Nonalcoholic Bars and Alcohol-Free Options on the Rise as Sober Curious Movement Continues to Gain Popularity

It's known by many names: non-alcoholic bar, clean bar, dry bar, sober bar, temperance bar...whatever you may call it, it's a phenomenon that's sweeping across the globe. The nonalcoholic movement in the United States alone shows a growth of nearly 30%, year over year.

Alcohol-free bars are popping up everywhere, from Dubai to New York, Melbourne to Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta, and more. What’s more, the big cities aren’t the only ones jumping on the non-alc bus, you’ll even find a sober bar in Omaha, Nebraska. And let’s not forget our very own Clean Bar, based in Portland, OR. (We’re working on a physical location + bottling our tasty, custom-crafted nonalcoholic mocktails!)

The term, “sober curious” came about in 2018, when Ruby Warrington published her book, Sober Curious. A guide for those reevaluating their relationship with alcohol, the book examines the culture around drinking along with our “autopilot” habits when it comes to social activities involving bars, restaurants, and parties. The sober curious are known for their mindful drinking, adopting a wellness and mental health approach as they assess why and when they drink.

Powered largely by millennials and the portion of Gen Z that’s of legal drinking age, the sober curious movement is redefining the stigma of choosing not to drink. Due to their savvy digital tech and influencer ways, this portion of society has buoyed the nonalcoholic market, often partnering with nonalcoholic brands to produce viral content that sways the masses.

It’s now late 2024 and we’ve seen significant evidence that sobriety is acceptable and even cool. With hit Netflix shows highlighting sober curiosity and A-list Hollywood stars bringing game-changing, non-alcoholic beers to market, we’re stoked to be living in a time when alcohol-free options abound and attitudes are friendly toward those who choose sobriety. Studies show that millennials and Gen Z are drinking less at their age than their Gen X and Boomer counterparts did.

As huge proponents of the benefits of community and deep connections with others, the sober curious movement aligns with our belief that life is better with less alcohol—or even none of it. You CAN live a full, confident, joy-filled life without a drop of alcohol. You CAN have meaningful conversations without the need for a drink first.

What a time to be alive!

To all our colleagues in the nonalcoholic space, we lift our alcohol-free drink to you in a toast to say, “A rising tide lifts all boats. And a nonalcoholic tide? Even better.”

Cheers. We’re looking forward to seeing how these alcohol-free waves play out.