What Is Zebra Striping? Alternating Alcoholic and Nonalcoholic Drinks to Cut Back

Since starting ANewSip, I've learned quite a bit of terminology related to nonalcoholic drinking, and one of the most interesting terms so far is "zebra striping." Zebra striping means alternating between alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks during the same occasion. That might mean switching between beer and nonalcoholic beer, a cocktail and a mocktail, or an alcoholic drink and sparkling water. Ultimately, the pattern is up to you.

Why People Try Zebra Striping

People try zebra striping for several reasons. Here are some of the most common:

The most obvious reason is that alternating between alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks can reduce the total amount of alcohol you consume. Drinking less alcohol can reduce alcohol-related health risks and may improve sleep, mental clarity and next-day well-being. Alternating with water or another hydrating option may also help you pace yourself, although it won't prevent intoxication or guarantee that you'll avoid a hangover. Drinking less can reduce risk, but drinking alcohol in any amount does not eliminate alcohol-related risks.

Taste Still Matters

Zebra striping also doesn't have to mean sacrificing taste. The nonalcoholic drink should be something you genuinely enjoy, not something you tolerate between alcoholic drinks. You could alternate an IPA with a flavorful nonalcoholic IPA, a traditional cocktail with a well-made mocktail, or wine with its nonalcoholic counterpart. Choosing drinks with flavors you look forward to makes zebra striping feel less like restricting yourself and more like expanding what you can enjoy.

The Comfort of Having a Drink in Hand

A less obvious but still significant reason is that many of us simply enjoy having a drink in our hand, whether we're at home or spending time with family and friends. Just recently, I was at an engagement party and I had finished a beer, thrown the can in recycling, and immediately grabbed a sparkling water because I knew if I didn't have something, I'd feel out of place. We sip and talk and have a great time, but as soon as we finish a beer, wine, or cocktail there's this feeling that we don't want to be empty-handed and give off the impression that we're finished or we're not enjoying ourselves. Whatever the reason, deciding how and whether to drink is personal.

How to Plan Your Stripes

You've made the decision that at the next board game night, you want to give zebra striping a chance, but how do you go about it? Will you alternate between two beers with two nonalcoholic beers? Will you switch between your favorite cocktail— either an old fashioned or margarita for me as of this writing— and a mocktail? Or will you alternate say a glass of Sauvignon Blanc with its nonalcoholic counterpart? My recommendation is to decide before the occasion, so you have a game plan in place for when you're trying to get a high score in Scrabble or guess the word in Codenames. Having a plan in place removes some of the decision-making once you're out and about. The idea is to alternate 1:1, so if your choice for the night is beer, then it could look like beer > nonalcoholic beer > beer > sparkling water. Whether you're drinking nonalcoholic spirits, wines, or beer, choose nonalcoholic options with flavor profiles you already enjoy. If you normally prefer crisp lagers, dry wines or citrus-forward cocktails, look for alcohol-free alternatives with those same qualities. The goal is for the nonalcoholic drink to remain part of the experience, not feel like an obligation between the drinks you actually want. You don't want your first attempt to fall apart simply because the nonalcoholic option you choose wasn't to your liking.

Zebra Striping Away from Home

Now think bigger: What if you want to try zebra striping at a wedding, concert, sporting event, or during a day out when you know you'll be away for several hours?

At every wedding I've attended, including my own, the drinks flowed and the vibes were dialed up to an 11. Plenty of bands come through the metro area where I live, and whether the show is at a stadium or a dive bar, alcohol will be available. We've established that alcohol is readily available at nearly every kind of social venue, but what about nonalcoholic beverages? Although the selection is growing, nonalcoholic options at venues and restaurants can be limited, expensive or entirely unavailable. That's why planning ahead helps; you may discover that your choices of nonalcoholic beer, wine, or spirits are limited after you arrive. The beauty of zebra striping is that in those types of situations, you can drink water, sparkling water, or something else with the intent of staying hydrated and limiting your alcohol for that outing.

My First Experience Zebra Striping

While my journey navigating the nonalcoholic world is still young, I've tried zebra striping once so far and enjoyed it. We recently had friends over, and I decided beforehand that I'd alternate between alcoholic and nonalcoholic Kölsch. It was better than I expected. The nonalcoholic Kölsch gave me the light, crisp beer I wanted, so switching between the two felt natural. I was worried that bouncing between drinks might feel odd, but it never did. I also slept better and felt less groggy the next day, which may have been partly because I paced my alcohol intake with intention. While one experience doesn't set things in stone, I can understand why zebra striping is becoming more popular: it gives people another way to enjoy alcohol while maintaining greater control over how much they consume. Have you tried zebra striping, or would you consider trying it at your next social occasion?