SALT LAKE CITY — Dry January doesn't have to mean skipping a night out.
At this zero-alcohol cocktail bar in Salt Lake City, the drinks may be alcohol-free, but the craft is very real. Matthew LaPlante, co-owner and lead bartender of 1833 Craft, stopped drinking seven years ago but still loved bar culture. However, he always thought something was missing.
"We'd go out and the non-alcoholic cocktails on the menu, the mocktails on the menu, were just terrible. They just were not very exciting. They always left me disappointed," said Matthew.
So, he started making his own drinks. When he mentioned the idea to his sister, Kelly LaPlante, things moved quickly and literally.
"Three days later, she called me up and said, 'We're starting a bar,'" Matthew recalled.
Kelly purchased a 100-year-old home in Salt Lake City and transformed the front of the house into 1833 Craft. She still lives in the home but used her design background to create a front space that feels like a traditional cocktail bar.
"It's been really important for me to actually make it feel like an environment where people can feel uninhibited, feel like they are in a proper bar," Kelly said.
Some of the zero-proof spirits used are nearly indistinguishable from their alcoholic counterparts.
"The gin in particular is really spot-on," Matthew said. "Sometimes we'll give people a gin-based drink and they'll be like, 'Wait, are you sure there's not alcohol in it?'" Matthew said.
Others, like whiskey alternatives, may not taste exactly the same, but still serve their purpose in a cocktail. All the drinks create a welcoming space for the sober and sober-curious — and since there's no alcohol, no ID is required. In the future, 1833 Craft hopes to expand hours, host events, and offer education.
"I think it's unfolding in this very cool, organic way," Kelly said.
1833 Craft is currently open on Thursdays and Fridays from 5 to 10 p.m. at 1398 S. 1100 East.
