I have been pretty much tea total for 15 years. That often means that I get the choice of fizzy pop, fruit juice, water or tea, so it is lovely to see the market for alcohol free grown up drinks growing as well as the one for low-alcohol drinks.I love that it looks like we have a chic cocktail cabinet but it is filled with zero alcohol products.
I am not sober, more like tea total. I do like the odd drink, but after an incident 15 Christmas’ ago we made the decision that as long as we had children at home one of us would always remain sober.
It wasn’t a dramatic embarrassing drinking incident, nope it was a couple of glasses of fizz with Christmas dinner. I had two babies within 15 months so hadn’t drunk a drop and Mini was six months old and those two glasses went straight to my head. The husbeast was driving so he didn’t have a drink. However, Maxi fell out of bed on Christmas night and had to go to the hospital with the husbeast. He came home and said it was just a bruised shoulder, however, mothers instinct told me it was more, but I couldn’t drive till the next day when I took him back and they agreed to X-ray him and it was a broken collarbone!
The thing about not drinking alcohol is I don’t want squash, I still want my alcohol substitutes to something grown up with a more sophisticated taste. Plus I want something that is easy and I can offer other people too. I have never felt pushed to drink alcohol perhaps because my best friend is a widow with four children and she doesn’t drink either or the fact that the husbeast wasn’t and isn’t a big drinker. I still do have small amounts of alcohol and if you are totally sober (or Alcohol dependent) then it is essential to check out the ABV before drinking.
I have tried a few Non-Alcohol options and have been really impressed.
Alcohol-Free Drinks for Adults
This year we have been drinking Disproof, which is zero sugar, alcohol-free and vegan. The dry Botanical Blend contains juniper, spices, herbs and botanicals which create a deliciously dry drink perfect as a substitute for gin drinkers. In fact, my friend tells me this is the best substitute for alcoholic gin she has ever tried, which might be down to the fact that it is twice distilled to give it the authentic taste and complexity of gin.
Personally, me and my sweet tooth are rather partial to the strawberry pink disproof.
Now Inside Out drinks is not marketed as non-alcoholic drinks be rather as what my kids would call drinks for pre-gaming (or drinks for before you go out and party)! However, they are alcohol-free and went down really well with the younger group of drinkers who chose these rather than anything else. Perfect because they are pre-mixed in cans, but also the health benefits was a real draw for the sporty people as they are packed with herbs, hibiscus flower infusion, cranberry juice concentrate, natural goji extract, stevia, milk thistle, potassium sorbate and green tea extract.
What I love about Zag is it doesn’t pretend to be a beer, it is a delightful Kombucha drink with green tea and citrus and is refreshing and delicious. Loved by the teens and us oldies. My BIL particularly liked Zag and the fact that it is in glass bottles it doesn’t make the non-alcohol drinker feel left out. I definitely need to order more of these for the festive season. Plus get 25% off Zag bottles with BOTTLE25.
There is something about Wilfred’s that makes me feel so grown up. I always love the idea of aperitifs and cocktails and this versatile aromatic non-alcoholic aperitif is so sophisticated and religious with its natural botanicals.
It has a unique aromatic taste and includes rosemary, bitter orange, clove and a hint of rhubarb and is free from artificial flavours, sweeteners and colours. It is moreish without being overly sweet and this is going to be our Christmas morning drink served with non-alcaholic fizz. I think it is my favourite so far.
Inspired by an age-old American recipe, Mother Root’s Ginger Switchel is a delicious, all-natural infusion of pressed ginger juice, blossom honey and organic apple cider vinegar. I had a small bottle of this and finished it really fast – it was delicious over ice with tonic water, but also warm with honey and lemon. A real warming drink for the winter and perfect for non-alcoholic cocktails.
I was impressed by how versatile it was and it would also work well with some fizz too for the drinkers!
When I do drink Baileys is my thing and I often add it to my hot chocolates and this is why I LOVE Bliss so much. It is delicious and both taste slightly different. I have been drinking the CanaBliss in a hot chocolate as a nightcap although I am not yet a convert to CBD, but I am learning about the health benefits.
I also think that the spices are so familiar as I love a cinnamon Chai and a new experience for me is a dirty chai latte with a shot of Bliss!
Everleaf is a new to me company and were recommended by a reader. What I like about these is there is a selection aimed at different types of drinks. Designed by a bartender, the company initially started with the Forest and has grown to include the two other options.
I love that their site has a cocktail section and for anyone who wants to stop the alcohol for their waistline they include calories for all the ingredients too.
Living by the sea this non-alcoholic spirit is one I want to try and iit is distilled using unique plants native to the North Cornwall coastline. It is a gin replacement but without the sweetness than some non-alcoholic drinks have.
Seedlip were the first non-alcoholic spirits that I was introduced too and now have three variations – grove, spice and garden. The fact they have three varieties means that you can replicate a lot of cocktails and make a non alcoholic version. Perfect for the party lovers, plus I like they sell in smaller bottles, so you can have a variation.
I have not personally tried Gimber, but a follower from Denmark told me about them. I think that it sounds a lot like Mother London as it is a ginger based drink .
Caleno is another Gin replacement made in Bristol with two options light and dark. The light Spirit is a blend of tropic, citrus and spice botanicals featuring Inca Berry. Dark is a spicy blend with dark pineapple notes, ginger and kola nut sp[ices, which sounds amazing.
Three Spirit are a London based company that say they bring the party without the alcohol. They have three different options Livener – guayusa, guava leaf and schisandra and big flavours from vibrant berries, bright aromatics and heat. Social Elixer – This dark herbal elixir is the ultimate social companion and mood elevator. Natural, blissful feeling with lion’s mane mushroom, yerba mate and damiana. Full-bodied and bittersweet with a curious savoury bite and Nitecap – This indulgent elixir is made with tree saps, aromatic plants and ancient remedies used to relax and unwind. Enjoy complex notes of wood and bright spice with a calm, dreamy feeling.
Again with tree options and taster bottles, you can make lots of different mocktails with these and they are certainly a talking point.
Now I am a big fan of STRYYK – partly as they didn’t just stop at gin. I love that they really thought about people that liked other drinks and have Not Vodka and Not Rum too and 100% natural with no sugar, no fat, and no artificial flavours. STRYYK have all your mocktail needs covered and they are not as expensive as some alternatives.
LYRES have a fabulous range of 15, yes 15 spirits and I really want to try the American Malt especially as my favourite spirit is Jack Daniels Jack Daniels, I love the oak-smoked flavour.
My friend who loves Aperol swears by the Italian Spritz! They really go to prove that non-alcoholic doesn’t mean lack of fun or flavour.
I am notI am not a wine drinker, so can’t talk about any wine comparisons, but I do LOVE these from Tame and Wild. I love that they have an option for all four of their fruity sparkling drinks. They make me feel all grown up and sophisticated, great Alcohol-Free Drinks for Adults, including red wine drinkers.
Peroni Libre
This has been a big hit with the husbeast and BIL. Both enjoy the occasional larger and find this Peroni Libre a great alternative and both prefer it to Becks Blue or Heineken.
Yes, let the fizzy get busy. We love our SodaStream Crystal (with glass bottles, not plastic) and it certainly isn’t just for the kids and makes Alcohol-Free Drinks for Adults. Add sparkling water to their syrups or even Belvoir cordials and you have a fabulous more grown-up squash.
I also love that they have brought out their own Kombucha too.
A recent discovery for me is Bottle Green winter spiced berry. If you like hot Ribena then this is for you, it is delicious and slightly more grown up. Their elderflower is our go to cordial for mixing too. It adds a gentle floral note. They have a fab recipe section too.
Robinsons
Robinsons realises that us adults want a more grown up taste and I have worked with them in the past to design two mocktails. A warm apple spiced one and a cooling mint, apple and elderflower spritz
We are a huge fan of Mr Fitzpatricks cordials here. They are the perfect companion with our SodaStream and they have some amazing flavours and make amazing Alcohol-Free Drinks for Adults.
Mockingbird
Mockingbird Spirit is a great tequila substitute. This is a new one and developed during lockdown by a female founder and I think it is fabulous on the palate and a great Alcohol-Free Drink for Adults.
Here are some great Summer Mocktail recipes or what about a strawberry Mojito or Elderflower, cucumber and mint fizz.
Great blog, so comprehensive. I dont drink at all and haven’t forayed into the world of grown up non-alcoholic drinks tbh but I really like the sound of some of these.
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