I stopped drinking alcohol 16 months ago when it started to have a negative impact on my health. I didn’t drink a huge amount, but when I did have a few glasses of wine with friends or a few pints at the pub by the sea, I started getting crippling stomach cramps and would feel unwell all of the next day. I had also started experiencing crippling anxiety the morning after, which left me questioning every conversation I had the night before.
I was later diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, which explained why my body was having such an adverse reaction to alcohol. However, it didn’t explain why I had crippling anxiety, and I was struggling to sleep, so I decided, for my mental and physical health, to stop drinking completely.
While I wasn’t much of a drinker anyway, I still wanted to enjoy a nice beverage on occasion, whether that be a non-alcoholic lager, a glass of ‘Nosecco’ or a 0% G&T.
But I’ve since learnt that not all non-alcoholic beverages are worth trying. Some non-alcoholic or low alcohol beers have a bitter aftertaste that is hard to ignore, while some alcohol-free wines are packed with sugar and taste more like apple juice.
If you’re planning to spend this Christmas and New Year sober, or perhaps you’re the designated driver, these are the best no-alcohol and low alcohol options.
Beers and ales
IMPOSSIBREW®
I cannot rave enough about this company. They offer non-alcoholic enhanced beers that are designed to be an alternative to full alcoholic beers using their patent-pending technology. The Social Blend™ contains l-theanine, which is naturally found in green tea leaves, ashwagandha, an adaptogenic herb, and plant extracts and vitamin B1. The Social Blend™ claims to “enhance your natural alpha brain waves, promoting relaxation without disruption”.
While you won’t feel “drunk” or “tipsy”, I have found the low alcohol beverages from IMPOSSIBREW® have made me feel more relaxed and even a bit more sociable. I’ve tried a few beverages from IMPOSSIBREW®, but my favourites are the enhanced lager, the triple-hopped IPA and the cask reserve amber.
Not only are they enhanced to make you feel more relaxed, but they taste almost like the real thing.
IMPOSSIBREW® Mixed Bundle is £30 for a box of 10.
Adnams Ghost Ship Beer 0.5%
This is available in many pubs and bars, including some Wetherspoon pubs, which makes it ideal if you’re attending Christmas parties. Adnams Ghost Ship has some lovely citrus flavours as well as elderflower and gooseberry, giving it a hoppy flavour.
The low alcohol beer has received a rating of 4.5 out of five on the Tesco website, with some shoppers claiming it’s the “best low alcohol beer on the market”.
One Tesco customer said: “From all the non/low alcohol beers I’ve tried so far, this is the best. Tastes like an actual beer without the strange aftertaste.” Unlike some low-alcohol beers, this one doesn’t have the bitter aftertaste that some low/no-alcohol beers have, which can be off-putting.
Adnams Ghost Ship Bottle Beer 0.5% 500ml is currently £1.65 from Tesco.
Aldi Saint Etienne Alcohol Free Lager
For just 89p for a 500ml bottle, you really can’t go wrong. It’s not the most complex of flavour profiles, but it hits the spot if you fancy a lager.
There is a slight bitterness in the aftertaste, but it’s not as prominent as other, more expensive options on the market.
This also makes a great shandy if you pour half a bottle into a pint glass and then top it with lemonade.
Aldi Saint Etienne Alcohol Free Lager is currently 89p from Aldi.
Guinness 0.0%
Everyone raves about Guinness 0.0% — and for good reason. It tastes so similar to the real thing that I often find myself double-checking the can before I chuck it in the recycling bin.
It’s smooth and malty with a roasted flavour and a hint of sweetness. It pours just like the real thing, too, with a creamy finish and its unique dark colour.
This is the first drink I recommend to people who are ditching alcohol, as it gives you the same flavour profiles without that bitterness that some alcohol-free beverages have.
Guinness 0.0% Alcohol-Free Stout is currently £5.45 for four cans at Sainsbury’s.
Corona Cero
This is another option that tastes very similar to the real thing. When I was younger, Corona was one of my favourite lagers, so when I saw they were doing a 0% version, I was overjoyed.
Rub a wedge of lime on the rim of the bottle before pushing it into the bottle, and you have a refreshingly light alcohol-free lager with a hint of zest that tastes delicious.
Each 330ml bottle is only 56 calories, too, which means you don’t have to worry about your waistline either.
Corona Cero 0% Alcohol Free Premium Lager is currently £8.75 for 12 from Asda.
Wines
Sainsbury’s alcohol-free 0.0% sparkling wine
It can be hard to find a non-alcoholic sparkling wine that isn’t overly sweet and fruity, but Sainsbury’s alcohol-free sparkling wine hits the spot.
Refreshing, crisp and slightly dry, this is a lovely option for non-drinkers who still want to have a glass of fizz on Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve.
Sainsbury’s 0.0% Alcohol Free Sparkling White Wine is currently £3.50.
Plus & Minus blanc de blancs 0.5%
I’ve tried a lot of alcohol-free sparkling wine, and this is one of the best. It’s surprisingly similar to the real thing, with a dry flavour with hints of buttery apple.
The alcohol-free wine is made from South Australian grapes and is ideal for those who want to enjoy a sophisticated, alcohol-free beverage without cracking into a bottle of Champagne.
Plus & Minus Blanc de Blancs NV Alcohol Free Sparkling Wine is currently £10.95 from Dry Drinker.
Spirits
Gordon’s Alcohol Free 0.0%
This list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Gordon’s 0.0% offering. Paired with a good-quality tonic, this tastes just as good as the real thing, but without the crippling headache the next day.
It has notes of juniper and a crisp, fresh taste that would also work well in gin-based cocktails. If you don’t want to buy a bottle, the pre-mixed cans also taste lovely.
Gordon’s Alcohol Free Spirit is currently £12 from Waitrose.
Gordon’s Alcohol Free Spirit & Tonic with Lime costs £5.50 for four cans at Tesco.
Fever-Tree 0.5% Low Alcohol Italian Spritz
If you like the flavour of an Aperol spritz, then you’ll love this. While traditionally more of a summer drink, I think the spices and citrus in this work beautifully for winter too.
The combination of blood orange soda, herbs, citrus and spices gives this a bittersweet flavour that isn’t at all overly sweet or cloying. Served over ice with a wedge of orange, it’s the perfect aperitif.
Fever-Tree 0.5% Low Alcohol Italian Spritz 25cl is currently £1.90 from Sainsbury’s.
Prices are correct at the time of writing.
