Alcohol-free drinks for Sober October
These are the best booze-free tipples from refreshing pale ales to bittersweet aperitifs

Sober October is back, giving people an excuse to ditch the booze for a month – just before Christmas party season rolls around.
"What happens when you stop drinking alcohol?" said Christina Pérez in Vogue. "Pretty much everything you would expect – and also plenty that you might not." On top of the "obvious" benefits that come with abstaining (better sleep, reduced anxiety and a clearer head), there are also some pleasant surprises to be found from "glowier skin" to "deeper relationships".
You don't have to go cold turkey, either. Studies have shown that even a "modest" reduction in drinking can lead to significant improvements in blood pressure and liver health, said Anahad O'Connor in The Washington Post. "Whether it's a 'sober-ish' October or 'dry-ish' or 'damp' January", any booze cut back will still "count as a success".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
And it doesn't need to be a short-term experiment. According to a survey commissioned by charity Drinkaware, 36% of respondents consumed low/no-alcohol drinks in the last year, while sales of non-alcoholic beer in particular are "surging" and reached a "whopping" £809.7 million in 2023, reported The Times.
Beer is legally considered to be alcohol-free if it contains up to 0.5% ABV – "the same as kombucha or a ripe banana". But there are also plenty of 0% tipples to choose from. In short, it's never been easier to find no- or low-alcohol drinks. Here are some of the best.
Beavertown Lazer Crush
One of the best low-alcohol beers I've come across is this 0.5% pale ale from Beavertown, said Simon Lewis in The Telegraph. Crafted from a "special kind of yeast that ferments the malt without producing alcohol", it's "beautifully sweet and juicy" with "apple and caramel notes", and a "peachy aftertaste" akin to iced tea.
Guinness 0.0
With no alcohol, half the calories of the original and a proper head thanks to the "clever" widget inside the can, Guinness 0.0 looks almost identical to a draught pint of the original, said Anne Shooter in The Times. The "mouthfeel is the same too" – but it tastes "ever so slightly sweeter and less bitter than the full-fat version".
Everleaf
This bittersweet zero-alcohol aperitif tastes of "cloudy lemonade with an 'adult' edge", said Jennifer Savin in Cosmopolitan. "Extremely quaffable", it's ideal for those looking to try something entirely new that "isn't really comparable to any traditional liquors".
Bax Botanics Sea Buckthorn Spirit
"Reminiscent of a gin", this "sublime" spirit balances notes of rosemary, berries, and Mediterranean herbs, said Savin in Cosmopolitan. There's a reason the 0% tipple scooped a Great Taste Award.
Cognato Cabernet Sauvignon
With "rich flavours of berries and oak", this 0.5% cabernet sauvignon is "the closest non-alcoholic wine we've found to the real thing", said Siobhan Grogan in The Independent. Its full body and "super-smooth texture" make it the perfect accompaniment to a hearty bowl of pasta.
Zeno Alcohol-Liberated White
"Clean, crisp", and "packed with tropical fruit", this alcohol-free white wine is an "excellent match for seafood and spicy curries", said Stacey Smith in Women's Health. Fermented using the same process as a normal wine, then "gently heated until the booze bubbles off", expect notes of apple, passionfruit and ripe mango.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.
-
Bookish: delightful period detective drama from Mark Gatiss
The Week Recommends 'Cosy crime' series is a 'standout pleasure' in an Agatha Christie-style formula
-
While away a balmy evening under the stars at these pop-up screenings
The Week Recommends While away a balmy summer evening under the stars at these pop-up screenings
-
Crisis? What crisis? How Lionesses made the Euros final against the odds
Amid injuries and questions about form, England's women are one step away from glory
-
Food trails are the best trails. Eat your way across the US with these 7 regional food journeys.
The Week Recommends Take a bite out of the United States
-
Keep the fun going with these 7 subscription gift boxes
The Week Recommends Bring the party to their mailbox
-
Salt Lake City is coolest in summer not winter
The Week Recommends Hang out in the Maven District and bike your way around town
-
Yes, you can be outside this summer and avoid ticks. These are the tips to know.
The Week Recommends Don't get ticked off
-
Pals and loved ones always on the move? These are the gifts to give the constant travelers in your life.
The Week Recommends The best trip is the one that lives on and on
-
The best TV shows based on movies
The Week Recommends A handful of shows avoid derivative storytelling and craft bold narrative expansions
-
Bellagio: glitz and glamour on the Las Vegas Strip
The Week Recommends Find la dolce vita in the Nevada desert at this luxurious hotel
-
At these 6 gnarly spots, both surfers and onlookers can catch a wave
The Week Recommends Be a (sort of) part of the action