Drinking games are not really about the drink. They are about a small penalty that makes everyone laugh. Which means you can play every single one of them without alcohol, whether the whole group is sober or just one person is.
Why play without alcohol
- You are driving, pregnant, on medication or just not feeling it.
- Someone in the group does not drink and should not have to sit out.
- You want to remember the stories tomorrow.
- It is a weeknight.
None of these need an explanation at the table. A good group never asks why.
What to drink instead
- Sparkling water with citrus. Looks like a cocktail, tastes clean.
- Mocktails. Juice, soda and a garnish go a long way.
- Alcohol free beer or wine. Same ritual, no hangover.
- Iced tea or lemonade. Easy to make by the jug.
- Energy or sports drinks. Small sips, they add up.
The fun version: gross sips
Make the penalty a taste instead of a drink. Line up a few mystery cups:
- Pickle juice
- Cold black coffee
- Lemon juice
- Tomato juice with pepper
- Very salty water
Lose a round, take a sip from a cup of the group’s choice.
Sip swaps that are not drinks at all
- Points. Every “sip” is a point. Most points at the end does the dishes.
- Snacks. A sour candy or a spicy chip per sip.
- Dares. Swap a sip for a ten second dare.
- Chips. Everyone starts with ten chips and pays one per sip. Out of chips means a forfeit.
- Exercise. One squat per sip. It gets funny quickly.
Games that work best sober
- Never Have I Ever: the stories are the point. See our 80 questions.
- Most Likely To: pointing is just as brutal with lemonade. Try these 75 questions.
- Truth or drink: answer or sip pickle juice. Honesty goes up fast.
- Categories and 21: you will actually be good at them.
- Hot potato: timers do not care what is in your cup.
Any drink counts
Not Another Drinking Game is built on one rule: any drink counts as a sip, and nobody has to drink to play. It even has water rounds.
Mixed groups
When some people drink and some do not, keep it simple:
- A sip is a sip, whatever is in the cup.
- Do not announce who is drinking what.
- Add water rounds for everybody.
- Pick a slower pace so nobody feels rushed.
For hosts: put the alcohol free options in the same place as everything else, in the same kind of cups. People choose them more often when it is not a statement.
Same game, your rules
Not Another Drinking Game lets you set the pace to Chill, Party or Wild. Free to download on Android.