6 Alcohol Free Beverage Brands for Dry January That Actually Taste Good

If You're Practicing Dry January You Need to Know This!

Hey Friend!

I know we’re all in full out Christmas Vacation mode, but January 1st is around the corner. Last week and this week, I’m helping you prepare for the usual remedies to holiday excesses starting with last week’s post regarding the truth about Whole30 and what to do if you’re wanting to do a reset (I like this word, not diet) along with my recs for healthy convenience food to help you on this journey.

This week, I’m giving you all my notes on zeroproof/nonalcoholic/alcohol free (whatever term you use) brands.

If you’re thinking this is too early, here’s why I’m doing it now. If you’re planning to practice Dry January but you’re unprepared, you’ll probably end your run before it even begins. Take a minute and order these alcohol free beverages so you will be ready to go when the sun rises on 2025!

Just for fun, I’ve also included some of my favorite, super easy alcohol free cocktails that you can make while you’re waiting on these to arrive or if you’re wanting to get into the spirit (see what I did there) of Dry January early.

NOTE: All these brands are 100% alcohol free. That said, if you are sober and have a history with alcohol that’s problematic, keep in mind some of these beverages could be a trigger. Please discuss with your sponsor, therapist or doctor before trying them if you think this could be the case.

My Favorite Alcohol Free Beverage Brands That Actually Taste Good

• GHIA, as I’m sure you’ve figured out is my favorite alcohol free “spirit”. They taste amazing and all their products are made with real food ingredients and no sweeteners of any kind except fruit juice. I’ve been hyping up Le Fizz lately since it’s newer, and it’s perfect if you like the smoky flavors of Mezcal or whiskey. But the original Aperitif is still my go-to since it has a bitter edge along with several exotic fruit juices that are only slightly sweet. You can use it straight, add some sparkling water or use these recipes on the website to make a craft mocktail with either original or berry aperitif. The canned Le Spritz is perfect to take to parties for BYO dry option. Use code GETHHR for 15% off your order.

• We Are Raising the Bar subscription box - This is the best way to try a different alcohol-free spirit and other homemade AF cocktail ingredients each month with rotating recipes. It makes a great gift for yourself for Dry January. You may even find you like it so much you want to continue your subscription indefinitely.

• Ritual Alcohol Free Spirits - One of the most used brands by mixologists, this brand has several AF free versions of your favorites including rum, tequila and gin. None of these really gave me the vibe of their alcoholic counterpart, but if you’re just wanting a simple swap this is the way to go. The Aperitif variety when combined with plain seltzer tastes just like Campari and soda.

• Almave NA Tequila - The unique flavor of tequila is hard to replicate. I’ve only tried the Blanco but it was good in my Paleo margarita with only honey syrup and lime juice. It has the subtle smokiness of tequila and a distinct vanilla flavor that sort of replicates the aging you would normally find in Reposado. I like this one better than Ritual’s tequila for sure.

• Lyre’s Alcohol Free Spirits and Prosecco - Yep! You read that right. Prosecco that tastes way better than sparkling grape or apple juice (too sweet and tastes like kids drinks.) I’ve used it for mimosas and French 75-esque mocktail. Besides Prosecco, Lyre’s has a broader range of flavors including a American Malt Whiskey, an Aperol stand-in called Italian Orange and many other NA spirits that taste pretty close to the real thing.

• Hopwater - If you like hoppy IPAs, you will love this. Again, it’s complex enough to make you know you’re drinking something more interesting than seltzer.

• LMNT - Not really an alcohol free brand, but with a wide range of flavors, LMNT provides plenty of variety and you can add sparkling water, olive juice or any other non-alcoholic ingredients to make it into a mocktail. Citrus Salt with a little olive juice and muddled cucumber and jalapeno makes a passable alcohol free Marg.

Needing a last minute easy gift? Give a gift subscription to someone who really wants to eat healthy, but can’t find the time. My weekly meal plans provide recipes, shopping list and meal prep guide all for only about $1 a week or less.

3 Easy Alcohol Free Mocktails That Are Not Just Juice and Soda

Back in June, I included a PDF of several mocktails in my hydration post. So grab that for actual recipes. These are more on-the-fly drinks that don’t require super special ingredients so they’re perfect if you don’t have the above ingredients yet. (Don’t let these ideas stop you from ordering the products above, however because they will give you plenty of variety to help you get through the month and beyond without breaking your commitment.)

1. Bitters and Soda - This is my easiest, almost nightly go-to. Use 3-4 dashes of any type of bitters depending on the flavor you want: Angostura (my fave) for a bit of spice, Black Walnut for a lot of spice, Chile for pepper spice or Lavender for a more floral experience. If you want 100% alcohol free bitters get All the Bitters brand. They have individual flavors or you can buy a four pack to try them all. I also use orange and lime essential oils sometimes for more fruit flavor without the sweetness of juice. I never garnish this. It’s meant to be simple. If you must, use an orange slice or cocktail cherry

2. Cucumber Lime Spritz - Cucumber in anything gives off it’s own little spa (read: chill) vibe. It makes me feel like I’m drinking something more sophisticated even without gin or vodka in it. Slice and muddle 1/2 a small cucumber with 1/2 a lime, strain it into a tall glass and top with soda then stir. Float a cucumber on top.

3. Spicy Paloma - Grapefruit with it’s tart and bitter complex taste seems a bit more mature than orange juice. Muddle 1/2 lime and 2 slices jalapeno. Add 4 oz grapefruit juice and 4 shakes of angosura bitters. Shake with ice. Serve in a lowball topped with soda. Rim with chile salt (Tajin) if you like. If you have Almave, you can get the full experience using 2 ounces of Almave, 3 oz of grapefruit juice, skip the bitters and top with soda.

To a Dry January that makes you feel great!

Cheers!

Christi