Dry February

Far beyond Dry January and Sober October, there's a growing trend for choosing non-alcoholic and low-ABV drinks.

There are many reasons why people are choosing moderation and low-alcohol alternatives, from aiming to be healthier and losing the hangovers to boosting energy levels, improving sleep and saving money.

The result is a far more interesting selection of non-alcoholic and low-ABV drinks. You can switch it up without feeling like you are missing out with something flavourful to suit your taste buds, including a wide range of spritzers, kombucha (probiotic fermented tea), posh cordials and ales. There are sophisticated soda waters, from elderberry and hibiscus to white peach and jasmine, great as a refreshing 'long' drink with ice, a slice of lemon and a sprig of your favourite herb.

If you're a gin fan, you'll like Seedlip's non-alcoholic botanical drinks, which are aimed at the gin drinker and come in three varieties: Garden 108, Spice 94 and Grove 42. Check out some delicious Seedlip-inspired mocktail recipes from Trippets Lounge Bar.

Lyre's have launched a range of non-alcohol spirits which include rum, amaretto and coffee liqueur, and whisky. Pernod have added Celtic Soul, a non-alcoholic dark spirit, to their offering, described as having sweet vanilla, spice and oak cask wood flavours.

If you want something with a celebratory pop, we've been recommended Einsberg sparkling free blanc, available from Mitchells at Meadowhead. Elm on Gibraltar Street suggest unfiltered Muller Thurgau grape juice.

With some excellent beers on the market it's hard to believe they are low or no alcohol. Big Drop Brewery came onto the scene in 2017 as the UK's first independent brewer focusing on low-ABV beer. Today their range includes a delicious rich stout, 0.5% with coffee and hints of sweet vanilla, and a refreshing dry-hopped pale ale, also at 0.5%.

Other beers to try include Lowlanders zingy yuzu and grapefruit ale (2.5%), perfect with a Friday night curry, and Weird Weather (0.3%) from Mikkeler, a New England-style IPA with citrus and pine notes. Acclaimed Manchester brewery Cloudwater have also recently launched a 0% soda range and flavours include a refreshing green tea and simcoe and a mango and citra sour.

In Sheffield, local breweries have added low-ABV (0.5%) beers to their range, such as Thornbridge's American-style pale ale, Zero Five, and their new milk stout, Little By Little.

If you want to find out what non-alcoholic choices are being offered at venues across the city, check out the Club Soda website. They list venues and the drinks available, as well as details of the best drinks on the market.

If you're looking to satisfy your thirst without the headache, opposite are some more tips from local traders to inspire you.

Starmore Boss

257 Sharrow Vale Road

"Wetherby's Bax Botanics are great alcohol free 'spirits' without trying to be a gin alternative, made using a blend of botanicals and sustainable ingredients including sea buckthorn and verbena. MOMO Kombucha from London are superb, with antioxidant boosting turmeric, ginger and lemon, or refreshing elderflower. Belle and Co sparkling alcohol-free wine is made from fermented grape juice blended with green tea - perfect if you are looking for a celebratory drink choice."

Barra Organics

356 Sharrow Vale Road

"Kombucha is a fermented drink made from sweetened tea and a culture called a scoby. We run fermented drinks kombucha and kefir courses, so keep a lookout for future dates. Water kefir and Kombucha make great adult-friendly alternatives to alcohol as fermentation evokes some of the flavour profiles of alcoholic beverages. Healthy bacteria in addition to yeast cultures make it a great substitute, but be sure to serve it chilled in a nice glass."

Turner's Bottle Shop

298 Abbeydale Road

"Big Drop Brewery do an excellent range of beer and their stout in particular is fabulous. We always have a regularly changing stock in our bottle shop and we're happy to help with recommendations. Recent deliveries have included Fyne Ales collaboration with Big Drop, called Raspberry Gose, and Scotland's Coast Beer Co's Hazy IPA (0%)."

BoozeHound

Cutlery Works, 73-101 Neepsend Lane

"We're spoilt for choice at the moment as there's great innovation going on and loads of interest in low-ABV beers. Zero Five from Thornbridge, Big Drop's lager and stout, and Punk AF from Brewdog are hugely popular at our place. We recently held a tasting event dedicated to low-ABV beers and it was a sell-out. We have products coming in from Cloudwater and Hambleton and specials from Big Drop and Thornbridge. There's never been a better time to be a designated driver!"