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Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or just looking to try something new, a non-alcoholic-drinks community is vital to ensuring you don’t have to sacrifice any of the fun while you’re taking a break from traditional alcoholic beverages.

What’s considered part of the non-alcoholic (NA) category?

No–we don’t mean water or soda! We mean beer, wine, and spirits that have all of the great flavor and experience of an alcoholic beverage, but without the booze. We also consider some other fun concoctions used as mixers to be part of the broader NA grouping, and carry those in the store at Dray.

What’s behind the buzz surrounding NA drinks?

Drinking alcohol is a key element of culture–across the world. But, views around alcohol consumption and actual consumption behaviors are changing rapidly. Consider:

• U.S. sales of non-alcoholic beer increased 32% in 2023, according to NielsenIQ data.
• While sales and adoption of NA drinks are prevalent across age groups, younger people have very different views about alcohol than their parents’ generation did. For example, 28% of college students report abstaining from alcohol.
• 39% of Americans believe moderate drinking (e.g. having 1-2 traditional alcoholic drinks in a day) is bad for their health, according to Gallup.

But just because you might not want to imbibe because of the negative health implications of consistent alcohol consumption, that doesn’t mean you have to forgo everything you enjoy about alcohol–such as the taste, or the feeling of enjoying a “good drink.” That’s why we believe the non-alcoholic-drinks category is so important, and why at Dray we’re committed to fostering a community of passionate non-drinkers. Here are three reasons why:

1. In recovery, a community of like-minded people can both help people maintain their sobriety but also continue to feel a sense of inclusion, while prioritizing socialization. Being sober doesn’t mean being boring!
2. Commonality and a sense of belonging are important in all areas of life. This can be particularly true in relationships and friendships. We hope Dray can serve as the foundation for positive connections for sober and sober-curious Bostonians for a long time to come!
3. There’s still a lot of confusion when it comes to the no and low-alcohol beverage category. We believe that seeing (and tasting!) is believing, and that the more people exposed to non-alcoholic drinks, the more adoption there will be. Because you absolutely don’t have to sacrifice everything that comes along with drinking alcohol when you give it up–except for the hangovers.

We’re excited to host events and tastings each week at Dray! Keep an eye on our upcoming events calendar for the latest opportunity to convene with other passionate non-drinkers.