Giving Dry January a try? You’re not alone. CivicScience found that a quarter of Americans over age 21 observed a month of only alcoholic-free drinks in January 2024, and another cumulative 49 percent over 21 showed interest in cutting out or down on alcohol consumption.
Enter mocktails. More consumers are reaching for alcohol-free cocktails during Dry January, with CivicScience reporting 14 percent of participants in 2024 reaching for specially crafted mocktails. Additionally, alcohol consumption has been shown to have a direct link to increased cancer risk. An advisory released Jan. 3 by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy pointed to scientific evidence for “the causal link between alcohol consumption and increased risk for at least seven different types of cancer, including breast (in women), colorectum, esophagus, voice box, liver, mouth, and throat.”
Whether you’re temporarily abstaining from alcohol or looking for a more permanent reprieve, several Evansville businesses already take an inclusive approach to the non-alcoholic movement by featuring these specially crafted drinks on their menus.
“People like to go out and enjoy a good drink and maybe not have alcohol in it,” Chase Oswald, co-owner of Evansville’s Bar Louie, explained to Evansville Living in 2021. “This gives a little more excitement for sure, and they’re aesthetically appealing.”
Since 2020, Bar Louie, 7700 Eagle Crest Blvd., has offered a “Sober A.F. (Alcohol Free)” menu featuring mixologist-concocted mocktails. Available during Dry January are a fruity Island Hopper featuring orange, passionfruit, sparkling water, and lime, and dessert-inspired Pineapple Upside Down margarita with Ritual Tequila alternative, vanilla, pineapple, lime, and grenadine mixed with Sprite.
BRU Burger Bar, 222 Sycamore St., boasts mocktail versions of a strawberry honey mule and a blueberry basil cooler.
Among the eight zero-proof libations are served at Copper House, 1430 W. Franklin St. are a booze-free Bloody Mary, lemon shake-up inspired Nimpobani, and a classic mule with mint, lime, and ginger beer.
Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano, 6401 E. Lloyd Expressway, offers six unique alcohol-free drink recipes. Patrons can select from a grapefruit and tonic garnished with a sprig of basil, a Sanpellegrino Aranciata Rossa spritz with cranberry juice, a Pesco Fresco starring peach puree, Italian Cream Sodes with monin almond syrup, cream, and soda plus a choice of blood orange, grapefruit, or lemon flavors, and cucumber mint and strawberry lemonades.
Meeting friends for after-dinner drinks at Mo’s House, 1114 Parrett St.? Sip a Blue Sweet Baby made with lemon and a choice of blackberry, blueberry, kiwi, peach, raspberry, strawberry, and coconut syrups. Nurse a morning-after headache with Sammy’s Hangover Fixer Elixir made with Jack Rudy tonic syrup, lavender simple syrup, club soda, and lemon wheel. Mo’s non-alcoholic beer options include Upside Dawn from Athletic Brewing Company, Hop Water and IPNA from Little Sumpin’, and zero-proof Guinness, Heineken, and Blue Moon.