We have to thank Gen Z for these drinking dupes

Graphic designer Yash Shah remembers when his weekends involved getting together with a group of friends over a round of beers, followed by cocktails, then shots of whatever they could get their hands on, ending with “no recollection of who, what, when.” But over the last few years, things have changed in the 22-year-old’s social circle. All his friends are now either sober or experimenting with a sober-curious or ‘damp’ lifestyle, in which they make a conscious effort to limit their alcohol consumption. Now, Shah explains, the group spends more “active time” together, meaning they actually do things instead of drink the night away. “I love theme parties, so we make more effort with our costumes and the food. We film content and even play board games such as Shasn or We’re Not Really Strangers. It’s wholesome vibes.”

This week, Shah is prepping for a Bollywood villain-themed Diwaloween party, which he intends to keep alcohol-free. His favourite tipple is a mocktail he has created with Sepoy & Co’s grapefruit-flavoured tonic water and Masala Coke, but for his guests, he’s turning to one of several 0 per cent alcohol alternatives and alcohol-adjacent beverages that have recently stormed the market in response to the growing number of sober-curious Zoomers. 

There’s Catwalk Botanic’s peach and orange blossom ‘vodka’, Sober’s vanilla and clove ‘whisky’ and star anise ‘rum’, Kati Patang’s NOT Cosmopolitan (which tastes surprisingly identical to the real thing), plus a string of craft ‘beers’ from brands like Gunsberg Brewing Company, 3SistersDrinks, Coolberg and even beer behemoth Heineken itself—all with no alcohol. An added bonus: they also come in bottles and cans that blend into any bar.

These non-alcoholic drinks are a lifesaver during the festive party season, which is a particularly challenging time for the sober-curious—whether that’s because they prefer to avoid the morning-after fuzzies, limit their alcohol intake for health reasons, or are simply sick of making dumb decisions while under the influence. It helps to have something more interesting to sip on than ginger ale or tonic water; it also helps dissuade people from constantly asking why you’re not drinking. “I like having drinks that look like alcohol so people leave me alone,” explains 23-year-old Anmol Bali, a New Delhi-based assistant director, who turned sober after a series of blackout-drunken nights left her feeling anxious. “That could be Red Bull in a wine glass, water as shots, or a can of Coolberg. I dance at gigs for four or five hours while being completely sober, I’m usually the craziest person in the club, and that hasn’t changed.”

A 2024 Deloitte survey shows that 40 per cent of Gen Z report feeling stressed and anxious most of the time. When you add unending global instabilities like war, human rights injustice, climate change, and recession to this pretext, it creates a justifiably cluttered state of mind. No doubt young people are hesitant to add alcohol to the mix. As per an NCSolutions survey, from 2023 to 2024, the share of Gen Z that wants to drink less jumped by 53 per cent while the sales of non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits topped US $565 million, rising by 35 per cent from 2022. 

“Recently my friends and I went on a vacation and only drank once the whole trip, it was actually so good,” shares Saachi Gupta, a 23-year-old writer from Mumbai who has now been sober for a year. While at the beginning, going to clubs was a struggle without drinking, she has now found calm at house parties where conversations govern the night. “The last time I met my friends, we just talked for six straight hours, analysing things and having fun debates. My anxiety has gotten so much better, I’m a lot less rude and brash too.”

Although for some, drinking alcohol was a route to escape or gain some Dutch courage, for others, the mainstay was the experience of going to a popular new bar, chatting with the bartender, and trying innovative cocktails. Luckily, the present spectrum of sobriety is making space for such interactions. Like Bombay Daak, most cocktail bars today have a non-alcoholic menu, which isn't your grandma’s mocktails. These zero alcohol drinks are not an afterthought, they are carefully whipped up by mixologists and served in main character barware.

“We don’t need alcohol to make meals exciting anymore,” shares Bengaluru-based PR professional Shivani H. “I love experimenting with blends consisting of herbs like mint and basil for an extra layer of flavour,” she says of her favourite sober drinks. Owners of bars and restaurants, too, are jumping on the (band) wagon. Sampling these innovative zero alcohol drinks is what convinced Vikram Achanta, the founder of ranking platform 30 Best Bars India, to introduce a new award category for the Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Menu in 2023. Chennai-based Pandan Club, the winner of the accolade, creates signature 0 ABV drinks that feature Peranakan ingredients like kaffir lime, gooseberries and galangal, ensuring their non-alc bevs get the same treatment as the potent liquor. 

As the way that young people party changes, entrepreneurs are pouring into the market, and the sober lifestyle has become far more lucrative than the bleak glass of Diet Coke it once was. In Bengaluru, restaurateur Bikash Parik is gearing up for the November launch of Practically Sobar, the country’s first non-alcoholic bar complete with expert mixologists, zero-proof negronis, picantes, and more. “For Gen Z, chilling with friends isn’t about alcohol, so we want to create a fun, social space that matches their priorities: mental and physical well-being.” 

Thanks to Gen Z, the sober lifestyle doesn’t need to feel like torture this festive season—in fact, those who miss the sting of a straight shot can turn to drinks like Sober, which give you all the feels without the buzz. Next time someone tries to ply you with shots, slurring aggressively that you “have to have” one because “everyone’s together after so long” and “It’s Diwali yaaaa”, you actually do have the option of taking a shot of something that isn’t plain water.