Michele StuevenTo kick off the New Year with a Dry January, United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new Surgeon General’s Advisory on Alcohol and Cancer Risk, outlining the direct link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk.
According to the U.S. Department of Health And Human Services, alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity, increasing the risk for at least seven types of cancer. While scientific evidence for this connection has been growing over the past four decades, less than half of Americans recognize it as a risk factor for cancer.
The Surgeon General’s Advisory includes a series of recommendations to increase awareness to help minimize alcohol-related cancer cases and deaths, including updating the existing Surgeon General’s health warning label on alcohol-containing beverages.
“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States – greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S. – yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” Murthy said in a press release. “This Advisory lays out steps we can all take to increase awareness of alcohol’s cancer risk and minimize harm.”
Over the past few years, non-alcoholic spirits have exploded on the market. On the heels of the report, here are some fun and tasty ways to celebrate a dry January – and the added bonus? Most mocktails are cheaper than their boozy cousins.
Coco Shiso (Courtesy Nobu)
For those embracing the sober-ish lifestyle, Nobu Los Angeles has a list of mocktails permanently available on their beverage menu. For January, there will be a limited-time mocktail called the Coco Shiso, made up of coconut water, agave, yuzu juice, and shiso leaves. Permanent selections include the Yuzu Strawberry Calpico made with strawberry Calpico, yuzu and mint, the Lychee Passion made with passion fruit, lychee and pineapple, a Dry Bonsai made with Lyres London Dry Gin, cucumber, yuzu, lychee and shiso as well as the Espressivo made with Lyres Coffee Liqueur, house-made cold brew, oat milk, Kuromitsu, and orange.
The Videre rooftop has created a low and no-alcohol drink menu called A New Year’s Quest. The Ceremony Punch with zero-proof Ritual gin, strawberry matcha, coconut milk, and lemon and The Last Banana Muffin with coffee-infused blood orange Mommenpop and banana liquor provide a fun pick-me-up without the hangover. The Root of Resilience is a pleasurable combination of zero-proof Ritual tequila, jicama-lime oleo saccharum, lime, orange, agave and soda.
Kick the year off at Country rooftop bar, Desert 5 Spot to enjoy the popular Bootloose on Wednesdays starting at 7 p.m. Line dance and two-step with legendary dance instructors, Mike and Diana, and sing your heart out at Cowboy Karaoke at 10 p.m. In between dance lessons, try the Jolene mocktail, a strawberry watermelon blend with soda water and agave with a Tajin rim.
Courtesy La Boheme
Bar Lis, the French Riviera-inspired lounge in Hollywood, blends the South of France with Southern California. There’s Jazz Eclectic LA on Tuesdays or DJ sets on weekends. The lounge now offers four non-alcoholic drinks to pair with light bites. The Bandi de la Mer is a spiced espresso and sweet Free Spirits Vermouth blend topped with ginger beer; Four Fourths is a smooth mix of Free Spirits Milano aperitif, oat milk, maple syrup, and cinnamon; La Fleur d’Elise features Free Spirits Tequila and passionfruit purée; and Bandiera Rossa combines Free Spirits Gin with ancho chile and cacao.
As the first US location of a Tokyo-originated cocktail destination, Rokusho in Hollywood specializes in vintage tequilas and Japanese spirits. However, the thoughtful balancing of flavors extends into their non-alcoholic beverages with their Homemade Yuzu Soda. Notes of citrus, vegetal sweetness, and light bubbly minerality create this refreshing drink to be enjoyed while cozying up to the new Japanese restaurant’s sleek concrete bar top.
Santa Monica’s Art Deco hotel The Georgian opened in 1933, the same year prohibition was abolished in the United States. Historically, the hotel was an excellent place to rendezvous for a martini, but as the Hollywood crowd opts for a sober lifestyle, The Georgian now offers non-alcoholic options that still give that movie star glow. At Sirena, the ground floor California Italian eatery in a pink accented dining room, you can sip on an Early Shirley, a take on the beloved Shirley Temple with a strawberry basil twist.
1212 Santa Monica and La Bohéme offer a great selection of refreshing and alcohol-free mocktails, including the Tropical Sunrise with pineapple juice, orange juice, and coconut cream, a cucumber fizz with cucumber, ginger, lychee juice, and soda water, andee, sour mix, and soda. The Blackberry Delight combines blackberry puree, simple syrup, and the Pink Dragon Fruit with lychee and soda water.
