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. Browse the alcohol-free section of your local supermarket or favourite online retailer and you'll notice that many non-alcoholic beers, wines, spirits and ciders on the real and virtual shelves do contain a little alcohol – up to 0.5% ABV (alcohol by volume) in many cases. 3. Is alcohol-free cider healthy?

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

David Bremner, Marketing Director at Robinson’s Brewery said: “We are incredibly proud to partner with Drynks Unlimited and build their innovative CVD plant in our brewery. Their stealth focus on producing the best quality alcohol-free drinks in the market perfectly complements our brewing history and expertise. Our no and low sales are up 51% this year and this trend is set to continue through innovation in flavour and dispense.” Available in 33cl bottles, the resulting Ship Full of IPA beer is hoppy with aromas of melon and citrus, and a flavour that hints of berries, orange peel and honey. It also features a charming yet relatively traditional design, making it an appealing choice for Christmas day. In comparison, non-alcoholic cider has appeared a lot more recently, as the low and no alcohol sector has witnessed a significant boom in popularity and innovation. Coinciding with the pandemic, between 2020 and 2022 the number of consumers who have started to look out for their health has increased, and consequently many want to cut down on drinking. As a result, a several brands have developed what is some of the best alcohol-free cider on the UK market. The best products in the non alcoholic cider category The classics 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. We are so confident in the premium craft 0% drinks we are producing, that it was the natural step to add a Smashed Lager to our portfolio, which will help us compete with the category leaders.​The CVD process is designed to gently remove alcohol from premium craft drinks without affecting the flavour and aromas in the original, fully alcoholic beer and cider. The method takes longer to produce alcohol-free drinks – up to eight days to make a bottle of Smashed Cider or Lager.

Cheetham Bell MD Mark Harrison partners with DRYNKS Former Cheetham Bell MD Mark Harrison partners with DRYNKS

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.Smashed Lager is a refreshing pale gold lager beer with a clean taste which perfectly balances with hint of barley malt, complex aromatic floral notes and a mild hoppy bitterness. Available in 330ml can and bottle as well as a 660ml sharing bottle. We may be all about the 0% but we are 100% focused on creating a collection of alcohol-free drinks. Craftily brewed, then all the alcohol is swept away to leave only pure satisfaction – Our unique, crisp and lightly carbonated cider, is pure refreshment with a perfect balance of sharpness, sweetness and bite. A golden, slightly opaque sparkling liquid with a fresh inviting aroma of English apples.

Smashed Berry Bottle - Alcohol Free Drinks Smashed Berry Bottle - Alcohol Free Drinks

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 Alcohol free cider has about half the calories of a typical alcoholic cider. So, give alcohol free cider a try and let us know what you think. 2. Is alcohol-free cider really alcohol-free? Smashed Pale Ale is light and refreshing, a fusion of the traditional and modern. Caramel and hints of Toffee and finished with a modern American hop providing Tropical and Passionfruit notes. It would be easy to think that no alcohol-free drink could turn the head of a committed whisky drinker, but Spirits of Virtue is out to prove otherwise with its Dochus range. French cider brand Maison SASSY’s 0% organic cider is one of the latest releases in the non- alcoholic apple cider category, having launched in the UK in January 2022. The drink is made from a variety of apples grown in the company’s family orchards in Normandy. Maison SASSY says its apples are specifically grown for use in cider as opposed to cooking or eating fresh. The drink is made into a traditional 4% ABV cider and is then dealcoholised to 0%, with the same mouthfeel and taste as the original alcoholic version, according to the company. It is also vegan, gluten-free, and contains no added sugars, or added water. Something differentMark Harrison has held senior positions at Cheetham Bell, M&C Saatchi, Karmarama and Mother and brings with him a wealth of experience and insight from working on some of the UK’s leading FMCG and retail brands, including Morrisons, Boots, Costa, Iceland, John West and Stella Artois. Unlike the alcohol free version, alcoholic cider has a long history, and it is predicted to have been first made by the Celts in Britain from crab apples in around 3000 BCE. The Roman invasion of the country around 55 BCE then brought in apple cultivars, orcharding, and new apple varieties, as the Norman invasion also did later in 1066. Kopparberg, the Swedish brand which is renowned for its fruit-flavoured ciders, has started producing an alcohol-free range with several flavours, including Mixed Fruit, Strawberry & Lime, Mixed Fruit Tropical, and Pear, making them some of the best non-alcoholic ciders for fans of a more fruity beverage.