Stunning No-Lo Drinks For Summer

No or Low alcohol drinks are improving every year, whether that’s replicating what we know and love about their boozy counterparts, or trailblazing their own unique path.

These refreshing summer sippers feel nothing like a compromise and everything like a treat, with many of them even containing benefit-rich properties that are not only delicious, but also leave you feeling reinvigorated in the sunshine! Say goodbye to the hangover with these expertly made beauties!

The Best No-Lo WINE

Oddbird Rosé

Oddbird’s reputation for quality alcohol-free wine precedes them, with a diverse sparkling and still range. Not only is their focus on quality, but also a commitment to sustainability and environmental production which we always applaud. Their rosé is a superbly balanced blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Languedoc-Roussillon aged for a year. The notes of strawberry feel lovely and fresh, the fizz is perfect and crucially, it isn’t overly sweet.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 0%      
Find here: £9.99 (usually more!)

Wild Life Botanicals – Blush & Nude

We can’t split these two fizzy beauties so we’re including both. The white (Nude) and the rosé (Blush) are equally dreamy, with each glass containing 15% of your recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals! An evening drinking these and not only will you not feel sluggish (they’re under 0.5% ABV), but you will also feel refreshed! The pair are immensely refreshing, infused with all kinds of benefit-rich herbs and flavours such as lemon balm, rosemary, ashwagandha and damask rose. Surprisingly complex, incredibly refreshing, subtly sweet, and charmingly packaged – the perfect summer sipper.

Size: 750ml
ABV: <0.5%
Find here: £16

The Best No-Lo COCKTAILS

Belvoir Farm Non-Alcoholic Peach Bellini

We love Belvoir for their beautifully packaged fizzes and cordials, but have you tried their No/Lo cocktails? They’ve mastered that fresh feel with their J&T and Passionfruit Martini, but their Peach Bellini is flawless, with two great taste awards stars to back it up. Real juicy peaches meet with sweet grape juice in this delicious mix that is made to be poured over plenty of ice on a hot summer’s day.

Size: 750ml                                          
ABV: 0%
Find here: £3.25

The Best No-Lo ALE

Days Pale Ale

Wonderfully bright and refreshing not just in colour but also taste, Days Alcohol-Free Pale Ale scooped a Gold at the World Alcoholic-Free Awards. Up front with its hopps flavour, tropical overtones and clean grapefruit offset it nicely for a super satisfying pale ale.

Size: 330ml
ABV: 0%
Find here: £25 12 x 330ml

The Best No-Lo APERITIF

Mother Root Marmalade Switchel

We’ve sung the praises of Mother Root’s Ginger Switchel before, but they’ve now got a new flavour – marmalade! Mother Root is all about flavoursome and reinvigorating non-alcoholic aperitif, using apple cider vinegar and fresh ingredients in their innovative blends. Bright and bitter Seville orange sits at the centre of this, with aromatic cardamom, zippy apple cider and earthy green tea all in perfect harmony. Perfectly paired with a light tonic (to let the flavours shine) and a big slice of orange or grapefruit wedge.

Size: 480ml
ABV: 0%
Find here: £28

Three Spirit The Nightcap

Three Spirit produce three plant-based alcohol alternatives, with botanicals to match different occasions. Each beautifully packaged, there is Social Elixir, Livener, and today’s shout-out – The Nightcap. With lemon balm, valerian, hops, ashwagandha (Indian/African shrub) and white willow bark, pure alchemy creates flavours of vanilla, peppery wood and spice, as well syrupy treacle tart and toasted nuts. There are some similarities to whisky, but this is very much its own thing and it’s an absolute vegan delight.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 0%
Find here: £23.95 (usually more!)

The Best CBD No-Lo Drink

INTUNE Elderflower & Hops

We love drinking INTUNE for its all-natural CBD soft drink style. The touch of sweetness is just right in this floral Elderflower spritz style can with a hint of apple and rose blossom. It’s well worth checking out their full range because the standard is sky high, but this 10mg CBD Elderflower is a winning place to start leaving you feeling refreshed and relaxed.

Size: 250ml
ABV: 0%
CBD: 10mg
Find here: £25.95 12 x 250ml

If you love exploring new No/Lo drinks but haven’t ventured into trying CBD drinks yet, then check out 8 of the best here.

The Best No & Low Drinks To Discover in 2021

Written by Aidy Smith

As we enter 2021, many of us are making decisions to better our mental health and wellbeing which sometimes means drinking less but better. I’ll be honest in that I’ve never been a fan of ‘Dry January’, but what I do believe in is making better life choices throughout the year. In this piece I’ll be showing you first-hand how no and low alcohol doesn’t have to mean zero taste, quite the opposite actually. In 2020 more no-low products entered the market than ever and the category is now continuing to boom. Again, I’ll be upfront in saying there’s some stuff on the market that has been rushed to hit a fad and, in my opinion, shouldn’t be in people’s glasses, but everything below has my endorsement out of the hundreds of products i’ve tried from this category. Enjoy!

HOLOS 'Sparkling Oolong' Kombucha (750ml)

How about a sparkling Kombucha made from Oolong tea leaves? Fermented in West Sussex using luxury loose leaf Oolong, this treat is a perfect excuse to toast amongst mates when you don’t want an ABV in your glass. Notes of elderflower and lychee intertwine, making this a floral driven sweet treat – it’s like the demi-sec of Kombucha. 

