low-cost investment.

What beer am I drinking right now: I'm loving Years Beer from comedian John Mulaney and Visitor IPA (both at The Zero Proof but Years Beer is available at lots of online stores). For a more accessible grocery store option, Athletic Brewing Run Wild IPA is gold!

What NOT to try: Budweiser, O'Douls, Coors Edge or any other big alcohol brand product - with the exception of Heineken 0.0 or Corona Zero which are both passable in a pinch.

2. Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wine

Bubbly without alcohol is the next thing to try. Why? In the wine category, it's the 'next best thing' to real wine because of the carbonation. The added CO2 adds weight, mouthfeel and actually serves to enhance flavour in the liquid. The bubbles scratch the itch because the experience is more like real wine to someone new to the concept of alcohol-free drinks.

What to start with: Oddbird Blanc de Blanc, which delivers what you're looking for at a reasonable price.

For the grocery store, look for Giesen 0% Sparkling Wine from New Zealand. It's low in sugar and very tasty!

What NOT to try: do NOT drop $60 on French Bloom thinking price equals quality. In this case it does not. If you have money to burn, Zeronimo Sparkling Select ($40 USD) is the best in the category globally.

3. Simple mocktails with a bitter aperitif

Whether or not you're a cocktail aficionado, the bitter palate in things like The Pathfinder, Wilderton or Free Spirits Spirit of Milano trick your tongue and brain into a new drink experience that is chock full of herbal flavours without the burn of alcohol. These amaros, aperitifs and digestifs are usually weighty, giving you a sensation of having a real cocktail. Some of the better options are so close to a real amaro it’s truly hard to miss the alcohol.

What I would buy first: The Pathfinder is similar to nothing else and hard to describe, but it's like an amaro with more depth. Great in simple mocktails with club soda, grapefruit juice or ginger ale. Wilderton would be my second option. (15% off The Pathfinder at The Zero Proof with this link!)

4. Non-Alcoholic White Wine

Once you've adjusted to all of the above, you can try non-alcoholic white wine. The reason I suggest waiting to try still wines is because there really is a huge differential between 12-14% ABV and 0.5% ABV in an n/a wine. While several years ago I would have suggested trying a rosé first, whites have gotten a lot better and not everyone is a fan of rosé. White wines are acidic and crisp and this translates well into wines without alcohol. It’s easier to appreciate a sauvignon blanc and the grassy, citrus flavours in a non-alcoholic option than it is to jump right to red wines where the expectation of complexity and tannins is not always met.

What I'd start with: Leitz Chardonnay is a great non-alcoholic white and available through lots of online retailers. Wander + Found Cuvee Blanc (15% off from Better Rhodes) would be my second choice for a good still white wine to order online.

For the grocery store: Giesen 0% Sauvignon Blanc is accessible and really really good for the price. And although I will get slayed for saying this, I did really like the Fre Chardonnay. It’s buttery and oaky but sadly, full of sugar so you’ll have to decide!

Then and only then would I suggest even dipping your toe into red wines.

5. Non-Alcoholic Red Wines

Approach this category with an open mind. It’s not going to taste exactly like your favourite napa red. The missing alcohol is the most obvious usually in this category. Start with something that is NOT on the grocery store shelves.

What I’d start with: If you have the means, Zeronimo Leonis Blend is the best place to start because it’s the closest thing you’ll find in the n/a world to a real chateau-level red wine. It’s made without adding extra sugars and gums, with Austrian precision and award-winning winemaking techniques.

Next best option: Anything on my list of best non-alcoholic reds will be a good pick!

Nothing tastes good, still….

When all else fails, you’re going to just have to stick to sparkling water until your palate adjusts to the lack of alcohol. It does happen eventually, because your taste buds regenerate every seven days and your brain eventually remaps its expectations. So until that happens, stick to things like kombucha or sparkling sodas (low-sugar please!!) and then try and try again until you find something you like!

Leave a comment below if you’ve had a good or bad experience jumping in to the non-alcoholic drinks world. I’d love to hear your suggestions and stories!