No-Low Brands For Dry January And Beyond: Our 2022 Round-up.

Here are the most interesting and innovative no-low-alcohol selections to help you revitalise the very reason you decided to start the year sober: Dry January.

No-low alcoholic drinks used to be about situations where you couldn’t or shouldn’t drink. However, today’s range of beverages highlights a growing new trend of consumers who are driven by conscientious and exploratory choices. On that note, take a look at our top ten no-low drinks of 2022. IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER (no hierarchies here):

Bemuse:

A low-alcohol, low-calorie, sparkling craft MEAD which is brewed, crafted, and canned in the UK – is buzzing around the no-low industry. Launched in June 2021, the brand’s reputation for providing innovative, high-quality, refreshing drinks with zero artificial sweeteners is unparalleled. At 0.5% ABV (which is technically classed as ‘non-alcoholic’ by UK standards) and just 40 calories per can, Bemuse is one to watch.

Anna Chalov and Nataliya Peretrutova took advantage of new technologies which enables the production of prime alcohol substitutes, – to create a revitalised version of a British classic. Bemuse’s sparkling mead was named ‘Best Low or No Alcohol Drink,’ and ‘Best Sparkling Drink’ at the World Beverage Innovation Awards (September 2021). They also received an award from the IWSC (the International Wine & Spirit Competition, 2021).

2. Twisted Kombucha:

Founded in 2019 by Lou Dillon, Twisted Kombucha is a non-alcoholic probiotic drink, which was specifically created to care for your gut – whilst providing an enjoyable, tasty, and quality drinking experience. Developed to twist the usual narrative of traditional Kombucha, Twisted Kombucha is a live-fermented tea, which is filled with gut-loving living nutrition (beneficial micro-organisms and probiotics), organic acids, vitamins, and enzymes that invigorates the body.

Twisted Kombucha is vegan, raw, unpasteurised, low in sugar, gluten-free, and it contains 100% natural ingredients, only. Also, Lou Dillon is currently the ONLY female kombucha brewer in North London, and the only female kombucha brewer in the UK who is also a registered Nutritionist and Food Scientist, as well. As a validated vegan source of Vitamin B12, Twisted Kombucha is backed by both passion and science. Bubbles with benefits!

3. Drynks:

They own the ONLY CVD technology in the UK. Therefore, Drynks has the competitive advantage that guarantees a truly alcohol-free drink like no other. In 2019, Richard Clark launched ‘Smashed’ (a range of 0% craft beers and ciders) with the intention of providing customers with a 0% drink that looks, acts, smells, and tastes as good as it’s alcoholic equivalent!

All Smashed products begin life as premium craft beers or ciders (between 5% – 5.7%), before being dealcoholized. Using the finest British ingredients, Smashed is vegan-friendly, less than 100 calories per bottle, and gluten-free (where possible). Drynks were also featured on Dragons’ Den (2020). Now, you can find ‘Smashed’ products in Sainsburys, Booths, and in various other shops and venues, AND they’ve won multiple awards. Smashing!

4. Bax Botanics:

Bax Botanics launched in 2019 to shake-up the alcohol-free market with their innovative range of premium, sustainable spirits that use organic and ethically-sourced herbs and botanicals. Founded by keen foragers with over 15-years of experience with botanical flavours, and 30+ years of teaching and consulting in the food and beverage industry, Chris and Rose Bax (a husband-and-wife duo) certainly know what they’re doing.

Their non-alcoholic spirits are beautifully-balanced and are traditionally distilled in beaten copper alembics – to achieve the purest flavour. Bax Botanics uses recyclable packaging, bottle labels that are printed on by-product materials from the sugar industry, and all of their ingredients are organic and fair-trade. They can be found in Booths, the NWTC bar chain, on Master of Malt, and across the USA and the UAE.

5. Mooze:

Born out of unfortunate circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic, Mel Sims’ Mooze provides a moderate drinking and low-calorie gin alternative, which sits at just 12%. Mooze’s alternative gin is vegan, sugar and sweetener free, and it comes in six flavours: Juniper, Cucumber, Coriander, Orange & Clementine Zest and Macadamia Nuts. Fancy a cheeky Gin and Tonic with Mooze’s alternative? It includes the same calories as a chocolate pancake!

