Sober-Curious?

Mocktail menus, non-alcoholic beer and other replacement drinks — like probiotic sodas and sparkling water — are growing in popularity, even at bars and restaurants in Wichita. The non-alcoholic movement has surged in popularity over the last few years, sparking new drink options for those who are sober or sober-curious. 

“You’re starting to see [the non-alcoholic movement] on reality shows, pop culture, celebrities, and you see them drinking non-alcoholic beer and it makes you feel like you’re not the only one,” said Tori Provencio, the creator of Sober Peeps ICT, a support group for sober and sober-curious people in Wichita. 

The non-alcoholic movement has grown in recent years, with trends supporting the movement like Dry January and dozens of non-alcoholic beers, wines and spirits on the market. A national survey found that 41 percent of Americans plan on drinking less alcohol in 2024, with younger generations spearheading the movement as 61 percent of Gen Z Americans surveyed plan on drinking less this year. 

“I see the shift in movement, I’ve seen a lot of statistics on Millennials and Gen Z, so I think it’s the younger kids who are starting to question it. Maybe it’s not quitting drinking at all, but being more mindful of it,” Provencio said. “I think we could learn a lot from our youth.” 

Provencio started Sober Peeps ICT in 2022 after her own journey into a sober lifestyle. Provencio says she self-identifies as having a drinking problem and realized in 2021 that she wanted to give a sober lifestyle a try. It started as an experiment while she trained for a marathon, but after the race she noticed improvements in her physical health, mental health and relationships, and continued to embrace sobriety. 

“It just kind of hit me that I hold myself to a standard and I wasn’t achieving that at the moment, so I thought if I eliminate this — let’s see how it goes,” Provencio said. “I didn’t feel like I was the best mom, coach, sister, girlfriend. I just was not my best self.”

‘I really like that I’m bringing my daughter up in a society and community where she can have options.’ — Tori Provencio, founder of Sober Peeps ICT

Bars and restaurants in Wichita are catching on — offering non-alcoholic options including mocktail menus at Botanic at GROW, Larcher’s Market, Mort’s Martini and Cigar Bar, Georges French Bistro, Public at the Brickyard and more. Many local restaurants and breweries offer non-alcoholic beer like the brand Athletic Brewing Co., including Hopping Gnome, Tor Brewing, Central Standard Brewing, FioRito, Kirby’s Beer Store and more, and you can find non-alcoholic beers at most local liquor stores. Coffee and kombucha are also popular non-alcoholic options. 

“It’s normalized and refreshing to see there are options other than something with alcohol, and it makes me think of Wichita as, Okay, you’re listening and looking for improvements on the restaurant and bar scene, because that’s a lot of the things to do in town,” Provencio said. “I can socialize in Wichita and feel okay, and that’s pretty cool.”

Sober Peeps ICT is not affiliated with a twelve-step program, but Provencio calls the group a laid-back support system. You don’t have to be sober to attend a meet-up, and Provencio says you can reach out to her any time for support, no matter what your relationship with alcohol might be. 

“I will never pressure anyone to come, just know the door is always open,” Provencio said. “I think even talking about it will help, and if someone’s not ready, that’s fine we’ll always be here.”

For Provencio, the non-alcoholic movement has become a new lifestyle, something she feels passionately about, not only for herself, but for others, and for the next generation.

“I really like that my daughter can see that, too, and she’s brought up in a society and community where she can have options,” Provencio said. “That’s a big part of why I did this, why I do anything, is for my daughter and trying to bring her up in an environment that is nurturing and inspiring her that she has options, but never pushing her, just giving her information in a healthy environment.”

You can follow Sober Peeps ICT and reach Provencio through the group’s Instagram account @soberpeepsict