MACON, Ga. — Macon is known for a lot of things, including its beer scene.
But last year in the United States, beer consumption fell to the lowest level in a generation, according to industry group Beer Marketer's Insights.
At JBA in downtown Macon, owner Brandon Lawler said beer was still their top seller last year.
"It's easy to drink, it's cold, it's also consistent," he said.
But not everybody is such a fan.
"Beer is definitely an acquired flavor, taste. You know it's- to be honest, no one drinks their first beer and says this is great. Like it's not. That's, that's a lie," he said
After opening the bar in 2019, Lawler said he noticed drinking shifts started changing.
"We definitely do see a lot of people drinking mocktails. Because they wanna get that bar experience. They wanna drink a drink with fresh ingredients but they don't want the alcohol aspect," he said.
And they're not the only ones carrying non-alcoholic options. Just Tap'd owner Kaitlynn Kressin said they carry a wide variety of non-alcoholic wines and beers because inclusivity is important to them.
They keep their bar stocked with these options all year around, not just in Dry January.
In the bar, there's a section on their wall of booze-free beers, and they carry more options in their cooler like a THC beer.
At JBA, they're also looking at growing their non-alcoholic options.
"We definitely see not only a demand, but we see the numbers. You know, data reflects it too. People are definitely drinking more non-alcoholic options," Lawler said.
And keep in mind, the beer options today have changed a lot since a generation ago.
"Now there's a hundred breweries in each state. You know, there's so many options now it's, incredibile. It's almost too saturated," Lawler said.
Lawler also thinks growing recreational marijuana use has something to do with it.
Currently, 24 states and Washington D.C. have legalized it for recreation.
"The acceptance rate is going up with the legalization, or just in marijuana in general. I think that definitely contributes to less drinking for sure," he said.
And that's one reason why JBA's menu has grown since 2019.
They've brought in a THC seltzer, and more non-alcoholic varieties so everyone can find something they love there.