Whether you’re aiming for a January that’s dry, damp or just hangover-free, with three varieties of ANGOSTURA® bitters in your secret stash, January can be just as festive as December!
After the celebrations of December, January can often start on a rather sober note… that’s sober-curious for many, who start the new year on a quest for a more balanced and health-conscious approach to their social life. The mindful drinking (or sober curious) trend is being led by the younger generation of adults: statistics from the UK in 2024 revealed that 18-34’s are more likely (53%) to have cut back on alcohol in the last 12 months, and 18-24’s are the most likely (27%) to be teetotal.
Advocates of Dry January say they experience better mood, sharpened mental clarity and improved sleep when abstaining totally from alcohol for the month. While a TikTok movement has spread the take up of Damp January: a quest for moderation rather than abstinence, building better habits that are said to have a better chance of lasting into February and beyond.
However, you are starting off your year, there’s no need to let a no-alcohol or low-alcohol resolution put a damper on the fun of getting together with friends. Here are five ways to curate party-perfect drinks that keep the mood fizzing, without relying on alcohol to oil those social wheels.
Mix and match your ANGOSTURA® bitters
Discover how to recreate the rich flavours of your favourite cocktails by exploring their virgin versions. Your secret weapon in this mission is having the three trusty ANGOSTURA® amigos in your low/no-alcohol cocktail cabinet: a dash of ANGOSTURA® aromatic bitters, orange bitters or cocoa bitters brings an instant depth and complexity to the table, and you can ring the changes by swapping in one or the other. Think your favourite rock shandy, which would be nothing without ANGOSTURA®’s herby spicy flavour profiles.
Style and substance
Half the joy of a perfect cocktail is its kickass ‘instagrammable’ glamour – the stylish glass, chunky rocks of ice, delicate garnishes (even umbrellas if we’re going all tiki and tropical!). There’s no need to dial down the glam factor when you’re ditching the hard stuff. Use your best glassware (or trawl thrift shops and markets to collect individual one-off glasses with sassy appeal) and serve your virgin cocktails with all the flair and attention to detail you’d give to fanciest of spirit-forward mixology.
Ice ice baby
One easy way to add instant glamour to the simplest of virgin concoctions is by making eye-catching ice cubes. All it needs is some advance planning (the night before the party), an over-sized silicon ice-cube tray and a handful of edible flowers, herbs, or perhaps a prettily cut section of lemon, orange or cucumber. Pop a sprig, flower or twist of zest into each section of the tray, top up with water and freeze. Pretty as a picture, mood-raising drinks guaranteed.
Go gourmet
Serving a raft of gourmet snacks and canapés goes a long way to creating a celebratory mood. If your wellness-resolution remains centre stage, stick with easy to make and healthy dips and eats: home-made hummus and tzatziki with carrot and celery sticks are surprisingly satisfying, and on a hot day a chilled watermelon cut in cubes (perhaps even as a salad with mint and feta) sparks genuine joy in most people. Sourdough crostini with tapenade, bruschetta with sliced ripe tomatoes and basil, or prosciutto with a cantaloupe melon… these are all sumptuous but healthy Mediterranean eats that can add immense palate satisfaction to a low- or no-alcohol soirée.
Swap out the shots for superfood boosts
Sometimes it’s the rituals of a night out that are hard to let go… if you find yourself missing the shot culture why not swap out the vodka or tequila with a line-up of superfood shots. Far more flavoursome if you pick the right superfoods: blend or juice berries, stone fruit, freshly squeezed lemon and perhaps some zingy fresh ginger for a lingering buzz. Down them in one for a blast of antioxidants and super-healthy nutrients. Experiment with your favourite raw veg and add layers of zing with a dash of ANGOSTURA® aromatic or orange bitters – after all, these bitters were originally invented as a medicinal herbal tonic to treat all digestive ailments.
Who knows… you might find that you’re having so much fun with low or no alcohol trends that you head happily into hangover-free February and make moderately merry through mindful March… all the way through to Sober October!
For more information on the ANGOSTURA® range and delicious food and cocktail recipes, visit www.angosturabitters.com
Follow Angostura South Africa on Facebook /Angostura South Africa and Instagram @AngosturaZA for fun facts, recipes and brand updates.
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Author: Tatum Bessick from Paddington Station PR on behalf of ANGOSTURA®.
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