What Tastes Like Gin But Is Non-Alcoholic?

Of course, there’s juniper, but depending on your gin brand, you might taste notes of coriander, cloves, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme and citrus peel. It’s like the Colonel’s secret herbs and spices, butnot chickeny?

Surely gin without alcohol is like Kanye without the Kim, avo without the toast, poké without the fish. Why take the best part—the alcohol—out of gin? We have many questions, but luckily, we also have many answers. What Is It Made From? Well, still botanicals.

Well, still botanicals. Botanicals is a fancy word for the fruity, floral and fragrant stuff that gives gin its distinctive taste. Of course, there’s juniper, but depending on your gin brand, you might taste notes of coriander, cloves, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme and citrus peel.

So, we’ve rounded up 6 of the best non-alcoholic gin alternatives to try – and just like gin, each one can be added to tonic water to make an alcohol-free G&T or used as a base in a number of delicious mocktails! 1. Three Spirit – The Livener

What is non alcoholic gin?

Right away, let’s clear something up. The first thing you need to know is that all drinks labelled “alcohol free gin” are not technically gin, but rather the by-product of (in most cases) an advanced distilling process that results in zero or in rare cases traces of alcohol.

Low or zero proof gins are made in most cases by the same distillers who make the traditional gin. Hopping back to the example of our friends at Brunswick Aces, are distilled in the beautiful Healesville Victoria by the team at renowned small batch independent distillers, Alchemy Distillers.

As we have explained in the previous point, most of the 0.0% alcoholic gin, with its great appearance, taste and mouthfeel, is made following a similar process to the traditional gin.

Having talked a little bit (a lot) through this post to hopefully help you answer the question of “how is non alcoholic gin made?”.

Why are drinks such as alcohol free gin and no alcohol cocktails becoming more and more popular?

What Is It Made From?

First up, non-alcoholic gins are usually marketed as ‘mixers’. Drank straight up, they’re…ok. But you’ll get the most mileage if they’re mixed with tonics, or with other ingredients as part of a non- or low-alcoholic cocktail.

Well, anyone who can’t, or doesn’t, drink alcohol. Pregnant women. People of certain faiths. Folks who are sticking it out for any of the sober months: Feb Fast, Dry July, Sober October, and our favourite, “Drynuary” (square pegs and round holes, amirite?).

Well, if you’re from Sydney or headed to Sydney, it looks like these bars have climbed aboard the alco-free gin wagon:

How is low-alcohol gin made?

Low- and no-ABV gins are made in a variety of ways. Many are now being produced by gin distillers, and use many of the same processes as are involved in the creation of real gin. There are a few differences in how low- and no-alcohol ‘gins’ are produced, though.

Well, for starters, these drinks are not technically gin! These beverages are designed specifically to look and (as much as possible) taste very similar to gin, but with a very low, or no, alcoholic content ( ABV).

Some non-alcoholic spirits are made using the same process as for low-ABV ones: with a neutral grain spirit and botanicals being added to a still, which then go through multiple rounds of distillation to remove all the alcohol from the liquid.

Low and no-alcohol gins are particularly popular with younger people, among whom there is a growing trend both for abstaining completely, or to drink in moderation. According to a Guardian report from 2018, the NHS found that the proportion of people aged between 18 and 25 who don’t drink alcohol rose from 18% to 29% – almost a third! – in ten years.

So, one the base spirit and the botanicals have been added to the still, the liquid is heated, and the alcohol vapour created from the heating separates from the water, capturing the flavours of the botanicals as it moves through a series of tubes.

The legal definition of gin states that the liquid must contain an alcohol level (ABV) of at least 37.5%. This new type of drink usually has an ABV (that’s the alcohol level) of between 0 and 5%. Therefore they can’t legally call themselves ‘gin’ – and explains why you will notice that the names and labels of these alcohol-free spirits don’t refer to themselves in that way!

These beverages – particularly those developed by craft gin distillers as a sideline – have often been produced with the same kind of attention as their alcoholic alternatives, and are intended to be a like-for-like swap. So don’t overthink it! Get started with a gin and tonic or your favourite cocktail to take these liquor-free libations for a spin.

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