An Oddity in Wisconsin: Alcohol Free Bars

Thursday, April 20th, 2023 -- 10:01 AM

(By Evan Casey, Wisconsin Public Radio) Inmoxicated in Racine has dozens of beers, cocktails and wines on the menu.

According to Evan Casey with Wisconsin Public RadioAlong with hosting trivia nights, karaoke and music events, they're a "typical Wisconsin bar," according to manager Jeff Gustin.

But there's one key thing that separates Inmoxicated from other corner bars and pubs across Wisconsin, they don't serve alcohol. "We're proof that you can go out and have a good time and do all of your old things, without alcohol," Gustin said.

Inmoxicated is one of a few new "sober" and non-alcoholic cocktail bars that have opened up in Wisconsin recently, offering alcohol-free options for those who don't drink or don't want to drink as often.

Many bars now offer non-alcoholic drinks, but spots like Inmoxicated in Racine, HoneyBee Sage Wellness and Apothecary and The Counter Day Bar in Milwaukee and The Bronze Dragon in La Crosse, all of which have opened in the last two years, only serve non-alcoholic beverages.

A 2022 Gallup poll found 65 percent of legal adults across the nation drink alcohol. But in Wisconsin, drinking is part of the state's culture . A 24/7 Wall St. study revealed Wisconsin was the "drunkest" state in the nation, with just over 25 percent of residents drinking excessively.

In 2021, 41 of the 50 "drunkest" counties in America were in Wisconsin, according to that study. But businesses like Inmoxicated are trying to fight against that stigma and offer a safe space for those who don't want to drink alcohol on a given night. 

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