Do non-alcoholic drinks taste the same as alcoholic drinks?

This is the one question we get asked ALL the time! It's a really great question and the answer is... sometimes yes... sometimes no!

Some of the drinks we sell at The Drink Swap are very close in taste to their alcoholic swaps.  In fact, we might try some blindfolded tests to try this out!

Clausthaler Original Non-Alcoholic Beer is a German beer which is reknowned worldwide for being a leader in the non-alcoholic beer market.  It has the classic taste of a German pilsner style lager and you would be very hard pressed to find a better tasting beer- alcoholic or not! Clausthaler non-alcoholic beers are brewed by limiting the alcohol produced during the brewing process, rather than removing alcohol after.  This process helps retain the flavour and preserve the quality of the beers. 

Another fantastic non-alcoholic swap that tastes incredibly close to the original is Giesen 0% Alcohol Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.  

 

Giesen 0% Sauvignon Blanc is a beautiful alcohol removed wine from the Marlborough region.  Everything you love about your favourite Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, crisp,dry, refreshing citrus flavours with a mouth-watering juicy brightness but no alcohol! 

Using innovative spinning cone technology popular in perfume-making, Giesen separate the fragrance and alcohol from the wine while protecting the delicate aroma you know and love from Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. This advanced form of distillation allows the wine to be handled gently, maintaining the integrity of our distinctive flavour palate and texture throughout the process.

 

At The Drink Swap we stock other products, however, that don't mimic the taste of a specific alcoholic drink and don't try to. 

A great example of this is the NON range of wine alternatives.  NON produces beautiful non-alcoholic wine alternatives but they have really brought an innovative approach, producing complex, savoury wine alternatives with interesting flavour profiles and ingredients. 

 

One of our favourites in NON 1 Salted Raspberry & Chamomile zero alcohol wine alternative. 

This beauty has complex, unique flavours of whole raspberries, chamomile and Murray River salt and verjuice.  This lightly carbonated wine alternative is quite a different experience to typical non-alcoholic wines, with dry and fruity tannins and a light bubble.  It is served at some of Melbourne's best restaurants, like Supernormal, because of it's interesting and complex flavours.

Created by Australian chef William Wade and Aaron Trotman,  NON 1 is Australian made, vegan, gluten-free and Halal certified, Expect vibrant red fruit, balanced salintity, a delicate floral nose and a slight fizz. 

All of our non-alcoholic drinks have been carefully selected because they taste amazing. So while some non-alcoholic drinks taste almost identical to their alcoholic versions but some offer something different, a new taste to enjoy.