Best non-alcoholic drinks: Take your pick of these delicious alcohol-free sober serves
Looking to cut down or completely cut out the booze? These are the best non-alcoholic drinks money can buy
Today’s alcohol-free drinks market is a strong one. Gone are the days when the only alternative to booze was water or soda and lime; now the best non-alcoholic drinks come in all forms. The drinks industry has sat up and listened to the increasing number of Brits who don’t fancy an alcoholic drink but also don’t want to be stuck sipping tooth-achingly sweet juice at their next house party. With six million of us booze-free and one-third actively reducing their alcohol intake, there’s never been a better time to join the sober society.
The choice of no and low alcohol drinks is vast, from convincing alcohol-free beers to genuinely delicious fizz and thoroughly grown-up soft drinks – not to mention the number of fabulous gin alternatives. If you want a bit more info on no and low alcohol drinks, our buying guide below goes through the basics. Otherwise, scroll on for our list of the best – there’s bound to be something that tempts you away from your next hangover.
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Best non-alcoholic drinks: At a glance
- Best non-alcoholic red wine: Eisberg Merlot
- Best non-alcoholic champagne alternative: Oddbird Blanc de Blanc
- Best non-alcoholic beer: Big Drop Brewing Paradiso Citra IPA
- Best non-alcoholic nightcap: Three Spirit Nightcap
How to choose the best non-alcoholic drinks for you
How much should I spend?
Generally, alcohol-free alternatives are only nominally less expensive than their alcoholic counterparts. This might feel unfair considering the lack of ABV, but given that it’s often a convoluted and tricky process to create non-alcoholic beers, wines and spirits, it’s understandable. Producers need to grow, brew, distill and/or ferment the drinks in the same way as the alcoholic version would be made, then any de-alcoholisation is a separate process. Of course, naturally alcohol-free drinks such as sodas and tonics are often more affordable; it tends to be the drinks that are looking to mimic alcohol that are pricier.
Low or no?
There are hundreds of zero alcohol drinks out there, but some that are marketed as alcohol-free may contain a tiny trace up to 0.5% ABV. Consider your motivations for avoiding alcohol in these cases: those looking to completely exclude alcohol from their lifestyle for health or religious reasons should always check the labels.
Similarly, anyone walking a careful line when it comes to alcohol might do better to avoid beverages that look, feel and taste like the hard stuff and opt for one of the number of specifically designed soft drinks, spritzes and tonics on the market instead.
What should I look for?
The choice is good enough these days for you to shop around for your favourite flavours, styles, grapes and more. In the mood for a cider but got to drive later? No worries, there are loads of 0% cider styles to choose from. Do you have something to celebrate but an early start in the morning? Sparkling wines have really come on, so take your pick from alcohol-free prosecco, sweeter bubbles or a crisp champagne-style sparkling wine. The alcohol-free world is your oyster now.
How we test non-alcoholic drinks
We personally sip our way through a huge range of low and no alcohol beers, ciders, wines, spirits and spritzes to find a selection of the very best, then pass them around to a host of other willing testers to ensure they’re suitable for a range of palettes. For this test we were looking for a whole host of varying characteristics including if the drink intends to mimic alcohol or whether it’s a true booze alternative. We also consider the sugar and calorie content, as well as value for money.
We test non-alcoholic drinks using the manufacturer’s recommended serve and try across a range of situations – drinks in the park, a nightcap at home, wine with dinner – to see if they really stand up to the occasion without feeling like we’re missing out.
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The best non-alcoholic drinks you can buy in 2023
1. Big Drop Brewing Paradiso Citra IPA: The best non-alcoholic beer
Price: £5 | Buy now from Tesco
The alcohol-free beer market is crowded, but the good news is there are so many really great no and low alcohol beers out there. Of all the alcohol replacements, the beer makers are the ones who have really nailed their craft, and this example from the brilliant Big Drop Brewing is a prime offering. An unashamedly citrus-heavy IPA, this 0.5% beer is bursting with crisp twists of grapefruit and zest alongside a bright, hoppy character that adds up to a refreshing, slightly sharp beer – ideal for designated drivers and booze-free drinkers alike.
At only 61 calories a can, it also makes for a healthier option than your standard beer, and it happens to be gluten-free, too. The fresh and fruity profile makes this a winner for lunchtime non-boozing and enjoying a beer or two in the day without the afternoon slump. The Paradiso won the World’s Best award in the No and Low category at the World Beer Awards 2021 and it’s all too easy to see why: this is a proper beer, just without the booze, and we bet you can’t tell.
Key details – Volume: 4 x 330ml; Low or no alcohol: Low (0.5%)
2. Three Spirit Nightcap: The best non-alcoholic nightcap
Price: £25 | Buy now from Three Spirit
Three Spirit is doing great things in the booze-free drinks arena and really helping to change the way consumers think about drinking. Its range of plant-based elixirs are formulated to suit situations or moods where you might otherwise reach for an alcoholic beverage. We love this Nightcap iteration, which uses indulgent natural ingredients to help you relax and unwind of an evening.
