Staying Dry This July?
Your Guide To Cutting Back On Alcohol
Staying dry for July is a great excuse to raise money for charity, but can also be a challenge! Whether your aim is to prioritise your well-being, reset your habits, contribute to a worthy cause, or simply embrace an invigorating challenge, we’re here to offer our most practical tips for going alcohol-free, and some alternative drinking options so you don’t feel like you’re missing out!
How To Go Alcohol-Free
Check out these eight ways you can make it easier to stay dry this July!
1. Sense-Check Your Environment
If you’re the type of connoisseur that has a wall of whiskey on display in the study, or a brimming wine rack in the kitchen, take a moment to check in with yourself on whether this might be worth covering up or moving to the garage for a few weeks. A little foresight before the month starts can help to reduce temptation.
2. Keep Your Options Open
We’re big fans of preparing ahead of time, and believe that having a few ideas of what you *do* like to drink can really help - saves you standing at the bar with a boring glass of water or panic-ordering a G&T (how did that happen?!)
Explore some of the tantalising non-alcoholic beverage options available ahead of time, ensuring you're well-prepared to confidently order your favourite choice when dining out. There’s a variety of epic tonics, sodas, and alcohol-free alternatives, but we recommend our Ara Zero range - it still ticks the box of “drinking a wine” but is completely guilt-free… not to mention multi-award winning!
3. Sharing Is Caring
Let your friends know what you’re up to! If people know you’re staying sober, they can support you on your journey - whether by changing the location of your catch-ups, or just remembering not to offer you a beer. It can also help you stay accountable. And who knows - with any luck you might even encourage a few friends or coworkers to join you on your journey!
4. Set The Scene
Break free from the usual rendezvous at bars and pubs, and instead, propose alternative activities for gatherings with friends. Arrange a movie night, host a delightful dinner at your place, or embark on a collective exploration of new hobbies. By shifting the focus away from alcohol-centric settings, you'll reduce temptation and retain the pleasure of sharing quality time with loved ones.
5. Reimagine Your Routines
Embrace the opportunity to reimagine your daily rituals. If you reach for a glass of wine to unwind after work, now is the time to challenge that habit. Consider tweaking your routine, such as swapping your morning gym session for an evening workout or head on a post-work stroll. Not only will you invigorate your body, but you'll also stimulate your mind.
6. Challenge Accepted
Inject a dash of friendly competition into your alcohol-free adventure to keep that motivation soaring. Make a playful bet with a friend to see who can outlast the other in abstaining from alcohol, or offer to match any donations from workmates. Dry July supports a great cause so it’s a good way to stay motivated!
7. Switch Focus
Instead of heading to the bar to meet a friend, treat yourself to something you've both wanted to try—a pottery class, venturing into a new culinary realm, practising yoga, or delving into an intriguing hobby. By trying out something new, you'll shift the spotlight from the absence of alcohol to the joy of discovering a hidden talent or new pastime.
8. Stock Up
Arm yourself with an arsenal of non-alcoholic delights to ensure you're ready for any social gathering. Whether it's dinner, drinks, or a picnic, having alcohol-free options on hand ensures you'll revel in the festivities without feeling left out. Ara Zero Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé make great alternatives; they start life as full-strength wines, so they retain the flavour and aroma you love, without the alcohol.
Our Alcohol-Removed Wines
At Ara, we’re not about making sacrifices. Some people will tell you that you can’t have a non-alcoholic wine that’s as enjoyable to drink as the real thing.
We think you can.
Wines with the alcohol removed – nothing lost.
Multi-Award Winning
We're very pleased to share that or Ara Zero Sauvignon Blanc has won a slew of awards!
Just in time for July, we're celebrating our most recent accolade. Out of 100+ no-alcohol wines submitted into the World Alcohol-Free Awards, Ara Zero Sauvignon Blanc won the Trophy for Best Wine. We're very excited and feeling extremely proud of our expert winemaking team.
Ara Zero Sauvignon Blanc has now been awarded:
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4x Trophies
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2x Gold Medals
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1X Grande Gold Medal for Best Sauvignon Blanc
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95+ points at IWSC
Food Matches
We've teamed up with the incomparable Chelsea Winter to create some food pairings as delicious as the wines they match! Chelsea's vegan-friendly Creamy Alfredo recipe is a great partner to our Ara Zero Sauvignon Blanc. Then check out her decadent plant-based Fudge Cake Brownie recipe - perfect for a cheeky little sweet treat alongside our Ara Zero Rosé!
