The Ultimate Guide for the Sober October Challenge

Table of Contents:

Join the Sober October Challenge
Benefits of Not Drinking Alcohol
3 Custom Mocktail Recipes
Other Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Final Thoughts

It’s my favorite time of year! Spooky season is upon us, complete with cooler weather, autumn leaves, costumes, pumpkin spice, home decorations, and lots of social events. But it’s also a great time for a refresh.

Enter Sober October. What’s that, you say? Sober October is a fantastic way to take a break from alcohol, reset your drinking habits, and discover a bunch of delicious non-alcoholic drinks.

Much like how Dry January is a chance to reset after an entire month (or more) of overeating and excessive drinking during the holidays, the Sober October challenge is pretty much what it sounds like: a month of sobriety before your alcohol intake naturally goes up during the holidays.

 

And maybe– just maybe– the early readjustment will contribute to more mindful drinking and alcohol consumption in November and December.

Whether you’re joining for health reasons, self-discipline, a chance to explore your relationship with alcohol, or just experiencing new flavors & options, you’re definitely not alone. So let’s dive into delicious mocktail recipes and tips to help you stay on track during Sober October and beyond.

 

Official Challenge: Go Sober for October

If you really want to make this Facebook official, you can join the MacMillan Cancer Support challenge, which raises money for people with cancer by promoting the “Go Sober for October” campaign.

To join, simply visit their site here and sign up. Then you ask your friends and family to sponsor you with donations. So you raise money for charity all while enjoying a sober month… Win-win!

 

Potential Benefits of Not Drinking Alcohol

If you’re not completely sober in general, you might be wondering about what you might get out of a sobriety challenge.
I am absolutely no doctor, and of course you should consult with yours about all the health benefits of cutting the alcohol and doing a solid body reset. But here are a few hard-to-argue-with reasons to reevaluate your relationship with drinking:

Improved Sleep: Alcohol can disrupt your natural sleep cycle, and the sugars in it can wake you up in the night, reducing the quality of your rest. By avoiding it, you’re more likely to experience deeper, restorative sleep.
Clearer Skin: Alcohol dehydrates the body, which can lead to dry, dull skin and contribute to breakouts. Cutting out alcohol often results in a more hydrated, glowing complexion– plus fewer wrinkles because you’re not drying out your skin.
Weight Loss: Alcohol– and the mixers that can come with it, including sugary tonics, syrups, and sodas– means extra calories. And as we know, cutting extra calories and sugar often leads to losing weight. Plus, different bodies (like mine) process alcohol differently. Seriously, whenever I stop consuming alcohol for an extended period of time, I automatically lose 5 pounds almost immediately.

 

Increased Energy: Without alcohol, your body doesn’t have to work as hard to detox itself, which can lead to feeling more energetic and less sluggish throughout the day.
Lower Blood Pressure: Alcohol can raise blood pressure over time, so cutting back or eliminating it may help lower your blood pressure and improve your overall heart health.
Mental Health Boost: If you’re sleeping better, have more energy, and have lower blood pressure, the positive side effect is you’ll probably be happier and more mentally alert. Excessive drinking can also cause depression along with other physical conditions, so it’s good to cut back your intake or take a full break, especially if you’re already suffering from mental overload.
Potential for Healing: If you’re healing from an injury or ailment– anything from a broken bone to Covid– you shouldn’t drink alcohol while your body heals. Alcohol is a toxin, and your body needs to focus on getting better rather than the toxin itself; plus, alcohol can increase your body’s stress response, which also limits healing and can actually make the issue worse.

Note that if you’re a heavy drinker, you’ll probably have some withdrawal symptoms. Again, I am not a medical professional, so that’s something you absolutely should address with your doc, whether or not you’re taking this challenge.

 

Non-Alcoholic Drinks for Sober October

So what the heck are you going to drink during this 31-day challenge while still enjoying your social life? (If you make it 30 days and break on Halloween, we won’t judge– But we’ll be extra proud of you if you don’t.) I spoke with our resident bartender & Head of Education, Rob Harrah, and he gave me a few mocktail ideas he’s been playing around with for our upcoming Mocktails course.

Here are a few non-alcoholic cocktail recipes to guarantee you a booze-free good time, compliments of Rob:

NAked & NAmeless

This is a non-alcoholic twist on the classic Naked & Famous cocktail, known for its bold flavors and balanced bitterness. We’ve kept the smoky and herbal notes with non-alcoholic mezcal and amaro substitutes, so you can still enjoy a complex drink with those classic flavors– without the booze.