Serve straight like a whisky or mix with ginger ale to enjoy the upfront woody notes mingling with rich, round vanilla, black pepper and spices for a satisfying, adults-only nightcap. Even better, Three Spirit uses plant power to help you chill out, with adaptogenic ashwagandha and valerian root (both known sleep aids), as well as delicate lemon balm, which has been traditionally used to combat stress and anxiety. Dreamy.
Key details – Volume: 500ml; Low or no alcohol: No
3. Belvoir Farm Botanical Soda Bitter Orange Spritz: The best non-alcoholic soda
Price: £15 (6 x 500ml) | Buy now from VitaLife Health
Not everyone wants a drink to mimic alcohol, and this new creation from Belvoir Farms is a brilliant booze-free option. Our favourite from its new range of botanical sodas, the Bitter Orange Spritz is an effervescent blend of Sicilian blood orange, pressed rhubarb, aromatic herbs and bitters, paired with sparkling water to create a ready-to-drink alcohol replacement. With just 4.5g of sugar and under 20 calories per 100ml, it’s truly refreshing to enjoy as a mocktail or soda that isn’t super sweet and feels as enjoyable and sophisticated as sipping an Aperol Spritz.
We liked the discernible bitter orange flavour, which was reminiscent of a natural, zesty marmalade, and the fact that it’s free from preservatives, flavourings, artificial colours and sweeteners. Serve perfectly chilled over ice with a slice of blood orange or a shaving of rhubarb for extra points. And if orange isn’t your bag then the Floral Fizz and Spicy Ginger Fizz are equally delightful.
Key details – Volume: 500ml; Low or no alcohol: No
4. Eisberg Merlot: The best non-alcoholic red wine
Price: £20 (6 bottles) | Buy now from Amazon
Alcohol-free wines are notoriously tricky to get right, with so many of them veering into pure grape juice territory. This, from leading alcohol-free wine makers Eisberg, is the best red we’ve found over the years. It’s never going to fool anyone that it’s a standard alcoholic Merlot but it does have more of a real wine character about it than most other booze-free wines.
Made from German Merlot grapes and with the alcohol carefully removed, the resulting liquid has big black fruit flavours and a pleasant dry style that works well for sipping on the sofa or enjoying alongside a meal. At 29 calories per small glass, this is also a healthier way to unwind on an evening, and its full-bodied, velvety style makes it a pleasure rather than a chore. Eisberg’s sparkling white is pretty quaffable, too.
Key details – Volume: 6 x 750ml; Low or no alcohol: Low (0.05%)
5. Oddbird Blanc de Blancs: The best non-alcoholic champagne alternative
Price: £13 | Buy now from Dry Drinker
For any occasion that calls for some serious sparkle, Oddbird’s Blanc de Blancs should be your first port of call. Unlike many dealcoholised fizzes, this finely crafted French sparkling wine is crisp and dry, and almost tastes like the real deal. Expectant mums, dry January devotees and anyone on a health kick will feel they’re not missing out with a glass of this in hand.
Blanc de Blanc refers to sparkling wines made in the Champagne region that only use white grapes – many champagnes use red Pinot Noir grapes – and this makes for an elegant and refined style of wine. This alcohol-free version is no different. Made using exclusively Chardonnay grapes, which are then aged briefly in oak barrels, this wine has a nose of orchard fruits and more green apples on the palate. Though missing the tell-tale toastiness of champagne, pleasing tasting notes are still present: it tastes special. Great to enjoy as a celebratory aperitif or when you just want to treat yourself.
Key details – Volume: 750ml; Low or no alcohol: No
6. Smashed Cider: The best non-alcoholic cider
Price: £25 (12x330ml) | Buy now from Drynks
Smashed Apple Cider from alcohol-free brewers Drynks is everything you want a cider to be – with or without the booze. In 2021, the brand was awarded gold supreme champion at the World Cider Awards and got the gold in the International Beer and Cider Challenge – and it’s easy to see why. Having invested in a pioneering, alcohol-free brewery, Drynks is one of the only British beverage businesses to be able to remove alcohol from standard alcoholic craft beer, lager and cider thanks to its state-of-the-art distillation plant and investment has certainly paid off when it comes to taste.
The craft cider is brewed using sweet, crisp English apples before being carbonated and the alcohol removed: the result is a wonderfully refreshing, sessionable golden cider that you would never guess is alcohol-free. A brilliant beach-day drink or equally suited to daytime barbecues, Smashed Apple Cider is as good as or better than any hard cider we’ve tried, and delivers on all counts – hangover free.
Key details – Volume: 12x330ml; Low or no alcohol: Low (0.05%)
