Is The Sober-Curious Trend Here To Stay?

Most of us have become familiar with the concept of Dry January, especially when trying to be more mindful of our spirit consumption in conjunction with keeping our bodies healthy. The thoughtfulness regarding alcohol has, more recently, become an intermittent constant, especially in the lives of young people as they embrace new ways to take care of themselves both mentally and physically (via CNN).

With some non-alcoholic wines tasting better than their boozy counterparts and celebs like Katy Perry creating lines of alcohol-free drinks, it's no wonder the sober-curious movement has become a trend. If you're wondering whether or not you categorize yourself as sober-curious, consider how often you drink and if you ever stop as an experiment to improve your general well-being (via Sarasota Magazine).

While having a drink from time to time may not have adverse effects on your health, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a whole slew of health problems including cancer and a weakened immune system (per CDC).

There is often a presumed assumption that someone needs to hit extremes to tailor back on their booze intake, but according to a piece in The New York Times, when a person questions their decisions made around alcohol, they in turn become more mindful regarding their choice to drink. With this newfound mindfulness and the emergence of booze-free bars, what does the future look like for the sober-curious?

While alcohol-free beer has been around for a while with most varieties lacking a similar taste to their boozy counterparts, the options available today tell a different story. More and more companies are jumping on the sober train and according to CNN Business, this includes major brands like Heineken and O'Douls. 

Brands like Seedlip which produces non-alcohol liquor are seeing a gain in popularity as more people take proposed "breaks" from everyday alcohol consumption. Non-alcoholic craft beer company Athletic Brewing Co. has numerous positive reviews on Facebook with one user claiming, "This isn't your daddy's NA beer from years ago. It's really good and is very close to the real thing."

With bigger brands jumping on the non-alcoholic bandwagon, it makes the notion of "not drinking" a trendy thing to do in 2022 according to Ginger Hultin, MS, RDN (via USA TODAY). With options increasing and expecting to gain in volume by 23% from now until 2026, it's safe to say the non-alcohol trend could be here to stay. Not only that but the NA buzz is indicating a new cultural shift among young and older Americans of today that The Washington Post has coined the "Neo-Moderation Movement."