Dry January Guide (2027): How to Plan It and What to Drink Instead
Sophie Grant
Non-Alcoholic Wine & Ready-to-Drink Expert
Dry January is a simple challenge: no alcohol from January 1 to January 31. It started as a campaign by the UK charity Alcohol Change UK and is now popular across Canada, where it lines up with the federal advice in Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health that, for your health, less alcohol is better. This guide covers how to plan the month week by week and what to drink instead, with three in-stock picks each for beer, wine, spirits and canned mocktails.
The goal is not a perfect month. It is a month that feels easy enough to finish, with drinks in the fridge you actually look forward to.
Quick Picks: What to Drink During Dry January
| Category | Try | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Alcoholic Beer | Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% | $2.79 / 330 mL |
| Non-Alcoholic Beer | Asahi Super Dry 0.0 | $2.79 / 330 mL |
| Non-Alcoholic Beer | Sober Carpenter West Coast IPA | $3.49 / 473 mL |
| Non-Alcoholic Wine | Loxton Cabernet Sauvignon | $11.99 / 750 mL |
| Non-Alcoholic Wine | Loxton Sauvignon Blanc | $11.99 / 750 mL |
| Non-Alcoholic Wine | NOA Dry Sparkling Wine | $3.59 / 250 mL |
| Non-Alcoholic Spirits | Tanqueray 0.0 | $44.99 / 700 mL |
| Non-Alcoholic Spirits | Captain Morgan 0.0 | $44.99 / 700 mL |
| Non-Alcoholic Spirits | NOA Italian Aperitivo | $32.99 / 700 mL |
| Canned Mocktails | Statera Grapefruit Mimosa | $3.99 / 355 mL |
| Canned Mocktails | Clever Mocktails Sugar-Free Margarita | $3.29 / 355 mL |
| Canned Mocktails | NOROI Brise Glace Gin & Tonic | $3.29 / 355 mL |
Prices at time of writing. Every pick is under 0.5% alcohol, the limit for a drink sold as non-alcoholic in Canada, and several are 0.0%.
What Is Dry January?
Dry January means taking a break from alcohol for the 31 days of January. Many people use it as a reset after the holidays, others to see how they feel without drinking, or simply to notice how often a drink had become automatic. Alcohol Change UK runs the official challenge and its free Try Dry app, and its site summarizes the research on the benefits people report.
In Québec, the Fondation Jean Lapointe runs a similar challenge, the Défi 28 jours, which you can take in January or in February.
You also do not have to go all in for it to count. If a full month feels like too much, read You don’t have to go full Dry January for a gentler way to approach it.
Before January 1: Get Ready in December
- Pick your why: write down one reason you are doing it. It is the thing you will come back to in week three.
- Stock the fridge before the holidays: order your non-alcoholic drinks in December so they are home when January starts, not in transit.
- Clear out the temptations: put the open bottles away or give them to someone, so the easy reach is a can of something alcohol-free.
- Tell a few people: friends who know are more likely to have something for you at their place.
How to Plan Dry January, Week by Week
Week 1: Set Up Your New Routine
Motivation tends to be high at the start, so use the first week to build habits. Keep the ritual and change the drink: same glass, same time of day, same garnish, just a non-alcoholic beer, wine or cocktail in it. Try two or three different drinks this week to find the one you like most, then buy more of that.
Week 2: Plan for Social Plans
For many people the hard part is not at home but at dinners, parties and after-work drinks. Before you go out, decide what you will order, check the menu for a mocktail, or bring a four-pack of something you like. Having a drink in hand stops most of the questions before they start.
Week 3: Beat the Mid-Month Slump
Around the third week the novelty wears off and the weekends can feel long. This is a good time to try a new category: if you have been drinking non-alcoholic beer, open a bottle of non-alcoholic wine, or make a proper spritz with a non-alcoholic aperitivo. Variety keeps it from feeling like a restriction.
Week 4: Decide What Comes Next
In the last week, think about what you want February to look like. Some people go back to their old habits, many keep a few alcohol-free nights a week, and some keep going. Our post on 5 small changes that make Dry January easier has habits that work well past January.
What to Drink Instead
The easiest way to get through the month is to replace your usual drink with the closest non-alcoholic version. Start with the category you drink most, then branch out.