3/4 oz Cut Above NA Mezcal
3/4 oz Dr. Zero Zero Amaro
3/4 oz Pentire Coastal Spritz
3/4 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1/4 oz Jalapeño Simple Syrup
2 drops of Saline Solution

Directions: Combine all ingredients into a shaker tin, add ice, and give a good shake for about 10 seconds. Double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Chamomile & Tonic

Inspired by the timeless Gin & Tonic, this version swaps out gin for a calming chamomile infusion. Its light, refreshing floral flavor still gives you that botanical gin vibe, and the tonic provides the signature backbone of the original. It’s perfect for day “drinking” and nighttime alike.

1 1/2 oz Chamomile Infusion – concentrated tea infusion
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
1/4 oz Verjus
1/4 oz Lemon Juice
3 dashes of Ginger Root Tincture
4-5 oz Tonic Water (enough to top the cocktail)

Directions: Build the cocktail in the glass, stirring as you add each ingredient; save the tonic for last. Add ice then, & top with the tonic, giving one last good stir to mix. Garnish with a lemon wheel and chamomile flower sprig.

PainLESS

This tropical treat is a nod to the classic Painkiller cocktail, but without the rum. We’ve blended creamy coconut, zesty citrus, and warm spices to give you that vacation-in-a-glass flavor profile, without any of the hangover.

1 oz Ritual NA Rum
1 oz Rioobos Infusion – concentrated tea infusion
1/2 oz Spiced Demerara Syrup – spice-heavy
1 oz Cream of Coconut
1/2 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
4 oz Pineapple Juice
2 dashes of Ginger Root Tincture
2 dashes of All the Bitter Aromatic Bitters

Directions: Combine all ingredients into a shaker tin, add ice, and give a vigorous shake for about 10-15 seconds. Double strain into a Hurricane or Tiki glass filled with pebble ice, topping with more ice if needed. Garnish with grated nutmeg and a pineapple slice.

 

Other Booze-Free Mixed Drinks for Cocktail Lovers

If you just want some simple spins on classic cocktails that are easy to make and fun to drink, here are a few other options:

Virgin Mojito/Nojito: We have a great non-alcoholic Mojito recipe our blog already, which you can check out here. (Classic Mojito recipe can be found here.)
Non-Alcoholic Mule: If you check out this Dry January post, you can grab our Mule Mocktail recipe, as well.
Virgin Mary: Love a Bloody Mary at brunch? The good news is that it’s so flavorful, even with the alcohol! So you can still use our original recipe, but leave out the vodka or substitute it with a non-alcoholic spirit like Seedlip Garden 108, Ritual Zero Proof, or Clean Co.’s vodka alternative.
Virgin Piña Colada: Every kid knows that blended non-alcoholic drinks are a thing! Because of the flavor and texture from all the other ingredients and being frozen, it’s easy to leave out the booze and not even miss it.

Check out our Dry January guides here, here, and here for even more tips and suggestions.

 

Other Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Need other ideas? Here are some easy alcohol-free beverages for everyday:

Flavored sparkling water
Soda water with non-alcoholic bitters
Non-alcoholic beer and wine (There are so many more options besides O’Doul’s these days!): Check out Athletic Brewing and Fre non-alcoholic wines.
Kombucha
Apple Cider Spritz: Need an easy fall recipe? Mix apple cider, soda water, and a dash of cinnamon over ice for a simple seasonal drink.
Grapefruit Rosemary Fizz: Stir up fresh grapefruit juice, a sprig of rosemary, and soda water, and serve over ice. If you’re not a fan of grapefruit, of course sub in any juice of your choice, keeping in mind what works with rosemary. Some good flavor combos include apple, pear, and pomegranate.

 

 

Enjoying Mocktails for Fall and All Year Long

Sober October may be only a month long, but that doesn’t mean your mocktail journey has to end there. Whether you’re embracing alcohol-free living or simply want to mix things up, non-alcoholic drinks can be just as delicious and refreshing as alcoholic cocktails; we hope these options we’ve provided do the trick when you need a booze break.

Here at A Bar Above, we definitely encourage moderate drinking and even a complete abstinence from alcohol– yes, even in social settings. (Also yes, you can still use our awesome barware to make alcohol-free drinks: Visit our shop here!)

So grab your favorite ingredients and your bar tools, experiment with new flavors, and enjoy some yummy mocktails– not just in October but throughout the entire year. Cheers!