What, exactly, distinguishes "no" alcohol from "low" alcohol? Navigating the realm of alcohol-free categories can feel mind-boggling, so we've written this article to help clarify some of that confusion.

According to Drink Aware, here are the main distinctions within the no and low category:

1. Alcohol-Free: no more than 0.05%
2. De-Alcoholised: no more than 0.05%
3. Low Alcohol: no more than 1.2%
4. Non-Alcohol: ‘Non-alcoholic’ drinks don’t contain alcohol e.g. soft drinks like soda water

This means, therefore, that ‘alcohol-free’ wine, beer and spirits can contain a very small amount of alcohol, similar to many pharmaceutical products.

When it comes to wine, beer and spirits, producers employ a number of sophisticated methods to reduce or remove alcohol. Here are some of them:

1. Reverse Osmosis (RO): This method involves passing the wine through a membrane that separates alcohol from other components.
2. Spinning Cone Column (SCC): This technique uses a spinning cone to vaporise and separate alcohol from the wine. The advantage of SCC is its ability to retain more of the wine's aromatic compounds.
3. Vacuum Distillation: By lowering the pressure, the boiling point of alcohol decreases, allowing for distillation at lower temperatures. This method aims to minimise heat exposure to the wine, preserving its sensory qualities.

We have some fantastic options of no and low alcohol across our full range of beverages. Here are some of our favourites:

Oddbird Spumante is an alcohol free Prosecco which makes the perfect apéritif or classy mocktail mixer.

Seedlip Garden 108 is a sugar free non-alcoholic spirit offering aromas of peas & hay with traditional garden herbs in celebration of the English countryside.

Guinness 0.0% Micro Draught takes your home bar to the next level! The new cutting-edge technology serves beautiful, Draught Guinness on tap, without requiring the gas cylinder used with traditional taps.

Domaine de la Prade Organic Red Wine is a non-alcoholic red wine which offers aromas of blue and purple fruit with good freshness and concentration on the palate.

Vallformosa 0.0% Alcohol Cava is also certified as Vegan and Gluten Free. "VFMS 0.0% by cava producer Vallformosa is way better than most alcohol-free fizz I’ve tried" - Fiona Beckett, The Guardian, 2022.

Shop our full range here: www.classicdrinks.com.

Contact details

Martin Fagan

 086 810 0082
 martin-fagan@classicdrinks.com
Web www.classicdrinks.com