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. Richard Clark, Founder and MD of Drynks Unlimited said: “The last 0.5% of alcohol is the hardest part to remove. That’s why the majority of ‘alcohol-free’ drinks on the market are low alcohol (0.5% or above), very few are truly 0%. This market-leading technology means we are the first British-based drinks company to produce alcohol-free drinks that deliver exceptional taste and an authentic experience. In general, No-Alcohol & Low-Alcohol drinks are not damaging to your health when enjoyed in moderation. This is particularly true when compared to their alcoholic counterparts; opting for the No or Low version of a drink will always be less damaging to your health than choosing the full-ABV version. 4. Is there non-alcoholic hard cider? The Smashed range uses the finest British ingredients to create authentic tasting beers and ciders and then the alcohol is gently removed in a low impact cool vacuumed environment which maintains the same bubbly, personality, character and flavour of the full alcohol version. All Smashed drinks are vegan, gluten free (where possible), low in sugar and contain less than 100 calories.

Smashed Berry Can - Alcohol Free Drinks Smashed Berry Can - Alcohol Free Drinks

Great Alcohol Free drinks start life as great alcoholic drinks. The secret to our great taste according to Drynks Unlimted is in their Cool Vacuum Distillation (CVD) equipment. Drynks distil their base beers and ciders to remove the alcohol. Usually, this would be done at high temperatures at atmospheric pressures. In using high temperatures chemical reactions take place which destroy the delicate flavours and ruin the taste (remember alcohol free drinks of old?) by treating the products gently and boiling away the alcohol under vacuum, they can reduce the temperature to a minimum, preserving all of the delicate flavours for you to enjoy. Wignac is another cider company which has established itself in the European and British alcohol-free cider market more recently. Based in the dense forest region of the Belgian Ardennes, it aims to revive the local orchards and bring new jobs to the region. Wignac prides itself on producing organic drinks, containing no added sugar, no sulphites, and being naturally gluten-free. Its alcohol-free concoction is given the quirky name, La Lady Squirrel. It would be easy to think that no alcohol-free drink could turn the head of a committed whisky drinker, but Spirits of Virtue is out to prove otherwise with its Dochus range.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. In comparison, non-alcoholic cider has appeared a lot more recently, as the low and no alcohol sector has witnessed a significant boom in popularity and innovation. Coinciding with the pandemic, between 2020 and 2022 the number of consumers who have started to look out for their health has increased, and consequently many want to cut down on drinking. As a result, a several brands have developed what is some of the best alcohol-free cider on the UK market. The best products in the non alcoholic cider category The classics Drynks Unlimited produces drinks at 0.05% which has less alcohol than a banana. This is true AF. But there is much confusion in the market as a beer brewed in the EU or the US that is 0.5% (low alcohol) can label themselves as alcohol-free when sold in the UK. Even supermarkets label the category as ‘alcohol-free’ when in fact most of the drinks are low-alcohol with 0.5% or more alcohol.

British drinks business launches UK’s first 0% alcohol-free British drinks business launches UK’s first 0% alcohol-free

Mark Harrison, Brand Partner at DRYNKS Unlimited said: “DRYNKS Unlimited is an incredibly exciting and ambitious business which has positioned itself as a leader in the alcohol-free category with its innovative dealcoholisation process. The Smashed brand stands out like a beacon on shelf and has immense potential and I want to help Richard and his team develop a creative brand ambition to see them deliver real excitement to consumers.”

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?