UNITED STATES OF SOBER AMERICA

In the last year we have seen a huge surge in demand for non-alcoholic drinks as the sober-curious movement grows. Alongside this, awareness for alcohol sensitivity and the symptoms, which often mirror a hangover, has risen. In fact, there were over 1.9 million Google searches made in the United States in the last 12 months for drinks such as ‘alcohol free beer’, ‘mocktails’, and ‘non alcoholic wines.’

We have seen a 500% increase in searches for ‘non alcoholic spiced rum’, an 875% boost for ‘most popular mocktails’ and an 82% rise in searches for ‘non alcoholic wines’ – from an average of 27,100 searches a month, to a whopping 49,500.

Some of us are now rethinking our relationship with booze after the pandemic, after nearly 1 in 4 adults said they managed the stress from the crisis by drinking. And, with summer now here, we’ve conducted a study which shows which states and cities in the United States are taking a more mindful approach to alcohol, by either drinking less or going fully sober.

We’ve looked at more than 44 search terms for non alcoholic drinks and brands to find out which locations are most likely to be home to the most sober residents per capita.

THE MOST SOBER STATES IN THE USA

After comparing all 50 states, the number one most ‘sober’ state is Delaware.

The home state of President Joe Biden has fewer than one million residents, however its proximity to Washington, New Jersey and Philadelphia make it an attractive location for millennials, who are leading the charge to sober living, with 56% considering themselves to be mindful drinkers.

The other four states topping the table are in the North East, with Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Rhode Island rounding out the top five.

On the other hand, the states least likely to search for non-alcoholic beverages were all based in the South. Alabama had the fewest searches per capita, followed by Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas and Oklahoma.

California, the most populous state, ranked 18th overall. This is despite it having the highest number of searches per month for non-alcoholic wine – with 5,000 people looking for alternatives. For those suffering from bloating, headaches or even itchy skin after drinking, you should consider a food sensitivity test.

#1 – Minneapolis, Minnessota

Index score – 100.00

#2 – Atlanta, Georgia

Index score – 95.25

#3 – Denver, Colorado

Index score – 80.29

#4 – Miami, Florida

Index score – 75.99

#5 – Seattle, Washington

Index score: 70.59

#6 – Tampa, Florida

Index score: 64.72

#7 – Las Vegas, Nevada

Index score: 61.82

#8 – Nashville, Tennessee

Index score: 61.00

#9 – Raleigh, North Carolina

Index score: 59.76

#10 – Portland, Oregon

Index score: 58.15

We looked at the 50 most populated cities in the United States and crunched the numbers from 11 keywords which Americans are regularly searching for on Google. Population data was taken from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the city with the most interest in the sober lifestyle, according to our research. There are now more than 12 bars in the Twin Cities which serve creative alcohol-free drinks and cocktails on their menu, including Martina and Colita.

Popular party cities Atlanta, Denver, Miami and Seattle come in second, third, fourth and fifth respectively. In fact, The Mile High City opened its first fully alcohol-free bar in 2021, called Awake.

Southern cities were also bottom in the index, with Arlington and San Ontonio in Texas, Wichita in Kansas, Mesa in Arizona and Oklahoma City falling in the bottom five.

MOST POPULAR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER BRANDS

There has been a lot of innovation in the low and zero-alcohol beer landscape in the last few years. Many household names and IPA brands are now in on the action, with Asahi the latest to shift to no-alcohol beer plans. In fact, the world’s largest brewer, AB InBev – owners of Budweiser and Corona Extra – has set a goal of 20% of worldwide beer volume to come from no or low-alcohol beer by 2025.

But which are our favourite alcohol-free beer brands that actually replicate the taste of lagers, IPAs and stouts? According to Google searches, Americans can’t get enough of Heineken 0.0. With an average of 2,900 searches a month, the drink is made with absolutely zero alcohol. It’s popularity is impressive considering it only launched in 2017.

Budweiser is the only American-brewed non-alcoholic beer in the top 10 with 2,400 searches per month for Budweiser Zero, although Brewdog has a taproom in Ohio alongside its HQ in Scotland.