Non-Alcoholic Beer
If your usual drink is a beer after work or with the hockey game, this is the easiest swap of the month. Non-alcoholic beer has come a long way, and the big lager brands now make 0.0% versions that sit next to the originals. These three are among the beers our customers buy most.
Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%
Price: $2.79 / 330 mL can, $14.99 / 6 / Buy Now
An Italian pilsner at 0.0% alcohol, brewed with barley malt and an Italian maize that Peroni grows for this beer in northern Italy. The brand describes it as crisp with a subtle citrus note. 80 calories per can.
- 0.0% alcohol: not just under 0.5%.
- A lager drinker’s swap: light and crisp.
Asahi Super Dry 0.0
Price: $2.79 / 330 mL can, $14.99 / 6 / Buy Now
The alcohol-free version of the Japanese dry lager, made with barley malt, corn and rice. Asahi calls the style karakuchi: dry, crisp and with a quick finish. It is 0.0% and 80 calories per can.
- Dry finish: not sweet or malty.
- 0.0% alcohol: by the label.
Sober Carpenter West Coast IPA
Price: $3.49 / 473 mL can, $11.99 / 4 / Buy Now
For IPA drinkers. Sober Carpenter brews it in Québec with Citra, Simcoe and Cascade hops, and lists tropical fruit and citrus as the main notes, with 42 IBU of bitterness. A tall 473 mL can has 60 calories.
- Made in Québec: with three hop varieties.
- Real bitterness: 42 IBU.
For more options, see our guide to the 10 best non-alcoholic beers in Canada or browse all non-alcoholic beers.
Non-Alcoholic Wine
Wine can be the hardest drink to replace, so it helps to start with bottles that are easy to like. Dealcoholized wine is made like regular wine, then the alcohol is removed. The first two picks are among our best-selling red and white wines, and the third is a sparkling option for the first weekend of January.
Loxton Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: $11.99 / 750 mL bottle / Buy Now
A dealcoholized Australian Cabernet Sauvignon with red fruit and a hint of vanilla, under 0.5% alcohol. Loxton suggests it with meat and pasta dishes, which makes it an easy weeknight bottle. 45 calories per 150 mL glass.
- Under $12: a bottle.
- 45 calories: per glass.
Loxton Sauvignon Blanc
Price: $11.99 / 750 mL bottle / Buy Now
Our best-selling non-alcoholic white wine right now. The notes listed are citrus, green apple and herbs, and Loxton pairs it with poultry, seafood and Asian dishes. 35 calories per 150 mL glass, under 0.5% alcohol.
- Crisp and fresh: serve it well chilled.
- 35 calories: per glass.
NOA Dry Sparkling Wine
Price: $3.59 / 250 mL can, $13.99 / 4 / Buy Now
NOA, from Québec’s Monsieur Cocktail, builds this sparkling wine from Chardonnay grape juice instead of removing the alcohol from a finished wine. The aromatic signature is Chardonnay, quince, apple and grapefruit. Each 250 mL can has 40 calories.
- Single-serve can: no open bottle going flat.
- Our best-selling sparkling: among non-alcoholic bubbles.
For more options, see our guide to the 15 best non-alcoholic wines in Canada or browse all non-alcoholic wines.
Non-Alcoholic Spirits for Cocktails
If your evening drink is a gin and tonic, a rum and cola or a spritz, a non-alcoholic spirit lets you keep the exact same routine: same glass, same mixer, same garnish. A bottle lasts a while, so it is a good buy for a whole month. The first two are our two best-selling products overall.
Tanqueray 0.0
Price: $44.99 / 700 mL bottle / Buy Now
Tanqueray uses the same four botanicals as its classic gin (juniper, coriander, angelica root and liquorice), distilled one by one, for a juniper-led, citrusy profile. 0.0% alcohol and 0 g of sugar. Build it like the original: lots of ice, tonic and a lime wedge.
- 0 g sugar: per serving.
- A real G&T ritual: with your usual tonic.
Captain Morgan 0.0
Price: $44.99 / 700 mL bottle / Buy Now
The alcohol-free version of Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold, with caramel, molasses, vanilla and warm spice. The brand recommends it with cola over ice, so the drink you already know stays the same. 0 calories per 50 mL serving.
- Our best seller: of all products right now.
- Rum and cola: without changing the recipe.
