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? This process removes all of the alcohol without damaging the characteristics and taste of the liquid producing a great refreshing drink with the taste and

Smashed Cider Can - Alcohol Free Drinks Smashed Cider Can - Alcohol Free Drinks

While you might think cider without alcohol is just apple juice, don’t be misled as it has a very different taste! Non-alcoholic ciders are not as sweet and aim to give drinkers the same distinguishable tangy notes that the traditional drink has. Alcohol-free cider also tends to be lower in calories, making it a favourable option for those looking out for their health or their weight. How is it made? The choice of no and low alcohol drinks is vast, from convincing alcohol-free beers to genuinely delicious fizz and thoroughly grown-up soft drinks – not to mention the number of fabulous gin alternatives. If you want a bit more info on no and low alcohol drinks, our buying guide below goes through the basics. Otherwise, scroll on for our list of the best – there’s bound to be something that tempts you away from your next hangover. The independent British alcohol-free drinks business launched its Smashed range of 0% beers and ciders in 2019 after the founder, Richard Clark, spotted an opportunity to create a business 100% focused on producing the best quality alcohol free drinks. He previously worked on major drinks brands including Pepsi, Crabbies and Whitley Neil gin.

PRODUCT BACKGROUND

The drinking habits of consumers young and old is changing rapidly as people become more aware of how much they drink. Millennials and Gen Zers are drinking less and this is influenced by a number of factors including an upweighted focus on personal health and well-being and the rise of the social media surveillance culture which can document a messy night out in seconds. 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. 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. Its first alcohol-free brand, Smashed, has four products in its range; Smashed Cider, Smashed Hops, Smashed Citrus and Smashed Berry (launching in 2020) and available in bottles and cans. The Smashed range uses the finest British ingredients to create authentic tasting beer and cider 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.

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

Our drinks experts have worked closely with Robinson’s brewers to install, test and run this revolutionary piece of brewing kit. It really is a UK first and we’re excited to see it in action producing our range of Smashed beers and ciders.” 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.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. Drynks Unlimited owns the first and currently only Cool Vacuum Distill (CVD) unit in the UK, based in Manchester.

no-alcohol lager launch Drinks firm claims first British-made no-alcohol lager launch

Cider is a hugely popular drink in the UK – so much so, it is drunk here more than anywhere else in the world. Research from 2019 shows an average UK household brings home approximately 33 litres of cider every year. It isn’t hard to see why the drink is consumed all year round. The delicious sweetness from apples and the sharpness from the alcohol, rounded off with a light fizz is the perfect accompaniment to any beer garden soirée or a picnic in the park. Spiced or mulled versions have also become well-liked during the festive period, and a lighter but just as sweet alternative to mulled wine. Drynks Unlimited also plans to launch two 0% drinks in 2020: Smashed Hops and Smashed Berry Cider. The business has secured listings in all Booths stores and in wholesaler Matthew Clark’s outlets, both from January 2020. At only 61 calories a can, it also makes for a healthier option than your standard beer, and it happens to be gluten-free, too. The fresh and fruity profile makes this a winner for lunchtime non-boozing and enjoying a beer or two in the day without the afternoon slump. The Paradiso won the World’s Best award in the No and Low category at the World Beer Awards 2021 and it’s all too easy to see why: this is a proper beer, just without the booze, and we bet you can’t tell.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.”

Smashed Cider Bottle - Alcohol Free Drinks

Smashed Apple Cider from alcohol-free brewers Drynks is everything you want a cider to be – with or without the booze. In 2021, the brand was awarded gold supreme champion at the World Cider Awards and got the gold in the International Beer and Cider Challenge – and it’s easy to see why. Having invested in a pioneering, alcohol-free brewery, Drynks is one of the only British beverage businesses to be able to remove alcohol from standard alcoholic craft beer, lager and cider thanks to its state-of-the-art distillation plant and investment has certainly paid off when it comes to taste.

In comparison to the other craft cider brands out there, DRYNKS is a relatively new addition to the non alcoholic cider world, being established in 2017. Out of all of the brands mentioned so far, it is also the most unique in that it exclusively focuses on developing alcohol-free lagers and ciders. The brand offers two flavours – Smashed Cider, an alternative to apple cider, and Smashed Berry, a mixed fruits cider alternative.