CLEVELAND — Now that the holidays have wrapped up, many folks are deciding to ditch the cocktails and clean out their cabinets to kick off the new year. "Dry January" has grown in popularity over the years, which encourages a break from alcohol for the month.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, taking a break from alcohol can improve mood, reduce anxiety, and even save you some money along the way.
“Studies have shown that there's been some health benefits from engaging in Dry January. One is that your medical health, so liver health, improvement in sleep, weight loss, decrease in your blood pressure even, all have shown to happen during Dry January if you complete it,” said Akhil Anand, MD, a psychiatrist who specializes in addiction for Cleveland Clinic.
In Ohio City, Verbena Free Spirited Shoppe is Cleveland's only bar serving non-alcoholic cocktails, along with non-alcoholic wines and bar stocking items.
The concept for Verbena was born during "Dry January." Owner Molly Cheraso said her husband decided to try the health challenge in 2021 while training for the Cleveland Marathon.
Cheraso said, "He found he was sleeping better, running better, and just feeling better after 31 days with no alcohol that he wanted to keep it going for the rest of the year."
She said she started to replace an evening glass of wine or cocktail in her home with a non-alcoholic beverage. When making the switches, Cheraso said she noticed the non-alcoholic drink market had exploded with products, and she couldn't find any of them locally.
"When I started ordering things online and trying things, I was really pleasantly surprised by how good they were. I was wishing I could talk to someone or sample products before I bought them. So, I went to New York City, and I started sampling products and visiting non-alcoholic shops. That's when I decided I really wanted to bring that here to Cleveland.
Verbena opened as Cleveland's only non-alcoholic bar in 2023. Cheraso said January is one of their busiest months as folks embark on the "Dry January" challenge. But the bar and cafe are open year-round.
"I am definitely seeing the younger generation drinking less. They may not be drinking at all, or they might be doing it on rare occasions. I have a lot of parents that come in and say 'my kids don't drink, I'm looking for alternatives for them.' As we talk to them they find they can replace their nightly glass of Sauvignon Blanc with one of these non-alcoholic wines," said Cheraso.
Cheraso said that when folks come in and taste a non-alcoholic drink that tastes just like their favorite cocktail, they are surprised.
"This is something that can be really enjoyable. You don't have to lose any of the social aspects or that daily ritual, but you also don't have to have alcohol to be apart of that," said Cheraso.
