These non-alcoholic alternatives to wines, spirits, beers and cocktails are sure to be popular among the sober-curious crowd
There’s a spectre on the alcohol industry as many around the world are putting alcohol back on the shelf. Instead, they’re going for easier zero-proof drinks that taste just as good, if not better, than alcohol to rest and unwind.
For some, avoiding alcohol is a matter of health; for others, they no longer like how alcohol makes them feel; and there are those who simply do not like the taste of alcohol. As the demand for alcohol drops—especially among Gen Z—non-alcoholic drinks have exploded in popularity, with many filling in a market that previously had neither the traction nor popularity among those whose idea of a good night is a good bottle of wine or whisky.
But not all non-alcoholic drinks are made the same. “Just as my vegetarian friends do not find ‘alternative’ meats an attractive proposal, many of my non-drinker friends are not enticed by the non-alcoholic category, simply because they don't need or encounter it in their usual lives,” drinks writer June Lee told Tatler in February. “They are looking for products that are clearly healthy, clean and recognisable.” With that in mind, we decided to round up some of the best zero-proof drinks out in the market. They may be alternatives, or they may be something else entirely, but what matters is that when the bottles are flowing, it’s always a good time.
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1. Copenhagen Sparkling Tea
Copenhagen Sparkling Tea was born from sommelier Jacob Kocemba’s struggle to find an appropriate wine pairing for a dessert. The answer lay instead in a tea extract, which became so popular that he has turned sparkling tea into a thriving business. Up to 13 organic premium teas are blended and hand-brewed in small batches, before they are bottled with white wine, grape juice, or other flavour boosters—all natural, of course. This individualised process creates sparkling teas such as the Blå, brewed with Darjeeling First Flush tea with hints of jasmine and citrus, as well as Lyserød, a zero-proof alternative to rosé brewed with Silver Needle white tea.
If you still prefer alcoholic tipples that are easier on the liver, there are also low-ABV sparkling teas such as Grøn, whose notes of citrus, lemongrass and green apples have green assam Hathikuli tea to thank. Today, Copenhagen Sparkling Tea is hailed as one of the best alternatives to champagne, best paired with oysters and fish, but try not to see it as an alternative—it shines in its own category.
Available to purchase at eshop.culina.com.sg.
