Best Non-Alcoholic Bitters for Dry January (2026 Guide)
Dry January often raises a simple but confusing question: can you still use bitters if you are not drinking alcohol, and how do non-alcoholic bitters fit into alcohol-free drinks?
The answer depends entirely on the type of bitters you choose. This guide explains how non-alcoholic bitters differ from traditional bitters, whether they are appropriate during Dry January, and how to use them to build balanced, alcohol-free cocktails and mocktails.
Updated for Dry January 2026
Quick Answer
The best non-alcoholic bitters for Dry January are alcohol-free bitters that help drinks taste balanced and complex, without adding alcohol. Bark & Bitter non-alcoholic bitters are made for alcohol-free cocktails, allowing you to add a few dashes for flavour and structure while staying completely zero-proof.
What are non-alcoholic bitters?
Non-alcoholic bitters are concentrated blends of herbs, botanicals, and spices designed to play the same role as traditional cocktail bitters in drinks, but without adding alcohol to an otherwise alcohol-free drink. They are meant to be used in small amounts to add bitterness, aroma, and structure to drinks.
Traditional bitters usually use high-proof alcohol to extract flavour from botanicals such as bitter roots, spices, citrus peel, and aromatic ingredients. Alcohol-free bitters use other bases or extraction methods to capture those flavours, so you can get the same style of cocktail complexity without adding alcohol.
During Dry January, the key consideration is alcohol content. Traditional bitters often contain alcohol, which can be a concern for people who are intentionally avoiding alcohol for personal, wellness, or sobriety reasons, even when the amount used is small. Non-alcoholic bitters remove that uncertainty and are designed specifically for alcohol-free cocktails and mocktails.
Are bitters "allowed" during Dry January?
Whether bitters fit within Dry January depends on personal intent rather than a strict rule. Different people participate in Dry January for different reasons, ranging from sober-curiosity and wellness to habit resets for the new year, or long-term sobriety.
Because traditional cocktail bitters contain alcohol, they can introduce uncertainty. Some people are comfortable using them in small amounts, while others prefer to avoid alcohol entirely during the month, regardless of quantity.
In practical terms, the amount of alcohol contributed by a few dashes of traditional bitters is small. However, for people intentionally avoiding alcohol during Dry January, even small amounts can feel misaligned with their goals, especially when alcohol-free alternatives are readily available.
Non-alcoholic bitters simplify that decision. By removing alcohol from the equation, they allow people to focus on building flavorful, well-balanced drinks without having to question whether a drink still fits their goals.
How much alcohol do traditional bitters add to a mocktail?
Traditional cocktail bitters are typically made with high-proof alcohol, often in the range of 35% to 45% ABV. For example, Angostura bitters are 44.7% ABV. Bitters are usually added in very small amounts, measured in dashes, with one dash equal to approximately 2.1 mL.
To understand how this affects an alcohol-free drink, consider a common Old Fashioned–style mocktail build:
- 2 oz non-alcoholic whiskey alternative
- 0.25 oz simple syrup
- Stirred with ice, adding approximately 30 mL of dilution
- Total finished volume: just under 100 mL
In this diluted, finished drink, adding about half a dash of a 44.7% ABV bitters brings the drink to roughly 0.5% ABV, which is the typical threshold used to define a “non-alcoholic” beverage. Adding one full dash already pushes the drink above that level.
In other words, even though bitters are used sparingly, the combination of their high alcohol content and the relatively small volume of a stirred drink means that a single dash can meaningfully affect the final alcohol percentage.
This is why non-alcoholic bitters exist. They allow you to use bitters freely for flavour, aroma, and balance in mocktails without having to think about alcohol thresholds, calculations, or personal interpretations, making it easier to stay fully alcohol-free during Dry January and beyond.
How to use non-alcoholic bitters in Dry January drinks
Non-alcoholic bitters are used the same way as traditional bitters: in small amounts to shape the flavour of a drink rather than dominate it. A few dashes can add balance, depth, and structure to alcohol-free cocktails.
Two to four dashes per drink is typical, depending on the recipe and how bold you want the flavour to be. Because alcohol-free drinks often rely more heavily on mixers, bitters can play a larger role in creating a satisfying, well-rounded profile.
Non-alcoholic bitters work especially well for:
- Balancing sweetness in mocktails
- Adding depth to citrus-forward drinks
- Building structure in spirit-free Old Fashioned or Manhattan-style cocktails
- Turning simple soda or tonic into a more complex drink
During Dry January, bitters play a key role in crafting delicious, complex drinks. Pairing them with non-alcoholic spirits, aperitifs, teas, or sparkling water allows you to build layered drinks that feel intentionally complex and complete.
Choose the right bitters for your Dry January drinks
Different bitters styles work better in different alcohol-free drinks. If you’re mixing at home during Dry January, this quick guide can help you choose the right bitters for your drink.
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Old Fashioned–style mocktails
Honestly Aromatic Bitters add warmth, spice, and structure, making them a natural fit for spirit-forward, stirred drinks made with non-alcoholic whiskey alternatives or strong brewed teas and coffee. -
Spritzes and sparkling drinks
Overtly Orange Bitters bring brightness and lift to soda, tonic, and citrus-forward drinks, helping balance sweetness and keep sparkling serves feeling crisp and refreshing. -
Bold, spice-driven drinks
New Orleans Bywater Bitters offer richness and herbal intensity, working especially well in darker, more expressive alcohol-free cocktails inspired by classic New Orleans–style drinks like the Sazerac. -
Lighter, modern cocktails
Boker's Best Cardamom Bitters provide fragrant, aromatic spice and citrus without heaviness, making them a good choice for lighter spirits-style drinks and contemporary mocktails. -
Simple soda or tonic serves
A few drops of any bitters style can turn sparkling water or tonic into a more layered, intentional drink, drawing on a simple bitters-and-soda tradition enjoyed around the world for generations.
