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Dry January Goes Mainstream
Dry January is underway, or January, to those of us who live sober. It has never been so popular, and it has gone mainstream with zero alcohol choices available everywhere you look.
The idea is to use January as a month to detox after the debauchery of the holidays. Some people attempt it and give up; others use Dry January as a springboard to a non-alcohol lifestyle, or one that mixes in more non-alcoholic drinks.
Like a number of food trends, Dry January has roots across the Atlantic. The campaign was launched 10 years ago by Briton Emily Robinson, who had joined a drinking awareness group called Alcohol Concern. Emily gave up drinking for a month in 2011, liked the improvement in her health, and thought others might want to join in.
Dry January coincided with Veganuary, in which people go vegan for the month, in a similar style of culinary detox.
In Dry January’s first year, 4,000 people took part. Now, more than 100,000 people in the U.K. sign up annually to participate, and it has spread to all parts of the globe. An estimated 35% of American adults are expected to cut back on or eliminate alcohol this month.
Dry January has been a boon to the growing number of brands that have introduced zero alcohol drinks, from beer and wine to mixed drinks. Rather than invent new names, or be mistaken for craft sodas, some tout themselves as replicas of cocktails, only zero proof.
A big deal Down Under
One company that’s done so is Free AF, which is based in New Zealand. It is the top zero alcohol brand there and its drinks are served on Air New Zealand. Free AF’s lineup, now available in the U.S., includes versions of Aperol Spritz, Paloma, Cuba Libre and Vodka Spritz. They run $45 for a 12-pack, and there is free shipping all month on its website. You can receive 15 percent off your first order. http://www.free-af.co
The drinks contain a natural botanical extract called Afterglow, which mimics the alcohol sensation, the company says.
I had the chance to exchange emails with founder Lisa King about the company and her approach.
Your cocktails are following the trend of zero alcohol drinks that mimic their alcoholic counter parts. I recently had a Phoney Negroni here in New Orleans. It tasted a lot like that San Pelligrino bitter soda that has been around a while. Do you think labeling them like their alcoholic counterparts helps market them?
We made a conscious decision to anchor our drinks to classic, well-known cocktails. This helps people understand what they are going to taste like, when to have them and how to serve them. In doing so, we've set expectations high when it comes to taste and we absolutely had to deliver on that, which AF has. It also clearly indicates that AF are adult drinks, not just a functional beverage or soda.
Any data on your demographic split? More women than men, a particular age group? I have quite a few male friends who don’t drink.
We started appealing more to women when we launched as we only had gin and tonics in our range. As we've expanded into other cocktails such as Cuba Libre, Dark & Stormy and Whiskey Highball, we are now seeing the split of our consumers 50/50. We've also had a lot of girlfriends or wives buy drinks for their partners, not telling them they are alcohol free :)
I don’t really like the term “mocktail”; it feels like the zero alcohol drinks are imitations rather than something valid on their own. You have an assertive brand name. Was that deliberate? Cheeky?
I also really dislike that term - Mocktails conjure up fruity, oversweet concoctions that feel like an inferior option to cocktails. In coming up with the name AF, we wanted a confident, fun brand that people felt proud to be seen with. These drinks are the new way of drinking and not just a replacement. They are becoming part of people's lives.
I’d love to know if you have a favorite and if there is a flavor profile you hope to explore.
I love the AF Paloma as I just love grapefruit and it's exceptional when served with chili salt on the rim. We developed this just for the US as tequila is not very big in New Zealand. We started AF (because) I was missing my gin and tonics. I love a G&T with cucumber - it's a clean and refreshing flavor and we are hoping to introduce Americans to that this coming summer.
A Daily Newsletter From Arnold Schwarzenegger
I don’t think I’ve seen any of his movies, but I’ve always had a soft spot for Arnold Schwarzenegger because he was nice to my mother. We were guests at a benefit in Washington D.C. that honored Tim Russert, the much-missed host of Meet The Press.
Tim’s NBC colleague Maria Shriver was there and brought her then-husband with her. I had no idea my mother was an Arnold fan, but as soon as the dinner was over, she zoomed across the ballroom floor to get his autograph.
I raced to catch up and when I got there, she and Arnold were chatting. He was laughing as he signed her program, and he patted her arm when he finished. Seeing me hovering, ready to whisk her away if she went on too long, he flashed me a smile that showed the experience of gushing grandmothers was the norm for him.
Since the pandemic, Arnold has embraced the newsletter space. He launched his first one in 2021, and in 2023, he has begun offering a daily health and fitness newsletter called The Pump.
I’ve found it to contain some useful eating advice, such as tart cherry juice to fight inflammation, and he’s motivated me to get out and walk, even when my back has been grumpy. You can sign up for it at https://schwarzenegger.ck.page/0943ca5e13
Arnold is great about retweeting and reposting his fans’ observations on Instagram so if you find something useful, connect with him.
In -N-Out Comes East(ish)
Have you ever tried In-N-Out, the West Coast burger chain? We had one when I lived in Phoenix and I went occasionally. I learned its secret menu and I would often order a grilled cheese when I wasn’t in the mood for meat.
In-N-Out famously not gone any farther east than Texas, but now it is coming into the middle of the country. Last week, it announced plans to open locations in Tennessee by 2026, including a regional headquarters.
Tennessee cities like Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga will be logical places for In-N-Out to test its supply chain and see whether it can groom new fanbases.
(Speaking of the supply chain, I had planned to write about its impact on restaurants this week. That story will come next week.)
Keeping Up With CulinaryWoman
Last week, I mentioned that Satisfaction Guaranteed has been named a Michigan Notable Book for 2023. There will a gals event called A Night For Notables on Saturday, April 22 at the Library of Michigan in Lansing featuring many of us authors. You can find information here: https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/public/mnb/night-for-notables I would love to see you!
Contact me at culinarywoman at gmail dot com. Visit the Culinarywoman Facebook page and find me in two places on Instagram: my main account is @michelinemaynard and my New Orleans adventures are @micki_in_nola.
There’s a lot of illness going around (I’m fighting allergies). Please take care of yourself. Enjoy the Martin Luther King day holiday if you get it off, and take it easy Monday if you are on duty.
I will see our paid subscribers tomorrow with Red Beans and Advice and everyone else next weekend.