'Sober October' is here. With more non-alcoholic options, it's easy to observe. Here's how.

Let's raise a toast – a non-alcoholic one – to Sober October.

Dry January gets a lot of attention, with between 15% and 35% of U.S. drinkers participating, past surveys found. But Sober October is gaining momentum, too, as more folks join the sober-curious movement. (Sober September is a thing, too.)

Sober October arose in 2014 from the U.K. charity Macmillan Cancer Support to help raise funding for cancer and to challenge "social drinkers to change their habits for a month and make some healthy lifestyle changes."

"With the amount of information that is always available around us, people have become more health conscious and want to have more informed decisions on what they are putting into their body," Maria Meza Martinez, registered dietitian with Florida-based not-for-profit Orlando Health, told USA TODAY in an email exchange.

"For that reason, I believe Sober October and similar challenges have gained so much popularity because people will want to question and gain the knowledge on … the benefits of eliminating alcohol even for just 31 days, such as better sleep, improved immune function, and reducing the risk of some cancers," she said.

For those trying to abstain for the first time, she suggests trying to find a partner to team up – and don't pile on other challenges such as additional exercise or dieting. "For most people, making multiple lifestyle changes at once is overly ambitious and can set you up to fail," she said.

You can also try a non-alcoholic beverage or mocktail. A growing selection of non-alcohol beer, wine and spirits makes it easier for those looking to abstain from alcohol for a month – or any period of time.

While non-alcoholic products account for less than 1% of the alcoholic beverage category, sales at retail racked up $510 million during the 52-week period ending July 29, 2023. That's an increase of 31% over the same period a year ago, according to Nielsen IQ, which tracks sales at retail including supermarkets and convenience stores.

"The adult non-alc segment has exploded in the past few years and is forecasted to continue on a trajectory of meteoric growth," Mariah Hilton Wood, co-founder of non-alcoholic beverage maker Tilden Cocktails, told USA TODAY in an email exchange. "With nearly three quarters of millennials cutting back on alcohol and more than 40% of Gen Z skipping it completely, both retailers and consumers want options to suit a variety of occasions."

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Sales of non-alcoholic beer, which makes up 86% of non-alcohol product sales, is up 35% so far this year, and in grocery stores makes up 2% of alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages, according to Bump Williams Consulting of Shelton, Connecticut, which services the alcoholic beverage industry, and uses Nielsen data.

"Those trends tell me that interest in (non-alcoholic) beer is still very much alive and well as existing players continue to expand, new players enter the space and consumers find/introduce (non-alcoholic) occasions into their lifestyles," Dave Williams, vice president of analytics and insight for Bump Williams Consulting, told USA TODAY.

Here's some options for non-alcoholic beverages during Sober October – or anytime.

Non-alcoholic beers for Sober October

Non-alcoholic beers aren't new. The German beer Clausthaler hit the market in 1979 and today has additional NA flavors including a grapefruit beer and dry hopped IPA. In the U.S., Miller Brewing launched Sharp's in 1989 (it was recently retired) and O'Doul's arrived from Anheuser-Busch in 1990.

In recent years, there's been an uptick in new NA beers including Bud Zero and Heineken 0.0. Nearly every major beer maker has a non-alcoholic option including Samuel Adams Just the Haze, a non-alcoholic hazy IPA, and Boulevard Brewing's Flying Start non-alcoholic IPA.

Relatively new startups, led by Athletic Brewing Co., founded in 2017 – its seasonal Oktoberfest Fest Brew is available now – have also become favorites.

Clausthaler still rates high with the folks at Liquor.com, but Brooklyn Brewery Special Effects Hoppy Amber came out as the most impressive non-alcoholic beer.

Several breweries have also begun selling hop water led by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.'s Hop Splash, a sparkling hop-infused water with no alcohol, calories, carbs or sugar.

Non-alcoholic wines for Sober October

Wine drinkers have had to wait a bit longer than beer drinkers for non-alcoholic options. In fact, the success of Athletic Brewing's non-alcoholic beers prodded Julia Littauer and her husband, Alex, to start non-alcoholic wine company Sovi, she told Smithsonian Magazine a year ago. They released their first product, a sparkling rosé in 2021 and now have several wines available in bottles and cans.

