Just like the endless variety of alcoholic drinks, there are just as many, if not more types of non-alcoholic beverages. Rolling Stones Magazine did a great job categorizing the different types of non-alcoholic beverages in the market. They break non-alcoholic beverages into the following segments: Sham Spirits, Premade Potable, Makings for Mocktails, Unwine, and Near Beers.
All these categories reference the alcoholic version and I like that they give you an idea of what it will taste like.
What is a Sham Spirit? Non-Alcoholic Spirits.
A sham spirit is a replacement for hard liquors. According to The Spruce Eats, there are 6 types: Whisky, Rum, Gin, Vodka, Brandy, and Tequila. It starts out as a spirit, but through a dealcoholization process, the alcohol is removed. It’s why “Sham Spirits” is such a great nickname. This is one of the most interesting categories because Spirits are generally mixed with other juices or sodas. This allows a bit more room for the distiller to adjust back the flavors lost to the dealcoholization process.
I’ve always enjoyed a complex and well-made mixed drink, but since the ABV of a spirit is so high, I really only get to enjoy the smell and a couple sips of it. I can’t wait to explore the new options that will be available with non-alcoholic or “sham” spirits.
What is a Premade Potable?
Of all the categories created by The Rolling Stones, this is the one I would probably replace with the name soft drinks. It doesn’t have to be bubbly like your regular coke or mountain dew, but just a drink replacement. Although most typical soft drinks can fall under this category, I’m looking for a grown-up version of soft drinks, something with depth and complexity to the drink. To be honest, I’m not a fan of fancy sugar water or juice. I’m hoping some will wow me but we’ll just have to see.
These drinks don’t start out as alcohol so there is no dealcoholization process involved. This also means that there is 0% alcohol in all these products throughout the entire creation process. So, if you are unable to consume alcohol, or really just looking for a more complex soft drink, this category might be for you!
What is a Making for Mocktail?
There are endless cocktails available. Mocktails are just non-alcoholic versions of cocktails. Some of my favorites are mojitos, Mint Juleps, Old Fashioned, Manhattans, Pina Coladas and Bloody Marys.
Mocktails can be derived from alcohol or they can be completely alcohol-free. I’m excited for the different variations because they are mixed drinks, thus have more room to make up the flavors that you would normally get from the alcoholic versions. The difference between these and Sham Spirits is that these are already pre-mixed. It gives you a little less control over the taste of your drink but makes it very convenient to open and pour.
What is an UnWine? Non alcoholic wine
These are non-alcoholic or very low-alcohol wines. These drinks are generally made from grapes and include a fermentation process – which converts the grape juice into wine. Then the alcohol is removed through a dealcoholization process – more on this later. It’s almost impossible to guarantee a 100% removal of alcohol, so un-wines that fall under this category list a 0.5% ABV.
If these juices do not undergo a fermentation process, they don’t fall under this category, but instead, fall under the Premade Potable. I’m sure with the dealcoholization process, we may find UnWines that do not fit in either category and we’ll sort those out as we encounter them.
What is a Near Beer?
Similar to the UnWine category, these drinks originally start out as traditionally brewed Beer, then through a dealcoholization process, the alcohol is removed and turned into a non-alcoholic beer. Nearly beers have been around for a while as a drink for bartenders to enjoy at the end of their shift.
I’ll admit, beer isn’t my favorite drink, so there may not be lots here. However, with the malt and hops flavors is easier to replicate because they are not super sweet in their original form. I expect there to be lots of options for this category. I am a big fan of very hoppy and deep-flavored beers like Guinness – so this can get interesting.
Other Non-Alcoholic Drinks
The soft drink market is ever-expanding. There are new concoctions invented or legally approved constantly. From CBD-infused drinks to new energy or caffeinated drinks, there is an ever-growing list of new products and brands to try.
Ultimately, what makes a non-alcoholic drink a good substitute is what you’re substituting it for and when you’re consuming the drink. I enjoy my drinks at the end of the day to unwind. My preference is for non-caffeinated drinks so I can sleep at night. But there are so many other opportunities to enjoy a drink – backyard BBQs, girl’s night in or every weekend brunch. When it comes to enjoying a drink then, I’m not picky. It’s all part of the fun of discovering all the types of “non-alcoholic” drinks without paying the Asian glow penalty.
Know a category that we must try? Tell us which categories we may be missing and which brands are a must-try!