Kristi Tanner marks 5 years sober by opening Wisconsin's first nonalcoholic bottle shop

Saturday, July 6 marks two important milestones for Kristi Tanner — five years of sobriety and the opening day of Sober Social, her nonalcoholic (NA) bottle shop in Middleton.

“When I was in recovery, the options for me to socialize just weren’t there,” says Tanner. At girls’ nights and happy hour meet-ups, everyone but Tanner held a glass of wine or a cocktail. Even as mocktails and NA beverages started to appear on menus and shelves, seeking them out meant going to a bar or a liquor store — both spaces that could be triggering for her.

The product variety was disappointing, too: “You walk into a liquor store, putting blinders on to 3,000-square-feet of liquor, saying ‘no, thank you’ to the free samples, and go to the corner to find, like, four nonalcoholic options,” says Tanner.

Tanner learned to make mocktails at home (building an Instagram following as @mocktailmommy ), but still craved a social space for non-drinkers. When she came across Sans Bar Academy, a 10-week virtual program to build an NA bar or brand, something clicked.

“This is what I’m going to do. This is what’s going to sing,” she says. “Especially in Wisconsin, where people drink for every occasion — baby showers, birthdays, weddings, sporting events, Saturdays, Tuesdays.”

Her 700-square-foot shop isn’t just a safe place for recovering alcoholics.

“It’s this beautiful, brand-new space for sober people, sober-curious people, people who love someone who’s sober, pregnant people, people on medications, older people,” says Tanner.

Since Sober Social’s soft opening on May 15, she’s already seen a wide range of customers: From a customer who’s been sober for 38 years getting to taste his favorite drink, an Old Fashioned, again to an OB/GYN excited to give her patients new options for NA beverages.

“The response has been absolutely incredible,” she says. “There were people waiting outside of my store for me to open on Saturday.”

Sober Social’s grand opening on July 6 will go from 4 to 8 p.m., with samples from Untitled Art and Drink Forward (plus more samples of in-store products) and live music from Jage Nichols.

In the future, Tanner hopes to start offering events — wine tastings, ladies’ nights, mocktail classes, book launches and more.

“People want to get together,” she says. “People want to socialize and be sober.”

KRISTI’S RECOMMENDATIONS

To Tanner's knowledge, Sober Social is the first NA bottle shop in Wisconsin — so visitors might not know what to expect.

“The experience in my store is like a boutique. I’m going to educate you, give you samples and talk to you about the brand,” she says. “The brands in my store are people and companies that I am proud to represent and proud to sell.”

Already, she has a few top sellers (and a few personal favorites).

Functional beverages: A “functional” NA drink might contain lion’s mane or reishi mushrooms, ashwaganda, green tea extract or other natural ingredients that create a sense of calm. “Your body feels relaxed, but your mind is clear,” says Tanner. They’re all popular, but Tanner has noticed the most demand for Little Saints’ NA tequila (hello, NA margarita) and Drømme’s functional liquid botanical with spices. Her pitch for the latter? “It looks sexy in a highball glass with a big ice cube, too,” she says.

Water with some ‘wow’ factor: Tanner carries seven flavors of the brand moment’s products. These canned drinks contain natural botanicals (like ginger, hibiscus, rhubarb or jasmine) and adaptogens (natural substances that help to body manage stress, such as ginseng). While the brand’s founder is from New York, moment is manufactured right here in Capitol Brewery.

Rosé replacement: Tanner’s personal go-to is Jøyus’ rosé. “It’s complex, it’s dry, it’s delicious,” she says. “And it comes in a pretty bottle.”

Drink with your eyes: Busty Lush’s NA malt beverages don’t just taste good — they look good, too, with portraits of women on each can. Tanner’s sold out of the lavender margarita flavor twice since opening. (Plus, Busty Lush is also manufactured close to home at Octopi in Waunakee.)

Reinvented refreshment: For some people, the goal isn’t to mimic the taste of an alcoholic cocktail. For those looking to step out of the box, Tanner recommends Tenneyson, a brand that creates a “really sophisticated and interested” liquid botanical flavored with ginger. “It’s so delicious with ginger beer,” says Tanner. “And it’s not triggering to somebody who used to drink alcohol because it’s a brand-new taste.”

Anna Kottakis is digital editor at Madison Magazine.

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