Been waiting for dry January to finish? So have we

With the arrival of a shiny new year came the return of dry January. According to Alcohol Change UK, dry January officially began here in the UK in 2013 with just 4,000 people. In 2022 a whopping 130,000 took part, either stopping completely or cutting back – swapping booze for herbal tea and alcohol-free options with a side order of smug. 

As the end of the month looms, some people will keep it up, some will start again but watch how much they consume and others will be legging it back to their favourite bar to imbibe cocktails made by their mixologist pals. 

My colleagues and I mainly fall into the last camp (no judgement, please), so we’ve drafted in experts from around the UK to share their insider tips and favourite drinks. Here’s where we’ll be breaking dry January 2023 and what we’ll be ordering. Cheers! 

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This was recently named GQ Bar of the Year and appeared in the UK’s Top 50 Best Cocktail bars. With delicious cocktails, great live music and a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, Present Company is definitely one for the list. ​​

According to head bartender Jack Mitchell, in 2023 we’ll see a resurgence in classic and relatively simple cocktails like margaritas, daiquiris, spritzes and highballs. ‘There’s been a particular surge in requests for martini variations which shows no sign of slowing,’ says Jack. ‘We try to put our own spin on our drinks by using homemade ingredients so no drink here will come close to anything you’ve tried before or be able to make at home. Come and try our Rock, Flag & Eagle, it’s made using our own orgeat syrup with toasted pecans, inspired by pecan pie.’

Must-try ‘A dirty gin martini hits the spot every time.’ 

Follow @presentcompany.bar

A Parisian-style subterranean cocktail bar tucked away in the Northern Quarter, The Daisy has an extensive menu of well-loved classic cocktails and bespoke creations. Ops manager Ben Rielly reckons 2023 is this year we’ll finally see the back of sugary cocktails (bye bye, porn star martini). Instead, make like your nan and start a new love affair with sherry – you heard it here first. 

‘Sherry is the one to keep an eye on this year,’ says Ben. ‘It’s making its way into martinis, resulting in a more complex and drier drink, or bloody Marys, often amontillado, adding a savoury element to complement the tomato juice.’

Must-try ‘The Rapscallion. It’s a blend of Talisker 10 whisky, Pedro Ximénez sherry, bitters, absinthe and lemon oil.’  

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Ben Smith, co-founder of lifestyle publication London on the Inside, suggests sticking to your dry January guns for a little longer. ‘At the end of January, many people want to hang on to their new sobriety which is why Maya’s, London’s first non-alcoholic cocktail bar, is going to be so popular,’ says Ben.  

Launching initially as a pop-up on Brick Lane, female-owned Maya’s caters to anyone looking to have fun sans spirits and the menu is packed with classic cocktails that have been recalibrated without alcohol, thanks to the help of brands at the cutting edge of spirit alternatives – including east London-based Kahol, Swiss start-up Rebels and Danish brand ISH.

Try Any classic drink with a mocktail twist – all the flavour, none of the hangxiety.

Follow @mayasbarlondon

Shannon Severy founded this super-chic new bar in the heart of Seven Dials in Brighton to unite the local communities over great cocktails and food – plus The Brighton Cocktail Co is dog friendly. Shannon thinks 2023 is when customers will start wanting local ingredients in their cocktails, from the alcohol right through to the garnish. 

‘We’re all about keeping things local and we’re proud of the amazing producers in the Brighton and Hove and wider Sussex area,’ she says. ‘A huge percentage of the cocktail and food ingredients we serve is sourced within 25 miles of our front door.’ 

Try ‘The English Mojito – it’s made using gin from neighbouring suppliers Harley House Pure Sussex Gin with locally grown apple juice and fresh mint to keep our cocktails as low-impact on the planet as possible.’

Follow @brightoncocktailclub