Handpicked by IWSC

Nine low and no alcohol drinks with a difference

Interested in doing alcohol-free differently? From kombucha to sparkling tea, these low and no alcohol drinks with a twist were all award-winners at the IWSC

Words by IWSC judges

cocktail bar
Handpicked by IWSC

You’re probably no stranger to low and no alcohol wines and spirits. The IWSC has experienced big growth in entrants to the low and no alcohol award categories in the last few years, with dozens of wine, gin and rum alternatives claiming medals and trophies in the process.

With an ever-increasing number of people taking part in seasonal events like Dry January and Sober October – and with alcohol drinkers cutting their consumption more generally – there’s a demand for top-quality alternatives. While most might focus on simply replacing their favourite drink with a non-alcoholic version, there are now plenty of low and no drinks that don’t aim to mimic the mouthfeel of your favourite buttery white or the flavour of a crisp gin and tonic. Instead, these new wave low and no drinks stand out from the crowd and create a whole new world of booze-free imbibing. We’re talking kombucha, kefir, tea-based sparkling drinks and more.

copenhagen sparkling tea company bla bottle being poured into a glass
Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company's Blå is made with a blend of up to 13 different organic teas

The standout in the crowd at the IWSC’s low and no awards in 2024 was the gold-medal-winning Oak Aging Kombucha from Min Min Kombucha in Taiwan. The unpasteurised kombucha received 95 points from the judging panel and was praised for, amongst other qualities, its ‘fabulous apple-led nose’.

A silver medalist with 92 points was Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company. The project is led by sommelier Jacob Kocemba, who hand brews tea with a small amount of white wine or grape must to create a sparkling tea that IWSC judges praised for its ‘aromatic bouquet of tea, mint, and herbs’ and ‘symphony of vegetal and botanical flavours carried by an enjoyable sparkle and mouth-watering acidity’.

Other medal winners include a Lithuanian sparkling tea, an Australian sangria and a kombucha from the Netherlands.

All low and no alcohol drinks were assessed at a dedicated tasting, with judges including Zara Cassidy, a buyer at Majestic, Josh Kelly, buyer and brands relations manger at mindful drinking community Club Soda, and Irem Eren, business development director at BevZero.

Read on to discover nine low and no alcohol drinks with a difference from the IWSC 2024.

HOW DO WE JUDGE THESE LOW AND NO ALCOHOL DRINKS?

We run a tightly structured, rigorous low and no alcohol tasting process. That means that each drink sample is pre-poured into numbered glasses and assessed blindly by the judges. Most importantly, our IWSC low and no judges are experts in their field, who work across all sectors of the alcohol-free drinks industry. For evidence, see our full list of judges.

HOW DO WE SCORE THESE LOW AND NO ALCOHOL DRINKS?

Only the best low and no alcohol drinks sampled receive a Gold or Silver award. For example, to win Gold, spirits have to score between 95 and 100 points. Meanwhile, Silver winners range from 90 to 94 points. Click here to read more on our scoring system.

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