NOLO Beyond Dry January
January 2022
All the buzz, none of the booze: Go NOLO in 2022
At first glance, it seems like an oxymoron: a bar with no alcohol. But that’s just what you’ll find at the dozens of “dry bars” popping up across the country, serving up zero-proof spirits, beer and wine to the sober and sober-curious.
The alcohol-free bar isn’t just a trendy business model – it’s part of a long-term cultural shift toward more mindful drinking habits. According to one recent poll, 42 percent of people are drinking less for health reasons. Others have eschewed booze completely.
Younger people are also drinking less often: While 23 percent of the Silent Generation (those born 1928-1945) drink daily, only about 2 percent of millennials (ages 25-40) do. It’s reason enough to reconsider what’s on your drink menu.
Does your bar or restaurant accommodate non-drinking guests beyond soda and juice? Though Dry January – when an estimated 13 percent of Americans cut back their
consumption – is the perfect time to bring more booze-free options to your business, you can implement these changes year-round.
During the pandemic, home mixologists experimented with the growing number of non-alcoholic spirits available on store shelves – brands like Seedlip, Free Spirits and MeMento – and sales of zero-ABV beers skyrocketed 34 percent.
As they’ve returned to in-person imbibing, today’s non-drinkers refuse to compromise on quality, expecting an experience on par with more spirited libations, full of fresh, healthy ingredients and complex flavor profiles.
What’s more, consumers are willing to pay a premium for a standout cocktail, regardless of the alcohol content. So while removing alcohol – and its markup – may seem counterintuitive to boosting revenue, by not offering these options, you’ll risk losing customers or limiting them to water and soft drinks.
Think of no- and low-alcohol beverages as an opportunity to experiment with creative flavors and functional ingredients like vitamin-rich fruits, aromatic herbs and even CBD. Be sure staff clearly communicates ingredients and ABV so guests can easily discover delicious, hangover-free substitutes for their favorite cocktails.
No- and low-alcohol beverages are poised for major growth in 2022 and beyond. With benefits to both your bottom line and your guests’ health, diversifying your drink menu is one New Year’s resolution that is easy to make (and keep).
Looking for a recipe to help you get started? This beet-based mocktail from Tatiana of Keto Karate and Cocktails on Instagram has everything: color, vitamins and complex flavor. When your guests are looking for a drink that not only tastes good, but makes them feel good, mix up this refreshing NOLO cocktail.
“BEET” me to it!
3 oz fresh juiced beet juice*
1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
1 oz fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 drops balsamic vinegar
½ tsp granulated @lakanto monk fruit sugar (or sweetener of choice and amount to taste)
Add all ingredients to a blender, food processor, or use a shaker if you’d like. Double fine strain into a gorgeous Libbey glass rimmed with pitaya powder – because of its gorgeous color – and garnish with dehydrated pitaya slices.
"BEET" me to it!
NACHTMANN PALAIS COCKTAIL GLASS
A note from Tatiana on ingredients: “Lakewood Organic has a good beet juice in a jar. I prefer to juice my own raw beets, but it IS a labor of love, messy and time-consuming. In the end, the high nutrient content in beets makes it worth it. They’re packed with folate, potassium, iron, manganese, vitamin C and fiber. So, fresh ‘BEETS’ a jar in my book, any day.”
