No alcohol at all for a month: more and more people are participating in Dry January. After the excess during the holidays, it is time for rest, cleanliness and regularity. That doesn't have to be boring at all, as the growing range of non-alcoholic drinks proves.
Hannah Bakx January 5, 2024, 10:00 AM
1. World of Nix
About two and a half years ago, Frederike de Groot founded the alcohol-free store World of Nix together with her partner Wim Boekema. With two stores in Amsterdam, one in Tilburg and one in Haarlem, a webshop and customers such as Rijks and Ron Gastrobar, the store is a leading player in the world of non-alcoholic drinks.
There are two locations in Amsterdam where you can taste extensively before choosing from the more than two hundred drinks available from all over the world. From non-alcoholic bubbles and wine to spirits and sparkling teas. Although the store sees a huge peak in January, there is a growing group of people – De Groot calls them 'flex drinkers' – who find the store all year round.
To get acquainted with the varied range, you can buy the special Dry January package or give it as a gift. Six non-alcoholic drinks, including a red wine, a Spritz and a Gin, show you that there are plenty of alternatives to alcohol. De Groot recommends the Spritz as a festive drink: extra attractive because of the orange color.
Ferdinand Bolstraat 117 (South), Eerste Boomdwarsstraat 63
2. Beverage
The Drankerij range proves that alcohol-free is not boring. About 40 to 45 percent of the range in the stores (they have two locations in the city) is alcohol-free, but that is not the criterion that determines purchasing. The taste is the most important, then the alcohol percentage is taken into account. Co-founder Tessa Monfrooy says that there is a drink for sale at any time of the day. So in addition to options for wine and champagne moments or for digestifs, there are also juices and sodas for sale.
In December, so-called proxies were popular: drinks that you drink during a wine or champagne moment, but that are not made from grapes. They do have the complex flavors and profiles similar to that of a wine or a bubble. Arensbak is a popular Danish brand and also a favorite of Monfrooy: “The sparkling variant is layered, very dry, fresh and has a small bitterness.”
As part of Dry January, you can taste in the store every Saturday between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM in January and discover juices, mocktails, ginger beers and a fig leaf soda.
Pretoriusstraat 1 (East), Van der Helstplein 13 (South)
3. Strong Amsterdam
Did you forget to get non-alcoholic drinks for your Dry January table companions? Don't panic, you're guaranteed to score something at the Sterk evening shop. If you don't know what you want, or you can't make a choice, ask one of the employees for advice, they can tell you all about it. With a bit of luck, Helma Brian will be at work: he not only has tips for tasty drinks but also for how to present them.
To start with, there is non-alcoholic beer: Sterk sells 91 types of non-alcoholic beers. In short, the choice here alone is enormous, from Guinness and Iki Beer to Paulaner and Leffe. Don't feel like beer? How about a tasty cocktail based on one of the more than fifty types of Minon syrup? Mix it with soda, put it in a nice glass and don't forget the ice cubes. This is how you create an experience and that's what it's all about, according to Brian. “Alcohol is associated with a party, so you want that feeling when you drink something.”
Finally, a tip from Brian for a drink that many people come back for: the Sparkling Juicy Teas from Van Nahmen. These sparkling juices are festive because of the bubbles, are also nice and dry and come in surprising flavors such as quince or rhubarb. Pour them into a nice glass and no one will notice that you don't drink alcohol. Don't worry about those annoying questions either, says Brian.
De Clercqstraat 7 (West)
4. Better-known liquor stores
The better-known liquor stores now also have a wide range of non-alcoholic drinks. Think of Gall & Gall, where they have many non-alcoholic liqueurs and spirits, and Grapedistrict, where you can score 0.0 wine and bubbles. Hema also expands its non-alcoholic range every year.
