This is an exciting time to be sober or sober-curious and it’s easier than ever to find delicious alcohol-free fare in beverage superstores, specialty bottle shops, grocery stores, and online. But, if your town is like mine, it’s not so easy to find more than one or two alcohol-free beer brands on the menu at a bar or restaurant. So, what’s an AF fan to do? 

Here are some ideas… and I encourage you to try them out!

1. Name it to claim it! 

Many bar and restaurant managers think that because guests don’t specifically ask for alcohol-free options, they don’t want them — however, you and I know this is definitely not the case. If AF options are missing from a menu, a large amount of folks prefer not to speak up. I get it. It can be embarrassing to ask for a zero-proof cocktail and then receive a “deer in the headlights” look from a server. But I promise you, the more we ASK for sophisticated zero-proof fare, the more a bar or restaurant will believe their guests want it.

2. Don’t be afraid to ‘veto.’ 

When choosing where to go with a group of friends, be bold enough to purposely select an establishment that has at least a few alcohol-free options on the menu. This will encourage that bar or restaurant to keep up the good work, and might start sending a message to places that fail to cater to the growing number of their non-drinking guests. 

3. Take your AF bevvies with you.

I’ve had solid success bringing a bottle of alcohol-free spirits or wine to restaurants and bars. Bartenders love the challenge of whipping up a cocktail with a zero-proof spirit — and many don’t even know they exist! This creates a much more sophisticated flavor profile and fuller body than simply soda- or juice-based AF cocktails.  And not sure about you, but I’m more than happy to pay a corkage fee to have a chilled bottle of zero-proof wine in a beautiful glass poured by my server. Also, I often ask them to take a taste, which opens up a productive, encouraging conversation (see #1 above).

4. Share a favorite recipe.

Ask the bartender to mix up something more sophisticated than the typical mocktail. I always enjoy pomegranate and lime juices mixed with ice in a shaker then poured in a coupe glass topped with ginger beer and a pretty garnish. Any bar or restaurant worth their salt should be able to mix up something that looks beautiful and tastes fabulous.

5. Be on the lookout for pop-up events! 

Here in Los Angeles, posh bottle shops like Boisson (Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Studio City, and several NYC locations) and The New Bar in Venice often host tastings of delicious AF bevvies. Also, local independent pop-up venues, such as Clarity Lounge (yours truly!), ZeroProofed, Licoeurbar and (many, many!) more are constantly mixing up spirited merriment without the spirits, so be sure to find some in your area and join the fun! 

The bottom line: If you love to drink (but just not alcohol) and prefer something sophisticated to the typical water, soda, or iced tea options at bars and restaurants, then hopefully these small actions will create ripples — and then waves! — to turn the tide in our favor. Let’s do this, my friends!  

About Kate Danaj

When Kate decided more than seven years ago that alcohol was not serving her any longer, she decided to give up drinking for Lent, and was surprised that she made it through successfully. Realizing how much better she felt without “wine-o’clock” cravings, boozy brunches, or dreaded hangovers — she wanted to keep herself accountable to a mindful-drinking path. That’s when she came across two books that solidified her booze-free path (This Naked Mind by Annie Grace and Kick the Drink Easily by Jason Vale) and completely changed her life.

​She felt like she took the red pill, tumbled down the rabbit hole, and became “unplugged” from the Matrix of alcohol that had cast a haze over her life. It was surprisingly easier than she expected to almost completely cut booze from her life after seeing alcohol for what it actually is — a toxic depressant that our healthy bodies treat as poison. She realized alcohol wasn’t making her more relaxed, fun, effervescent, or witty — she already had those qualities inside her — but instead, it made her feel tired, cranky, foggy-headed, and anxious. And on top of that, much of the allure of alcohol was coming from shiny ad campaigns and eye-catching packaging, and we know how that turned out for the tobacco industry.

Bye-Bye Booze!

So, after drinking moderately for six years, she decided to go completely alcohol-free on December 28, 2021, and hasn’t looked back since. Knowing that she wanted to get involved in the AF space, she enrolled in and graduated from SansBar Academy – a comprehensive 10-week instructional course — which ignited even more passion for the spirit-free category. She kicked-off her first zero-proof pop-up event in honor of Dry July 2022, and was recently named one of Los Angeles’ most fascinating people for 2022.

Kate is also co-founder of Rise Beverages — a sales and marketing firm dedicated to connecting boutique alcohol-free brands to the bars, restaurants, and guests who love them.

​Kate received her Masters from Northwestern University and has specialized in marketing, marketing research, and customer user-experience research across her 25-year career, consulting for an array of global brands, including Amazon, Disney, FedEx, Facebook, Google, Instagram, Microsoft, Nintendo, Twitter, and many more. 

​In her free time, Kate mixes up non-alcoholic cocktails, shares drink recipes with other AF aficionados on her “Sober in the Southbay” social account, explores plant-based cooking, hangs out with her two teenaged sons, walks along the beach, and cheers for the Rams.

Follow along with Kate

• Website https://www.claritylounge.com/

• Instagram: @kate_by_the_0cean, @clarityzeroprooflounge, @hello.risebeverages, @soberinsouthbay

SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD! Do you have something to say?

In the words of Madonna…”Express yourself!”

This is the space to share collective stories and opinions of our sobriety journeys. After removing drugs and alcohol, many addicts find their voices and discover new talents, abilities, and forms of self-expression. Sharing these stories and experiences helps those who share their story and those still battling addiction. So, let’s Speak Out! And Speak Loud! Because when we recover out loud, we help keep others from dying in silence.

How are you expressing yourself in recovery? Do you have something you’d like to share in this space? Videos, poems, art, essays, opinion pieces, music – bring it.  We want to hear from you! Please email us at [email protected] or DM us on social!

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in the Speak Out! Speak Loud! Section are solely the opinions of the contributing author of each individual published article and do not reflect the views of The Sober Curator, their respective affiliates, or the companies with which The Sober Curator is affiliated.

The Speak Out! Speak Loud! posts are based upon information the contributing author considers reliable. Still, neither The Sober Curator nor its affiliates, nor the companies with which such participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such.

SOBER SPOTLIGHT goes even deeper into exploring the stories of people in recovery.

HAPPY EVERY HOUR: We know we mix a mean mocktail. HAPPY EVERY HOUR will keep you updated on the latest and most significant trends in NA craft beers, mocktails and zero-proof beverages.

TRIGGER WARNING: People in early sobriety may want to proceed with caution. Always read labels. Please hydrate responsibly … because drunk never looks good.

THE BEVERAGE CATEGORIES:

Do you love Non-Alcoholic Craft Beers and the 90s? Then you’re in for a treat! Sober Curator Justin Lamb is dedicated to tasting great (sometimes not so great) NA beers and showcasing his fantastic collection of memorabilia from the ’90s.

NA Bevies & Mocks brings you mocktail recipes, NA beverage reviews, along with NA wine & spirit alternatives

Manic Monday got you in a panic? Fear not! Tonix Mocktail’s brings you Just a Merry Monday MOCKTAIL recipe, review, and how-to section bring fun and clever mocktail treats and tips to customize your at-home zero-proof bar. 

Resources Are Available

If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.

Resources Are Available

If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.

The post 5 Top Tips for Going Out on the Town Sober-Style appeared first on The Sober Curator.