Dry January: 'No and low' alternatives to try

Dry January has become a fixture of the calendar for some - and it is expected that 2021 will be the biggest year ever for this exercise in sobriety, with more people moderating their alcohol intake and exploring 'no and low' alternatives during the Covid-19 pandemic.

If you're looking for inspiration to spice up your Dry January, or want to find some non-alcoholic staples for your drinks cabinet, we've rounded up a selection of products including alternatives to beer, wine and spirits: 

• Seedlip has released a non-alcoholic version of voguish cocktail the Picante, in its first collaboration with an external cocktail company. The Grove Picante, made with Seedlip Grove 42, is available to order online through London-based cocktail delivery service Lockdown Liquor & Co.
• Lucky Saint Lager is a top seller among no- and low-alcohol lagers on Amazon and secured a number of listings in hospitality venues in 2020, blazing a trail for draft non-alcoholic beers. It is available by the case through wine retailer Majestic and online.
• Lyre's makes a range of non-alcoholic drinks designed to offer alternatives to a variety of spirits, from gin to Bourbon. Developed in Australia, the products are now available in countries around the world including the UK - explore the range at lyres.co.uk.
• Mockingbird Spirit is an agave-based, vegan, alcohol-free spirit designed to give a 'no and low' alternative to tequila and mescal fans. Its makers suggest swapping it into mescal-based cocktails, not least the Margarita. 50cl bottles can be purchased at mockingbirdspirit.com.
• Sea Arch Coastal Juniper is inspired by the Devon coastline and provides a refreshing gin alternative with prominent juniper and a hint of salinity. It's suitable for vegans and is sugar-free and low-calorie, for those watching the pounds as well as the units. 
• Drynks Unlimited's Smashed range - which secured funding from Dragons' Den - are beer and cider-based but are all alcohol-free. Choose from lager, pale ale and various ciders. The Smashed range is available online and from Booths stores.
• Noughty, a new vegan, alcohol-free sparkling wine, is launching in the UK this month. It's made with Chardonnay grapes and, as well as being dealcoholised, is produced in a way that minimises its sugar content.
• NIO Cocktails has recently added two new non-alcoholic options to its stable of ready-to-serve cocktails . The Virgin Bitters and Lemongrass Citrus will be served in NIO's trademark plastic pouches, ready to pour straight into a glass over ice.
• Optimist Drinks is one of the latest no and low brands to launch in the US. Based in California, it offers three distilled non-alcoholic spirits presenting what it calls a 'liquid botanical loveletter to Los Angeles': Bright, Fresh, and Smokey. They can be ordered online at optimistdrinks.com.
• Nexba and L.A Brewery offer kombuchas - a fermented, tea-based, generally non-alcoholic drink - for the UK market. Australian brand Nexba sells its flavoured kombuchas in Sainsbury's stores, while L.A Brewery launched a Sparkling English Rose kombucha in 2020. 

6 January 2021 - Bethany Whymark