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.

In our increasingly busy and impersonal world, true connection and community is vital to our ability to thrive. That’s why The Clean Life exists. We're big on positive community here at Clean. Our goal is to create multiple opportunities for deep connection as we seek full, quality lives. As they say, you only get one chance at life, so live it to your fullest potential. Whether it's the Clean Groups we run (small groups aimed at fostering judgement-free environments where people can connect and belong with others) or our nonalcoholic Clean Bar (where individuals in addiction recovery can find a way to socialize without the negative effects of previously used products), The Clean Life is on a mission to help people as they journey toward better, more joyful, transformed lives.

But how do we do this when sometimes it seems so many obstacles stand in our way? The first step is to recognize that a change for the better is needed. Self awareness is key: it's hard to find answers when you don’t know the problem.

If you’re experiencing addiction and/or trauma in one form or another, head to our Clean Recovery page for help and recovery resources. Find people who have walked the same path as you and understand what you’re going through. There is power in positive community as you learn to recognize your trauma and addiction while gaining tools to overcome it.

Aside from our Clean Groups, Clean Bar pop-ups (where the drinks are often free to you), and Clean Recovery page, definitely peruse our curated list of books to help with a variety of struggles: from sexual addition, to substance abuse, to digital addiction, plus several books highlighting how to live a less frenzied, more peaceful life.

Click around on our website at thecleanlife.org and take a step toward a better life today. And if no one’s told you this before or if you need a reminder:

We believe in you.
You can do it.
You are loved.

We’ve met too many people who used to live what they’d call “wretched” lives and seen with our own eyes the changed people they are today to believe that change can't happen. They’re completely different than they were in the past. If they can do it, so can you—but they didn’t do it on their own, whether it was with a higher power or a higher power combined with community.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: There is power in inclusion and positive community. You’ll do better with the support of people who love and care about your well-being. Make an effort to grow your connections with people who love and care about you.

Reach out to us, anytime. Contact us here.