It was fun trying to spot the people on New Year’s Eve who were planning to participate in Dry January – they were the ones ordering doubles all night.
Dry January, of course, is the annual endeavor by people who feel a need to cut down on alcohol consumption by not drinking for the entire month. I’ve said it before: Dry February would be a much better idea because there are three fewer days, but that’s just me.
Drinking less is actually a pretty good idea and it has become something of a year round trend, evidenced by the growing number of zero-proof alternatives offered by brewers, winemakers and even your favorite local bars and restaurants.
The Wilson, the restaurant and bar at the new Meliá hotel in Celebration, is featuring a list of mocktails – also called lie-bations – being served there and at other IGC Hospitality properties. Its contribution to the list is the Taki It Slow, Kokomo, pictured at top, which uses zero-proof rum, banana, passion fruit and lemon.
From the New York Wilson is Red Moon Tide, a non-alcoholic tequila infused with jalapeño with grapefruit soda and black salt rim. (Apologies to those also doing low-sodium New Year’s.)
You may not be fooled by the zero-proof spoofs. And ordering Old Fashioned made with new fashioned non booze is a little like vegetarians ordering food that mimics the taste of chicken or beef.
But what I like and appreciate about these alternative drinks is that they can help take pressure off of people who want to socialize and be among drinkers and not be chided for not having a “real” drink.
And some of these drinks can be more fun than ordering a club soda or tonic with lime.
To your health. And to a speedy January.
