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Original poster

Alcohol-free wines, beers and ciders: are they any good?

82 replies

LlygodenFach · 09/08/2017 15:55

I work for a charity that does research into alcohol issues. I'm also a father of two, so I've seen a couple of times what it's like to try and cut back or abstain from alcohol for 9 months. Back when my boys were "in utero", it was Eisberg and Kaliber or nothing when it came to alcohol-free drinks for grown-ups.

These days, there's a lot more choice, and in an act of selfless heroism Wink, a colleague and I have tried and reviewed 17 alcohol-free wines Wine to see if they're any good:

www.drinkwisewales.org.uk/alcohol/alcohol-free/wines/

We've also been trying a shed-load of alcohol-free beers and ciders:

www.drinkwisewales.org.uk/alcohol/alcohol-free/beer-reviews/

www.drinkwisewales.org.uk/alcohol/alcohol-free/ciders/

I'd love to hear everyone's views about whether alcohol-free versions of normally alcoholic drinks do the trick for you; and what attracts you to them/what puts you off?

Cheers Smile
Andrew (aka LlygodenFach)

OP posts:
HerOtherHalf · 09/08/2017 16:01

I tried a bottle of Brew Dog Nanny State at a function a few months ago. Not only did I not realise it was alcohol free but it was also a damn fine beer (assuming hops are to your taste). Sadly, I've not happened upon it in my usual supermarkets as I wouldn't mind having a few bottles in stock for the odd occasion where I fancy a beer but can't have alcohol.

GreenGoblin0 · 09/08/2017 16:05

HerOtherHalf I've recently discovered nanny state stocked in packs of four in my local sainsburys. unfortunately discovered it after baby was born having had it in pub when pregnant. agree it's lovely.

RedPandaMama · 09/08/2017 16:06

I'm currently pregnant and so have tried a few different ones. Alcohol free wine is, in my opinion, not very nice. Generally leaves a weird aftertaste and is either too sweet or too bitter.

However alcohol-free Koppaberg is very nice, particularly the pear one. Also I found Waitrose own alcohol free cider is absolutely delicious, really really good. My nearest Waitrose is an hour away though so I never get it Sad

However I do feel that alcohol free is weird because, in lots of cases, they cost basically the same as the alcoholic ones! In Tesco I got the Koppaberg for £1.30 a bottle, but real alcoholic Koppaberg comes in a multipack of 4 for about £6, so only slightly more expensive. Also I like to drink alcohol to get tipsy, boost my confidence and have fun. Drinking alcohol free versions of alcoholic drinks seems kind of strange as they're not cheap, don't get you 'merry' and are usually packed with sugar and empty calories, so I don't often have them.

AreWeThereYet000 · 09/08/2017 16:07

Alcohol free koppaberg was my choice when pregnant, just taste the same to me

StinkPickle · 09/08/2017 16:08

Brew dog nanny state is the only one that is any good that I've ever tried. Tastes like normal beer.

I buy it from the local coop supermarket

Trooperslane · 09/08/2017 16:08

Drinks industry 20+ years and experience of bringing new brands including low and no alcohol....

Unfortunately alcohol does have a distinctive taste and consumers reject AF in their droves.

Best of a bad bunch: Beck's Blue. Wine - boke, all of it and I tried my best to like it when I was pregnant but it didn't work

Heineken also clearly see the value in developing this category because they've set up a very senior global team to look at it.

Orangebird69 · 09/08/2017 16:09

Becks alcohol free lager is nice.

Captainladder · 09/08/2017 16:11

beer and cider ok alcohol free. Alcohol free Wine is the pits. grim.

YouBetterWORK · 09/08/2017 16:14

Going off what's in my local, Kobbaberg is good. Becks blue is ok but has to be cold! Haven't tried nanny state but might give it a go after reading the above.

Recently have seen a new addition on the shelves, alcohol free distilled spirit! Can't remember the name, it's a gin like drink...but baulked at the price. £26!! You can buy ACTUAL gin for that!

startingtheengine · 09/08/2017 16:16

Nanny state is good - Herother I've only ever seen it in Sainsburys. Cobra is also good.

kel1234 · 09/08/2017 16:18

I've never had it personally, but I have heard good things about alcohol free koppaberg.

Original poster
LlygodenFach · 09/08/2017 16:24

Thanks, everyone. Largers branches of Tesco have an alcohol-free section, which is where we got a lot of the drinks we tried.

Personally, I drink quite a lot of St Peter's Without, which is an alcohol-free real ale launched last year. The new Heineken 0.0 lager is good too, I'd say.

OP posts:
DappledThings · 09/08/2017 16:36

Cobra is awful! The only completely undrinkable one. It's ludicrously sweet.

Heneiken is fine, Nanny States is very good. Bitburger do a pretty good plus a grapefruit variety which is nice for a change.

Eisberg is OK but generally the beers are far better than the wines

DappledThings · 09/08/2017 16:38

Oh and Beck's Blue is fine but smells massively like weed!

Icantthinkofastupidname · 09/08/2017 16:41

Another vote for the alco-free kopparberg. Just had some on Saturday at a BBQ/party. It is very sugary and fizzy tho. Not good when you're already gassy and not really wanting a sugar rush!

Original poster
LlygodenFach · 09/08/2017 16:46

We thought the Koppaberg alcohol-free was very sweet, but so is ordinary Koppaberg. In that sense, it's a pretty perfect alcohol-free version of the original: www.drinkwisewales.org.uk/alcohol/alcohol-free/ciders/#KopparbergFruit

OP posts:
QueenRefusenik · 09/08/2017 16:53

Another vote for Beck's Blue and Nanny state here, also for Erdinger alcohol free. BUT - why can't we do alcohol free like Spain does?! In pretty much every spot and sawdust supermarket in Spain you can buy loads of decent alcohol free beers - my favourite is Estrella Free Damm Limon. Simply delicious. So good my non-pregnant friends drank all my stash in preference to the normal Estrella! Mahou; cruzcampo; Sam Miguel... Everyone does decent non-alcoholic beer over there!
/rant

boopdoop · 09/08/2017 17:19

Sainsbury's own brand alcohol free prosecco is pretty good. A few of us tried it and were really impressed.

Alcohol-free wines, beers and ciders: are they any good?
MissFitton · 09/08/2017 17:45

I was just coming on to say the same as you boopdoop - the Sainsbury's fizz is the only palatable AF wine I've tried. Nanny State is also very good.

I know it's the alcohol which gives wine the taste it has but I can't help thinking there is a huge market for AF free wines if they could get the taste right!

LlygodenFach · 09/08/2017 18:18

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Oysterbabe · 09/08/2017 19:39

Thanks for the tip off re Nanny State, added to our Tesco order.

AssumethePerpendicular · 09/08/2017 19:43

Koppaberg fruit tastes like ribena, so just the same as the real thing!
I also found Nanny State to be the best alcohol free beer/ale, I'm not a lager fan. And Sainsbury's deliver packs of 4 Smile

Gunpowder · 09/08/2017 19:44

San Miguel 0.0 is best of the lagers according to DH. I haven't found a non-alcoholic wine I like yet but Seelip and fever tree tonic is delicious!

Gunpowder · 09/08/2017 19:44

Seedlip, sorry

Normandy144 · 09/08/2017 19:44

Nanny state is great and also Bavaria alcohol free which you can find in Tesco. I also found Kronenberg alcohol free when I was in France which was very pleasant. Sorry I have to disagree Becks Blue is foul stuff in comparison. As for alcohol free wine, forget it!

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