Few things set the mood at the start of the year quite like a resolution that's staring you in the face as soon as you open your eyes on January 1st. The resolution? Dry January — or maybe damp January. There's something therapeutic about pouring a glass of wine or making up a cocktail while you cook dinner, but sometimes you just need a little break.
These dry January drink recipes and their damp January variations step in seamlessly to keep your routine flowing but without any of the booze (or a lot less of it), proving dry January doesn't need to be club soda with a lime wedge all 31 days and nights. Let's raise a glass without picking up that bottle.
Dry January Margarita
Use exclusively nonalcoholic ingredients to make a zero-proof margarita that'll stand up to your taco Tuesday traditions for dry January.
Ingredients
- Lime wedge and salt for rim
- 2 ounces nonalcoholic silver tequila
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce nonalcoholic orange liqueur
- ¾ ounce agave syrup
- Ice
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lime wedge.
- With the sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, nonalcoholic silver tequila, lime juice, nonalcoholic orange liqueur, and agave syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into the prepared glass.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Damp January Margarita
Explore a dryish January by using a whisper of booze in this margarita. You can use an ounce each of nonalcoholic tequila and traditional tequila, or use traditional orange liqueur with nonalcoholic tequila for a lower-alcohol margarita.
Sober Sangria
You have the option to use nonalcoholic red wine with this recipe, or use a tart cranberry or cherry juice if you prefer. It's your life, live it best with this nonalcoholic sangria.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cherry juice or nonalcoholic red wine
- 2 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Lemon-lime soda or club soda to top off
- Orange wheel for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, cherry juice, orange juice, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass or wine glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with lemon-lime soda.
- Garnish with an orange wheel.
Damp January Sangria
Add up to ¾ of an ounce of traditional orange liqueur, or use two ounces each of cherry juice and red wine for a lower ABV option than traditional sangria.
Dry January Mojito
A classic cocktail staple, there's no need to give up this minty drink treat during a dry month or life, not with this recipe.
Ingredients
- 3-5 fresh mint leaves
- 2 ounces nonalcoholic silver rum, optional
- 1 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Mint sprig and lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint leaves with simple syrup.
- Add ice, nonalcoholic silver rum, and lime juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with club soda.
- Garnish with a mint sprig and lime wheel.
Make It a Low-ABV Damp January Mojito
If you're trying out the dryish life, you can add a half to full ounce of silver rum to your mojito for a lighter version of the classic.
Sober-Curious Tom Collins
This dry January sober-curious mocktail calls for two ounces of nonalcoholic gin, but you can substitute the gin and plain simple syrup for ¾ ounce to a full ounce of rosemary simple syrup instead.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces nonalcoholic gin
- 1 ounce freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Lemon slice and cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, nonalcoholic gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
- Stir to mix.
- Top off with club soda.
- Garnish with a lemon slice and a cherry.
Make It a Dryish Tom Collins
Split the difference with the nonalcoholic gin by using no more than a full ounce of gin with this recipe for a Collins that'll be light and fizzy.
Sober Strawberry Shrub Mocktail
Shrub is a nonalcoholic cocktail ingredient that adds a beautiful acidic component to create a well-balanced cocktail or mocktail. So easy, in fact, you can make a mocktail by just combining shrub with club soda. Voila!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces nonalcoholic tequila or nonalcoholic rum, optional
- 2 ounces cranberry juice
- 1 ounce strawberry shrub (see below)
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- ¾ ounce freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- Crushed ice
- Berry club soda to top off
- Strawberry slice and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, nonalcoholic tequila, cranberry juice, strawberry shrub, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over crushed ice.
- Top off with berry club soda.
- Garnish with a strawberry slice and a mint sprig.
Strawberry Shrub
It's pretty easy to make a shrub, it's just an extra step from making simple syrup, in fact, but even less active work.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup vinegar (white, apple, or red wine)
- Glass jar or bowl
Instructions
- In a jar or bowl, add sliced strawberries and sugar.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 24 hours, but for no more than four days. Stir twice a day.
