Howard Chua-Eoan, Columnist

Think Dry January Is Hard? Try My Year Off the Booze

January 23, 2026 at 4:30 AM UTC

Howard Chua-Eoan is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion covering culture and business. He previously served as Bloomberg Opinion's international editor and is a former news director at Time magazine.

A 0.1% Amaretto Sour at Club Soda, a bar on London’s Drury Lane. — A 0.1% Amaretto Sour at Club Soda, a bar on London’s Drury Lane.
Photograph by Howard Chua-Eoan/Bloomberg

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I gave up drinking on Jan. 20, 2025. What has a year without alcohol been like? And has it been worth it?

The world is certainly a more accommodating place for abstainers. But my memories run deep. I still frequent my favorite wine bars where I listen longingly as the sommeliers describe vintages to other customers. It’s like poetry — rounds of nostalgic reverie. The other night I had a dream about a Jura white from a tiny appellation called L’Etoile. I woke and tried to dream again. No luck.