NOA Italian Aperitivo
Price: $32.99 / 700 mL bottle / Buy Now
NOA’s answer to Aperol, with orange peel, tangerine, rhubarb and a light gentian bitterness. Mix it with tonic or a non-alcoholic sparkling wine for a spritz, or with grapefruit juice for something brighter. 25 calories per 45 mL pour.
- Spritz in one step: with tonic or bubbles.
- Lowest price: of the three bottles.
For more options, see our guide to the 10 best non-alcoholic gins in Canada or browse all non-alcoholic spirits.
Canned Mocktails
Canned mocktails are the low-effort option: open, pour over ice, done. They are handy for the nights you do not want to mix anything, and they are easy to bring to a friend’s place. All three of these are made in Québec.
Statera Grapefruit Mimosa
Price: $3.99 / 355 mL can, $15.89 / 4 / Buy Now
A sparkling grapefruit mimosa made in Québec with grapefruit juice concentrate, with prosecco-style and citrus notes. It is one of our best sellers this season and a good fit for a weekend brunch. 100 calories per can.
- Brunch drink: pour it in a flute.
- Made in Québec: from grapefruit juice.
Clever Mocktails Sugar-Free Margarita
Price: $3.29 / 355 mL can, $13.99 / 4 / Buy Now
Number one in our canned mocktails guide. Clever uses botanical extracts of lemon, orange and lime peel with pink pepper and sea salt, sweetened with stevia, so the label reads 0 calories, 0 g of sugar and 0.0% alcohol.
- 0 calories: and 0 g sugar.
- 0.0% alcohol: not just under 0.5%.
NOROI Brise Glace Gin & Tonic
Price: $3.29 / 355 mL can, $12.99 / 4 / Buy Now
A ready-made gin and tonic from Québec, built around juniper with quassia extract for the bitter edge of tonic. It is sweeter than the other two (24 g of sugar and 100 calories per can), so it tastes like a regular tonic rather than a diet one.
- Juniper-led: like a real G&T.
- Also by the 24: for a party.
For more options, see our guide to the 10 best canned mocktails in Canada or browse all non-alcoholic mocktails.
How to Choose Your Dry January Drinks
- Match what you already drink: a lager fan will be happier with a 0.0% lager than with a sweet mocktail.
- Check the alcohol line: everything here is under 0.5%. If you want none at all, for medical, pregnancy or recovery reasons, choose drinks labelled 0.0% and check with your doctor.
- Read the sugar: some mocktails are sweet. If that matters to you, look at the nutrition label or start with the sugar-free options above.
- Buy a mixed set first: singles or four-packs let you test before you commit to a case. Our Dry January bundles group several drinks in one order.
Keep Reading
- You don’t have to go full Dry January
- 5 small changes that make Dry January easier
- The 11-Month Problem: Why NA Can’t Live on Dry January
- The 10 Best Non-Alcoholic Beers in Canada
- The 15 Best Non-Alcoholic Wines in Canada
- The 10 Best Non-Alcoholic Gins in Canada
- The 10 Best Canned Mocktails in Canada
- Non-Alcoholic Cocktails: The Guide to the Classics
FAQ
What is Dry January?
A challenge to drink no alcohol for the whole month of January. It began as a campaign by the UK charity Alcohol Change UK and is now done by people around the world, including in Canada.
When does Dry January start and end?
It runs from January 1 to January 31. Many people start on New Year’s Day, after the holiday parties.
Can I drink non-alcoholic beer during Dry January?
Yes, many people do. In Canada a drink can be sold as non-alcoholic at 0.5% alcohol or less, and many beers are 0.0%. If you need to avoid alcohol completely, for example for medical reasons, during pregnancy or in recovery, choose 0.0% drinks and talk to your doctor.
What if I have a drink in the middle of the month?
Just pick it back up the next day. One drink does not cancel the rest of the month, and drinking less is still the point.
Is there a French or Québec version of Dry January?
Yes. In French it is often called the défi janvier sans alcool, and in Québec the Fondation Jean Lapointe runs the Défi 28 jours, which you can do in January or February.
What are the best drinks for Dry January?
The closest swap for what you usually drink. Our top sellers right now include Captain Morgan 0.0 and Tanqueray 0.0 for cocktails, Loxton wines, and Peroni and Asahi 0.0 for beer, and all ship across Canada.
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