The annual practice of abstaining from alcohol consumption for the month of January can give brewers a case of the New Year blues, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Lacy and Travis Richards, co-owners of Nothing’s Left Brewing, joined Brewbound Frontlines to discuss the success of their weekly dry bar event, Not A Drop of Alcohol (NADA), which features non-alcoholic beer, wine and cocktails.
Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Nothing’s Left welcomed new and returning guests who wanted to enjoy a social experience without alcohol on Mondays in January. Some patrons abstain entirely, some just for the month, but several expressed gratitude for having a place to gather, Travis Richards said.
“A lot of places will say in their marketing that their beer is crafted for community or that their community is what’s most important to them, but not offering something for everybody really doesn’t fall into that, in my opinion,” he added.
Lacy Richards, who oversees front-of-house operations at Nothing’s Left, tapped into her network of non-drinking friends and entrepreneurs to design the NADA menu and advised fellow craft brewers to do the same.
“There’s a lot of small businesses, like bitters companies, that are wonderful and they want to work with you,” she said.
Menu planning, however, takes work, Lacy Richards cautioned.
“Really do your research,” she said. “Start ordering. It’s not a fast process. You have to be well-stocked.”
Based on the success of the January NADA events, Nothing’s Left plans to host NADA monthly, with the next taking place on Monday, February 6.
Watch this episode of Brewbound Frontlines above and see here for more.