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Is Dry January a blessing in disguise for bars?
Dry January has often been met with dread by the bar industry. But the on-trade is taking a more optimistic approach in 2025.
*This feature was originally published in the January 2025 issue of The Spirits Business magazine.
Since Dry January began in 2012, the initiative has often led to bars starting the year off on the back foot. After all, at its crux, it is about people taking a month off consuming alcohol. Tack on the notion that people are looking to spend much less after December’s shenanigans – heavy on both the wallet and the liver – and it’s considered the quietest time of the year when it come to business.
Last year in the UK, for example, bar sales were hit hard, with the CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reporting that in January, sales in bar chains such as Revolution, Simmons, Snug Bar, Rekom and The Alchemist were down by 13.6%.
CGA by NIQ noted in its ‘How to win in the on-premise’ webinar that there is shift towards ‘low-tempo’ occasions. As the low- and-no sector grows in on-trade influence, a sober month for consumers isn’t ringing alarm bells for bars like it once did.
The bar world is finding ways to adapt to the point where Dry January has the capability of bringing a lot of positive aspects to the table – including, hopefully, paying customers through the door. For Equal Parts in London, many of its Mediterranean-style aperitivo serves, such as herbal and wine- based beverages served over ice or in a Highball, can be offered in nonalcoholic forms. For winter, the bar has been showcasing the creativity of its team with interesting nonalcoholic versions.
Bar director Carina Soto Velásquez says: “The research on texture, flavours, and techniques is highlighted in four original recipes that we are very proud of, as well as our seasonal nonalcoholic beer and wine.” She adds that the bar’s goal is to “provide a balanced offering that is inclusive to all our customers, and this is a commitment we intend to maintain throughout the year, not just for Dry January”.
Also in London, Archive & Myth, a newcomer to the city’s cocktail scene from last year, is looking forward to what the month brings. Head bartender Laurie Howells sees it as an “exciting time”, explaining that the bar will use it to launch a nonalcoholic menu, which will be a “reimagined take on our current menu, with similar flavour profiles and serves but from a nonalcoholic point of view”. The space will play host to a bar takeover series called High Spirits: Low ABV, to celebrate the move. Every Tuesday in January, staff from well-known UK venues, such as Birmingham’s Passing Fancies and Edinburgh’s Hey Palu, will drop in for non- alcoholic guest shifts.
Meanwhile in Paris, where Dry January isn’t as ingrained in the culture as it is in the UK, Kevin Rigault, bar director of Bar Les Ambassadeurs and Hôtel de Crillon, says thanks to Dry January, he has noticed “an evolution in our customers’ drinking habits. We’re getting more requests for cocktails and nonalcoholic spirits.”
Rigault adds: “Customers are increasingly asking about alternatives, and looking for innovation in terms of taste and flavour.” He says to satisfy every demand and give customers the opportunity to choose, Bar Les Ambassadeurs offers year-round cocktail mirrors on some of its signature cocktails such as: the Seedlip Garden; Williams Pear; Vanilla Whey; Cocoa, and Verjus. These alternative versions of their main drinks will hopefully enable both bars to reach a new audience who would visit during Dry January.
Fresh Starts
Being the month of fresh starts, January is also a period when many are on health kicks. This is something that bars are embracing more than ignoring. For instance, the Rosewood London hotel is playing it to its advantage, turning Dry January into an “Elevated Wellness Journey” in its signature venues. In the Mirror Room, there are functional non-alcohol cocktails such as Zen, which uses CBD oil and Lion’s Mane mushroom, which is said to boost cognitive ability. Andy Loudon, director of bars at Rosewood London, says: “These sophisticated beverages are designed to nourish the mind and body while delivering the same level of creativity and presentation our guests expect – the extraordinary flavours and wellness benefits.”
As mentioned, December is always an expensive month for many – Christmas, New Year’s Eve, it all adds up. It’s only natural that in January people tend to rein it in a bit more with the idea that they that they will drink less and also spend less.
Jonathan Fraser-Prinn, head of bars at The Alchemist, which has venues throughout the UK, says value for experience in January is of “key importance”, whether alcoholic or nonalcoholic. He says: “We’ve led with a 2025 offer of 20% off cocktails and 25% off food, allowing our full portfolio to be enjoyed however guests desire – whether continuing to indulge or looking for temperance.”
He adds the focus is to provide “value to our guests both in terms of experience and value. We think it’s a common misconception that guests’ sole motivation for January is only wellness and sobriety.”
Sam Bail launched New York’s Third Place Bar in 2022, an alcohol-free popup concept that she has hosted more than 50 times since the project’s start. She believes Dry January has taken off in the city in recent years, but it’s also a chance for bars to highlight their nonalcoholic specials, and there are also numerous popups by nonalcoholic beverage brands to promote this.
She says: “It’s an absolute must for bars and restaurants to have an excellent non-alcoholic cocktail programme during Dry January and beyond. Customers may still go to bars or restaurants in social situations that don’t revolve around drinking – and they want an elevated beverage even if they’re skipping alcohol for the month. Bars need to look into premium nonalcoholic spirits, wines, and beers, as well as ingredients such as teas, shrubs, and nonalcoholic bitters, and put effort into crafting quality nonalcoholic cocktails – as juice and syrup-based mocktails have a bad reputation.”
Bail adds that, most importantly, non- alcoholic offerings must be included or even highlighted on the menu, as “saying ‘we can make you something’ is not appealing to many customers who are looking for a curated bar experience”.
Navigating Dry January
So, while January is a quiet month for bars, and Dry January tends to make it even quieter, the on-trade is evidently finding successful ways to navigate it, and perhaps even gain from it.
Iain McPherson, of Edinburgh’s Panda & Sons, says an influx of tourists helps “compensate for the loss of regular clientele during the month”, and that this January the bar is working with Crodino – a nonalcoholic, orange-coloured Italian apéritif – and crafting serves with the product. He also thinks January can bring the bar a new customer base, as “we do get asked a lot more for no-and-low options, and more people are comfortable heading out and not drinking, which is a great thing to see”.
One tip on how owners can view Dry January? “Treat all cocktails equal,” he says. “Pour love into it, the customers will feel that.”
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