Skip to main content
The annual public health craze Dry January is back, and Oregon brewers and bottle shops are ready to meet customers where they are. The Multnomah Village location of John’s Marketplace will host its free “N/A Fest,” a booze-free tasting event from 2 to 5 pm this Saturday, Jan. 10. (Overachievers can show up at 1 pm for a run club first.)
Vendors will include Best Day Brewing, Downshift, All-Day Coffee, Fort George, Ginger Cult, Papa’s Alternative Brew, St. Agrestis and Curious Elixers. The kitchen will be open, slinging smash burgers and more.
“The month of January has become a particular joy for us,” according to John’s Marketplace, because of this event’s spotlight on the world of nonalcoholic beverages. “These aren’t ‘alternatives’ to us. They’re simply another chapter in the same craft conversation.”
That’s a positive reframe of what has proven to be a challenging month for bars.
John’s Marketplace just closed its Beaverton location on Dec. 31 due to changes in the craft beer industry, such as “fewer small breweries in distribution, rising costs and challenges specific to that space,” according to the announcement. John’s still has two locations in operation: Multnomah Village and Southeast Powell Boulevard.
A staggering one-quarter of American drinkers ages 21 and up participate in the challenge to abstain from alcohol for the first month of the year, according to a 2024 study by market research firm Civic Science.
Last year, WW reported that ForeLand Beer closed its Southeast Belmont Street taproom permanently on New Year’s Eve, in part because it didn’t think it could weather another Dry January.
Great Notion, another brewery that echoed the challenges in January last year, has just launched its first-ever NA beer. Ripe AF is a nonalcoholic hazy IPA brewed with Citra hops and contains less than 0.5% alcohol by volume.
The advocacy organization Celebrate Oregon Beer has launched another #PubJanuary, an online initiative that serves as counterprogramming to Dry January. It encourages customers to keep going to their favorite bars—no matter what they are or are not drinking right now.
“We know January can be a quiet month for pubs and taprooms, so we launched this online initiative to help drive foot traffic when you need it most,” said Jeff Alworth, executive director of Celebrate Oregon Beer, in a press release. Alworth encourages participants to post photos of themselves with the hashtag #PubJanuary.
DRINK: NA/Fest at John’s Marketplace, 3535 SW Multnomah Blvd. 2-5 pm Saturday, Jan. 10. Free.
