I had the best time talking with Josh James, founder of Ocean Beach Cafe in San Francisco and a true pioneer in the alcohol-free movement.

Josh’s story is wild in the best way: he went from being a bartender to opening one of the first non-alcoholic bars in the country.

We talk about what really happens when you remove alcohol, not just from your body, but from your identity. Josh shares how taking a year off drinking helped him rediscover his productivity, heal his brain, and build something he never thought possible.

And if you’re curious about non-alcoholic wines, functional beverages, or why the alcohol industry is overdue for disruption, this episode is packed with science, real talk, and inspiration.

Josh and I also geek out on why alcohol crosses the blood-brain barrier (and mouthwash myths you won’t believe), plus the emerging future of sober socializing.

How Josh went from bartending to owning an alcohol-free cafe

Taking a year off drinking and the reality of brain healing

The cultural pressure to drink and how it shapes identity

Why alcohol is “all calories” and still sneaks into our health routines

The real science behind distillation, ethanol, and non-alcoholic wine

Why most non-alc reds are disappointing (but one Austrian wine changed everything)

The rise of functional, adaptogen-based spirits—and why they’re the future

Building Ocean Beach Cafe on a shoestring and making sobriety look and feel cool

His dream for a six-part docuseries showing how alcohol is being disrupted globally

🌐 Visit: Ocean Beach Cafe – San Francisco

📸 Instagram: @joshthenonalcoholic

📺 YouTube: Josh the Non-Alcoholic

Am I Drinking Too Much Quiz  

Six-Week Alcohol Reset

Drink Less By Monday 

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