MY PEN IS MIGHTY

Cheers To Another ‘Sober October’

Giving up booze for 31 days is revolutionary — especially when you drink for a living. Plus: How to find a lovely, spirit-free drink.

A festively decorated apple cider, complete with a sprig of rosemary, sits on a cheeseboard. Not all drinks require liquor. Image: Getty

I’m one of those people who celebrates her birthday for an entire month. The festivities begin in late August and end late September, and popping bottles complement almost every meal.

But even before that, summer is chock full of occasions designed for liquid indulgences: street festivals, backyard cookouts, rooftop parties, other people’s birthdays, staycations, bottomless mimosa brunches, extended weekend trips, weddings, and so much more. Add on top of that the fact that I write about alcoholic beverages for a living, from checking out a new cocktail or wine menu at the hottest new restaurants to sampling bottles of artisanal spirits sent my way.

Yes. I know. My liver needs a break. That’s why — for almost 20 years — I’ve abstained from alcohol the entire month of October. This was long before it was declared Sober October, a cancer awareness program started in Australia in 2010. To be honest, I did it so that I could lose a few pounds so I could squeeze into flattering Halloween costumes, and so I could also give myself a mini-detox before jumping into the…