Dry January is a public-health campaign, started in the UK in 2013, in which participants abstain from alcohol for the first month of the year. It has become the single biggest on-ramp into alcohol-free drinking. Millions take part, and for many it is the month they discover that a good alcohol-free cocktail is not a punishment. Its popularity has made January the busiest season in the entire lo-no category, and a proving ground for the drinks and brands that convince people to keep going past the 31st.
Why It Matters
Dry January is where a lot of people meet alcohol-free drinks for the first time, which makes it the highest-stakes month for proving the category is good. Hosting it well, with drinks that genuinely satisfy, is the difference between a month of white-knuckling and a lasting change in how someone drinks. Our Dry January hosting guide lays out a full menu built for exactly that.
Where You'll Use It
Planning a sober month, or hosting one.