After tipping back a few (more and more) alcoholic drinks during the holidays, a lot of people take part in what they call “Dry January.” That鈥檚 when they give up alcohol for a month 鈥� whether it鈥檚 to refresh the body or start the new year off with better health.
In a lot of cases, that sort of thinking goes out the window when the calendar turns to February, and even then, it鈥檚 not always followed as strictly as it鈥檚 envisioned by those who participate once they wake up on Jan. 1.
But around D.C., the concept is starting to become more mainstream.
鈥淭here are more and more places that are putting 鈥榸ero-proof鈥� options on their menus all across the DMV,鈥� said Laura Silverman, who runs the blog and has been sober for more than a decade. She also works with , which is a website highlighting non-alcoholic beverages.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 even count now to be honest,” she said. “鈥here鈥檚 probably 50-60 places in the DMV … that have, even if it鈥檚 just one, good 鈥榸ero-proof鈥� options.鈥�
“Zero-proof” is one term used for non-alcoholic cocktails. 鈥淯nleaded鈥� and 鈥渟pirit-free鈥� are also used more than the term 鈥渕ocktail鈥� is.
And it’s the time of year that interest in those beverages begins to increase.
鈥淚f it鈥檚 an entry point into seeing what the sober-curious lifestyle is about, I鈥檓 not mad at it,鈥� said Silverman.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 maybe frustrating 鈥� and I鈥檓 not sure if that鈥檚 the right word I want to use 鈥� but as soon as Dry January is over 鈥� I鈥檇 love it to be sustained,” she said. “But it鈥檚 more like it鈥檚 just: 鈥極K, well Dry January is over. Let me go back to drinking.鈥� That鈥檚 kind of the mentality that a lot of people have.鈥�
Silverman acknowledges that in spite of the health benefits that can come from cutting back on or quitting alcohol (which she doesn鈥檛 advocate everyone do anyway), it can be difficult to sustain that practice without feeling like they鈥檙e sacrificing something socially.
鈥淢aybe it鈥檚 the ritual of having something, a bottle or glass to hold, or tasting a can of cold beer or a glass of wine. Maybe it is about the taste,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f so, there are ways to use zero-proof options to substitute that.鈥�
During the interview, she showed off her own bar filled with non-alcoholic bottles of whiskeys, gins and even tequila.
鈥淵ou can have a margarita,鈥� she noted, 鈥渁nd not dance on top of tables.鈥�
In some cases, those non-alcoholic drinks are made in the D.C. area.
鈥淯ntil quite recently, there really weren鈥檛 that many options,鈥� she noted. Now, she said, 鈥渢here鈥檚 a lot of fun out there that doesn鈥檛 require alcohol, but if you want to have a drink in your hands, you can, and no one has to know what鈥檚 in it.
鈥淚鈥檓 not asking people who drink booze to put it down,鈥� she added. 鈥淚鈥檓 not saying everyone out there has to be a teetotaler. But it鈥檚 important to be aware.”
Silverman just wants people to know there are other options, “and Dry January is a really great way to see what鈥檚 out there,” she said. “You can continue that sort of sober curiosity, that mindfulness, throughout the year without being 100% teetotaler.鈥�
