Years ago, when I announced to my friends that I was going to take a break from alcohol for a month I was met with groans and a chorus of "whhhhyyy?". Back then, the popular belief was that alcohol was an essential ingredient to a good night out.
Oh how things have changed. Even in the three years since I stopped drinking I have seen a massive shift in the way that people approach drinking. The Mindful drinking trend is now so big that the New York Post described cutting back as a "hot new trend" and even Carrie Bradshaw appears to have swapped her Cosmo for a non-alcoholic sparkling wine.
So, if you are embarking on Sober October this year, you probably won't be met with resistance and questions from your friends. In fact, you might even inspire others to join you.
It's natural to be daunted by a month without alcohol, but there are lots of things you can do to make it easier.
Avoid the pub
The easiest way to stay away from alcohol is to stay away from the places that you usually drink alcohol. This might mean giving the pub a bit of a wide berth until you are used to be alcohol free.
That doesn't mean that you need to stay at home though. There are lots of ways to socialise that don't involve drinking. You could meet friends for breakfast. You could sign your mates up to an art or pottery class. You could walk and talk. The important thing is that you stay social.
Give non-alcoholic beer wine and spirits a go
Non-alcoholic drinks have come a really long way in the last decade. Gone are the days when the best you could hope for was a syrupy grape juice or a lemon lime and bitters.
The industry has evolved and beer wine and spirit makers have adopted new and innovative ways to make their products. Did you know that Lyre's spirits use a whole team of people to analyse the taste profiles of classic spirits? Or that Giesen zero alcohol wine is actually exactly the same as their award winning range just minus the alcohol?
It's an exciting time for those of us in the alcohol free space - and if you are new to it, it's an exciting time to hop on board. Non-alcoholic drinks are an easy way to go alcohol free because you can just swap out your alcoholic drink for an alcohol free one. You might even find that you like it so much you don't go back.
Embrace the health benefits of non-alcoholic drinks
It won't take long for you to notice some benefits to going alcohol-free free. For me, the first thing I noticed was the improvement in my sleep. Then there was the positive change in my skin. After that I started to notice other things - I was less irritable in the mornings, more patient with my kids and my energy levels soared.
When you start to notice these benefits you might start to wonder why anyone wants to drink alcohol at all.
New to alcohol-free drinking?
With literally hundreds of options available, you might not know where to start. Here are five best-selling Sans Drinks that always get good reviews.
Thomson & Scott Noughty
The blurb: This non-alcoholic sparkling wine is so good that BBC Good Food called it a "world leading alternative to champagne." It's crafted from Chardonnay grapes and has a crisp and ripe apple scent and a very dry flavour profile.
What customers are saying: "I loved this bubbly! It is so close to the real thing, the best I have had yet...very refreshing, nice and crisp."
Heaps Normal Quiet XPA
The blurb: Named best country winner at the Worlds Best Beer Awards, Heaps Normal is our best selling non-alcoholic beer. Full flavoured with tropical and citrus aromas it is refreshing and satisfying.
What customers are saying: "There's a reason why this won at the World Beer Awards. This has so much flavour and honestly, if I was only allowed to have one beer for the rest of my life, I would happily pick this one."
Next Destination Barossa Valley Shiraz
The blurb: A one of a kind non-alcoholic wine from the iconic Barossa Valley, aged for 4 years this 2018 vintage is our best selling red wine.
What customers are saying: "Best zero red so far … by far. I like a big bold bodied red and while this is more a mid bodied red it is far and away the best zero red I have tried so far. I will definitely be buying more."
1920 Pinot Grigio
The blurb: This non-alcoholic wine is so good and such a great price. It is a perfect example of how fantastic Australian made wines can be in this category. This has a dry, robust flavour profile and notes of nashi pear, apple, and lemon with a true Pinot Grigio flavour.
What customers are saying: "I loved this, it's perfect and not sweet. Decided I needed more after my first try and now it's my go to wine."
Sans Bar Notting Hill Stroll
The blurb: This is a true to taste gin substitute inspired by a classic London Dry. It has a flavour profile of juniper with subtle notes of citrus and botanicals. This is a very versatile 0% spirit that makes the perfect G&T and can be used to make all the classic gin mocktail.
What customers are saying: "Best AF gin! This is an amazing AF gin, the taste is fantastic. Thoroughly recommend!"
