DALLAS — It’s officially "Dry January." And if you’re among those taking a break from alcohol, you can still drink.
Mocktails are all the rage, and we’re not just talking about a watered down Bloody Mary.
More and more bars are putting zero-proof, non-alcohol spirits on their bar shelves.
Dallas’ BarNone features mocktails with tequila, vodka, gin, scotch, and bourbon “equivalents.”
“You’re not gonna get the sharp burning, and you’re not gonna feel like you’re drinking water,” owner Todd Dickerson said.
About 10% of his bar sales, Dickerson told WFAA, come from mocktails alone.
“It was never part of the plan,” he said.
“But…when you see something become a trend, and get more guests asking for it, you’d be stupid not to follow that trend."
And it definitely is a trend. According to Nielsen IQ, between August 2021 and 2022… total dollar sales of non-alcoholic drinks stood at $395 million nationwide. That’s a year on year growth of more than 20%.
Dickerson said non-alcoholic cocktails are great options for non-drinkers, or people who are trying to cut back but still want to fit in with people drinking.
“They don’t have to order something, and say, ‘Hey, can I have this this way, or that way,’ because then they’re not part of the group. They’re that guy that doesn’t drink," said Dickerson.
And he’s not the only one who sees the benefit.
“The mocktail rage, I love it,” said Jeri Lawarence, director of nursing at Gallus Medical Detox.
“When anybody drinks, their blood pressure goes up, their heart rate goes up,” she said.
That’s not to mention digestive problems, esophageal problems, and many more short and long-term complications that come as a result of binge drinking, she said.
Gallus’ clinical director, Sara Kaylor, said the rise of mocktails helps people trying to maintain their sobriety. Because they blend in, she said, people often pressure them less to drink.
“And it's not, ‘Well, why aren’t you drinking?’" she said.
So, many people drink to boost their confidence or relax their nerves, they added. Cutting back on alcohol consumption will likely help you develop better coping mechanisms, they said.
If you or someone you know is suffering from prescription drug dependence, you can call Gallus at 866-530-0691 for immediate help.