It is fair to say that public interest in non-alcoholic drinks has increased significantly in recent years. Alternatives to traditionally boozy beverages have been continually developed, but in 2021 alone the sales of non-alcoholic beer jumped by well over 50%.
There are a number of reasons for this jump, but what’s important to note is the sheer variety of options available in 2022.
Whether you’re carrying on your Dry January streak or curious about cutting down your intake, the following represent tasty ways you can replace your drink of choice.
Alcohol-free beers
Non-alcoholic beer options have existed for some time, but often been a lacklustre offering in retail environments in terms of brands available and flavour – generally existing as a pallid, watered-down facsimile of its “full fat” older brother.
Nowadays, though, alcohol free beers have become an excellent option for the mindful drinker, as craft breweries have sparked innovation in the production of lively, interesting and above all tasty alcohol-free options.
No longer does ‘alcohol-free beer’ mean a lager-flavoured sparkling water; the wide variety of alcohol-free options from craft brewers and big brands alike include popular styles from IPAs to stouts – and some are even difficult to differentiate from the real thing.
This push for more interesting non-alcoholic beers has made cutting down significantly easier, especially for the discerning craft drinker.
Non-alcoholic wine
Innovation has not only been seen in the field of craft brewing. Wineries have also taken note of the increased demand for high-quality non-alcoholic products, and together produced an impressive offering of alcohol-free wines that do not taste like re-labelled grape juice.
There are a number of different methods by which wines can have their alcohol content removed, from centrifuges to complex filtration, and the refinement of these methods has enabled major wineries to up their game in delivering products to customers.
Even large supermarkets now have own-brand no-alcohol wine offerings, alongside those of household names. Alcohol-free wines are an excellent alternative to enjoy with an evening meal, and, owing to their provenance as a real wine, can be paired with dishes in much the same way.
Mocktails
The mocktail has been an incredibly popular way for mindful drinkers and the sober-curious to pivot away from alcohol – such drinks as the Shirley Temple have become infamous over time as a result.
However, the recent surge in interest in no- or low-alcohol products has led to new innovation in the world of spirits, leading to the possibility of more authentic-tasting mocktail alternatives to popular cocktail recipes.
Alcohol-free gins have dominated the market, with careful use of botanicals making for a somewhat convincing alternative to the strong stuff.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
