Back in December, Prosecco for breakfast might have seemed perfectly acceptable.
But in the cold light of January, booze is no longer the order of the day for a growing number of Britons.
According to Alcohol Concern, five million of us took part in Dry January in 2017 — with more expected to join in this year.
In response, the big alcohol manufacturers are increasingly bringing out ‘dry’ versions of their products, a move that’s also thanks to twenty to thirtysomethings shunning booze.
Research shows the average ‘millennial’ consumes five units of alcohol a week, which equates to about two pints of beer.
The good news for anyone jumping on the Dry January bandwagon is that, now that not drinking is an increasingly big business, we no longer have to choose between a handful of pallid alcohol-free wines or the odd watery teetotal lager.
Thanks to innovative producers using new techniques, the choice of quality alcohol-free beers, wines and spirits has improved dramatically in the past year or two.
Thanks to innovative producers using new techniques, the choice of quality alcohol-free beers, wines and spirits has improved dramatically in the past year or two
According to Stuart Elkington, founder of online shop Drydrinker, sales have doubled in the past year alone.
‘The demand was there, but until now the products haven’t been there. Now there’s real choice, they taste great,’ he says.
Most alcohol-free drinks are made in the same way as normal ones, with fermentation converting sugar into alcohol.
The alcohol is then stripped out via techniques including heating the drink to high temperatures to evaporate off the booze, reverse osmosis (where the drink is passed through a very tight filter that separates out the alcohol from the rest) or vacuum distillation (where the alcohol is evaporated off in a vacuum, which means it only needs to be heated to lower temperatures).
The problem is these techniques can take out much of the aroma and flavour, leaving what’s left tasting somewhat lightweight — and not just in the alcoholic sense.
But in recent years, more wines are having alcohol removed via ‘spinning cone’ technology.
Most alcohol-free drinks are made in the same way as normal ones, with fermentation converting sugar into alcohol. The alcohol is then stripped out via techniques including heating the drink to high temperatures to evaporate off the booze
By spinning the drink very fast, it’s possible to remove alcohol more gently at lower temperatures, so keeping more flavours and aromas.
Then there’s beer. Much of it has been made in the same way as normal beer. But an increasing number of brewers are brewing alcohol-free beers without fermenting them in the traditional way, resulting in malty, hoppy aromas and flavours minus the alcohol.
Now, for the first time there are alcohol-free spirits, too.
The world’s first non-alcoholic brand, Seedlip, launched just over two years ago. Created by British entrepreneur Ben Branson, it now sells in 15 countries.
Using botanicals found in gin such as herbs, spices, barks and citrus peels, Seedlip is distilled and blended, just without the alcohol.
But can any of these drinks really replace your nightly tipple?
In a way, yes — as long as they taste good. You still get to pop a cork or pour from a bottle and enjoy something a little more grown up than most soft options.
What you won’t get is the unmistakable oomph of alcohol. But the glow of your halo should make up for the lack of glow in your cheeks.
So if you want to try going dry, whether it’s for a few days a week or for the whole month, which are the best drinks to look out for?
Here, we pick the best of the current bunch.
If you like gin…
Seedlip Spice 94, £20 (was £26), Amazon.co.uk
This is the first-to-market non-alcoholic spirit and is a great way to get your G&T fix, just without the G.
The smell is reassuringly medicinal — spicy, a bit woody — and the flavour follows suit.
Pour into a glass with ice, top up with tonic and add a fancy garnish (pink grapefruit is my favourite).
It’s made with no artificial flavourings, no added sugar or sweeteners. Expensive, but worth it.
Seedlip Spice 94, £20 (was £26), Amazon.co.uk. It’s made with no artificial flavourings, no added sugar or sweeteners. Expensive, but worth it
Teetotal G’n’T, £14.99 6x200ml, Drydrinker.com
According to the three friends from Yorkshire who created it, 90 per cent of tasters couldn’t tell this didn’t have any alcohol in it.
Clearly they don’t make their gins as stiff as mine. But it does have something herbal about it that’s rather lovely and the kick of quinine (found in tonic water) immediately makes you think it’s a G&T.
I like the idea that you can just crack open a bottle and pour it over ice. Simple, but effective.
Teetotal G’n’T, £14.99 6x200ml, Drydrinker.com. According to the three friends from Yorkshire who created it, 90 per cent of tasters couldn’t tell this didn’t have any alcohol in it
If you like fizz . . .
Tesco Low Alcohol Sparkling White Wine, £3 (was £3.75)
Technically a de-alcoholised and carbonated wine (catchy, eh?) rather than alcohol-free, because there’s a tiny bit of alcohol in there, but it’s less than 0.5 per cent.
