5 top products for non-alcoholic drinks
The trend towards less alcohol is currently one of the most significant. We are currently experiencing a qualitative revolution in this area. It is therefore advisable to offer high-quality, regional specialties in addition to the classic orange juice and energy drink.
But first to the terminology:
What are AF drinks?
AF means non-alcoholic beverages. In the legal sense, non-alcoholic beverages are all drinks that contain no more than 0.5% alcohol by volume or, in the case of soft drinks, no more than 2 g of alcohol per liter of drink.
What are mocktails and where does the name come from?
Mocktails are cocktails without alcohol. The name mocktail is a fusion of the words cocktail and the English term “to mock”. This means something like imitating or pretending. Juices, syrups, infusions or pickled ingredients are used in an attempt to reconstruct the taste of the original, one might think, and this is often the case. However, independent creations and drinks are also developed that stand for themselves. And even entire spirits such as gin are now available alcohol-free in supermarkets.
What are the best-known non-alcoholic drinks?
- Water with and without sparkling water
- Fruit juices and juice spritzers
- Lemonades
- Tea and iced tea
- Coffee and iced coffee
- Mulled wine and punch alternatives
- Flavored water with fresh fruit
- Shrubs - the sour alternative to syrup
- Water kefir
What is the sober lifestyle?
This refers to the trend towards non-alcoholic drinks. “Sober curios” is a term used to describe a growing group of people who are choosing to drink less or not at all as part of their lifestyle. The movement opposes the normalization of heavy drinking and stereotypes that those who don't drink are less sociable or have less fun.
TOP 5 no & low alcohol producers
- AMA Brewery
Dani & Ramon from AMA Brewery give us a taste of where the journey could take us. The two were the head developers of the three-star Basque restaurant Mugaritz. Based on kombucha, they create a pét-nat tea that is lightly sparkling and matured in the bottle. It contains hardly any alcohol and is made from the finest teas and ingredients. AMA definitely belongs to the top class of alternative drinks - the Grand Cru of this category. - Muri Drinks
The creations of Murray Paterson & Ioakeim Goulidis (Muri Drinks) are difficult to categorize and fall somewhere between pet-nats, sour beers and fruit wines with a very low alcohol content. Muri draws inspiration from Copenhagen's gastronomic expertise in fermentation and uses culinary techniques and unusual ingredients to create innovative blends. Her focus is on flavor development and redesigning non-alcoholic beverages. Collaboration with small farmers and cultivation of plants in Danish forests emphasize her focus on quality. Their drinks, inspired by culinary flavors and techniques, are ideal as an accompaniment to food and offer a modern alternative to traditional wine pairings. MURI was founded in 2020 by Murray Paterson, formerly a distiller at Empirical Spirits, and Ioakeim Goulidis, who previously worked at the Noma Fermentation Laboratory. - Combuchont:
Innovative tea with a unique shelf life and origin from the Austrian Limestone Alps. Combuchont is celebrated as the world's first cold-bottled tea with the impressive shelf life of wine. But it is more than that. Through the harmonious blending of the finest teas from around the world, pure water from the Austrian Limestone Alps and extensive expertise, combined with meticulous attention to detail and a good dose of time, this unique drink develops its unmistakable personality in the cellars of the world's first tea cellar - the Combuchont Schraml tea cellar. Originally born from the creativity of chef Klemens Schraml at Restaurant Rau in Upper Austria, the Combuchont was discovered and developed to enrich the beverage repertoire. Created in the restaurant's kitchen with the highest quality standards for raw materials and drinkability. - Wachstum König
Is it possible to produce fruit juices without additives and high-temperature pasteurization? Wachstum König from Styria confirms this and impressively demonstrates the pure fruit that can be produced. Friedrich “Fritz” König laid the foundations for this innovative practice. He quickly recognized the uniqueness of the individual vineyards on the Kittenberg and took advantage of the diversity of the terroir. He intensively studied the soil composition and the effects of different pH values on the growth of fruit and wine varieties under microclimatic influences. He wrote about his global experiences in two books and put them into practice on the Kittenberg. As a pioneer and economist, he reformed agriculture in Styria and is considered a pioneer of mulching and high cultivation. The lasting impact of Fritz König's work had a significant influence on wine production in the region, making him one of the most important advocates of the Styrian wine boom. - Flein from Gross & Gross
Fruit juices as a real alternative to wine? The grape juices from Gross & Gross, under the Flein brand, make it possible. These juices are 100% pure and natural, made from berries that are gently pressed and carefully pasteurized to fully preserve their aromas.Flein juices come from specially cultivated vineyards, the so-called Flein gardens, where the vines are carefully tended by hand. The harvested grapes are gently pressed - similar to champagne production - and then gently pasteurized to preserve the typical varietal taste. The result? A fresh, elegant juice with a lively acidity, completely free from artificial additives and naturally vegan. Particularly interesting is the Flein Fizz, a sparkling party drink to which carbon dioxide is added.Tip for the best enjoyment: drink Flein neat and chilled from a wine glass.
Our conclusion for the future:
The trend towards no- and low-alcohol drinks is more than just a fad - it marks a qualitative revolution in the beverage industry. Manufacturers are setting new standards by offering sophisticated and tasty alternatives to traditional alcoholic beverages. Whether it is alcohol-free kombucha pét-nat, innovative fruit wines or natural grape juices, these products show that less alcohol does not mean less enjoyment.
By using high-quality ingredients, innovative production processes and a deep understanding of taste and quality, these drinks offer a healthy, sustainable and yet enjoyable alternative. The future of no- and low-alcohol beverages looks promising, and these exciting developments are well worth pursuing and enjoying.
Cover photo by stella
