In 2025, sobriety may be the latest Utah trend to sweep the nation after the cookie delivery craze and dirty soda shop takeover.
According to wisevoter, Utah has the lowest alcohol consumption in the nation for reasons that are obvious to those of us who live here. Nearly half of the population identifies as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and observe the Word of Wisdom which prohibits alcohol, and the liquor laws in Utah are some of the strictest in the nation. Many of us have been living the sober lifestyle for a very long time. And if alcohol consumption continues to trend the way it has for the last few years, we may be joined by many others around the country who are opting for sobriety.
It’s not unusual for ambitious New Year’s resolution setters to have a go at dry January and abstain from alcohol for the first month of the year.
But recent trends suggest that many people, especially those belonging to younger generations, are going beyond dry January and dabbling in long-term sobriety. George F. Koob, the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, was quoted in a Time article saying, “It is becoming clear that, for whatever reasons, today’s younger generations are just less interested in alcohol and are more likely than older generations to see it as risky for their health and to participate in periods of abstinence.”
These young people’s reasons for seeing alcohol as a health risk are not unfounded. Earlier this month the U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for cancer warnings on alcohol labels. Murthy told The New York Times that alcohol directly contributes to 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000-related deaths each year, and that 1 of every 6 breast cancer cases can be attributed to alcohol. The risks also include heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and heart arrhythmia in addition to the already well-known risks to pregnant women and the dangers of drunk driving.
Meanwhile, nonalcoholic beverages and mocktails are on the rise in grocery stores and at restaurants. Just yesterday I noticed entire aisles at my local Harmon’s full of well-designed nonalcoholic spritzers and wine-adjacent beverages. And there are 34% more mocktails on menus than there were in 2019.
Locally, mocktail bars are popping up all over the notoriously sober Utah County, and Salt Lake County’s buzziest bars have started offering, or added to, an impressive variety of mocktail options.
There has never been a better time to try dry January or dry 2025 or maybe dry life for those living in Utah and outside of it. And to those embracing sobriety, I say welcome to the club.
I don’t drink for religious reasons, sure, but also because I embarrass myself plenty when sober and don’t need alcohol exacerbating my worse propensities.
But sober doesn’t have to mean boring, as I learned when I was introduced to the world of mocktails.
I started trying mocktails for a few reasons. 1. I was tired of the disappointed look on waiters’ faces when everyone at the table ordered an expensive drink except me. I did not enjoy being seen as the cheap one who would leave a measly tip. As a consummate people pleaser I wanted to make my waiters happy so I started opting for the $10 virgin libations. 2. Alcohol-centric establishments tend to have very bad Diet Coke, my usual beverage of choice. Often, Diet Coke at these places comes from a bar tap. I don’t even think it’s real Diet Coke. I’m pretty sure it’s Diet K Cola. And I’m not about to just drink water, so mocktails are the only viable option at these bar-forward restaurants. 3. Once I dove in, I quickly learned that mocktails are both delightful and delicious. And I haven’t looked back.
So sort of by accident, I’ve become a mocktail expert. And I would be honored to guide the newly sober, or the lifelong alcohol-free-but-mocktail-curious through the mocktail landscape after years of learning the dos and don’ts.
Do:
Stick with citrus flavors. Mocktails are, at the end of the day, just fancy juice. A nice tangy grapefruit, lime or blood orange concoction tends to go down easier, and pair better with a meal, than the sweeter flavor profiles of other fruit juices.
Tell your waiter to let the bartender make whatever mocktail they feel like making. I have never been disappointed by a bartender’s specialty, and I like to think I’m giving them a chance to express their creativity.
Go for the options that have “sprtiz” or “sprtizer” if you’re partial to bubbles. It feels fancier and looks very glamorous in a tumbler or chalice.
Understand that the sum of the ingredient costs does not equal the cost of your beverage. You’re paying for labor and flourishes. It’s an experience just as much as a refreshment.
Don’t:
Order a phony negroni. This is just a $12 glass of cough syrup. Turns out, sometimes people drink alcohol more for its effects than its flavor. After trying the phony negroni, I have to assume all negroni drinkers fall in that category. Or they all have wildly different taste buds than mine.
Be afraid of unusual juice and herb combinations. One of the best drinks I’ve tried was a cucumber and mint situation. Another was a rosemary grapefruit. Most mixologists are good at mixing things. You can trust them.
Shy away from a spicy drink. A ginger or jalapeño option packs a nice punch.
Loudly declare that you could make your drink at home for a quarter of the price. Sure, you could. But you don’t. So just pay the higher price and enjoy a delicious beverage.
Whether you’re doing just a dry January, a dry 2025, or a commitment to lifelong sobriety, and whether it’s for health reasons, religious reasons, or plain ol’ curiosity, I’m happy to be the one to tell you that dry doesn’t mean dull and that a world of delicious drinks await.
So let’s raise a glass to less flat Diet Coke and more sparkly rosemary grapefruit juice this year.