6. CROSSIP:

Unapologetically bold in its branding, ethos, and taste, CROSSIP is a non-alcoholic spirit that utilises botanical ingredients to produce mature mouthfeels and distinct flavour profiles. This allows consumers to create sophisticated cocktails, or add as a mixer to generate depth and texture. Similar to other non-alcoholic alternatives, CROSSIP is created through a process of maceration, as opposed to distillation, meaning that it contains 0% alcohol.

Founded in 2020 by a well-known cocktail expert Carl Anthony Brown, CROSSIP does not attempt to replicate the taste of alcohol-based spirits, but instead, it establishes its own. The brand donates 5% of it’s profits to a number of causes, including Alcohol Change UK, Papyrus, CALM, and Centre Point UK. CROSSIP is available to purchase on/in various online and physical retail outlets, including in Delia Smith Restaurants, and more.

7. The Loah Beer Co.:

“Loah is all about the upsides,” said Loah’s creator, Hugo Tapp. The Loah Beer Co. was founded in 2020 following increasing demands for non and low-alcohol beer options. Hugo launched Hola Beer With Lime (0.5% ABV) as one of the healthiest low-alcohol beers to EVER launch onto the market. With just 39 calories and less than a gram of sugar, Hola Beer With Lime provides a light and refreshing taste with natural lime flavourings.

Naturally-brewed and made from 100% recyclable packaging, Loah is vegan-friendly and gluten-free. The brand is also working towards becoming the most carbon-neutral and sustainable low-alcohol product on the shelves. As an expert in the biz, Hugo has had a hand in making and selling wine, accelerating drinks start-ups such as Seedlip (another fantastic non-alcoholic spirit), and now he aims to build a community, with the Club Loah membership.

8. Jitterbug:

Available in Lemonade Swing, Orange Jive and Berry Hop, each flavour is handcrafted in the UK – using an array of English botanicals, real fruit juices, and exotic superfoods like Japanese Yuzu. Jitterbug’s active ingredient is Apple Cider Vinegar, which is clinically-proven to improve digestion, boost immunity and gut health, has anti-diabetic effects, lowers cholesterol, and encourages clean living and weight-loss!

At just 39 calories per serving, not only is Jitterbug 100% natural, but it’s 100% free from any artificial nonsense, too: it’s 100% vegan, organic, sustainable and recyclable, – with 0% added sugar. Founded in 2019 by Mollie Obileye, the British brand’s ‘retro-chic’ branding pays homage to the swinging Sixties – an era of flamboyance and self-love. This sparkling treat is both guilt and jitter-free!

9. Mockingbird Spirit & Tequila-Infused Beer:

Mockingbird is the UK’s first ever non-alcoholic tequila brand, – bringing new life to this famed Mexican spirit. Embodying the spirit of the Mockingbird (and mimicking the taste of Tequila), the spirit is a functional Alcoternative™, and it’s made with vegan ingredients to support health and happiness. 0% Alcohol and 100% Mexican Blue Weber Agave, Mockingbird uses pure Ashwagandha – an adaptogen that benefits mental and physical wellbeing.

In 2021, the brand’s Founder, Fern – partnered with the beer expert, Thomas James to bring to market a tequila-infused beer called ‘Esmeralda’ – a non-alcoholic, Mexican-style Cerveza. As with the original Mockingbird product, Esmeralda contains carefully-selected, authentic Blue Weber Agave, sourced directly from Mexico, with tasting notes of vanilla, cinnamon, and the perfect hint of habanero. ¡Salud!

10. Slange Var:

From the Gaelic toast ‘cheers – to your good health’, Slange Var is an award-winning, non-alcoholic beverage from Scotland. A zesty blend of freshly-squeezed lime juice, cold pressed ginger juice, cyder vinegar, and Scottish artisan certified heather honey, Slange Var is a refreshing brand with a velvety after taste. Perfect for those looking for a unique and healthy alternative, this low-calorie drink is as interesting and complex as any wine.

The brainchild of entrepreneurs Sarah Dougan and Charles Beard (2016), Slange Var has teamed up with The Scottish Bee Company, and donates wildflower seeds to the biodiversity team of Glasgow Council, with one tree planted for every purchase. They won the Consumers’ Choice Medal as a mixer at the International Spirits Competition (2020), and the prestigious Consumers’ Choice Award at this year’s SIP Awards, as well as the Innovation Award (2021).

Watch out for this wee game changer!