£24 (for 2) from HOLOS kombucha

Copenhagen Sparkling Tea RØD
(750ml, 5% ABV)

A renowned sommelier from Denmark loved his tea and one day it just hit him – why don’t we explore the same process with tea leaves instead of grapes?! The result was quite genius, I never thought I’d exclaim that I truly enjoyed drinking a sparkling version of tea, but here goes, it’s great! RØD is their version of a sparkling rosé and is ripe with blackberries, red berries, hibiscus and a balanced citrus. Lady Grey and Early Grey teas (two of my favourites!) create a slight bitterness from the bergamot oil which balances everything together quite nicely. Honestly, this is something you’ve got to try!

£18.50 from Fortnum & Mason

The Original Small Beer Session Pale
(350ml, 2.5% ABV)

Hands down one of the BEST low alcohol beers on the market. I visited the brewery last year and saw first hand how they create these wonders. The Session Pale is one of my faves, given it has such a tropical fruit backbone to it with a little apricot thrown in. You get that refreshing juicy burst of fruit followed by a crisp balanced hoppy finish. The best bit? It just tastes like a really well made beer – the alcohol content doesn’t even cross your mind. Small beer, great minds. 

£12 for 6 from Majestic

OTO CBD Botanical Seltzers (250ml)

Two things began to surge in 2020 – seltzers and CBD. OTO is arguably the most luxurious and quality driven CBD brand on the market right now. So, when they decided to launch their own seltzer range, naturally, I got pretty excited. I’ve been using the products for a fair while now and can confidently say my anxiety levels have fallen and I feel a better sense of calm. There are three flavours, each containing 25mg of CBD and matching the 3 categories across the OTO range - Focus (Korean Sencha, Mint and Kampot Pepper), Amplify (Bitter Orange, Goji Berry and Habanero Chilli Extract) and Balance (Elderflower, Cucumber and Liquorice). Honestly, they are well worth a try. As we enter 2021 health is our most important asset and we’re going to need to invest in it. 

£11 for 3-Pack from OTOCBD.com

McGuigan Zero Rosé (750ml)

Finally, a de-alcoholised wine that actually tastes decent. Many have tried, few have succeeded, but I have to say McGuigan have done a great job. The magic lies in spinning cone technology, which draws the wine into fine layers for enhanced vaporisation. This basically means alcohol is removed at much lower temperatures so the taste can remain! The result is not just aromatic and vibrant, it’s bursting with fresh strawberries, cherries and a citric kick which holds everything together. 

£5 from Sainsbury’s 

Sea Arch Coastal Juniper (700ml)

If you’re longing to feel the sea breeze against your skin like the good old days when we actually leave our towns and cities, well, this may be for you. This 0% gin takes inspiration from its Devon based roots. 

Aromatic juniper berry with herbal notes of sage upfront. Coriander and grapefruit peel results in a clean, crisp feel on the palate along with some peppery notes. Sweet blood orange adds complexity and together with lemon undertones drives the perception of juiciness. Cardamom spice gives a balanced warmth to the finish. Sugar kelp and samphire are the stars of the show, with juniper, coriander and blood orange playing the harmony in the background. Add a splash of your favourite tonic and you’ll unravel juniper and bitter grapefruit with a sweet-spice blood orange and breeze of seaside herbs. 

£25 from SeaArchDrinks.com

Mockingbird Spirit (500ml)

Say hello to the UK’s first tequila alternative with zero alcohol, made using blue weber agave. I have to say, this for me has be one of the most exciting discoveries of the year so far. I judge hundreds of tequilas each year and this really does attain the major components (minus the alcohol taste)  of a quality driven reposado tequila. There’s a sweet vanilla glaze from what would have been oak ageing, married together with the plush and juicy blue weber agave. A kick of habanero spice comes into play, all the while creating a succulent drink which leaves you wanting more. Completely unexpected (as I’m always so sceptical when it comes to no-alcohol adaptations of spirits) but thoroughly delighted. 

£23 from MockingbirdSpirit.com

Mother Root (480ml)

Ginger, honey and apple cider vinegar are 3 components that if we take on a daily basis can really boost our immunity and keep our gut in good stead. Mother Root has managed to combine all 3 ingredients into a non-alcoholic drink which can now be enjoyed as part of a routine versus a forced concoction each morning. Inspired by an age-old American recipe this infusion of pressed ginger juice, blossom honey and organic apple cider vinegar entice the tastebuds. Perfectly paired with a light tonic (to retain the flavours) and a big slice of orange or sprig of rosemary for something a little more savoury. Another evolution for the world of drink and health. 

£19 from MotherRoot.London

Caleño Light & Zesty (500ml)

Columbia is a country that I’ve long wanted to visit. Sadly, right now that’s not but possible – but what I can do is taste the equivalent in a glass with Caleño. Inspired by a variety of tropical, citrus and spice ingredients such as Inca berry, pineapple, papaya and coconut, to name just a few, Caleño gives us a burst of sunshine in a glass. Zesty, tropical, sweet and tangy all in one – there’s a surge of memorable flavours that leaves you wanting more. This non-alcoholic spirit is growing rapidly and with good reason. 

£18 from Amazon