Lost Cultures Tea Bar chases connection through sobriety amid nonalcoholic beverage boom

Bartending was always a fallback for Ryan Brown, an Albuquerque resident of many trades, including real estate finance, tourism, owning a beverage business and stay-at-home parenting.

It was his return to the bar space, following a stint as a stay-at-home dad, that provided a sobering realization: He wanted to own a business again and he wanted the venture to be alcohol-free.

“I stopped drinking and that’s when I noticed that there weren’t any solely nonalcoholic-centered spaces,” Brown said. “I’ve been bartending for 15 or 16 years, so I was like, ‘Yeah, I can take that knowledge and apply it and create this whole new thing that isn’t centered around alcohol.’”

With experience owning a kombucha business and a love of tea, Brown decided to launch Lost Cultures Tea Bar in late 2023. The business offers late hours and single-origin Asian teas — sourced from a particular region or harvest, with no added flavors or blends — in addition to kombucha, coffee, and craft nonalcoholic beers, wines and cocktails, also known as mocktails.

Nonalcoholic options are popping up more and more on drink menus as fewer Americans are choosing to drink alcohol. Gallup polling says the percentage of adults in the United States who said they consume alcohol fell to 54% last year, the lowest percentage recorded throughout Gallup’s 90-year history of tracking domestic drinking behavior.

Alcohol consumption has declined steadily since 2022, which saw 67% of people report drinking alcohol, the Gallup data says. Those who are drinking alcohol have also reported less consumption, with consumers drinking a little more than two drinks per week last year — down from a little over three drinks in 2024 and four drinks in 2023.

Alcohol sales are also down, dropping significantly since 2021, according to recent data from IWSR, formerly known as International Wine and Spirits Record.

Industry experts say the decline is the result of a variety of factors, including research indicating that alcohol consumption is bad for one’s health, tighter spending amid economic uncertainty and emerging health consciousness among consumers.

The alcohol downturn has hit the craft beer industry particularly hard, with brewery closings outpacing openings nationally for the second year in a row and openings declining for the fourth consecutive year in 2025, according to a December report from the Brewers Association.

New Mexico has felt the squeeze, with one of the state’s largest brewers, Bosque Brewing Co., closing all of its taprooms in December. Other local breweries and restaurants have adapted by adding nonalcoholic options to the menu. Nexus Blue Smokehouse introduced a full mocktail menu early last year, Santa Fe Brewing Co. launched its first nonalcoholic craft beer in December and Ex Novo Brewing Co. debuted a nonalcoholic electrolyte hop water the same month.

In a sea full of spaces with alcohol in the mix, Brown wanted Lost Cultures Tea Bar to offer something different — a space for those who don’t drink alcohol but still like to socialize and go out.

“Just connection, intention, vibes and community” is how Brown described the business in a recent TikTok video panning a room full of people during a paint night event Lost Cultures hosted.

“Everyone has their choice to do what they want, but it’s not the only answer and it’s not the only option out there,” Brown said.

Brown said he witnessed how deeply people associate socializing with alcohol every time he would make his decision not to drink known and was peppered with questions and peer pressure. He hoped his business would break that association and make everyone feel welcome.

“I wanted to make tea a little more accessible to people, as well as show people that you can enjoy yourselves and have fun without alcohol,” Brown said.

A coffee shop-style atmosphere with late hours and community events is how Brown keeps the business approachable. A Nutcracker paint event, plant swaps, art and puzzle nights, book club gatherings and yoga sessions are just some of the affairs Lost Cultures has hosted.

“It’s whatever the community brings forward,” Brown said. “Just let us know your group size, and as long as it’s not way more than we can fit, we’re happy to accommodate you. We’re not going to charge you; just bring people in and have a good time.”

January is always a busy time for the business, Brown said, as many people pursue a one-month, alcohol-free journey often referred to as Dry January. But the rising popularity of nonalcoholic beverages is something Brown said isn’t going anywhere at the end of the month.

“It’s definitely here to stay,” Brown said.

As for how the trend has translated into business, Brown said Lost Cultures experienced a “major spike” when it first opened, but business tapered off a bit once other local restaurants and bars started offering nonalcoholic options. More recently, business appears to be stabilizing and trending upward again, but at a steadier pace, Brown said.

While he’s seen nonalcoholic options in Albuquerque increase over the last few years, he thinks there’s still plenty of room, need and demand for more sober spaces and businesses in the city.

Brown’s optimistic about growing the business, its menu and events heading into the future — but he’s most excited about further building a community that he was hopeful but surprised to discover when he started Lost Cultures.

“Maybe six years ago, being sober was something that was looked down upon and frowned upon for some weird reason, and I think that made people feel very isolated,” Brown said.

While sobriety is a cornerstone of the local tea bar, connection is the intended outcome, Brown said.

“If you want to be sober, be sober and don’t feel ashamed to do so. If you want to drink, drink and don’t feel ashamed,” Brown said. “I just want people to feel like they can be themselves and meet and connect with others.”

Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.