Taking a break from the booze is no longer just reserved for Dry January. Now, people are abstaining from alcohol with another 31-day challenge: Sober October.
Created in 2014 by Macmillan Cancer Support in the United Kingdom, Sober October was initially designed as a month-long challenge calling imbibers to refrain from drinking to raise money and awareness for people with cancer. In the days of viral Instagram and TikTok challenges, Sober October has blossomed into a global trend of people giving up alcohol, whether in support of the campaign’s original cause or to merely detox near the end of the year.
Regardless of the reasons for forgoing alcohol during October, one thing is certain: even without the hard stuff, there are still plenty of delicious drinks to enjoy throughout the month, especially nowadays, as more non-alcoholic options, including mocktails and wines, have hit the market.
Over the last five years in particular, production of non-alcoholic beverages has increased 20 percent, according to a 2024 International Wine and Spirits Record report. The proof is in the wine and spirits retail shops that are lining shelves and carving out entire sections dedicated to ready-to-drink non-alcoholic cocktails in cans and bottles with cute, eye-catching labels and sleek bottles of wine inscribed with the words “dealcoholized” or “zero-proof.” Even restaurants are getting in on the non-alcoholic trend, dedicating more menu space to elaborate and beautiful cocktails made with fresh ingredients, while more than 50 non-alcoholic bars are operating across the U.S. today, according to Zero Proof Nation, a platform that tracks and maps non-alcoholic brands, bars, and resources across the country.
“It’s incredible to see so many non-alcoholic options crafted with the same care, flavor, and presentation as traditional spirits. People are putting real effort into making beverages that look beautiful, taste great, and feel intentional not like an afterthought,” says Charles Everett, content creator and founder of UrFriendCharles, an e-commerce platform for Black-owned spirits, wine, and zero-proof brands.
A month like Sober October presents the perfect opportunity to experience some of the alcohol-free options that are currently available and taste significantly better than the cloyingly sweet fruit juices and soda water concoctions that were typically offered to those forgoing alcohol at the bar. “Bartenders and mixologists are now putting more creativity into flavor development, infusions, and balance, skills that elevate all cocktails, alcoholic or not. Plus, it helps make social settings more inclusive. When everyone has something thoughtfully crafted in their glass, no one feels left out,” says Everett.
The surplus of non-alcoholic options feels right on time, considering alcohol consumption is on the decline. A Gallup poll released earlier this year found that only 54% of adults said they consumed alcohol—a noteworthy decrease compared to the 62% of Americans who reported drinking in 2024. With the increased access to quality non-alcoholic drinks, people are starting to realize that their social lives don’t have to suffer because of sobriety, and campaigns like Sober October only encourage exploration.
“It is difficult when you want to hang out with people and you’re like, ‘I just don’t want to take shots tonight. Also, I’m 30. I can’t do that on a Tuesday anymore.’ I’ve had friends who have felt discouraged from going out because they don’t want to do all that,” says Lynae Burton, the mixologist behind Good Lybrations. “But with a platform like Sober October, people are seeing that they can still go out and get something fun and fruity or savory and not feel like trash the next morning.”
Burton adds, “It’s a good shift, and I like the inclusivity of it, especially people who are sober and don’t want to have that conversation, but they still want to partake and have a drink.”
So, what to drink during Sober October or any of life’s moments while avoiding alcohol?
“I love ready-to-drink options like Mocktail Club, which makes fantastic canned mocktails,” says Everett. A Black-owned brand, Mocktail Club makes non-alcoholic drinks in a variety of exciting flavors like the smokey Bombay Fire infused with pomegranate, tea, agave, and chili peppers, as well as the refreshingly sweet and tart Manhattan Berry, which includes ingredients like blackberry, pear shrub, and ginger. Another Black-owned canned mocktail to be on the lookout for is MEDASE, which produces 12 different ready-to-drink zero-proof cans (including six that are infused with hemp) that are inspired by traditional cocktails like the margarita, old-fashioned, rum punch, and Moscow mule.
There’s always the option of creating your own drink and mixing with help from brands like Seedlip, Lyre’s, and Ritual Zero Proof, which make non-alcoholic alternatives to spirits like gin, tequila, rum, and whiskey.
“I’m a huge fan of opening up my refrigerator and seeing what vegetable or herb I forgot about this week and making that into either an oleo saccharum, an oily syrup made from citrus peels and sugar, or I’ll just do a quick simple syrup,” says Burton. “We grow rosemary in our backyard, so I like to make a rosemary and coriander simple syrup, and then I top that with a lime sparkling water or a coconut water if I have it.”
And don’t forget about the wine. “Non-alcoholic wine has evolved tremendously. It used to taste like grape juice pretending to be wine. Now, producers are investing in proper dealcoholization and aging methods that bring real structure and complexity,” says Everett.
Thomson & Scott Noughty Sparkling Rosé, Herb & Orchid, Surely, Oddbird, Proxies, Giesen, and Leitz are just a few of the brands with a variety of non-alcoholic wines on retail shelves across the country. Meanwhile, heritage wineries like Mionetto, Freixenet, and Wölffer Estate, among others, offer alcohol-removed versions of some wines that drinkers are already familiar with.
No matter the reason for abstaining or what the mood calls for during Sober October, there’s truly something for everyone as long as you’re open to exploration.
“I love that Sober October gives people a reason to pause, reflect, and explore. It’s a great reminder that you don’t have to give up alcohol completely to be part of the movement. You can just be curious and try something new and that curiosity can lead to discovering amazing products and new favorites,” says Everett.
Below, Everett and Burton share their favorite zero-proof drinks to enjoy during Sober October.
Zari Sangria
Courtesy of Charles Everett
1 bottle Synergy Ginger Kombucha
1 bottle Synergy Lemon Berry Kombucha
12 oz Vita Coco Coconut Water
1 bottle Non-Alcoholic Stella Rosa Black
1 bottle Non-Alcoholic Stella Rosa Red
1 orange, sliced
2 cups mixed fruit (strawberries, blueberries, grapes, or whatever’s fresh)
Combine ingredients. Stir. Serve chilled over ice and enjoy!
Melon-Dramatic
Courtesy of Lynae Burton
1-2 pineapple slices
2 cucumber wheels
1/4-1/2 oz agave
1 oz pineapple juice
2 oz cucumber juice
2 oz cantaloupe juice
3/4 oz lime juice
3/4 oz cantaloupe/cucumber/coriander syrup
Coconut or lime sparkling water to top
Muddle pineapple and cucumber in lime juice. Add syrup (directions to follow), juices, and agave. Shake with ice. Double strain and enjoy!
SYRUP FOR MELON-DRAMATIC
1/4 cup cantaloupe, sliced
1/2 English cucumber, sliced
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, muddled
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
Bring water and sugar to a boil. Immediately simmer, then add the fruit and seeds. Sit for five minutes, then remove from heat and allow to infuse for 15 minutes. Cool completely and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.