Dry January: why more and more italians are choosing a month without alcohol

January is the month when the body asks for a break. After weeks of toasts, endless lunches, and nights a little longer than usual, more and more Italians choose to hit pause. This is where Dry January comes in - the Anglo-Saxon habit that encourages abstaining from alcohol until the end of the month. A simple gesture, but increasingly intentional.

According to recent studies on consumption habits, one in four Italians says they want to try a month without alcohol after the holidays. Of these, around 11% approach Dry January consciously - not as a temporary penance, but as an opportunity to reset after the excesses of December.

Those who complete the month report tangible benefits: more energy during the day, less irritability, more regular sleep, and lighter digestion. There’s also a not-so-small side effect: the feeling of finally settling the score with panettone, multiple toasts, and “just one more glass.”

From a scientific standpoint, a break from alcohol can also have positive effects. One month of abstinence is associated with improved sleep quality, reduced inflammatory markers, and greater mental clarity. No miracle promises - just a small reset that helps the body find a steadier rhythm.

Biova Project’s (Unusual) Choice

Faced with all this, we at Biova Project asked ourselves a simple question: does it make sense to talk about Dry January without actually doing anything? The answer was just as simple.

For the entire month of January, we will not ship beer from our e-commerce store. Starting January 2, 2025, anyone visiting biovaproject.com will find only Ri-Drink, our natural, sparkling, non-alcoholic beverage, designed to accompany those who have chosen to navigate January with a little more lightness—for the liver and the mind.

It may seem counterintuitive for a company that produces beer. But it doesn’t come from a rejection of alcohol; it comes from a genuine desire to support those taking a pause, without winks or unnecessary temptations.

Order Now, Toast Later

There’s one important detail. Throughout January, our beers remain available for purchase online, but they will only be shipped starting in February. This is not a trick, it’s a statement: you can choose now what to drink, plan your next toast, and put your mind at ease, without giving in halfway through the month.

The idea is simple: postpone the right moment, turn the wait into part of the choice. That way, the first toast in February becomes a shared, conscious gesture - decidedly more enjoyable.

Who We Are, for Those Discovering Us Now

Biova Project was founded to transform unsold bread and other food surpluses into craft beer, giving value to what would otherwise be wasted. Over the years, we’ve tried to make sustainability something daily, concrete, and non-moralistic. With the same approach, we developed Ri-Drink, a rescue-based kombucha, natural and sparkling, bringing our way of doing things into the world of non-alcoholic beverages. Not to replace beer, but to complement it—especially when the context calls for it.

Useful Information

Ri-Drink is available throughout January on biovaproject.com.

Beers purchased during January will be shipped starting February 1, just in time to toast together again. Without guilt. And, most likely, with even more enjoyment.