It’s made from good-quality grapes rather than concentrated grape juice so tastes a lot more like proper sparkling wine than most.
This one’s made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes picked at night to retain as much freshness as possible.
And the Spanish producer, Felix Solis, uses spinning cone technology too, resulting in a smart sparkling that’s really fresh and not too sweet. More, please.
Tesco Low Alcohol Sparkling White Wine, £3 (was £3.75). Technically a de-alcoholised and carbonated wine (catchy, eh?) rather than alcohol-free, because there’s a tiny bit of alcohol in there, but it’s less than 0.5 per cent
The Bees Knees Alcohol Free Sparkling Wine, £3.49 (was £3.99), Ocado
This sparkler is a clever blend of grape juice and green tea from China’s Yunnan province, the latter adding tannin to the blend. (That teeth-coating feeling when you drink a lukewarm cup of tea?
That’s tannin, and it’s found in grapes as well as in tea.) And because the grape juice isn’t fermented with yeast, it doesn’t have any alcohol it in to start with.
A brilliant booze-free alternative to prosecco.
The Bees Knees Alcohol Free Sparkling Wine, £3.49 (was £3.99), Ocado. This sparkler is a clever blend of grape juice and green tea from China’s Yunnan province, the latter adding tannin to the blend
If you like RED . . .
Torres Natureo Red 0.5 per cent, £4.79 (was £5.99), Waitrose
Until now, this juicy Spanish red had little competition when it came to low-alcohol reds.
Produced by one of Spain’s best-known winemaking families, it’s made from Syrah grapes and before the alcohol is removed, part of the wine is aged in oak barrels helping to add body and flavour.
It has plenty of body with bramble fruits and a touch of spice and, crucially, is not too sweet. Passes the wine-like test easily.
Torres Natureo Red 0.5 per cent, £4.79 (was £5.99), Waitrose. Until now, this juicy Spanish red had little competition when it came to low-alcohol reds
Rawson’s Retreat Cabernet Sauvignon 0.5 per cent, £3.20 (was £4), Tesco
This Aussie red is made from Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Then the alcohol is removed via a low temperature vacuum distillation. What’s left does have a big whack of sugar in it, presumably to make up for what is lost in body and flavour. But as big, juicy fruit-bomb reds go, it’s dangerously drinkable.
If you like WHITE . . .
Rawson’s Retreat Cabernet Sauvignon 0.5 per cent, £3.20 (was £4), Tesco
Leitz Eins Zwei Zero, £6.99, Waitrose
A fresh, fruity alcohol-free white made in Germany from the Riesling grape. The alcohol is removed via a gentle vacuum distillation with the aromas being fed back into the de-alcoholised wine.
And there are lots of them — ripe apples, citrus and floral notes to boot. Medium rather than dry, but if you like fruity Rieslings, fill your boots.
Leitz Eins Zwei Zero, £6.99, Waitrose. A fresh, fruity alcohol-free white made in Germany from the Riesling grape
Torres Natureo Muscat 0.5 per cent, £5.99, Waitrose
Another one from the Torres stable of wines, it’s made from the unmistakeably floral-smelling Muscat grape from the Penedes region in Spain.
Having bags of aroma before you start removing the alcohol obviously helps, as there’s still plenty left when you stick your nose in a glass of this.
The flavours are fresh with a touch of orange. It’s also on the medium rather than dry side.
Torres Natureo Muscat 0.5 per cent, £5.99, Waitrose. Another one from the Torres stable of wines, it’s made from the unmistakeably floral-smelling Muscat grape from the Penedes region in Spain
If you like BEER . . .
Big Drop Chocolate Milk Stout 0.5 per cent 6x330ml, £16.99, Drydrinker.com
When stout fan Rob Fink couldn’t find a good low-alcohol version of his favourite beer, he decided to make one himself. So he enlisted the help of top brewer Johnny Clayton and together they created this, the first in Big Drop’s now four-strong range of beers.
oaded with chocolate, coffee and rich nutty, malty flavours, it’s just the right style of beer for this time of year. Warming, even without alcohol. Lovely stuff.
Big Drop Chocolate Milk Stout 0.5 per cent 6x330ml, £16.99, Drydrinker.com
Brew Dog Nanny State 0.5 per cent 4x330ml, £3.60 (was £4.50), Tesco
This renegade brewer makes this hoppy ale from eight different malts, packing it so full of flavour that it’s easy to forget its low-alcohol status. The colour of dark toffee, it delivers a hit of spicy citrus flavour wrapped in smoke. And you don’t miss the hit of alcohol.
Brew Dog Nanny State 0.5 per cent 4x330ml, £3.60 (was £4.50), Tesco
Helen McGINN’S latest book, Teetotal Tipples, is out now (Robinson, £7.99).