Dry January inspires millions to go alcohol-free each year. At Bobby Nashville, seasonal mocktails like Mule it Over and Icy What You Did There make it easy to sip in style. With creative, booze-free options, enjoying delicious drinks while staying sober has never been more fun!
For as long as people have had a lot of holiday parties in the month of December, there have been people cutting back on alcohol in the month of January. In 2012, the idea got a name, when a British charity, Alcohol Change UK, called their public health initiative “Dry January.” It quickly crossed the pond and now millions of Americans take the opportunity to stop drinking alcohol each January. Some do so as a change in lifestyle, others just want a reset after the holidays. According to Carnegie Mellon University’s Civil Science, about 25 percent of all Americans participated in Dry January in 2024 (up from 16 percent in 2023).
Fortunately, there are lots of non-alcoholic options these days, so participating in Dry January doesn’t mean missing out. Bars and restaurants, including Union Tavern at the Bobby Nashville, stock mixers and ingredients to make decent mocktails. Non-drinkers aren’t stuck with soda or water alone. If you’re looking to sip something tasty, but also want to be sober (temporarily or permanently), consider ordering one of the following:
- Minty B, made with blackberry, mint, lime and soda,
- Berries + Dreams, made with espresso, orgeat, agave and strawberry,
- Mule it Over, with cucumber, lime and ginger beer.
There are seasonal drinks, too, including:
- Chemis-Tree, pomegranate, spiced chai tea, house spiced simple, peppermint simple and orange,
- Hot Chocolate, chocolate, milk, whipped cream and crushed peppermint,
- Icy What You Did There, iced espresso, butterscotch and whipped cream.
If you’re interested in all things non-alcoholic, while in town, head over to East Nashville to visit Killjoy, the city’s only non-alcoholic bottle shop. They stock alcoholic-free spirits, wines and beers, and offer tastings. Killjoy also hosts alcohol-free events, ranging from parties to creative pursuits. Killjoy founder Stephanie Styll chose the name for her business as a play on the idea that some people think you can’t have fun without alcohol. Step into her store and you’ll see that’s definitely not the case.