Non alcoholic Espresso Martini (Courtesy STK)
The new beverage menu at STK Steakhouse features a wide lineup of wines, mocktails, and low-alcohol options, including:
Zero-Alcohol Wines (Under 0.5% ABV | $15)
- Sparkling Wine: Mionetto, Veneto, Italy
- Chardonnay: Luminara, Napa Valley, CA
- Sauvignon Blanc: Seaglass, Central Coast, CA
- Red Blend: Luminara, Napa Valley, CA
Artfully Crafted Mocktails ($17)
- Spicy Pineapple Margarita: Lyre’s Agave Blanco Spirit, agave, orange, pineapple, fresh lime juice, and jalapeño for a bold, tangy kick.
- Coconut Blackberry Gin Smash: For a tropical twist, combine Lyre’s Dry London Spirit, fresh lime juice, coconut purée, and blackberries.
- Espresso Martini: Lyre’s Coffee Originale and White Cane Spirit, real Madagascar vanilla, and Owen’s nitro-infused espresso—a rich and indulgent pick-me-up.
- Aperol Spritz: Lyre’s Italian Spritz and Mionetto Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wine—a bubbly, bittersweet delight.
Low-ABV Selections (7%-8.5% ABV | $15)
- Chardonnay: Butter ‘Light,’ CA (8.5%)
- Sauvignon Blanc: Kim Crawford ‘Illuminate,’ NZ (7%)
- Pinot Noir: Meiomi ‘Bright,’ CA (8%)
Soho House has extended its drinks offering across North America to include an expanded selection of ‘No & Low’ cocktail alternatives for its members to enjoy. The latest No & Low cocktail menu has been curated by Erin Davey, Head of Bars for the US, who is passionate about creating a diverse, thoughtful selection of non-alcoholic cocktails for Soho House members. The Palomar is an exotic blend of Pentire Adrift, Three Spirit Livener, Schisandra berry, guayusa, green tea, and grapefruit soda. The Pick Me Up combines Seedlip Spice, espresso, and demerara. The Eastern Standard Fizz features Seedlip Garden, cucumber, mint, lime, and soda and the Vibrante Spritz is a booze-free alternative to the classic, using Giffard Aperitivo, tonic, and orange.
Courtesy HaloTop
And here’s some Dry January news from the last brand you probably ever expected: Halo Top. The light ice cream brand is selling Dry January kits working with a certified sommelier and alcohol flavor expert to identify the most satisfying alternatives for those craving boozy flavors. The Halo Top Swap Pints and tasting notes include:
- The Halo Top Strawberry label has been swapped to say Pinot Noir: The bright and lifted red fruit of Halo Top Strawberry is perfect for the red wine lover. Notes of high-toned red fruit evoke aromatic flowers like red roses and hibiscus, this luscious substitute will not disappoint.
- The Halo Top Chocolate Caramel Brownie label has been swapped to say Old Fashioned: The depth of your favorite whiskey cocktail with notes of caramelized brown sugar and dark chocolate. With Halo Top Chocolate Caramel Brownie, you won’t miss the whiskey.
- The Halo Top Sea Salt Caramel label has been swapped to say Reposado Margarita: Craving a thirst-quenching salt-rimmed margarita? Halo Top Sea Salt Caramel takes the place of a rich Reposado Tequila margarita with notes of toasted oak, caramel, and sea salt.
- The Halo Top Cookies & Cream label has been swapped to say Creamy Espresso Martini: A favorite cold weather martini needs a creamy, cold ice cream substitute. Halo Top Cookies and Cream has notes of dark chocolate that play to a background of sweet cream with a silky-smooth finish.
The Halo Top Swap pints each come in a stylish kit featuring two premium, custom-crafted bowls with gold rims to match the brand’s pint lids. The glassware bowls in each kit will coincide with the boozy vice each flavor is meant to substitute – bowls will resemble a wine glass, whisky glass, margarita glass, and martini glass – and come with two opulent gold spoons.
If you’re craving a good dry rub, Epic Wings’ has new menu items including Salt & Pepper wings, Garlic Parmesan Fries, and Lemon Pepper Fries available until Friday, Jan. 31.
Booze-free Aperol Spritz (Courtesy STK)