Zero Proof Summers: Surviving the Post-Lockdown Hangout
Here’s the good news: After a year of lockdowns, a summer of hangouts, backyard BBQs and overdue catch-ups stretches ahead.
The bad news: There will be alcohol around at many gatherings, and more crucially, there’s an assumption that everyone who wants to socialize also wants to drink booze. As I wrote in my book, “Zero Proof,” social culture is drinking culture, and when you choose to opt out of alcohol, people assume you want to opt out of social fun.
Far from it. That said, navigating the summer BBQ, or really, any social setting, can be fraught for those who are taking a break from drinking booze but still want to socialize.
How should you approach summer parties when you don’t want to drink? Acknowledging you don’t want to drink is the first, and maybe hardest, step. But once you know what you don’t want to do, the rest involves making a plan that reinforces your choices while also giving you flexibility for unexpected scenarios.
Bring Your Own Mixers
One way to control for unknowns is to take things into your own hands. Buy several packs of quality mixers, such as extra spicy Jamaican ginger ales, flavored French tonic waters or artisanal Italian bitter sodas. Bring enough that these can be presented as a hostess gift, while also ensuring you have supply you can dip into throughout the event.
Similarly, if you have a juicer, take the time on the morning of your event to make a large batch of juice. Use the freshest produce on hand and try multiple fruit-vegetable combinations such as yellow bell pepper plus grapefruit, mango plus carrots, watermelon plus pears. Bring a pitcher full of fresh juices, keep them cold and give them a hit of fizz with sparkling flavored waters and a quality non-alc alternative like Drink Monday.
Set Up a Check-In
It’s easy, in the swirl of social chatter, to get caught up in social drinking. If you want to skip the peer pressure or don’t want to spend time explaining yourself, ask a friend to partner up with you so you can check in on each other throughout the event. Going alone? Set up alarms on your phone to buzz you every hour or two to remind yourself of why you want to skip drinking.
Play Bartender for Your Friends
You don’t have to camp out at the bar all night but consider offering to make a round of no-proof drinks for your friends. It allows you to make the kinds of cocktails you’re in the mood for, while also presenting an opportunity to share your signature drink with friends. Maybe you’ll get to introduce them to a new recipe they haven’t had yet.
Fake It
Sometimes the simplest approach is the easiest: Keep the same glass filled with ice and garnishes so that others aren’t tempted to grab you fresh drinks or new cans of beer. Excusing yourself to freshen up your drink is a built-in way to keep you circulating around the party and finding new interactions.
Once you’ve tackled a few events, these habits will become second nature, and you may even develop your own techniques. The key is to be creative and adaptable, and build on the best techniques that work for you.
