If you lived it up during the holidays and have decided to go “dry” in January, trying to abstain can be challenging. Not necessarily! Imagine that you can still enjoy a mocktail with lots of taste even without the alcohol.
Overindulging during festivities is easy with multiple social gatherings, parties, and all-out celebrations. Opting for a dry January provides an occasion to ditch alcohol for an entire month and reset and improve your health and mental health in the process. You also might re-evaluate alcohol’s role in your diet.
One of the principal challenges often isn’t forgoing the alcoholic buzz but the social pressure connected to a happy hour among friends, especially if those friends are still drinking alcohol. The great news is that there are some great non-alcoholic beverages on the market that are designed as alternatives to cocktails, or you can blend your fancy mocktail that may in the end taste better than your go-to cocktail, beer, glass of wine, or spritzer.
Sweet, sour, or bitter there are many mocktail recipes that are tasty and will keep you enjoying happy hour. You may be so delighted with the outcome that February might turn out to be happily dry as well.
Benefits of Doing Dry January
There are lots of reasons to go alcohol-free in January, but a few of the principal benefits include:
- How you feel without alcohol
- Losing weight
- Improved sleep
- Strengthening your immune system
- Save some money
While the reasons for doing dry January will vary for everyone, this challenge can be invigorating to the point that you may want to repeat it as a dry month several times a year.
Concentrating on Mocktail Taste
Although there are many great non-alcoholic cocktail alternatives or recipes, there are several methods to “up” the taste. Consider adding a bit of fresh citrus, fresh herbs, or homemade syrups. A fantastic drink will, after all, be the sum of its ingredients. A twist of lemon or lime, a slice of orange, or your own syrups coupled with infusions can determine a work of art. Vanilla, cinnamon, lavender, mint, and even ginger are all favorites when it comes to the tastebuds.
How to Increase Mocktail Enjoyment
Regardless of what flavors or mocktail recipe you opt for, there are several tips that will increase the appeal of non-alcoholic beverages. Try these:
- When blending mocktails, let your taste buds do the deciding. Once you’ve opted for a non-alcoholic beverage, you need to concentrate on the taste and what you enjoy. Don’t fear adjusting ingredients to find a taste that you thoroughly enjoy.
- Make sure that all your ingredients are chilled. In alcoholic beverages, ice will mellow the alcohol as it melts. With non-alcoholic beverages, it’s better to chill your ingredients instead of using ice. If you take your time when drinking, the use of ice risks watering down your drink.
- Increase the flavor with a few drops of saline solution which will enhance the flavor. An alternative is adding a few bitters, but keep in mind most bitters have some alcohol in their base, but non-alcoholic bitters are available for sale.
- Serve your mocktails or non-alcoholic beverage in a favorite piece of glassware. Just because there are no spirits involved doesn’t mean your drink deserves any less and add in a snazzy cocktail napkin as well.
Mocktails to Tantalize Your Tastebuds
Bitters and Club Soda
If you prefer a mocktail that is not overly sweet or you happen to go to a bar that doesn’t keep mocktails on hand, a great solution is a glass full of ice with club soda. Splash in a generous dose of bitters but check to see they are the non-alcoholic kind and squeeze a lime wedge in as the final touch. This fizzy solution enables you to enjoy cocktails out.
Cucumber Gimlet
Combine these ingredients inside a shaker with generous ice, then serve over ice in a favorite piece of glassware. Garnish your mocktail with a curled slice of cucumber.
- 1 ounce of simple syrup
- 1 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1.5 ounces of club soda
- 5 to 6 slices of muddled cucumber
Watermelon Margarita
Want to try a new twist on your favorite Margarita? Try this watermelon version to get your tastebuds tingling.
- 5 tablespoons of sparkling water
- A half-cup of freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4 teaspoons of agave syrup
- 1 seedless watermelon, medium in size, cut into chunks
Place the watermelon in your blender and prepare 4 cups of watermelon puree. Add in the agave and lime juice, and blend further. Pour into 4 glasses with ice and top off with a dose of sparkling water.
Photo by Zach Vessels on Unsplash
Non-Alcoholic Beverage Alternatives
JUST Water Infused Organic Cherry
For those that like flavored waters, the marketplace offers quite a few selections. One worth noting is JUST Water’s Cherry Water. It’s like enjoying fresh cherries with no artificial flavoring or sweeteners and their bottles infinitely recyclable. What’s more, the company uses materials that are 100% renewable and naturally alkaline water that is domestically and responsibly sourced.
Amalfi Spritz by Lyre
If spritzes are your favorite, try the non-alcoholic spritzes produced by Lyre. You may find these locally, but they can also be purchased online. You can opt for individual spritz cans or a Spritz mix bottle. The mix can be added to alcohol-free sparkling wine and a slice of orange for an authentic non-alcoholic spritzer.
Lyre not only produces the non-alcoholic spritz but a selection of 16 non-alcoholic spirits, ready-to-consume cocktails, and wine. So, whatever your fancy for dry January, Lyre’s has you covered.
The Value of Dry January
You’ll be able to evaluate the importance of dry January at the end of the 31 alcohol-free days. Many believers in dry January report that their skin takes on a new glow, they have more energy, feel healthier, and are happier due to these results.
Dry January is a great activity if your new year’s resolutions include your health. Find a personal goal for doing dry January and getting through those 31 days easily with a little help from these great-tasting non-alcoholic beverages and fun tips.