- After the final day, uncover and stir in vinegar.
- Allow to sit at room temperature for several hours before straining the mixture to remove strawberries.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to six months.
Make It Into a Damp Strawberry Shrub Mocktail
Give your strawberry mocktail a little bit of a buzz by adding ¾ of an ounce of orange liqueur or raspberry liqueur.
Dry January NA-groni
There is absolutely nothing naggy about this Negroni, especially if you have two or three of these. You can jump out of bed ready to work out first thing in the morning or stay cozy in bed and read. Whatever you do, it'll be without a headache.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces nonalcoholic gin
- 1½ ounces nonalcoholic sweet vermouth
- 1½ ounces nonalcoholic Campari or nonalcoholic Italian orange liqueur
- 2-3 dashes orange bitters
- Ice
- Orange peel for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add ice, nonalcoholic gin, nonalcoholic sweet vermouth, nonalcoholic Campari, and bitters.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with an orange peel.
Make It a Dryish Negroni
Skip the gin in your dry-er than usual Negroni by using only traditional sweet vermouth or traditional Campari for a Negroni that's not as boozy as the classic.
Dry Month Mule
No need to give up the flavors of a mule when it's zero-proof, especially if you're a fanatic for that signature ginger and lime flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces nonalcoholic vodka, optional
- 1½ ounces freshly-squeezed lime juice
- 2 ounces club soda
- Ice
- Ginger beer to top off
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks glass or copper mug, add ice, lime juice, and club soda.
- Top off with ginger beer.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Make It a Damp January Mule
Go from dry to damp with this classic by adding no more than ¾ ounce of vodka for a lower ABV mule riff.
Dry January Brunch Coffee
Going the dry January or sober lifestyle doesn't mean holing yourself up for a month and not making plans or hanging out with friends. That'll only give you the blues. Host a brunch at your house with this tasty nonalcoholic coffee on the menu.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces nonalcoholic bourbon
- Coffee creamer, to taste
- 2-3 dashes chocolate bitters
- Hot coffee to top off
- Whipped cream and grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling it with hot water.
- After the mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In the warm mug, add nonalcoholic bourbon, creamer, and bitters.
- Top off with hot coffee.
- Garnish with whipped cream and grated nutmeg.
Making a Damp Irish Coffee
Irish cream usually has a lower ABV than whiskey, around 15%. Add ½ to ¾ ounce of Irish cream or even chocolate liqueur to your coffee to give it just a little kick with no nap necessary to recover.
Dry January Drink Tips
Don't count the days in dry January, make the days count. Okay, so the first few days might totally drag, and the first outing or two will definitely test your willpower, but you've got this.
- Mocktails are more than just tossing a juice with seltzer together. Take this chance to play with ingredients you find in your pantry that you wouldn't normally add to booze. Close your eyes and pick ingredients at random, or pair flavors to make a mocktail that'll outshine even your favorite cocktails.
- Don't be afraid to get sweet, spicy, or savory in your mocktails. Again, you don't need to worry about wasting pricy booze now. You can just let the ingredients speak for themselves. Make a muddled rosemary highball with lemon, club soda, and raspberry syrup. Get creative!
What Is Damp January?
Instead of cutting out the booze completely, damp January pulls from focus from booze to mindfully consuming alcohol. The same way you might mindfully eat and listen to the body, damp January calls you to evaluate when, why, and how much you're drinking to help you cut back and not drink just because.
This damp January, opt for lower ABV drinks or low ABV wine and possibly swap more mocktails into the rotation between drinks to decrease your usual four vodka sodas to just one or two. It's not about skipping all the alcohol, but it's about transitioning from a downpour of cocktails to a light drizzle.
Dry January Drinks That'll Beat Any Blues
A dry or damp January doesn't mean an end to socializing, and it means having a beverage to sip that's more than just water with lemon or clubs soda with lime, maybe a splash of cran. However, sometimes that's all a bar has to offer, so don't let that get you down, especially when you have these recipes waiting for you at home. Whatever your journey, a dry, sober life is never a boring life.
