As someone who has a slight bit of social anxiety, I decided to push my limits and see if I could do a sober night out. Trying to convince my friends to do so was probably the hardest part; in which they all failed.
Lately, there has been a rise in people leaning towards a less boozy night, with an increase for mocktails and or a 0% night. Speaking to a local bartender they stated that they’ve noticed more customers leaning towards an alcohol-free beer, called Lucky Saint (0.5% ABV) or a virgin cocktail (alcohol-free). Liam, manager and bartender at the Whiskey Tumbler claimed this is due to more awareness of one’s health and general well-being, however, Lucky Saint and mocktails tend to be more expensive. “In all honesty, I do find it quite strange that customers are so willing to pay so much for an alcohol-free drink, I mean especially in today’s economy I would rather just buy a Coke or stay home but it seems to be a big ‘fad’ at the moment with more brands coming out with alcohol-free options.”
So what is the ‘fad’ over a sober night out and will I enjoy it? My friends said other; “Judy you are not going to cope. You get anxious over everything this is literally the last thing I could ever picture you doing, you’re definitely not going to last…” While the others started making bets over how long I could actually last while I even found myself questioning whether I could do this.
Starting the night off we headed to my local pub, The Rose Fulham, where I’d indulge myself to a Lucky Saint which surprisingly was quite terrible so I really did not understand its popularity… Speaking to the manager Alex I asked what he thought of Lucky Saint and whether the rise in sober nights has affected the pub’s income. “Somehow we’ve actually managed to make more money, you see people at the end of the day are very social beings and don’t want to feel left out. I think when they have at least an alcohol-free beer then they can still feel like they are drinking or I guess you could say ‘included’, I have noticed many people asking for an alcohol-free gin and tonic which is actually a thing, or even asking for our alcohol-free Sparkling Chardonnay which only sells by the bottle for £32.5 which in my opinion is a big waste of money but at least we make money so win-win.”
By now my friends were already on their third drink and starting to get rather tipsy to which I found myself questioning whether I was just as annoying when I’m tipsy. Trying to feel some kind of buzz I started going for Red Bulls, which was definitely not the right move as this just made my social anxiety increasingly alarming. Surrounding myself with loud drunk people is not my ideal night out however I wanted to prove to myself and friends that a sober night out is possible.
Onto the next place with a quick tube to Parsons Green here I found myself in my own personal hell, The White Horse or more infamously known as the ‘Sloaney Pony’. The issue here lies within the crowd that migrates towards such establishments, it is the progressively loud and rambunctious group of people that have had the most gruelling work day and need to blow off some steam by getting completely and utterly wasted. Surprisingly The White Horse had a large selection of what they called “Low & No”, so I ordered their Yuzu, White Grape & Apricot Fizz for a whopping £7.50 which comprised of Tanqueray 0.0 (gin), Fever-Tree White Grape & Apricot, Elderflower, Yuzu which has a similar taste to grapefruit, and garnished with a dried orange. I do understand the concept of a mocktail, however, the price just does not equate, wanting to find out if anyone else would pay the same equivalent of a beer for a 0% beverage I dove in deep and created the courage to speak to a few men and women, a gathered the following through slurred words:
“Mate you’re honestly joking, right? Why on earth would I waste all my money to not get drunk?”, said a blonde-haired man who works in, corporate finance (aka finance bro).
“See I get the concept about looking after your body, and I hate having a hangover, but I would rather stay home and not be sober around a large group of drunk people. Especially this group. I have noticed that I am becoming more aware of my drinking habits though and maybe I might start leaning towards low-alcohol drinks.” said Emily who works as an interior designer.
Wanting to get a little more creative with my sleuthing skills I asked my friends why they think drinking has become such a large part of our culture.
“Well I have been drinking since I was about 14 and heavy since I was 15 so it’s pretty normal I guess, everyone I know drinks and every time I see my friends it’s usually at the pub or drinking in some kind of setting. I actually wouldn’t know how to function if I went out with mates and didn’t drink, Judy I’m surprised you’ve made it this far you always have a drink in hand.”: Freddie Braybrooke.
Essentially the idea of a sober night out would work out if you per say in your hometown; however, from what I have experienced, London is extremely expensive and secondly, the people that you meet on a night out need that sense of ‘release’. Lucky Saint is a great option for a 0% beer if you’re willing to pay an extortionate amount, but I don’t think I’ll be doing a sober night out again…