🍹 Dry January in the Tri-Cities

Dry January is upon us — and local establishments are prepared.

Gone are the days of drinking-mandatory vibes at pubs and breweries. Regardless of the month, non-alcoholic beverages have been surging in popularity nationally. The Chicago Sun-Times profiled the city’s “sober-curious” movement just last week.

In the September 2024 issue of Kane County Magazine, Nick Miller, general manager of Pollyanna Brewing in St. Charles, said, “We’ve definitely seen an increase in demand for them. For whatever reason, people are more conscious about consuming alcohol.”

Alcohol mindfulness tends to reach its peak during January, when many people choose to take a monthlong break from drinking.

If that’s you (or if you were a non-drinker to begin with), here are some local spots you can find an enticing selection of non-alcoholic cocktails, beers and other beverages:

• Barrel & Rye, Geneva: Two NA beer options and three spirit-free cocktails, including one with hot chocolate, smoked chipotle peppers and toasted marshmallows.

• Geneva Wine Cellars: The Wölffer Estate, Spring In A Bottle (NA sparkling rosé wine) and the Weingut Huber, Layla (NA sparkling wine). Pictured above.

• Geneva Winery: Four NA beer options plus tons of coffee and tea flavors.

• moto imoto, STC: Two creative NA cocktails, plus an NA beer.

• Niche, Geneva: Four mocktails, including the Princess Peach with peach nectar, grated ginger and ginger ale.

• Obscurity Brewing, Elburn: Three NA beer options (from Go Brewing).

• Penrose Brewing, Geneva: The taproom offers two NA beers plus juice boxes for the kids (and young at heart).

• The Graceful Ordinary, STC: Six NA cocktails, including the tasty-looking Lyre’s Amaretti.

• The James, Geneva: A nice selection of no-proof cocktails (the Passion of the Mule sure sounds refreshing).

• The Lewis, STC: Four zero-alcohol cocktails and an NA beer.

• The Walrus Room, Geneva: Several low-ABV mocktails and “un-cocktails.”

• Whiskey Bend, STC: Special mocktails available staring New Year’s Day.

Special note: Since January is historically the slowest month for breweries, the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild is running a program that rewards fans of local breweries for stocking up on local brews — even if they’re participating in Dry January.

Check out the third annual My Illinois Beer Fridge competition, which begins Friday (1/3).

📰 News to use

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☑️ Take safety action: Kane County is creating a safety action plan to minimize serious injuries and fatalities on local roads. Visit the program site to add to the safety hotspot map, take a safety survey and get more important updates.

☑️ Crime update: Here’s the latest on the Geneva man charged with first-degree murder in a domestic violence incident last week, including details on the victims and court dates.

☑️ Underage purchases: Gas stations, liquor stores, restaurants and Aldi are among several St. Charles businesses that were recently fined for liquor and tobacco violations.

☑️ Sick season: Public health officials are monitoring outbreaks of norovirus cases in Illinois as concerns about bird flu continue to gain momentum across the country.

🔒 Looking back: The Kane County Chronicle shared its top stories of 2024, including the Charles Farm development denial, bullying at Batavia schools and the St. Charles dam debate.

🏘️ In the community

☑️ Batavia in 2024: From mysterious foam to hidden skulls and a mayoral challenger, a lot happened in Batavia in 2024. I joined Richard Clark of Area Code: Batavia to discuss the top stories from the past year in his latest podcast episode.

☑️ Recreation upgrades: A new $600K state grant will allow the St. Charles Park District to enhance Harvest Hills Park with new amenities including a basketball court, fitness equipment and a game plaza.

☑️ Year in review: The City of St. Charles reflected on key initiatives that shaped 2024, ranging from residential and business developments to public safety, infrastructure upgrades and community initiatives.

☑️ Storm science: Northern Illinois University will play a key role in an $11M field study next spring, sending researchers into severe weather conditions in the Great Plains to analyze the most destructive threats posed by thunderstorms.

☑️ Deals galore: The best time to start preparing for next year’s holiday season is now — at least at The Little Traveler in Geneva. Their After-Christmas sale includes massive discounts on seasonal items.

🎸 Live music

In terms of local live music, there are still plenty of options on Friday and Saturday night — though some venues have yet to list their performance schedules for the new year. I’ll keep this list updated as more info becomes available.

🛍️ Local biz

☑️ Almost al fresco: The heated outdoor pods at Bien Trucha in Geneva offer a fun, unique experience. Take advantage of “social hour” (half-priced margs and beers) from 4-5:30PM Tuesday through Friday and 9-10PM on Friday and Saturday.

☑️ Billiards bonanza: If you’re a fan of pool or darts, you should check out 3rd Street Pub (formerly Billy Brick’s) in St. Charles for some indoor fun this winter. It’s no-frills and friendly, with four pool tables and good pizza and wings.

🗓️ Events & Things to Do

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☑️ PetSmart Adoption Event | Sat 1/4, 12-2PM | PetSmart, Geneva | Meet adoptable dogs and get free gifts.

☑️ Line Dancing & Back Country Roads | Sat 1/4, 5PM | Obscurity Brewing, Elburn | Enjoy some old-fashioned line dancing followed by live music.

🎟️ William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night Unrehearsed (Mostly) | Sun 1/5, 7PM | Moonlight Theatre, STC | An entertaining story of the holidays, love triangles and grief.

☑️ Intro to Square Dancing | Sun, 1/5, 6:30-8:30PM | Baker Community Center, STC | No experience needed, just be ready for a great time.

🗞️ From the Archives

The Batavia Depot Museum recently shared this winter photo of East Wilson Street dating back to somewhere between 1910 and 1920. Visible in the background is the CA&E Station that served as passenger transport into Chicago.

Read more about the history of the old Batavia railway station on page 31 of this 1998 issue of The Batavia Historian.

🌖 Weather snapshot

❄️ Today: High 32F | Low 16F | Flurries

☀️ Friday: High 24F | Low 10F | Bright + cold

⛅️ Saturday: High 25F | Low 14F | So January

☁️ Sunday: High 26F | Low 19F | So gray

📖 Thanks for reading

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