Dry January curious? Alcohol-free pop-up bar to open in Pittsburgh

Mel Babitz hopes drinkers will take a shot at attending an alcohol-free happy hour in Pittsburgh.

Starting Jan. 15, and continuing every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday throughout the month, she’ll host a boozeless pop-up bar at Creative Coffee & Supply on Smithfield Street, Downtown. From 4 to 7 p.m., guests can enjoy nonalcoholic craft beer, sangria, original cocktails, light snacks and some surprises.

On Jan. 17, the happy hour will morph into a dance party from 7 to 11 p.m. with help from DJ Emma Vescio.

The Dry January gatherings are geared toward adults who are sober curious or just looking for a break from the booze. The mocktail movement is becoming more and more popular.

Babitz, a veteran of the restaurant business, said she has noticed a shift in the way folks are socializing. Many people are taking a more active approach to their health and, as a result, are fleeing the rowdy bar scene or enduring it with a seltzer and lime.

In August, she founded The Open Road Bar, a planned brick-and-mortar establishment that will serve craft beverages, both alcoholic and alcohol-free. A location has not yet been determined.

She found inspiration in similar watering holes such as Brillig Dry Bar in Ann Arbor, Mich., Vena’s Fizz House in Portland, Maine, The Virgin Mary in Dublin, Ireland and London’s Redemption Bar.

Pop-ups are her primary focus until she finds the right location for a storefront. Once Dry January is over, she will launch a crowdfunding campaign and continue to utilize the Creative Coffee & Supply space for tasting events.

“Nonalcoholic bars are very popular on the West Coast and it’s something that will hit Pittsburgh relatively soon,” says Carmen Swasey, owner of the coffee shop. “There’s an opportunity here to help something grow.”

Most of the beverages Babitz features at pop-ups aren’t available in local stores.

“The products I’m serving are pretty new,” Babitz says. “I’m excited to bring them to Pittsburgh and give them a showcase.”

She praises liquids such as Hoplark Hoptea, a tea brewed with hops, minus the sugars, additives and fermentation. Brew Dog, a Scotland-based suds-maker that’s opening a taproom in East Liberty in 2020, has several low- and no-alcohol beers, including a stout. Ritual Zero Proof makes nonalcoholic spirits such as whiskey and gin.

Major label breweries are also jumping on the N.A. bandwagon. Die-hard fans of Heineken, Corona and Pabst Blue Ribbon can now get alcohol-free versions of their favorite brands. Instead of giving up the bottle, they can clutch a cold one, helping them feel more like a part of the crowd without sacrificing sobriety.

With The Open Road Bar, Babitz wants to lead people to healthier — and tasty — alternatives to liquor.

“’The open road’ brings to mind infinite options and possibilities for where we go, how we think, what we do, and in this case, how we drink,” she says. “This will be a new type of bar — the middle ground between a sober bar and a traditionally alcoholic one. The Open Road is shaking up the idea of what a bar serves, putting nonalcoholic options in the spotlight.”