If you’re partaking in Dry January or leading a zero-proof life, you’ll be excited to know that Dray Drinks in Boston’s South End just opened. Dray Drinks is Boston’s first-ever bottle shop solely dedicated to non-alcoholic beverages. You’ll find functional spritzes, non-alcoholic wines, and “Phony Negronis.”
Owner Pat Dooling of Dray Drinks quit drinking for good two years ago and it had a profound positive impact on his health. Dooling’s determined to chip away at the stigma of “drinking culture” one delicious mocktail at a time.
To be on the other side and look back at just how impactful the choice to drink or not is, and how much good or how much damage it can do to people, it’s become a little bit of my mission to eat away at the societal norm of drinking, Dooling said.
Dooling also notes a trending inclination towards living an alcohol-free life, especially in the younger generations. They’re noticing the harmful effects of alcohol and not giving into societal pressure. A recent poll of Americans ages 18-34 reveals that more than half, 52%, ” believe moderate drinking is detrimental to health.”
All of the flavor, none of the buzz
Entrepreneurs like Dooling, who align with this realization are developing dozens of tasty zero-proof alternatives that provide the ritual of a drink without the buzz. Some of the brands at Dray Drinks even provide health benefits with adaptogenic and Ayurvedic tinctures mixed in.
Kin Euphorics, is one of the brands lining the stunning displays at Dray in South End. This “non-alcoholic functional beverage brand,” features:
- Adaptogens for stress management
- Nootropics for brain cognition
- Botanics to ground and elevate taste
Other brands to discover at Dray Drinks are “Spiritless,” a brand whose whiskey and tequila are akin to their alcoholic muses. Local brewery, Woodland Farms’ “Ruby” is great for fans of beer. For special holidays, or Valentine’s, the Odd Bird sparkling rosé is a great bubbly alternative with all of the flavor and fun and none of the hangover.
Dooling’s nonprofit, “Dray’s Better Days,” donates a portion of sales to local addiction recovery efforts.
Dray Drinks Dry January grand opening celebration
Dooling’s shop is only a few weeks old, so it came just in time for dry January. In addition to the first-of-its-kind store in Boston, Dray Drinks hopes to have an online storefront with nationwide shipping of its diverse curation of non-alcoholic beverages.
To celebrate, Dray Drinks is hosting a grand opening celebration on Saturday, January 6 from 12-8 PM. There will be product tastings, mixology sessions and a live DJ! Sounds like a prefect Saturday before the impending snowstorm.
Find Dray Drinks at:
18 Union Park Street in South End