DRY J ANUARY
This sophisticated spirit from Seedlip offers up a heady bouquet of botanicals, with notes of lemon, grapefruit, cardamom and cloves. It smells divine, but the flavours didn’t come through quite as much as we’d have liked. That said, throw in a garnish and a quality tonic yourself and it’s a tasty grown-up tipple that beats a soft drink any day of the week. 3 SEEDLIP SPICE 94, 0%, £26.50 7.5/10
4 SPECIAL EFFECTS, BY BROOKLYN BREWERY 0.4% 8.5/10
5 UNFILTERED LAGER, BY LUCKY SAINT, 0.5% 8/10
As kings of the craft beer movement, you’d expect Brooklyn to turn out a decent non-alcoholic beer, and they absolutely have with Special Effects. It’s made using a special fermentation method that develops the flavours, aromas and character of beer, without the alcohol. It tastes brilliantly hoppy, with great depth of flavour, a crisp finish and a piney aroma.
Brewed in Bavaria, this lager has a rich flavour, with a malty, hoppy taste and pleasing bitterness for an enjoyable drinking experience. There’s no hangover and a night on the Lucky Saints won’t hurt your waistline either, with each 330ml bottle coming in at just 53 calories. Luckily, it’s also reliably easy to get hold of.
Aldi’s own-brand gin range, Haysmith’s, has proved a hit with gin lovers for its quality and affordability. But while the no-alcohol rhubarb and ginger offering is enjoyable, it lacks depth and is on the thin side compared to some other AF gins. That’s not to say it’s unpleasant; it’s light, fruity and gently spicy, with the rhubarb and juniper notes coming through, and would make a delicious, if not particularly boozy, G&T. 2 HAYSMITH’S NON-ALCOHOLIC RHUBARB & GINGER, 0% £9.99 7/10
6 CLWB TROPICA, BY TINY REBEL 0.5% 9/10
The first time I had this, I was halfway through before I realised I was drinking a non-alcoholic beer – which is testament to how close to the ‘real thing’ it tastes. A hazy, juicy IPA, this super summery tipple offers a burst of tropical fruits, tantalising your tastebuds with pineapple, mango and papaya, followed by a powerful hoppy hit. Anyone who thinks that AF beers are a weak and watery facsimile would do well to try this.
7 NOGRONI, 0%, £12 9/10
Given that a negroni is a pure-booze punch of gin, campari, and vermouth, attempting to recreate it with zero alcohol is a tall order – but Æcorn Aperitifs (sister brand of Seedlip), gives it a damn good go with its NOgroni. These pre-mixed mocktails come in a dinky bottle, containing enough for two serves – all you need to do is pour it over ice and garnish with an orange twist. Featuring Seedlip Spice 94, it’s got the signature syrupy bitterness of a negroni, with aromatic spices and zingy hints of citrus and grapefruit providing a rounded, complex flavour that impressively approximates the real deal.
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