As more people apply a wellness-oriented mindset to more parts of their lives, alcohol consumption is also changing — and businesses are reacting.
According a report by Bon Appétit, the market for low- to zero-alcohol beverages is expected to grow by 32 percent between 2018 and 2022. This means you’re likely to hear a lot more about sober curiosity from roommates, friends, and alcohol brands.
Think of sober curiosity as a “wellness” approach to (not) drinking alcohol. The idea isn’t a hard stop to drinking or a 12-step process to sobriety, It’s not a recovery method for alcoholics, either. It’s about recognizing drinking habits and acting on that understanding. Maybe it means cutting out all alcohol, or just not drinking on weekdays. It’s the idea that alcohol determines our fun, intimacy, friendships, and experiences to the point that some people have tapped out of the present and aren’t fully living.
Nonalcoholic brews provide a useful case study in how mainstream purveyors are framing nonalcoholic drinks for a growing market of sober-curious people. Popular beer brands such as Heineken, Peroni Libera, and Guinness released 0 percent ABV products in the United States recently.
For instance, Heineken 0.0 creates more opportunities to enjoy beer’s taste. The 69-calorie product comes in the brand’s signature green bottle or can (so it’s indistinguishable from the alcoholic version) and is priced the same. She also added there’s little difference between sipping the zero-proof and regular beer — just the alcohol. Beer lovers don’t have to sacrifice the joy of holding a cold bottle. As Warrington says, adding sobriety into your life isn’t a loss, but a positive gain.
The movement is also attempting to create new “alcohol free - all fun” social spaces rather than closing them off.
Club Söda NYC, is a sober social community, created in 2016. Imagine a crowd gathered on the floor for events with titles like “Sobriety and Entrepreneurship” or “Psychedelics and Sobriety.” These are set in trendy hotels, WeWorks, and restaurants, and some come at no cost. No matter what, a booze-free happy hour follows for the sober curious to connect without the need to be tipsy.
Sober curiosity may be one of the most accessible paradigms to come from the wellness movement; it’s totally free to go to a bar, restaurant, or party and not drink anything. It’s also cost-effective to make the experience about you, not what other people are doing.
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