Brittany Burling recalls enjoying a glass of wine every now and then. During the COVID-19 pandemic, "Then" became a little more often. 

"We were all just stuck at home," Burling said. "And I felt my health, being in my late 20s at the time, I felt like it was starting to not affect it in great ways. I'm very health-conscious, and so I was like, ‘This is poison. You know, it's not good for you.’ And I'm doing all the other things to live a healthy lifestyle, so I should probably think about this piece, as well. I think, also, just the mental health component of using it for a rough day or whatever, finding new, healthier coping mechanisms." 

So, in 2022, she decided to participate in Dry January, a month where people refrain from consuming alcohol to examine their relationship with it. 

Burling is one of a growing population participating in Dry January. In 2025, about 20% of American adults participated in Dry January, according to Morning Consult. 

Burling was unsure about it. "I was pretty intimidated to do 30 days at the time," she said. "It felt like a lot. I think, like anything, when you're stopping a habit, the beginning felt different and challenging in a way. And then I think I really liked challenging myself to have different habits. Later that year, I did 75 hard days (of abstention) in the summer." 

She succeeded in giving up alcohol both times. She hasn't consumed alcohol for two years because of health issues. 

Unsure if she will stay alcohol-free once she's healthier, Burling said it seems that younger people are choosing that way of life. 

"I think the next generations coming up, alcohol is becoming less and less popular," she said. "People see the damaging effects of it and on relationships for their own mental health, physical health. So I think there are so many more options out there, you know, if you want to be social, but you're feeling strange about like, 'Oh, I usually go to a bar.' You can go to more, like Dry Spokes. There are so many places with mocktails."

Once a pop-up dry bar, Dry Spokes opened a brick-and-mortar location near 19th and Leavenworth Streets in early 2023, because people wanted a place where they could come and enjoy their drinks, said Mi-Ya Mata, who owns the bar with her wife, Leah. 

"They feel like they are able to socialize and connect with other people without having the environment that is typically found in a bar or a coffee shop," Mata said. 

Dry Spokes is unique in that it doesn't have a specific customer type, she said. Customers range in age from their 20s to 60s, and all economic, social and religious backgrounds, Mata said. 

"We have customers who have come in from the coasts, who were traveling through Omaha for another reason, and found out that we existed, and so made sure to make a stop for us," she said. "We've had customers who drive in from Lincoln. We have customers who drive in from out of state, who like to make sure they visit us once a month." 

She enjoys seeing a customer's expression when they taste their first drink at the bar, Mata said. 

"My favorite moment when I interact with customers is when I hand somebody a drink that I've crafted with just as much care as drinkers do when they go to a cocktail bar, and the person lights up a certain way in their eyes when they taste the drink, and they realize it's not just a soda or juice," she said. "It's something that was crafted with care, and it makes them feel special." 

For people participating in Dry January, they'll enjoy the taste of their favorite drink, only without the alcohol, Mata said. "We have lime juice, a non-alcoholic tequila, and cherry bitters, so it's got the complexity of what the El Diablo would offer but with a little bit of the sweetness from the Tequila Sunrise," she said.

If you don't like the bar scene, non-alcoholic bottlers like Sandhills Elixir offers the taste of alcohol without getting drunk or experiencing the effects of a hangover, said co-owner Erica Wassinger. 

With about a half-dozen flavors - from sage to chokecherry and elderberry - not only are the non-alcoholic elixirs tasty, but they provide health benefits, Wassinger said. From heart health to Turkey Tail - a non-alcoholic version of whiskey - which helps relax the nervous system, she said. 

"And then we layered that one with tart cherry, which is good for your muscular system and soreness," Wassinger said. 

As non-alcoholic spirits' sales increased about 29% in the United States in 2024, Sandhills Elixirs enjoyed its share of the market, Wassinger said. 

The Valentine-based distributor has a growing customer base that extends beyond Nebraska, from liquor stores to restaurants, said Emily Hassenstab, Sandhills' Head of Operations and Growth. 

"I'd never thought about Sandhills as a national brand," Hassenstab said. "But it sells itself so well, not just where the Sandhills are known, but coastally. We've got bottle shops on both coasts that are selling us." 

For Patti Whyte, Dry January allows people an opportunity to determine if they should forgo alcohol permanently. 

Sober for two years, Whyte, a recovering alcoholic and addict, knows she needs to abstain from all alcohol-themed drinks, even mocktails. 

"Dry January resonates with me, because I feel like, if you can do it for one month, make that choice in your brain that I'm not going to drink for a whole month, that could show you how exactly good you are without the drugs and the alcohol," Whyte said. "It might not happen the very first time, but once you find your rock bottom basement and think, 'I can't do this anymore,' it'll show you how strong you really are." Regardless of a person’s reason for participating in it, Dry January allows them to evaluate their relationship with alcohol and take steps to address it, if necessary.

Tim Trudell is a freelance writer and online content creator. His work has appeared in Flatwater Free Press, Next Avenue, Indian Country Today, Nebraska Life, Nebraska Magazine, Council Bluffs Daily Non-Pareil and Douglas County Post Gazette, among others. He is a citizen of the Santee Dakota Nation.