Non-alcoholic bitters for Dry January
How Bark & Bitter compares to other non-alcoholic bitters
Non-alcoholic bitters are developed with different priorities in mind, which affects how they perform in cocktails. Some are built around functional botanicals or wellness positioning, while others aim to replicate the role of traditional bitters used behind the bar.
Bark & Bitter non-alcoholic bitters are developed with bartenders and classic cocktails in mind. The focus is on delivering bitterness, aromatic intensity, and balance in a way that integrates cleanly into established cocktail formats, without introducing additional flavour elements that compete with a drink's structure.
By contrast, some non-alcoholic bitters emphasize ingredients associated with digestive or wellness benefits. These formulations often rely on assertive base flavours, such as vinegars or strongly-flavoured functional botanicals, which can make them less neutral and more challenging to use in classic cocktails. Other brands take a more minimalist approach, approximating traditional bitters with fewer ingredients, which can limit complexity in finished drinks.
Bark & Bitter takes a cocktail-first approach to non-alcoholic bitters, built around classic flavour and structure while still fitting naturally into alcohol-free and wellness-focused routines.
Bark & Bitter bitters for Dry January
Bark & Bitter offers a focused range of non-alcoholic bitters designed for alcohol-free cocktails, mocktails, and Dry January drinks. Each style fills a specific role behind the bar, helping you build balanced, satisfying drinks without alcohol.
Available bitters include:
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Honestly Aromatic Bitters
A classic aromatic bitters profile built around warm spices and bitter botanicals, designed to add structure and depth to spirit-forward, stirred drinks. -
Overtly Orange Bitters
Bright, citrus-forward bitters that add lift and balance to lighter cocktails, and aperitif-style drinks -
New Orleans Bywater Bitters
A bold, herbal and spice-driven bitters inspired by New Orleans–style cocktails, offering richness and intensity for darker, more expressive drinks. -
Boker's Best Cardamom Bitters (NEW!)
Cardamom-forward bitters with a clean, aromatic spice profile balanced with fresh citrus, well-suited to lighter spirits-style drinks and modern cocktail formats that benefit from fragrance rather than weight.
If you’re exploring for the first time, mini sample packs offer an easy way to try multiple styles. Four-bottle bundles are ideal for building a complete alcohol-free bitters lineup for Dry January and beyond.
Written by Bark & Bitter, a non-alcoholic bitters producer in Ontario, Canada. Our bitters are formulated for classic cocktail structure in alcohol-free drinks.
Dry January FAQs
How much alcohol do traditional bitters add to a mocktail?
Traditional bitters are usually made with high-proof alcohol, often around 35–45% ABV, but are used in very small amounts. In small, stirred mocktails like an Old Fashioned-style drink, even a single dash of traditional bitters can push the finished drink above the 0.5% ABV threshold commonly used to define non-alcoholic beverages.
For people participating in Dry January, this is why non-alcoholic bitters are often preferred—they provide the same flavour and structure without adding any alcohol.
Do non-alcoholic bitters contain any alcohol?
Non-alcoholic bitters contain no alcohol. Unlike traditional bitters, which are often made with high-proof spirits, alcohol-free bitters are formulated without alcohol and intended for alcohol-free cocktails and mocktails.
How many dashes of non-alcoholic bitters should I use?
In classic cocktail terms, bitters are measured in dashes. When using a pipette or a dropper-style bottle, this typically means a few droppers at a time. Start with a small amount, taste, and adjust until the drink feels balanced.
Because non-alcoholic bitters are meant to shape flavour rather than dominate it, a light hand is usually best. You can always add more to taste.
Are traditional bitters “allowed” during Dry January?
It depends on your personal goals for Dry January. Traditional bitters typically contain alcohol and are used in very small amounts. Some people are comfortable with that, while others prefer to avoid alcohol entirely during the month.
Are Non-Alcoholic Bitters Sweet?
Non-alcoholic bitters are not designed to taste sweet, but they may have a subtle underlying sweetness depending on the base used. Glycerine, which is commonly used in alcohol-free bitters, has a naturally sweet character. In well-balanced bitters, that sweetness is intentionally offset by bitter roots, spices, and aromatic botanicals, so the finished result reads as bitter, dry, and structured rather than sugary.
Can I use non-alcoholic bitters in sparkling water or tonic?
Yes! Bitters and Soda is a traditional drink enjoyed worldwide for its simplicity and digestive benefits. A few drops or dashes can add complexity and balance to sparkling water, tonic, soda, or citrus-forward mixers, turning a simple drink into something that feels more intentional.
Which non-alcoholic bitters are best for Old Fashioned-style mocktails?
Aromatic bitters styles work best for Old Fashioned-style drinks because they add warmth, spice, and structure. They pair especially well with non-alcoholic whiskey alternatives or strong brewed teas and coffee.
What’s the best way to explore different non-alcoholic bitters during Dry January?
Trying multiple bitters styles is often the easiest way to understand how they behave in alcohol-free cocktails. Smaller format options, such as mini sample packs, are well suited to tasting and experimentation, while larger multi-bottle sets make sense once you know which styles you’ll use regularly.
Do non-alcoholic bitters work with non-alcoholic spirits?
Yes. In fact, that's kinda the point. Non-alcoholic bitters are designed to work alongside alcohol-free spirits, aperitifs, and mixers, helping add structure and complexity the same way bitters do in classic cocktails.
Can non-alcoholic bitters be used in food as well as drinks?
Yes. Like traditional bitters, non-alcoholic bitters can be used in small amounts to add aromatic depth and flavour to many foods, including syrups, dressings, desserts, and more!
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