Non-alcoholic spirits: how they are made and who buys them

What a non-alcoholic spirit is

A non-alcoholic spirit is a drink designed to be used like a spirit, usually in a cocktail or with a mixer, but with little or no alcohol. Most aim to stay below the legal limit for a non-alcoholic drink, which in many markets is 0.5% ABV.

They do not try to copy a spirit exactly. Alcohol itself gives a gin its warmth, body and the burn at the back of the throat, so a drink with no alcohol cannot match it perfectly. The better products accept that and build their own character. Our guide to gin, vodka and rum explains what the originals are.

How they are made

There are a few main methods. Many brands combine them:

• Distilling botanicals in alcohol, then removing it. Botanicals are steeped and distilled much like gin. The alcohol is then taken out, often by distilling under vacuum, which lets alcohol boil off at a lower temperature so delicate aromas suffer less.
• Distilling botanicals in water. Botanicals are distilled with water to capture aroma, much as rose water or other floral waters are made.
• Extracts and blending. Flavour extracts, infusions and acids are blended with water to build a drink without distillation.

Most products then need help with body and shelf life. Without alcohol to preserve them, they usually contain preservatives, acids or both. Some are also pasteurised.

Why they taste different

Alcohol does three jobs in a spirit. It carries aroma out of the glass, it gives weight on the tongue and it produces a warming burn. Remove it and aroma can feel thinner, the liquid feels watery and the drink can seem to vanish in the mouth.

Makers replace those effects with ingredients that create heat or tingle, such as chilli, ginger, black pepper or Sichuan pepper. They add bitterness with gentian or quassia. Body comes from a little sugar or glycerine. If you taste one neat, it may seem odd. Many are designed only to work mixed.

How to drink them

• Use them in long drinks. A gin alternative with tonic or soda, lots of ice and a good garnish is the easiest win.
• Use a bit more. Some brands suggest a larger measure than a normal spirit, because flavour is lighter.
• Keep them cold and use them up. Once opened, many have a short life compared with gin. The label usually says to refrigerate.
• Do not pour them neat expecting whisky. A whisky alternative served neat will disappoint most people. Mix it.

Who buys them

The buyers are a broad group. Some do not drink at all and want an adult drink that is not juice or cola. Others drink less than they used to, choose not to drink on certain days or need to drive. Many are curious about cocktails and want to try them without alcohol. In India, the category is still small and the products are mostly sold in cities, online and in bars that take their alcohol-free menu seriously.

They are often priced close to real spirits. Production is not cheap: botanicals, distillation, dealcoholisation and preservation all cost money. Volumes are small too. Whether they are worth it depends on how much you value the drink in the glass.

Labels and claims to watch

Read the label closely. Check the alcohol content, which might be 0.0% or simply below the limit. Check the storage advice after opening. Be sceptical of health claims: a drink without alcohol is not automatically a health product. Brands should not suggest that it is.

In India, drinks below the alcohol limit generally fall under food regulation rather than state excise. Rules on how they can be named and described, including whether a drink can use words like gin on its label, are still being worked out in many markets. Expect the shelf to change.

Where this is heading

The category is young. Quality is improving fast as makers learn how to build body and aroma without alcohol. The same techniques show up in alcohol-free beer and RTDs. Our guide to low and no alcohol production routes covers how each drink type gets its alcohol out.

If you want to try one, start with a long drink at a bar that makes it well, then buy a bottle once you know you like it.

Common questions

Are non-alcoholic spirits completely alcohol-free?

Some are 0.0%, while others contain a trace below the legal limit, often 0.5% ABV. Check the label.

How are non-alcoholic spirits made?

Usually by distilling botanicals in alcohol and then removing it, distilling botanicals in water or blending extracts with water.

Why do they taste thin neat?

Alcohol carries aroma and gives body and warmth. Without it, makers rely on spice, bitterness and texture. Most products are designed to be mixed.

Do non-alcoholic spirits go off?

Many have a shorter life than spirits once opened, because there is no alcohol to preserve them. Refrigerate and follow the label.