Your Guide to Non Alcoholic Gin

Yes, that’s right. Now it is possible to enjoy all the flavour of gin without having to worry about the alcohol and sugar content that comes with it. Can non alcoholic gin really taste like gin? 

Read on to find out!

Imagine this, a world where you are able to enjoy a refreshingly bitter and tangy gin and tonic. You are with friends and don’t have to worry about the gin hangover headache the next day. It all sounds like  fantasy land right? or, maybe you consider yourself a cocktail lover and the alcohol content is holding you back from enjoying a regular cocktail? You might have even heard your friends knocking the recent trend of mocktails but you don’t quite buy it, as those mocktails are just missing, well, something… 

Well if you find yourself in any of these situations, today it is your lucky day and Tipple Zero to the rescue. 

After talking about the health benefits of non alcoholic drinks in a previous blog, we are here to talk about one of the most revolutionary drinks in the non alcoholic drinks movement. 

Enter – Alcohol free gin and its cousin non alcoholic gin and tonic. We’re here to tell you that we have gathered all you need to know about a style of zero alcohol gin that will revolutionize your concept of alcohol and gin!

Let us explain. 

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. 

In other words, these deliciously bitter and gin flavoured creations complete with their heavy mouthfeel could, as far as your blood alcohol level is concerned, pass for a juice or glass of H2o.

When looking at what makes up a zero alcohol gin, it is about what you’re not getting. Traditional gin you will see on the market typically contain a minimum amount of alcohol by volume (ABV) of 37.5%. 

These new gin drinks I am talking about could not be further from their traditional roots. Alcohol free gin like Brunswick Aces Sapiir or the Lyre’s Dry London Spirit come in at 0.0%. Now, let me tell you, when you taste these two, it brings that half smile to your face and butterflies to your stomach and leaves you asking, “how on earth did they manage to do that?”. 

A handy tip is that all manufacturers of even non alcoholic gin drinks are required to specify the alcohol level and breakdown of ingredients in their drinks. So before you buy look for the label make sure that you’ve reached for the right one.

How is zero alcohol gin made?

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.

The process distillers follow is a process strikingly similar to the one used to create the alcoholic beverage of a lifetime. However, it is precisely in the last steps of this distillation process when a series of key variations are carried out that cause creation to change path from reaching almost 40% alcohol to containing precisely none!

Initial stages of crafting the gin are the same as you would expect for a traditional gin. A base alcoholic spirit is selected, the fun of selecting the flavour enhancing botanicals, spices and fruits is as normal. 

However, in the key step of distillation that proves to be the difference here. Non alcoholic gins will be distilled many times more than traditional gins to ensure the alcohol is removed and the flavours remain trapped. 

With the alcohol removed, the final step is to add some extra liquid, in the form of water and – just like that – you’re alcohol free gin is born.

What other way is alcohol free gin made?

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. 

Recapping, that is adding a neutral grain spirit and botanical, repeatedly distilling, diluting, done!

However, another way alcohol free gin is made is using a much simpler method that doesn’t begin with any base alcohol. 

This method consists of maceration, a slow but effective process in which all the botanical ingredients are left to rest in a liquid until the liquid is transformed from its bland and lacking state to the spicy, slightly texturised and flavourful take on gin.

A commonly noted drawback of using this second method is that the consistency of these drinks are thinner and not as weighty or silky as their distilled counterparts. Once these gins are in your mouth you will likely experience a different sensation on the palate to what you were expecting when you picked up that crystal glass of zero alcohol gin. 

However, for what they might lack in mouthfeel they make up for in their full floral, bright citrus and pointed spicy notes.

How do you drink alcohol free 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?”.

With that question out of the way, you are probably wondering if alcohol free gin can be paired with your favorite tonic and prepared in the same way as traditional versions. The answer to that is an astounding YES!

Therefore, if you are a self-confessed lover of gin or just love to unwind with an Elderflower Collins, a Martini or a Gimlet, I am pleased to announce that with these alcohol free gins you enjoy a drink without the drawback of or ill effects of alcohol. 

What is the reason for the popularity of non-alcoholic gin drinks?

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

The answer to this question isn’t a straightforward one. 

I was talking to an elderly couple the other day when shopping for my latest 4 pack of ready to drink from Monday Distillery. The couple mentioned they were looking to lose some weight and watch their health and found themselves reaching for Lyre’s Italian Orange around 5pm when they are having an AFD (alcohol free day), to help them share a drink together when they aren’t “drinking”. Cute right!

For younger professionals or active people the focus is typically tailored towards a renewed focus on health and wellbeing, wanting to be present and focused without the hangover and enjoying a drink when the alcohol would have otherwise stopped them from doing so.

Due to the way alcohol free gin is made, it provides what is practically the same gin flavor, clarity and texture for maximum enjoyment with minimal drawbacks. 

Alcohol Free gin, what is not to love!