A growing number of Nashvillians are starting the new year sober, and breweries, taprooms and cocktail joints are responding by expanding their non-alcoholic options.

Why it matters: "Dry January" has become increasingly popular as more people experiment with going alcohol-free.

Driving the news: This month, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for the country to adopt warning labels on alcoholic beverages similar to the ones mandatory for cigarettes.

• According to the new advisory, alcohol use is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., right after tobacco and obesity.

State of play: Businesses are taking note. Many of Nashville's most popular spots have developed new alcohol-free products and are cheerfully encouraging customers to come by whether they're going alcohol-free for a month or sober full-time.

What they're saying: "[E]ven if you're not raising a glass right now, you can still show up, support, and enjoy the atmosphere," Southern Grist wrote on Instagram.

• "After all, it's about more than just the beer — it's about the people and the passion behind every pint."

Zoom in: Southern Grist, which launched its non-alcoholic Oasis "hop water" in 2024, is offering specialty flavors on tap, mocktails and non-alcoholic wine.

• Nelson's Green Brier Distillery boasted a menu of mocktails that would fit in at any high-end cocktail bar.
• The Fox Bar, one of East Nashville's swankiest spots, has a permanent slate of mocktails, too.
• Otto's Bar in West Nashville encourages guests to "come chill with us" over non-alcoholic "gin" and tonics.

That's just a brief sampling. Non-alcoholic options are on menus at nearly every bar in town.

• If you want to experiment with your own concoctions, Killjoy, a Nashville-based shop dedicated to non-alcoholic spirits, recently expanded into a new location in East Nashville.

The bottom line: Non-alcoholic offerings are no longer just a trend.

• "The culture is shifting," Killjoy owner Stephanie Styll said in a TV news story. "Especially amongst young people."

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The quality of NA beers has improved as brewers refine their process and capture the essence of the beverage without the alcohol.

Axios Denver's resident beer expert John Frank recently conducted a taste test and identified a few new favorites.

• Most of them are available online if you can't find them nearby.

Kernza Golden Brew: Made by Oregon's Deschutes Brewery, in partnership with outdoor company Patagonia's food division, this beer features climate-friendly ingredients and offers a classic and clean-flavored sip that perfectly mimics the real thing.

Designated Dale's NA Pils: From Colorado's Oskar Blues Brewery, this crisp pilsner offers a light hop touch that lends a lemon-like kiss.

Black Butte Non-Alcoholic: This award-winning rich porter from Deschutes Brewery is smooth without being filling and packed with chocolate malt flavor. It's arguably the best NA beer on the market in terms of being a clone of the original.

Check out three more of John's favorites ... A taste test of the best NA beers

On TikTok, #dryjanuary posts were up 50% toward the end of last year compared to the same period in 2023, according to data shared with Axios.

Zoom in: Axios' Analis Bailey collected influencers' recipes for non-alcoholic espresso martinis, mint juleps and palomas.

• Read her story

🏈 Researchers confirmed former Tennessee Titans tight end Frank Wycheck, a star of the "Music City Miracle" play, had CTE when he died in 2023. (Associated Press)

💰 Tennessee is opting out of a federal program that provides extra grocery money for some families with children while school is out for the summer.

• In doing so, Gov. Bill Lee's administration is rejecting more than $75 million in federal aid, citing the "administrative cost burden." (Tennessean, subscription)

🏛️ Gov. Lee is still considering a special session for his school voucher expansion plan. (WPLN)

Country collective The Black Opry, Americana singer-songwriter Lillie Mae and DJ duo Spark City Disco are among the final batch of artists announced for next month's debut 615 Indie Live music festival.

Why it matters: 615 Indie Live is a new festival created to celebrate Nashville's independent artists and venues.

What to expect: The all-day festival will take place at 14 independent venues on Feb. 1.

• In addition to releasing the final lineup, organizers announced a scavenger hunt will take place at participating venues, giving fans the chance to win prizes throughout the day.
• A ticket costs $15 and gets fans access to all of the concerts, space permitting. Proceeds will benefit the Music Venue Alliance Nashville, a collaborative group seeking to preserve the city's independent venues.

Go deeper: Buy tickets, view the festival lineup and read artist bios.

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Mike Keith, the radio voice of the Tennessee Titans who called 535 games for the franchise, is leaving his post after 27 years.

• Keith moving into college sports to call football and basketball games for his alma mater, the University of Tennessee, the school announced yesterday.

Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said "few individuals have had as profound an impact on the Tennessee Titans" as Keith, who started calling games for the team when they moved to Tennessee in 1998.

Former Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck summed up Keith's legacy.

• "I'm sure Mike Keith's replacement will be great," Bulluck wrote. "Unfortunately they will not have the Almanac level of Titans History knowledge that Mike possesses."
• "The man has literally made the call for every single Titans player that has ever taken the field … like EVER!"

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If Nashville becomes a winter wonderland today, we want to see your view.

• Send your pictures to [email protected]. We might share our favorites.