"Dry February" and the rise of non-alcoholic options in Nashville
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"Dry January" is expanding its turf.
- Google searches for "Dry February" have ratcheted up this month in Nashville and beyond.
Why it matters: The ongoing interest in the annual booze-free challenge highlights a change in the way Americans think about alcohol, Axios' Carly Mallenbaum writes.
By the numbers: In Nashville, sales of non-alcoholic beer in the first four weeks of January surged to $282,235 in 2024 compared to $71,096 in 2020.
- Over the same period nationally, sales of non-alcoholic beer hit $42.7 million this year, up from $13.5 million four years ago.
The big picture: Regular beer sales have been fairly flat across the U.S. while non-alcoholic beer is on the rise, according to NIQ, which tracks buying behavior.
Zoom in: The local retail scene has expanded to reflect that growing sector.
Southern Grist Brewing Co. has put a premium on making non-alcoholic beers with its self-described "innovative, weird, experimental" approach.
- "It's about being inclusive and recognizing there are times you want a beer but cannot have or do not want the effects of alcohol," the brewery says of its approach to NA beverages.
Killjoy, a Nashville-based shop dedicated to non-alcoholic spirits, opened last April in Wedgewood-Houston. The company also hosts regular alcohol-free events.
- Founder Stephanie Styll says she's seen customers grow increasingly excited about non-alcoholic spirits over the last year.
What she's saying: "I wondered if after January our sales would tank," Styll tells Axios. "So far they haven't. I think people are keeping it going."
- Styll says her customer base includes folks who are sober full-time as well as people who want an occasional alternative to alcohol.
State of play: Younger customers, in particular, are interested in the health benefits of going alcohol-free, she says.
- That's true nationwide. Only 62% of adults under 35 say they drink, down from 72% two decades ago, according to the latest Gallup data.
Flashback: Styll started Killjoy with help from her husband and brother-in-law after she got sober. She sees it as a way to celebrate the wide array of fun, inventive and complex zero-proof beverages on the market.
- "Going to a party and just drinking water was boring and made me feel left out," she says. "I wanted to participate in the ritual of enjoying a sophisticated beverage, and alcohol alternatives made that interesting and fun."
- "People just have no clue that they have these options."
Killjoy sells non-alcoholic beers, wines and spirits. There are regular tastings to show off its offerings, including one this weekend.
- Styll says a community has formed around their events, which include booze-free happy hours and a book club.