Beckett - How to Drink without Drinking: Celebratory alcohol-free drinks for any time of the day

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Theres always been a significant minority of people who dont drink, but its been growing exponentially, particularly among young adults. Over a quarter of 1624 year olds and half the worlds population dont drink at all for a variety of reasons, mainly religious and the desire to follow a more healthy lifestyle.

Others may take a temporary break when theyre pregnant, unwell or taking a particular kind of medication, or abstaining for a period like Dry January or Sober October, for example.

Then there are those, including me, who do drink, not necessarily to excess, but like to take two or three days off a week to enjoy the added sharpness and focus of being clear-headed. It all adds up to a growing interest in, and market for, alcohol-free drinks.

Barely a day passes without some celeb or chef talking about how theyve gone sober. Elton John, Rob Lowe, Russell Brand, Chris Martin of Coldplay, theyre all out there testifying the difference its made to their lives. Famous hard drinkers, like Dave McMillan of the legendary Joe Beef in Montreal, have been turned into born-again abstainers. There is even such a thing as a sober coach someone whose job it is to keep A-listers on track.

For the rest of us, its more similar to becoming flexitarian. We still eat meat, but not so much. We enjoy wine, but not every day. And that becomes progressively easier as more and more quality alcohol-free products come on to the market, and we learn to devise new and delicious drinks to replace the alcohol-based ones were used to.

Theres never been a better time to give up or cut down on booze, temporarily or permanently, and this book will show you how.

Just as with any lifestyle change, giving up alcohol, whether permanently or temporarily, needs a change of mindset. Im obviously not talking about addiction issues here, for which you need professional help as well as the realisation that you have a drinking problem but simply choosing alcohol-free drinks rather than alcoholic ones.

You might think, earning my living by writing about wine, Im the last person to advise you, but I see that as an advantage. Although I have to taste wine or other alcoholic drinks most days, like everyone else I benefit from a break from actually drinking them. But Im not prepared to settle for second best. Its important to me that the days when I dont drink are as pleasurable in terms of what I consume as those when I do.

Only you will know whether youll find it easier to cut alcohol out completely even if for a limited period or just drink on fewer occasions, but it pays to make a plan.

You have to start somewhere, but make it realistic. Two alcohol-free days a week is doable for most of us, most likely after the weekend. Three is better still preferably in a row.

On some of the days when you are drinking, you might want to reduce the amount you drink to one drink a day, sipped slowly and mindfully rather than gulped unthinkingly. If youre trying to cut down, limit yourself to one (modest, not goldfish bowl-sized) glass with dinner or resolve not to drink when alone. Be aware and honest with yourself about what youre drinking when you do drink. An app may help you keep on track.

Family should be on your side, but one of the biggest battles youll face is friends who keep pressing you to drink, maybe implying that youve become a party pooper if you dont. Dont be embarrassed to explain exactly why youre cutting down or out making it clear that youre serious. It may even involve changing your social circle. Find a non-drinking pal to go out with if the pressures getting to you a sobersister (or soberbro).

On days or periods youre cutting down or cutting out, avoid your usual boozy haunts. Dont make having a drink the main reason for going out unless its a coffee.

In fact, it may be worth taking the car, which gives you an easy excuse not to drink. If youre embarking on a longer period of abstinence, clear out the booze from the cupboards and fridge and steer clear of the wine aisle. Stock up with instead.

If youre visiting friends and are not sure if there will be something alcohol-free to drink, take it with you, particularly to a party. Alcohol-free beers, which look similar to the full-strength version, are an especially good bet as they wont make you stand out from the crowd. If youre away for the weekend, take a bottle of an and some tonic to your hosts.

Youre more likely to crave wine with food from wine-producing regions, especially Italy, France and Spain. So avoid the trattoria or tapas bar on your nights off in favour of your local Indian, Thai or Vietnamese. See for my tips on pairing different cuisines with non-alcoholic drinks.

Its hard to find a substitute for wine, but alcohol-free cocktails can be mind-blowingly good these days, with many top restaurants offering an impressive selection. I often start the evening with one, whether Im drinking or not, and end up drinking it with food.

Theres a real pleasure and satisfaction in making your own drinks. Like home-cooked food, they taste so much better than the shop-bought version and are cheaper, too, making the best of seasonal produce (see ). Make them look as beautiful as they taste be inspired by Nassimas gorgeous pictures in this book and serve them in lovely glasses and jugs. Indulge your senses.

Part of the appeal of wine, beer and other drinks like whisky, is the knowledge you accumulate about them even working through a bucket list of drinks you want to try before you die. But you can apply that type of geekery to other drinks, too. Get into tea, get into coffee, get into fermenting all fascinating, absorbing worlds.

Probably your best friend on your sober days or months both on its own and as a chaser for any alcoholic drink youre drinking. (Dont drink because youre thirsty drink for the taste.) Serve cool, fresh and flavoured, if you like, with fruit, cucumber or herbs.

Its important to see alcohol-free days as an opportunity, not a deprivation. The proverbial glass half full rather than half empty. There are, as youll rapidly discover, many advantages, even if you cut down rather than cutting out, including a better quality of sleep, improved concentration, weight loss (unless you binge on cakes instead), more spare cash and, due to the happy lack of hangovers, more productive hours in the day.