Soberish: The New Terms Emerging 

Have you heard the latest term in wellness vocabulary: Soberish?

The New York Times just wrote an interesting piece on the rise of people identifying as soberish, describing it as being "not drunk, not dry". It's in the same vein as doing "damp January" where you opt to drink less and be more mindful rather than completely dry for a month.

Soberish has emerged as part of a broader cultural shift in how people think about alcohol. Instead of claiming they're completely sober (which can feel a bit daunting) there's now room to be soberish. 

Let's dig into what it means and how you can try it.

The Rise Of A New Drinking Culture

If you're a millennial or above, you probably remember binge drinking being deemed cool, getting wasted being a right of passage and everyone thinking drinking every weekend is normal. In reality, we had a very toxic culture surrounding alcohol for a long time and now that narrative seems to be flipping with the more health conscious Gen Z becoming of drinking age.

This shift in the zeitgeist has created a whole new vocab, including soberish is as a new emerging term. Phrases like sober-curious, mindful drinking and soberish perfectly describe the new attitude to drinking alcohol where it's more about taking positive steps to drink in a healthier way vs completely removing alcohol from your life.

What Does Soberish Mean?

Being soberish means drinking less alcohol, drinking more intentionally, or taking frequent breaks from drinking, without committing to complete sobriety.

It helps people navigate the awkward conversation around whether they're drinkers or non-drinkers by opting to be sober most of the time, with the occasional drink.

Rather than fitting neatly into categories like “sober” or “not sober,” soberish people have a flexible, intentional approach to drinking - one that prioritises mindfulness over strict rules.

Why “Soberish” Resonates

These new terms surrounding alcohol resonate because they remove pressure to be perfect, which can often paradoxically cause us to drink more. Claiming sobriety forever can be hard for a grey area drinking who doesn't necessarily have a "problem" and it can feel a lot more aligned to aim to have a healthy relationship with alcohol on whole, without committing to full sobriety. 

Drinking occasionally allows people to participate socially, enjoy elevated drink experiences, and still prioritise how they want to feel the next day. In a world where wellness and balance matter more than ever, soberish offers a middle ground that feels realistic and sustainable.

Fancy going soberish?

If you're curious about drinking less alcohol, some delicious non-alcoholic recipes can go a long way. Get inspired over on our recipe page.