The top 10 most popular low-alcohol beer brands in America:

THE NATION’S FAVOURITE MOCKTAILS

Cocktails signify more than just a drink – they are an experience. We are all guilty of reading the drinks menu before heading to a bar to plan which cocktail we’re going to order first from mixologists, and savor them more than other classic alcoholic drinks.

Cocktails are an artform, and come in thousands of different shapes and sizes – with some more iconic than others. In recent years, non alcoholic cocktails – or mocktails – have risen in popularity, with alcohol-free liquors providing satisfying alternative tastes for cocktail connoisseurs. In fact, as we’ve emerged from the pandemic, we found that searches for ‘mocktails to order at a bar’ have increased by a huge 1,375% in the last 12 months.

As we start to go to more bars again, what are the most popular mocktails we’re ordering? We looked at the biggest increase in searches for our favourite non-alcoholic cocktails over the last year.

Topping the list was the iconic margarita. Whether you like yours on the rocks, spicy, or simply just made out of tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice, the margarita is America’s favourite mocktail, seeing a 556% increase in searches for the recipe in 2021. Mojitos dominated the list however, with people scouring the net to find alternative recipes for the classic cocktail with pineapple, strawberry, Sprite and blueberry versions.

According to increase in Google searches, the top 10 most popular mocktails in America are…

2 - Sex on the Beach - 450%

3 - Blue Lagoon - 400%

4 - Pineapple Mojito - 400%

5 - Classic Mojito - 300%

6 - Lemon Lavender - 300%

7 - Mojito with Sprite - 267%

8 - Hibiscus - 250%

9 - Strawberry Mojito - 250%

10 - Blueberry Mojito - 200%

This data compares the increase of searches from June 2020 to May 2021.

What are the benefits of drinking less alcohol?

By cutting down on your drinking habits, you’ll be able to reap a number of benefits.

Better recovery - Alcohol weakens your immune system, so you have a better chance of fighting off colds and viruses quicker.
Better physical health - You may experience lower blood sugar, which could lead to weight loss or fewer headaches. Some people also have alcohol sensitivities - you can find out if you are by taking a food sensitivity test.
Improved liver function - You can reverse your chances of getting alcohol fatty liver disease.
Reduced stress - Alcohol exacerbates mental illness, and many people turn to substances such as alcohol in an attempt to help their depression or anxiety. Lowering your intake can increase your self-confidence and decrease your anxiety.
More sleep - When we drink, we spend less time in a deep sleep, meaning we lose vital restorative stages of our sleep. Leading a more mindful drinking lifestyle can increase your restful sleep, helping your concentration when you’re awake.
A higher bank balance - For social drinkers, you can easily rack up the dollars buying rounds in bars. By cutting back, you’ll be surprised at how much you save as low-alcohol alternatives are often cheaper.

How can I start drinking less alcohol?

We live in a culture that celebrates drinking alcohol, so we understand that it can be tricky to fall out of that cycle. But there are a number of ways to make it easier to drink less booze:

Have drink-free days - Habits are born out of repetition. By having a select few days where you quit the alcohol, you’re more likely to spread those days out and drink less alcohol overall. For an extra challenge, consider making one of those days Friday or Saturday.
Have mocktail nights with friends - Instead of inviting your buddies over for a cocktail party, why not gather a number of mocktail ingredients and have fun making your own creation?
Tell your peers - Hold yourself accountable by telling your friends and family what you’re trying to achieve, so they don’t automatically buy you alcohol.
Take it a day at a time - If you slip up, don’t beat yourself up. Each day is a new day.
Start small - If you want a glass of wine, have one, but consider ordering a smaller glass than you usually would. Have a glass of water on the side too so you don’t drink the wine too quickly.
Swap for no/low drinks - No/low (no and low-alcoholic drinks) are having a moment, with people having so many new alternatives to try now than they did five years ago. Try them!

Methodology

To determine the United States of Sober America we first used Google Keyword Planner to determine the number of Google Searches each month for non-alcoholic related phrases per state and city. We then added these together and divided by the population of each state or city, to determine a per capita ranking. This figure was converted into an index score to rank the most to least sober locations in America.

To find out which mocktails Americans are most excited to drink this year, we compared the same months in 2020 and 2021 to show the percentage increase in search volume.

All information accurate as of July 2021.

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