Kick Off With Dry January With These No-Proof Drinks

Originally published in Forbes.

New year, new habits? If you’re one of the many Americans who are trying out Dry January, there’s no need to have only fizzy water or tea for the next 31 days. Now’s the time to explore the best that non-alcoholic drinks can offer.

As Dry January gets more popular, bars are stepping up their no-proof drink options (and many are debuting dedicated non-alcoholic drink menus). From vegetal to fizzy, here’s a look at some delicious Dry January cocktails that you can make at home or try at some of these craft bars.

The Seldom in the Daylight from RedFarm’s Shawn Chen takes inspiration from the classic Mojito. Sugarcane, fresh lime and mint, just hold the rum.

Combine fresh lime wedges and mint in a glass, then gently muddle. Once softened, add the lime juice, sugarcane juice and the Fever-Tree club soda. Stir well to combine. Garnish with more mint and a lime wedge.

Look to savory vegetables and herbs that you can turn into a base for a complex drink. At Denver’s Ace Eat & Serve, Connor Green combines yellow bell pepper and cilantro for his bright and refreshing “Hello” cocktail.

In a blender, add yellow pepper and cilantro and blitz until it’s a puree. Add the fresh puree, lime juice, simple syrup and ice to a mixing tin and shake vigorously. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice and top with chilled Fever-Tree club soda.

The Seedlip range of non-alcoholic spirits have established themselves as the go-to base for bartenders looking for a complex non-alcoholic drinks base. Seedlip 42, in this drink, brings notes of orange, lemon peel, peppercorn and ginger.

The Bertie Brown, by Marshall Minaya at Valerie in Midtown, adds a sprightly spiced apple syrup to Seedlip 42 for a seasonal long drink. To make, combine Seedlip, the apple syrup, lemon juice and bitters into a mixing tin. Shake briskly with ice, strain into a Collins glass, then top with Fever-Tree club soda. Garnish with fresh apple wedges and grated cinnamon.

The bright orange hue of the Carrot Spritz is just the beginning. Lush and vegetal, with a bracing hit of ginger, this might be the drink you take with you long after Dry January is over.

Created by Gaby Mlynarczyk at the Fat Radish, this non-alcoholic spritz is made by combining fresh carrot juice with ginger syrup, lemon juice, and a drop of vanilla extract in a mixing tin. Shake briskly with ice, then add the Fever-Tree ginger beer. Strain into an ice-filled glass and garnish with carrot ribbons and a sprig of parsley.