This month will be another ‘dry’ month for many. It’s a good opportunity for many of us to cut down on alcohol prior to the festive onslaught on our livers.
Here are some new lo or no alcohol products that I’ve discovered over the summer.
Nozeco Spritz
A spritz is a popular cocktail, but now there’s a great alcohol free version available, courtesy of award-winning, market leader Nozeco.
It’s a lovely bright orange, with fine bubbles and natural orange and grapefruit notes that balance acidity and sweetness.
It’s reasonably priced too, at £3.50 a bottle from Asda and a selection of online retailers.
Nice Session
Maybe a white wine is more to your taste?
If so, check out Nicelower ABV (3.4%) Session Wine (£10 per 75cl bottle).
Beer drinkers are familiar with session lagers and IPAs, and now wine is sessionable too. Nice Session wines have been developed to taste like a full-strength wine, not compromising on the taste profile and mouthfeel you’d expect from your favourite wines.
Available from NICE direct, Ocado, Amazon and Co-Op
Tesco’s Great Range
And Tesco has a really good range of alcohol free options, including the own-label sparkling at just £3.25, which I’ve mentioned before. There’s also an own label alcohol free Cabernet Sauvignon as well as a Garnacha Rosé. They also stock the Kylie Minogue Alcohol Free Sparkling Rosé at £6 a bottle.
Wild Idol – a Rather Special Sparkler
Wild Idol is a vegan, gluten-free and naturally alcohol-free sparkling alternative to wine and champagne, produced using winemaking techniques and top quality grapes.
Unlike other non-alcoholic wines which use alcohol extraction, Wild Idol’s pure blend has never contained alcohol and has never been fermented.
As well as the standard bottles, Wild Idol is available in luxury gift boxes, miniatures and magnums. Wild Idol Rosé – offers delicate notes of grapefruit, rhubarb and gooseberry, Wild Idol White – features crisp apple notes and a pale straw hue, with delicate bubbles and abundant freshness.
It’s not cheap (£30 a bottle) but it is excellent, and will also make a lovely, indulgent gift for a non drinker.
Clear Head Beer
There are some excellent zero alcohol beers on the market now and one that you might like to try is appropriately named Clear Head from Bristol Beer Factory.
With big hitting US hops Citra and Mosaic, the beer has punch and creamy smoothness. Sharp citrus, apple and stone fruits shine through, and it finishes with a crisp dryness.
£30 for a case of 12 from bristolbeerfactory.co.uk
Herbarium
Alcohol-free pioneer, Herbarium Drinks crafts excellent botanical spirits and following the success of its acclaimed distillation 29 – Spiced Juniper, the company has launched its latest 0.0% spirit: Herbarium Distillation 8 – Floral Herbs.
This botanical creation has subtle warmth and a citrus finish. It’s vegetarian, vegan-friendly, gluten-free, and contains no sugars, sweeteners or calories.
It’s very refreshing, with a delicate blend of distilled floral herbs, including rosemary, lemongrass, and hints of lavender. Its subtle pink peppery spice and warming citrus finish make it ideal for pairing with tonic.
£22 a bottle from herbariumdrinks.com and Master of Malt
Carouse
Another lovely alternative to a G&T is CAROUSE – a non-alcoholic spirit founded by wellness entrepreneur Steph Elswood,
CAROUSE is also a vibrant health-conscious choice for the sober-curious and beyond.
With innovative nootropic and adaptogenic ingredients, CAROUSE’s two spirit blends – UPLIFT and DRIFT – will benefit both mind and body, with no morning-after regrets.
Gluten-free, vegan, with no artificial colours or sweeteners, CAROUSE offers an alcohol alternative that focuses on enhancing mood and cognitive function. Even better, unlike other non-alcoholic spirits they can be enjoyed straight over ice, or with a simple mixer such as soda, tonic or lemonade.
UPLIFT is a mix of zingy citrus fruits and ginger, with a subtle kick of peppercorn and chilli, laced with invigorating guarana, maca and ginkgo biloba.
DRIFT is a blend of summer fruits, mixed berries, cucumber, and hints of aromatic basil, enhanced with extracts of echinacea and ashwagandha, to promote relaxation.
From £22.99 online
Ready to Drink Cocktails
Not sure about ready to drink non-alcoholic cocktails?
Then here is the perfect wayfor you to try them. Leading premium brand Savyll Beverage Co’s range of ready to drink cocktails are excellent, and as well as being available online from Savyll Beverage Company, are now also available in Sainsbury’s.
There’s a clever 4-can assortment pack, allowing you to try one of each of its most popular flavours and it includes a Bellini, Mojito, Grapefruit Paloma, and a Ginger Moscow Mule. Simply chill, serve & sip.
They’re also gluten free, and cost just £8 for a pack of four.
Bemuse Sparkling Meads
Bemuse sparkling meads are a range of really unusual effervescent honey wines, that are naturally fermented and sparkling, with each having intriguingly different combinations of herbs.
Bemuse Calluna Brut made with raw heather honey from Scottish moorlands; Pomona Brut made with delicate apple blossom honey from English orchards; Fiora Rose made from aromatic borage honey from English meadows and Origo Brut with spring wildflower honey from English grasslands
They are all very different, very delicious and are available online from Bemuse at £12 a 750ml bottle or in 250ml cans at £3.10
Almave Ambar Blue Agave
And finally, for those who love a margarita, try LewisHamilton’s Alcohol-free agave ‘spirit’. Almave Ambar Distilled Non-Alcoholic Blue Agave Spirit captures the authentic aromas and flavours of its key ingredient, giving tasting notes of roasted blue agave, sweet caramel and toasted wood.
Tequila is Hamilton’s drink of choice, and he had been looking for a non-alcoholic drink that kept his mind clear on important days. Finding a sea of imitations, but nothing authentically agave, he teamed up with Mexican craft spirit experts, Casa Lumbre.
Combining Hamilton’s passion and determination with the expertise of Casa Lumbre’s Master Distiller and Founder Ivan Saldana – they’ve redefined what’s possible for Blue Agave. An entirely new distillation process was created by adapting the traditional methods used in Casa Lumbre’s Mexican home in Jalisco. By skipping the fermentation process, Almave captures the complexity and delicate flavours of freshly milled agave without producing alcohol.
Almave Ambar is £36 (rrp) and it is available from Amazon and House of Malt.
