Where to Find Low- and Zero-Proof Drinks for Dry January in BC

Those recovering from festive imbibing (or with a resolution to keep) can still find a great drink—or the ingredients to make one. The non-alcoholic beverage boom has brought us plenty of fun options for Dry January, whether you’re shaking up a drink at home or having a bartender mix one up for you.

Where to Find Non-Alcoholic Drinks for Dry January in BC

Please! Beverage Co.

This cordial little tasting room is a recent addition to Vancouver’s nightlife scene, and arrived right out of the gates with a line-up of low-proof bottled cocktails, all infused with locally sourced herbs, ingredients and botanicals. Sit and sip awhile in the modern space, where low-proof options like Hello Ocha—a refreshing cocktail in collaboration with sushi bar Hello Nori, spiked with green tea, osmanthus flowers, lemon and mint—share the menu with fully non-alcoholic offerings like the mango-cucumber mule and Earl Grey tonic. Bottled cocktails are available to go, but events like Drag Bingo and trivia night may entice teetotalers and tipplers alike to stay.

Bevees

Whether you’re looking for a booze-free night out or to shake up your own cocktail at home, Bevees in Port Coquitlam can help. This welcoming space is home to a “Booze-Free Beverage Room” that hosts regular events—like wine-tastings, mixology classes, paint parties and open-mic nights. If you stay and let the bartender mix up a drink, the menu includes takes on classics (No’groni), and house specials (Vancouver Island Iced Tea). Their shop is stocked with more than five hundred zero-proof options, rivalling its liquor-store counterparts. Overwhelmed? Try a Booze-Free Bundle, which comes with all the fixings for a zero-proof Margarita or Aperol Spritz.

Mocktails

When Angela Hansen decided to quit drinking and get sober, she was inspired to create a supportive space for others, who like her, were on the path to drinking less or not at all. Thus, Vancouver-based Mocktails was born. This non-alcoholic bottle shop carries an impressive selection of zero-proof options—find everything from alcohol-free spirits and mixers to booze-free beer and wine. The shop also has a healthy selection of adaptogen and nootropic beverages that are spiked with wellness ingredients that promise to support mental and physical well-being. In short: there’s something for everyone, including the funky, vintage glassware to sip from.

SOBAR by Somm Zero

Those who believe a sommelier-guided wine tasting is reserved only for the alcoholic variety are about to be pleasantly surprised. The folks at SOBAR by Somm Zero have their home base in Kelowna, but their zero-proof wine tastings pop up all over BC. (To see what’s popping up near you, check their website and socials.) But if, alas, you are beyond the reach of their events, don’t fret: the online shop is stocked with a curated selection of bottles. Plus, they ship across Canada. Wine is their first love, but spirits, beer and ciders are also available for online purchase. Like the wine, the team of sommeliers sample the lot, to ensure showcase only the best of the best is on offer.

Barkeep

A little shop with big aspirations, Barkeep in Penticton is a full bar-supply store and non-alcoholic liquor store that aims to be the best-stocked option out there. They’re well on their way, with around 60 mocktails to choose from, 70 zero-proof beers and 40 wines, and more than 45 booze-free spirits. That selection is accompanied by all the barware, books, bitters, garnishes and glassware a burgeoning mixologist—non-alcoholic or otherwise—could dream of. Our advice: to really kick up the fun in your zero-proof cocktail, be sure to add a Tiki mug.

Drive Canteen

This little snack bar and bottle shop on Vancouver’s eclectic Commercial Drive is out to prove that zero-proof does not mean zero fun. At Drive Canteen, your non-alcoholic spirit or wine can come with a side of nachos, freeze-dried candy (a specialty) or even an edible greeting card for your dog. The booze-free options run the gamut, from RTD (ready-to-drink) bottled cocktails from brands like Olé and Ghia, near-beer from local brewer Strange Fellows, an international assortment of wine, and all the spiritless spirits required to craft cocktails at home.

Cenote

“Cenote” can be translated to an underground well or watering hole, and the Cenote in downtown Victoria is exactly that. But this subterranean cocktail lounge has another surprise: a full non-alcoholic cocktail menu. The Foolproof menu doesn’t feel like an afterthought, and features sippers that are as complex as their boozy counterparts. Find favourites like Be My Frond?, with hibiscus, orgeat, pineapple and star anise; and Iguana Sauna, with guanabana juice, citrus, Tiki bitters and mint. On the food menu, there are plenty of bites to accompany the drinks, such as blue-cheese-stuffed dates and duck wings.

Sea Cider Farm + Ciderhouse

This charming craft cidery has long been a favourite of cider tipplers, but now also appeals to the sober-curious as well. Based in Saanichton on Vancouver Island, the orchard and cidery has a Temperance series that features a line-up of five alcohol-free ciders with sophisticated flavours. Bonnie boasts the flavours of BC, like blackberries, lavender and mint; Ava charms with apricots and elderflower; Eden keeps things simple with a hint of apple blossom; Chérie looms large with cherry and rose; and zingy Roxie is infused with raspberries and lemon zest. All are perfect for sipping alone, or for using to build a delectable non-alcoholic cocktail.