Cherry Teani from Horace and Lydia

The internet tells me that lots of people vow not to drink alcohol for the entire month of January. Something to do with New Year’s resolutions, I guess. If you’re a cocktail, beer, or wine lover doing the Dry January thing (Dryanuary?), you don’t have to be stuck with juice, soda, and Shirley Temples. Step it up, mocktails style!

I think it’s always a good idea to have an appealing non-alcoholic drink option at a party, bar, or restaurant. (Sorry, Coke and water don’t count as “appealing.”) Not only does it give pregnant women, designated drivers, and teetotalers something delicious to drink, but it also helps prevent hangovers.

Here are some fun mocktails and non-alcoholic drinks:

New England Buck* ~ A sage and juniper syrup along with ginger beer and apple cider make for a nice wintery drink that doesn’t taste like it’s for children.

Tuscan Fresco ~ This one is fruity without being like fruit punch, with a more sophisticated mix of peach, cranberry, and rosemary flavors.

Juniper and Tonic ~ It turns out, there is such thing as a virgin Gin & Tonic … and it’s not just having a Tonic. So people who like dry drinks don’t have to stick to water and tea when cutting out alcohol.

Sage Presse ~ Sage and meyer lemon are perfect winter companions for a culinary cocktail that just happens to not contain any alcohol.

Cherry Teani* ~ Teas have complex flavors just like spirits do, so they are a natural mixer for a mocktail. Mix smoky tea with cherries and vanilla for a rich experience along the lines of a Manhattan.

And if all that is too much work, then:

Bitters and Soda* ~ Add a few dashes of any kind of bitters to soda water for a more exciting club soda.

Cascal Fermented Soda ~ While these don’t taste like wine, they do have lovely dry flavors and complex combinations that will make wine lovers much happier than a can of Sprite ever could.

*These contain bitters, which is made with alcohol. Bitters is used in such a small quantity, that the amount of alcohol you’ll ingest is negligible. (I bet you’d get more alcohol from using mouthwash.) Non-alcoholic bitters exist, but are hard to find.