‘Sober curious:’ Can dry bars and mocktail menus thrive to deliver a hangover-free night out?

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — As more Americans are weighing their relationship with alcohol, and members of Gen Z are drinking less than generations before, “dry bars” and mocktail menus are increasingly popping up, giving patrons a chance to share a drink without the baggage that comes with booze.

A recent study from the University of Michigan found that fewer college-aged adults are drinking alcohol compared to 20 years ago. According to these researchers, nearly 30% of college students are abstaining from drinking.

Censured South Salt Lake City Council member arrested for allegedly trespassing at city hall

This increased interest in sobriety among young people is part of what prompted entrepreneur Chrystal Johnson to open a booze-free bar just blocks from Brigham Young University in Provo.

The Vibe Mocktails Virgin Bar seeks to give older Gen Zers (especially members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) a sober social experience centered around tasty, fruit juice-based drinks.

“Our goal is to bring bar culture to Provo, but without the alcohol,” Johnson said.

The Vibe has been in business for roughly a year. It started as a popup but has since expanded to its own space.

One of the Vibe’s most popular mocktails is called Peach on the Beach, a rendition of Sex on the Beach, made with cranberry juice, orange juice, coconut syrup, and peach sparkling water. Peach Monster is also an option for those wanting a caffeine kick.

But Johnson wonders if she can make the business sustainable as similar concepts, such as Curiosity Bottle Shop and Bar in Salt Lake City, have struggled to stay open. The trouble is getting customers to come back for more.

“I know there is a need for this, but finding the right niche where people will consistently go is tricky,” she said.

Recently, the bar started offering food, which has been a boost to business. Still, Johnson is looking for ways to expand the Vibe’s concept.

According to NielsenIQ, an organization that tracks consumers’ buying habits, dry bars similar to the Vibe are opening across the country. Additionally, more restaurants are now offering robust alcohol-free cocktail menus.

“Dry bars have definitely been rising in popularity,” said Kaleigh Theriault, Nielsen’s director of alcohol beverage thought leadership. “I think over the last year we’ve seen most major metropolitan cities have some sort of dry bar open up.”

While Nielsen’s survey data show that Gen Zers and younger Millennials are more likely than members of older generations to try new booze-free beverages, Theriault noted that older Americans are also leaning into the “sober curious” lifestyle, wanting to moderate their alcohol consumption.

Here in Utah, for instance, adults across the board have been drinking less. Recent data from the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services shows that total alcohol consumption per capita in the Beehive State dropped between 2021 and 2023.

Amid this decline, there has been a surge in growth in the non-alcoholic beverage space, specifically for non-alcoholic beer. Major brewers now offer better-tasting alcohol-free brews, and these are taking up more space than ever on store shelves.

Non-alcoholic spirits are also new. According to Theriault, dry bars and traditional bars across the country are using these alcohol-free rums or tequilas to create more complex and surprising mocktails.

“What once was just a mixture of juices is now a non-alcoholic margarita that tastes just like the real thing,” Theriault said.

When asked about the future of dry bars, she said it’s too soon to tell which concepts are working and which aren’t. But by way of anecdote, she said that dry bar owners have told her that people will often walk into their establishments without realizing it’s a booze-free space.

“They walk in thinking it’s just another bar and then they stay,” she said, “because the atmosphere feels welcoming, they have a wide variety of drinks, and they taste really good.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.