Sober October is back, giving people an excuse to ditch the booze for a month – just before Christmas party season rolls around.
“What happens when you stop drinking alcohol?” said Christina Pérez in Vogue. “Pretty much everything you would expect – and also plenty that you might not.” On top of the “obvious” benefits that come with abstaining (better sleep, reduced anxiety and a clearer head), there are also some pleasant surprises to be found from “glowier skin” to “deeper relationships”.
You don’t have to go cold turkey, either. Studies have shown that even a “modest” reduction in drinking can lead to significant improvements in blood pressure and liver health, said Anahad O’Connor in The Washington Post. “Whether it’s a ‘sober-ish’ October or ‘dry-ish’ or ‘damp’ January”, any booze cut back will still “count as a success”.
And it doesn’t need to be a short-term experiment. According to a survey commissioned by charity Drinkaware, 36% of respondents consumed low/no-alcohol drinks in the last year, while sales of non-alcoholic beer in particular are “surging” and reached a “whopping” £809.7 million in 2023, reported The Times.
Beer is legally considered to be alcohol-free if it contains up to 0.5% ABV – “the same as kombucha or a ripe banana”. But there are also plenty of 0% tipples to choose from. In short, it’s never been easier to find no- or low-alcohol drinks. Here are some of the best.
Beavertown Lazer Crush
One of the best low-alcohol beers I’ve come across is this 0.5% pale ale from Beavertown, said Simon Lewis in The Telegraph. Crafted from a “special kind of yeast that ferments the malt without producing alcohol”, it’s “beautifully sweet and juicy” with “apple and caramel notes”, and a “peachy aftertaste” akin to iced tea.
Guinness 0.0
With no alcohol, half the calories of the original and a proper head thanks to the “clever” widget inside the can, Guinness 0.0 looks almost identical to a draught pint of the original, said Anne Shooter in The Times. The “mouthfeel is the same too” – but it tastes “ever so slightly sweeter and less bitter than the full-fat version”.
Everleaf
This bittersweet zero-alcohol aperitif tastes of “cloudy lemonade with an ‘adult’ edge”, said Jennifer Savin in Cosmopolitan. “Extremely quaffable”, it’s ideal for those looking to try something entirely new that “isn’t really comparable to any traditional liquors”.
Bax Botanics Sea Buckthorn Spirit
“Reminiscent of a gin”, this “sublime” spirit balances notes of rosemary, berries, and Mediterranean herbs, said Savin in Cosmopolitan. There’s a reason the 0% tipple scooped a Great Taste Award.
Cognato Cabernet Sauvignon
With “rich flavours of berries and oak”, this 0.5% cabernet sauvignon is “the closest non-alcoholic wine we’ve found to the real thing”, said Siobhan Grogan in The Independent. Its full body and “super-smooth texture” make it the perfect accompaniment to a hearty bowl of pasta.
Zeno Alcohol-Liberated White
“Clean, crisp”, and “packed with tropical fruit”, this alcohol-free white wine is an “excellent match for seafood and spicy curries”, said Stacey Smith in Women’s Health. Fermented using the same process as a normal wine, then “gently heated until the booze bubbles off”, expect notes of apple, passionfruit and ripe mango.