Top #MadeinDC, Booze-Free Beverage Brands

Dry January is finally here! It’s an opportunity to take a mindful break from the booze and reflect, build healthy habits, and get creative with your home bar. All of this is easier than ever before because the D.C. area is quickly becoming a zero-proof boomtown. Without further ado, here are some of the best-of-the-best beverage brands in the District, Maryland and Virginia. We’ve pulled back the curtain just a little to get insight from the founders on why their brands came into existence, the benefits of trying out Dry January and some of their favorites from their own product lines.
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COMPASS COFFEE
Kenneth Fleming, Account Manager

Top Pick
I start my day with an iced red eye, which is two shots of espresso in our nitro cold brew. I’ve been drinking iced red eyes since I started as a barista at Compass about two-and-a-half years ago. The vanilla cream cold brew, with or without the extra espresso, is my go-to drink when I’m feeling a little indulgent and want a little sugar. And I’m a sucker for matcha lattes.

Dry January Benefits
New Year’s resolutions usually revolve around three main things: saving money, losing weight, and being more present and appreciating the small things. All three of those can be met by abstaining from alcohol during Dry January. You can see the small things more clearly and appreciate them more when you’re not seeing them through a drunken haze. Just do it, seriously!

Follow on Instagram @compasscoffee and visit www.compasscoffee.com to learn more.
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CRUNCHY HYDRATION
Megan Riggs, Founder

Top Pick
Watermelon Calm: It has been part of [my] daily routine and necessity during this crazy year, and it has 100% of your [daily] Vitamin D.

Dry January Benefits
Do it! What do you have to lose? Dry January is something I look forward to each year. It increases my energy levels and helps with mood, weight loss and [saving] money. 

Follow on Instagram @crunchyhydration and visit www.crunchyhydration.com for more.
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ELEMENT SHRUB
Charlie Berkinshaw, Founder

Top Pick
Honeydew Jalapeño: It’s just the weirdest, funkiest flavor we have: a little heat, a little tang, a little sweet and a little savory. [It’s] perfect with a little agave, muddled grapefruit and soda.

Dry January Benefits
Feeling great in the morning. We also love the challenge of really pushing the limits on what zero-proof drinks can look and taste like.

Follow @elementshrub on Instagram and visit www.elementshrub.com for more.
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EVERYDAY KOMBUCHA
Chris Williamson, Founder

Top Pick
Lime Mint: For me, fresh mint combined with bubbly yerba mate is super refreshing and awakens my senses. That said, my days tend to be very active, so I drink a lot of the Lemon Ginger because it also has turmeric, black pepper and cayenne, which helps improve inflammation and circulation in the body.

Dry January Benefits
Find a replacement. I keep Everyday Kombucha, Topo Chico and La Croix in my fridge. Pour some kind of bubbly, nonalcoholic beverage in a fancy glass, garnish it and sip. Just having something in your hand resembling a drink really does wonders to the mind. Before you know it, it’s time for bed, and your face doesn’t feel numb, puffy and flushed. Mornings become so much more pleasant.

Follow on Instagram @drink.everydaykombucha and visit https://drinkeverydaykombucha.com for more.
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ICARO TEA + WILD KOMBUCHA 
Sid Sharma, Co-Founder 

Top Pick
Ginger Agave Kombucha from Wild Kombucha: We worked for years to create a blend of gingers from around the world that capture the spiciness and sweetness. Mint Yerba Maté from Icaro Tea: We steep organic spearmint in the tea instead of using extracts, so you get the true flavor of the mint leaves, which gives it an incredible, refreshing depth to go along with the energy boost from the yerba.

Dry January Benefits
Trying Dry January allows your body to reset and your mind to have more clarity. I only drink once every couple of months, but I still notice that my body and mind are not as sharp for the few days following it.

Follow @icarotea on Instagram and visit www.mobtownfermentation.com and www.icarotea.com for more.
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JRINK
Jordan von Lange, General Manager

Top Pick
I usually gravitate toward Farma-C since it’s refreshing but not too sweet, and I always feel like I’m getting a major immunity boost. I’m also loving our new Ginger Lemonaid. It’s light and super gingery! With a little club soda, it would make for a delicious [zero-proof cocktail]. 

Dry January Benefits
I think trying Dry January this year will be different than any other year. With the stay-at-home orders, I’ve found myself pouring a glass of wine way more than I usually would. Drinking has been a way to fill up the extra time I’m finding I have during the pandemic, and trying Dry January will give me more time to analyze and dig deeper into my inner being. Instead of numbing the feelings and issues going on, I’m looking forward to journaling, focusing more on my health, working out, and making a point to prioritize my mornings and make a routine – instead of waking up groggy and hungover on a weekday. 

Follow @jrinkjuicery on Instagram and visit www.jrinkjuicery.com for more.
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MAD MAGIC KOMBUCHA
Megan Donica, General Manager

Top Pick
Kafé: If you love coffee, this is the perfect flavor to start the day with. When I drink Mad Magic Kombucha in the morning, I find I make better food and drink decisions throughout the rest of the day.

Dry January Benefits
Your body [gets] to take a break from processing all of the toxins and sugars in alcohol. [A] clear head and clear skin are the immediate benefits I’ve noticed from taking breaks from alcohol and drinking more kombucha. Serve [kombucha] in your favorite glass. Add ice [and] fresh fruits or make it a kombucha spritzer with some extra fizzy soda water. 

Follow @madmagickombucha on Instagram and visit www.madmagickombucha.com for more.
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MOCKTAIL CLUB
Pauline Idogho, Founder

Top Pick
It is hard to choose, but my favorite would be Havana Twist. It is familiar, refreshing and yet has layers of complexity. It is made with lime, cucumber and mint shrub, and has a hint of cardamom and cloves, which make it so unique.

Dry January Benefits
You will feel so much healthier, have better clarity and feel more in control. Try it out and see how you feel. There are so many great alternatives to alcohol to choose from.

Follow @mocktailclub on Instagram and visit www.mocktailclub.com for more.
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NOPE BEVERAGES
Beth Ann Shaeffer, Founder

Booze-Free Motivation
I wanted to make a drink that allowed people to be part of the celebration without the alcohol. Personally, I felt like when ordering a nonalcoholic drink, people would look at me with, “Tsk, tsk. Well, if you aren’t drinking, this is what you get: cranberry and soda.” The non-drinker shouldn’t be excluded. Their choice should be celebrated. It’s time for the [non-alcoholic] drinker to be the belle of the ball.

Follow @drinknope on Instagram and visit www.drinknope.com for more.
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Laura Silverman

Laura Silverman has been a booze-free babe since July of 2007. Founder of lifestyle blog The Sobriety Collective, wellness travel site Booze Free in DC, and co-founder of Zero Proof Nation, a community celebrating nonalcoholic beverages and the people who drink/create them, Laura is passionate about #thesoberlife. When not tasting delicious new booze-free bevs, she's a karaoke rockstar, roller derby girl, nature lover, and treasures spending time with her close friends and family. Visit her website at www.boozefreeindc.com.