January: the month of virtuous intentions, early nights and the quiet hum of smugness that comes with declining a drink. But going dry needn’t mean going dour. With more than 15.5 million of us pledging allegiance to Dry January, the drinks world has responded with a flourish — bottles that bring complexity, craft and a little mischief, minus the morning-after regret. Consider this Tipples entry our slightly irreverent guide to doing January properly, without doing without…
The Alternative Gin: New London Light
If gin has always felt like a personality trait rather than a drink, New London Light may be your way through January with your sense of self intact. Created by the brains behind Salcombe Gin, this Devon-born trio of non-alcoholic spirits is less about abstinence and more about ambition.
‘First Light’ leans into classic gin architecture — juniper, citrus and a flicker of ginger — making it a convincing companion for tonic and ice. ‘Aegean Sky’ heads south, delivering bitter citrus and olive in an aperitif that feels tailor-made for wistful thoughts of Mediterranean sunsets. Meanwhile, ‘Midnight Sun’ takes a bracing Nordic turn, weaving coastal berries, kelp and pine into something altogether more contemplative.
These are grown-up drinks for grown-up glasses — proof that January can still have a bit of backbone.
New London Light is available from newlondonlight.com, £25.00 for a 70cl bottle (ABV 0%).
Alcohol-Free Beer, With the Buzz: BERO
This is not just beer in a can — it’s a status symbol. BERO, the premium non-alcoholic beer co-founded by actor Tom Holland, has positioned itself less as a compromise and more as a calling card for a new kind of drinker: flavour-led, design-conscious and entirely unbothered by ABV.
Born in London, crafted in America and now the official non-alcoholic beer partner of Aston Martin, BERO brings serious polish to the alcohol-free space. The branding is sleek, the credentials impressive, and the liquid reassuringly grown-up. Edge Hill Hazy IPA delivers a properly full-bodied hop profile, while Kingston Golden Pils is crisp, clean and eminently sessionable — even if the session ends early because it’s January.
Available in six-packs and variety packs, BERO is the sort of beer you’d be happy to be seen holding — in the pub, at home, or leaning casually against something very expensive and British. Proof that Dry January can still come with a little swagger.
French Wine, Sans the Booze: Moderato
Wine without alcohol is often a polite disappointment. Moderato, an award-winning French brand, is determined to change that — and judging by its growing medal collection, it’s doing rather well.
From the sparkling Blanc de Noir, ideal with cheese and charcuterie, to the bright Colombard white and the velvety Merlot–Tannat red (robust enough to stand up to roast lamb or grilled vegetables), Moderato takes wine seriously — even when the alcohol has been shown the door. These are bottles that feel considered, confident and entirely at ease on a dinner table, January or otherwise.
Moderato’s full range of award-winning alcohol-free wines is available to taste and buy at the Club Soda shop, bar and tasting room, online at joinclubsoda.com and Majestic Wines.
Wine, Reimagined: REAL
For those who like their drinks with a side of intellectual curiosity, REAL offers something altogether different. Using natural fermentation, tea leaves and grape skins are transformed into complex, sparkling drinks that sit somewhere between wine, kombucha and quiet obsession.
REAL Sec sparkles with stone fruit and rhubarb courtesy of First Flush Darjeeling tea; REAL Dry is crisp and citrusy, with a nutty, lemon-meringue-like finish; while REAL Blush delivers delicate berry notes and a whisper of vanilla-oak. Elegant, thoughtfully designed and deeply drinkable, these are bottles that make abstinence feel positively indulgent.
REAL’s core range is available to buy at Ocado – RRP starting at £10 per bottle.
If Cider’s Your Chosen Tipple: CHANCE it
Cider lovers have long been the forgotten children of the low-and-no world — until CHANCE arrived. Made in Worcestershire from 100% British apples, this 0.5% ABV clean cider delivers proper flavour: fresh apple, citrus, a hint of pineapple and subtle woody notes.
Lightly sparkling and reassuringly grown-up, CHANCE works just as well in the pub as it does warmed gently at home for a winter-friendly serve. It’s cider without the compromise — and without the fuzzy head — offering drinkers the freedom to say yes to the pint, even in January. Available from The Wine Society.
So, while January may be dry, it needn’t be dull. Raise a glass, clear-headed and content, to a month of mindful drinking done with style.
