Electrolyte fusions and grapefruit gaspers: The best new alcohol free tipples for summer
Buzz without the booze
Summer brings a shedload of goodness – weather (at least 50% of the time),. barbecues, the return of the summer wardrobe. One thing you can rely on is someone suggesting getting a pint at roughly 11am. And if you're anything like us, if by four pm you've forgotten that Pimms has alcohol in it and want to switch to something non-alcoholic but water doesn't seem exciting enough, then having a few good non-alcoholic bottles to hand.
Luckily, there have been exponential amounts of innovation in the no and low sector, and this summer a brilliant bounty of new releases are heading to every bit of green space in London, probably.
Nirvana Brewery Hazy Grapefruit Lager
Hands down one of the best brews we've tried in sipping memory, the Nirvana Hazy Grapefruit Lager is a fresh and zingy twist on a classic lager but without any of the booze. It doesn't have that almost stripped tartness that you get with some lagers; instead, it's nuanced and light with just the right mix of fruitiness.
Lucky Saint Lime and Sea salt larger
Ever gone for a cheeky pint and mid-way through realised you were planning a gym sesh / run? You end up looking at the glass half full with regret and half full with relief that you have an out. Enter: the alcohol free beer. Then look at the doorway again as another diva makes its entrance, totally overshadowing it. And that is the Lime and Sea salt Lucky Saint Lager. It's a first-of-its-kind electrolyte lager, where flavour meets function with added sodium, magnesium and potassium. And it's pretty delicious. Win-win-win.
Sigalas Rabaud x Moderato
Alcohol-free wines, for the most part, really ain't it. Like, really, really ain't it. Usually, I'd recommend you grab a Ribena and call it a day. However, Moderato happily proves this pre-conception wrong – if anyone is going to do alcohol free wine right, it's the French. The Sigalas Rabaud x Moderato Rose release is a step up even from the norm, crafted with Sémillon grapes grown in the South West of France, using Moderato's de-alcoholisation techniques.
Grapefruit Picante
Sometimes the alcohol free world gets accused of being a little boring – and it's a fair critique. Sometimes there's only so many alcohol-free beers you can pound before you feel a little meh. However, this Grapefruit Picante firmly puts this argument to bed, proving that just because it's sans sauce doesn't mean it's not a stunning and special tipple. It's sharp yet spicy without being overly sweet, which a lot of 0% beers can be guilty of. A lovely cocktail alternative that won't leave you missing the real thing.
The Pathfinder ready-to-drink cocktails
If you happen to dabble in the non-alcoholic world, you'll probably be familiar with The Pathfinder already. It's a name up there with Mother Root and Botivo, all synonymous with actually interesting and delicious 0% options. The Pathfinder has unveiled new tinnies which take its signature complex, herbaceous notes, and mixes them up into something seriously special.
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