N/A Day draws crowds to The Bur Oak amid Dry January

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - As interest in alcohol-free lifestyles continues to grow, Madison residents gathered this weekend to sample non-alcoholic beverages during N/A Day, an event timed to coincide with Dry January.

The festival returned Saturday to The Bur Oak for its third year in the city, offering attendees the chance to try more than 50 non-alcoholic beers, spirits and specialty drinks from local and national producers.

N/A Day founder Tyler Maas said the event was created to meet growing demand for alternatives to alcohol, particularly for people who still enjoy social settings but want more choices.

“I kind of had the awareness or the realization that this is a vastly growing, expanding, and improving market,” Maas said. “And I drink here and there, like a lot of Wisconsinites, but also I just wanted some extra options.”

The event first launched in Milwaukee in 2022 before expanding to Madison in 2024. Organizers say attendance and vendor interest have steadily increased each year as the non-alcoholic beverage industry continues to evolve.

Among the vendors was Mock & Co., founded by Firoz Khimani and Calin O’Connor. The pair said the idea for their alcohol-free cocktails came from their own efforts to cut back on drinking.

“I think both of us had been looking into and sampling a lot of mocktails and NA beers. We were trying to cut down our own alcohol consumption,” Khimani said. “And I did a 100-day challenge where I didn’t drink.”

After trying products already on the market, the founders said they were disappointed by what they found.

“We went out and tried a variety of available mocktails in the market and didn’t like any of it,” Khimani said. “We just thought that they lacked a depth of flavor and complexity. So, we started experimenting on our own. And this is what we arrived at.”

One of Mock & Co.’s most popular offerings is a non-alcoholic take on the Wisconsin Old Fashioned — a drink deeply tied to state culture.

Khimani, who moved to Wisconsin in 2004, said the drink played a role in shaping the company’s direction.

“I came to Wisconsin in 2004 and fell in love with this drink,” he said.

The founders said they focus on making beverages that still feel special and satisfying.

“I think that it is one of those very few mocktails available in the market right now which are complex, flavorful, layered, aromatic,” Khimani said. “We do get this feedback every once in a while, where, ‘Oh, I couldn’t tell that there’s no alcohol in this.’ So, we are trying it to the point where it satiates your craving for alcohol.”

Event organizers said tasting opportunities are key to helping people overcome skepticism around non-alcoholic drinks.

“It’s hard to make the leap and buy another four-pack or something, so we like to give people chances to try it,” O’Connor said. “I think there’s a lot of growing — just people who want to be healthier, want to live a life where they’re a little more mindful about what they’re consuming.”

Mock & Co. products are currently sold at Metcalfe’s, Barriques locations, Steve’s Liquor and Hy-Vee stores across the Madison area.

Maas says interest in alcohol-free social events continues to rise, and they plan to keep bringing the festival back to Madison in the future.

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