"We wanted something that we enjoyed drinking and something that we could stand behind so that anyone who wants to enjoy a great glass of wine, but doesn't want the effects of alcohol can do so," they say on the site.

Surely, launched in late 2020, has a new red wine blend, a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah grapes that evokes the big, bold California red wine. “Since launching the company, we’ve wanted to create a non-alcoholic red wine to savor on its own or enjoy with a meal – arguably one of the most difficult products to create in an authentic way that maintains its character without the alcohol,” Surely founder & CEO Ryan Hanson said in a press release.

Surely's non-alcoholic Sauvignon Blanc made The New York Times' list of best nonalcoholic wines, as did Proxies Blanc Slate. Actually, Proxies makes its wines not by removing the alcohol from wine, but by blending juices, teas, spices, bitters, and more. Its Sober October six-pack ($160) includes six different selections.

Similarly, Non founder Aaron Trotman creates non-wine "wines," as The Robb Report detailed, from fruits including yuzu, the juice of unripe grapes, teas, spices and other ingredients – even chocolate for red wines. During its Sober October sale, all Non products are 20% off.

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Sober October: Non-alcoholic spirits and cocktails

Non-alcoholic cocktails have come a long way from the Shirley Temple and the Virgin Mary, a Bloody Mary without the vodka.

We probably have Mocktails to thank for the terminology we use for non-alcoholic cocktails. The company, founded in 2011, offers a Mockapolitan, Mockarita, Sansgria and Mockscow Mule for sale on its site and recipes for other mocktails using those as a base.

“Adult Non-Alcoholic ranges are in their infancy now, but is it only a matter of time before the trade realises that they are not serving somewhere between a quarter and a third of their guests what they really want, which is a choice to moderate, without giving up quality,” Bill Gamelli, who founded Mocktails with Mark Guthrie and Jim Dowla, told the Food Matters Live website last year.

Peak Cocktails founder Ian Cross and mixologist and marathon runner Sam Anderson have brought to market alcohol-free mixed drinks made with superfoods, adaptogens (plant-based substances thought to relieve stress and promote health), and nootropics ("smart drugs"). This " to create "a "new kind of functional cocktail" is meant to "work for you, not against you ... (and) help you reach your peak potential," the company says on its website. Its current flavors: Passion Fruit Margarita and Blood Orange Spritz; you get 20% off your first order.

Celebrities are getting into non-alcoholic drink scene, as they continue to back tequilas and whiskey. Katy Perry helped launch De Soi, a "nonalcoholic apéritif" with natural botanicals and adaptogens; model Bella Hadid is a co-founder of Kin Euphorics, with a line of drinks "tailor made to serve your mood."

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Another new entrant, Tilden Cocktails began shipping its Lacewing and Tandem non-alcoholic cocktails ($35 each or both for $63) in January. The Lacewing is described as "fresh and herbaceous with aromatic cucumber, basil, and lychee built on a juniper berry base," and the Tandem as "zesty and savory thanks to tart cherry, American oak, lapsang, and bitter orange." They can be served over ice or you can add an ounce of carbonated water for a spritz. Their cocktails do not include adaptogens, which should be avoided by those who are pregnant and nursing.

Co-founder Mariah Hilton Wood told Beverage Daily in January 2023 that she and Vanessa Royle went to Harvard Business School together and started the company in 2021. "We wanted sophisticated NA cocktails that weren't imitations of existing drinks, but could live up to our expectations for a complex, well-balanced cocktail," she said.

"It's evident that sober curiosity is en vogue," Royle told the outlet.

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Make your own mocktails for Sober October

Want to be your own mixologist? You certainly can make your own cocktails at home. For instance, try mixing up the the Sparkling Lemon Rasp, served at the Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa and Casino:

• 1 oz. Raspberry Mix
• 1 oz. Lemonade Mix
• 6 oz. Non-Alcoholic beer
• Raspberry and Mint Leaves

Add the raspberry and lemonade mixes into a shaker then shake for 5-8 seconds. Top off with the non-alcoholic beer and garnish with raspberries and mint leaves.

QVC host Jennifer Coffey has posted some mocktail recipes on her personal Instagram page, too. Here's one for a Mango-Lime Mocktail (makes two drinks):

• One cup coconut water
• 3/4 cup mango purée, add water to liquify
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup sparkling water
• Ice

'Sober October':More non-alcoholic cocktail recipes to try at home

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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