After 30 consecutive days alcohol-free in January 2022 — a first for me in over a decade — I broke my streak with a few real (and really strong) beers at a local brewery with my husband.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the thick pour of the imperial stout and the burgeoning buzz from the double IPA, I was reminded the next morning why I had wanted to take a break in the first place. As much as it pains me to admit it, even a casual Tuesday night happy hour can affect my sleep, derail my workouts, and cloud my focus.
Luckily, last year I learned that non-alcoholic beers can be great alternatives in January and beyond — something I'm relying on again this year as I take a damper approach to January by choosing alcohol-free bars most (but not all) nights.
Due to beer's relatively low alcohol content compared to wine and liquor, removing the booze or crafting them without it makes for quite an authentic tasting experience. (Retired wine lovers, I hear, don't have as many good options.)
Plus, there are more and more retail shops and bars selling alcohol-free brews, entire online marketplaces dedicated to shipping alcohol-free drinks if you can't find them locally, and vibrant online communities dedicated to celebrating and reviewing non-alcoholic beer.
This year, I'm planning to slow my drinking well after January is over. Here are the seven nonalcoholic varieties I'll be returning to when the mood for a beer, but not a buzz, strikes.