Dry January means a month with no alcohol, and it is a lot easier with a plan for your social nights. Below are alcohol-free ideas for staying in and going out, plus three easy kava mocktails made with kava-only seltzers and non-alcoholic mixers.
In This Guide
The calendar flips, and a lot of people decide to give alcohol a rest for a month. If you are sober curious, cutting back, or just want a reset, Dry January is a simple way to try it. The hard part is not the quiet nights at home. It is the birthday dinner, the game night, and the Friday when everyone else orders a drink.
What Is Dry January?
Dry January is a challenge to skip alcohol for all 31 days of January. It was started in 2013 by Alcohol Change UK, a British charity, and has since spread well beyond the UK. Plenty of Americans now take part, either for the full month or as a looser "drink less" goal.
It fits a bigger trend. "Sober curious," a phrase popularized by author Ruby Warrington, describes people who are rethinking their relationship with alcohol without necessarily quitting for good. And in 2025, Gallup reported that the share of US adults who say they drink alcohol had fallen to a record low in its polling.
Where Kava Fits In
Kava is a drink made from the root of a Pacific Islands plant, traditionally shared at gatherings in places like Fiji and Vanuatu. It contains no alcohol. Many people describe feeling relaxed and social after drinking kava, which is why it shows up on so many sober curious lists.
Ready-to-drink kava seltzers make it easy: crack a cold can, pour it over ice, add a garnish. If you are new to kava, our guide to kava as an alcohol alternative covers the basics, and Kava vs Alcohol vs THC Drinks explains how the options compare.
Alcohol-Free Ideas for Social Nights
A plan makes all the difference. Here are a few ideas for the nights that usually involve a drink.
| The night | The alcohol-free move |
|---|---|
| Hosting friends | Set up a mocktail bar with citrus, herbs, sparkling water and a couple of kava seltzers. Let everyone build their own. |
| Game night | Pick one signature mocktail for the night and batch the mixers ahead of time. |
| Dinner out | Look at the menu first. Many restaurants now list mocktails or non-alcoholic beer. Order first so no one has to ask. |
| A night out | Try a kava bar. Our kava near me guide covers what to expect. |
| A quiet Friday | Make your usual drink ritual alcohol-free: same glass, same playlist, new drink. |
A few other tips that help people stick with it:
- Tell a friend. It is easier with company, and someone might join you.
- Plan your mornings. A Saturday hike or breakfast plan makes an early night feel like a choice.
- Keep something cold in the fridge. Having a few good alcohol-free drinks on hand beats deciding in the moment.
Kava Mocktail Ideas
These recipes use our kava-only seltzers with non-alcoholic mixers only. Mixer and garnish amounts are suggestions; adjust to taste. Build each one in a glass over ice and top with your chilled kava seltzer.
Grapefruit Rosemary Spritz
Base: No. 502 Kava Seltzer PalomaYou will need
- 1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1/2 oz rosemary simple syrup (optional)
- Chilled No. 502 Kava Seltzer Paloma, to top
- Grapefruit wedge and a rosemary sprig, for garnish
How to make it
- For the syrup, simmer equal parts sugar and water with a rosemary sprig for 5 minutes, then cool and strain.
- Add grapefruit juice, lime juice and syrup to a glass with ice and stir.
- Top with the kava seltzer and garnish.
Blood Orange Hop Highball
Base: No. 505 Kava Seltzer Hops + OrangeYou will need
- 1 oz fresh blood orange juice (regular orange works too)
- 1/4 oz honey syrup (equal parts honey and warm water)
- Chilled No. 505 Kava Seltzer Hops + Orange, to top
- Orange twist, for garnish
How to make it
- Stir blood orange juice and honey syrup in a tall glass with ice.
- Top with the kava seltzer and stir gently once.
- Twist the orange peel over the glass and drop it in.
Pomegranate Paloma Fizz
Base: No. 502 Kava Seltzer PalomaYou will need
- 1 oz pomegranate juice
- A squeeze of fresh lime
- Salt and sugar mix for the rim (optional)
- Chilled No. 502 Kava Seltzer Paloma, to top
- Pomegranate seeds and a lime wheel, for garnish
How to make it
- Run a lime wedge around the rim and dip it in the salt and sugar mix.
- Add pomegranate juice and lime to the glass with ice.
- Top with the kava seltzer and garnish.
Never add alcohol to a kava drink. We also leave out zero-proof spirits and standard cocktail bitters, since many contain some alcohol. Stick to juices, syrups, sodas and fresh garnishes.
Start Low, Go Slow
If you are new to kava, start low and go slow. Read the label, sip slowly, and wait at least 30 minutes before having more. Do not combine kava with alcohol, during Dry January or after it, and do not drive if you feel any effects. If you are pregnant or nursing, have a liver condition, or take medications, talk to your doctor first. Read more in Is Kava Safe?
Shop This Guide
Stock the fridge before January 1. Order online for in-store pickup or local delivery where available, or browse the full kava collection.
Bright grapefruit Paloma flavor, alcohol-free. Label: 100mg of kava per 16 oz can.
$38.00
Shop the 4-pack
Mild hops and orange flavor, alcohol-free. Label: 150mg kavalactones and 300mg ashwagandha per 16 oz can.
$38.00
Shop the 4-packFrequently Asked Questions
What is Dry January?
Dry January is a challenge to skip alcohol for the whole month of January. It was started by the UK charity Alcohol Change UK in 2013 and is now popular in the US too.
Is kava allowed during Dry January?
Kava is alcohol-free, so it fits the basic rule of Dry January. Whether it fits your goals is up to you. Some people use Dry January to take a break from all functional drinks, and others like having a relaxing, alcohol-free option for social nights.
What can I drink instead of alcohol in January?
Sparkling water with citrus, non-alcoholic beer, sparkling juice, homemade mocktails, and ready-to-drink kava seltzers are all popular. A fun glass and a good garnish go a long way.
Can I mix kava seltzer with a zero-proof spirit?
We keep our kava mocktails to juices, syrups, sodas and garnishes. Many zero-proof spirits are labeled non-alcoholic but can still contain a trace of alcohol (up to 0.5% ABV), and kava should never be combined with alcohol.
How much kava should I drink?
Start low and go slow. Read the label, sip slowly, and wait at least 30 minutes before having more so you know how kava affects you. If you are pregnant or nursing, have a liver condition, or take medications, talk to your doctor first.
Sources & References
- Alcohol Change UK. Dry January. https://alcoholchange.org.uk/
- Gallup. Annual Consumption Habits poll on US drinking rates, 2025.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Kava. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/kava
