Dry January is upon us, and in the absence of booze, some Coloradans may notice that their social life is a bit lacking. After all, craft beer brewpubs and dive bars tend to be among top spots to hit for the post-work happy hour or following a day on the trail in the Centennial State. Heck, Colorado is home to more than 400 breweries for a reason.

This January, I’m one of the people that’s tackling ‘Dry January’ – now a bit of an annual tradition for me – and given that decision, I found myself hunting for something to do with my spare time this past weekend in Colorado Springs. After an exhausting morning of caving, our friend group wasn’t ready to call it quits – but what could come next? With most of the group abstaining from alcohol, we had to fill our time with something else – something low key after all of the energy we had spent earlier on in the day.

We started with a bit of football watching and calorie consumption at Mother Muff’s in Colorado Springs’ Old Colorado City area. That said, Mother Muff’s is a bar, and sitting around sipping on water after our massive meals didn’t feel quite right – most of the seats were taken and other thirsty patrons were willing to spend their hard-earned cash. Given the situation at hand, we set our sights elsewhere – a new-to-us ‘zero proof’ bar located just down the road.

Side Note: I’ve been switching it up with the ‘Extreme BLT’ at Mother Muff’s lately and it’s among my new favorites. It’s a half-pound of bacon with various toppings and served on Pueblo chile and jalapeño cheddar bread. Would recommend.

I’ll be honest – I’ve always felt like the zero-proof bars were a bit of a gimmick. Why sit around spending money on drinks that are glorified sodas or fancy waters? I was wrong.

We moseyed out of Mother Muff’s and popped over to Gratitude, a few blocks west down Colorado Avenue. This spot bills itself as a “place for those seeking a non-alcohol drinking experience in an elevated atmosphere.” I’d say that tagline hits the nail on the head.

Gratitude offers the expected mocktails, of course, but it’s moreso known for its kava and Indonesian tea – the former of which is said to have calming effects and the latter of which is energizing. On top of that, the spot offers various drink add-ins, each with its own stated purpose – things like ashwagandha for reliving stress, Lion’s Mane for boosting memory, reishi for fighting fatigue, and amanita muscaria for feelings of euphoria (and before you ask, no, the mushroom additives on the menu aren’t psychedelic).

Our group walked into a bustling, but relaxed atmosphere. Most of the seats were taken by people locked in conversation, though chatter was relatively muted compared to that of the typical bar.

Unsure of what to order, all of us went with The Classic Kava – it was kava in its most standard form and given that it was far too late in the day for the stimulation of Indonesian tea, it seemed like the best option. Of course a few in the group tried mushroom additives, too.

Much like a normal bar experience, the group sat there and enjoyed time together while also sipping on our selections – admittedly and as expected, the kava tasted a bit like the dirt in the cave we were just in. Oddly, however, not in a bad way.

Did the kava have any sort of calming effect? Did mushroom additives make a difference? I honestly don’t know. I certainly did leave the bar relaxed, though I’m sure the cozy atmosphere of the establishment and the long day spent underground were factors in that, too. And as was noted by the bartender ahead of ordering, the effects of kava and other offerings tend to be a bit more subtle than that of alcohol. Either way, I had a great time and I’m sure I’ll be back soon.

Whether you’re participating in dry January or simply looking for a social atmosphere that’s absent of booze, I’d definitely recommend giving Gratitude a try. From a very welcoming staff to the overall vibe, Gratitude delivered on the positive aspects of the ‘bar’ experience without booze required.

Learn more about Gratitude and explore the menu here.

STAY INFORMED: Get free Colorado news with our daily newsletter (Click here)