Alcohol Free & Low Alcohol Drinks

 

It is more and more common to find alcohol free and low alcohol drinks. Either for healthy or religious reasons but also when the designated driver doesn’t need to stick to a cranberry juice all evening and can feel more at easy with a glass of something that resembles a cocktail or a bottle of beer, the choice of these drinks has grown and the quality has improved, like the taste which is very similar if not the same as the original alcoholic drink. I have found quite a good selection of this kind of drinks that now that the weather is getting warmer, it will be great to sip without feeling guilty.

 

Saicho sparkling teas are the ideal alternative to champagne or prosecco and they are delicious. The one that blown me away was the Jasmine version which is a green tea from Fuding, in Fujian province, scented with jasmine blossoms and it is 0.0% alcohol free. If you try it once you will be hooked. www.saichodrinks.com

 

What’s better than having a beer during a BBQ or sitting in a beer garden when the weather is lovely clasping a bottle of beer? But if you don’t drink or you are having some medical treatment that doesn’t allow alcohol in your diet turn to a Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%. Easy to find in any supermarket, Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% is brewed to the original Peroni recipe, with the same characteristics, same profile, same taste, and then de-alcoholised. Check in the low & no alcohol section of your supermarket to find it.

 

Royal Cassis by Alavie is an elegant aperitif, inspired by the French Kir Royal. Perfect for a celebration, this sparkling drink is made from selected dealcoholized organic wine, it is vegan and sugar free with a 0.0% alcohol content. It has no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners, no artificial flavours and it is gluten free. www.alavie-drinks.com

Smashed Drinks by Drynks are made by distilling the base beers and ciders to remove the alcohol. The selection includes shandy, Lager, pale ale, cider and berry, which is a cider made with berries. All drinks are suitable for vegetarians and vegans and available in cans or bottles. This one here is an Intro Box and you can buy the full variety or choose just the beer variety or the cider variety. www.drynks.store

Drummerboy is the zero alcoholic spirit that is inspired by original spirits like gin, tequila, vermouth and whisky. They come in bottles that are the same used in premium alcoholic spirits, and the taste is great. They are perfect to be mixed to create mocktails of high quality. In UK they can be found at The Non Alcoholic Club, an online store that sells Australian made non-alcoholic beer, wine, spirits and premixed drinks. www.drummerboy.com

Just can’t be bothered to mix several ingredients for the perfect mocktail? In this case you can try Mocktails Uniquely Crafted cans of no alcohol drinks that are great. With names that recall real iconic cocktails like Mockapolitan (fans of teetotal SATC rejoice), Sansgria, made by sourcing the finest Sangiovese grapes in Tuscany, or Mockarita, with Mexican lime, they are delicious and refreshing. www.drinkmocktails.co.uk

Myth Drinks makes no alcoholic spirits that are a reminder of white and dark rum. With them it is possible to create delicious mocktails like a Mojito or a Collins or also an Espresso Martini. The bottles are very premium with an eye-catching label, and the taste is great. They have been around just over a year and they have already won a Gold Award at the World Alcohol Free Awards.  www.mythdrinks.co.uk

Days Brewing Co was born during lockdown in Scotland and now it produces Lager and Pale Ale in cans and bottles with a 0.0% of alcohol. Apart from the beer which is exceptional, what I like from the two founders of Days Brewing Co, is that they give 2%, which is the Duty that alcohol companies pay the government as tax, to organisations which empower fresh thinking towards mental health. www.daysbrewing.com

Lyre’s has an exquisite range of non-alcoholic spirits that taste just like the classic ones, with a choice of sparkling wines, gin, spritz, bourbon, vermouth, rum and many more. The most popular are the Spritz, the gin and the American malt, and also you can find a Spritz set with a bottle of Spritz and two of sparkling wine, for the perfect aperitif. www.lyres.co.uk

Mahala is a botanical triple distilled non-alcoholic spirit made in South Africa, using nine hand-sourced botanicals that are infused under vacuum to extract the flavour. Mahala in Zulu means free, and in fact this drink is free from sugar, alcohol, colourants and artificial flavours and also gluten and vegan friendly. The new “member “of the family is the Mahala Amber which has the same 9 hand-sourced botanicals with the addition of extracts of oak, smoke and chilli. www.mahalabotanical.com

New London Light is a collection of non-alcoholic spirits and aperitifs, crafted by an expert team of distillers at the Salcombe Distilling company. Apart from the taste, which is really top quality, the company is ethical because it donates 1% of every bottle sold to the Marine Conservation Society to help protect and regenerate ocean habitats. www.salcombegin.com

Another selection of playful, delicious and non-alcohol cocktails, this time from Mavrik. A refreshing G&T, a Venetian Spritz, a Cuban Mojito and a Storm are just four of the cans that you can taste and enjoy on a warm summer evening or a sunny day BBQing in the garden. Check also the Passion Martini and the Espresso Martini, shaken, not stirred, remember. www.mavrik-drinks.com