These days, there are plenty ofbrilliant low- and no-alcohol optionsfor when you want to stay off the sauce. But what if you’re wanting to enjoy a “real” drink – just minus the negative effects? Step up to the stage, mid-strength drinks.
For the uninitiated, mid-strength beers, wines and spirits occupy the space between the (very) low and no sector – which covers 0-1.2% alcohol by volume (ABV) drinks, whatever the beverage – and your standard alcoholic options. Expect to see beers and ciders around the 2-3% mark, wines at 6-9% and spirits at 15-20%, but there are variations on this, particularly with wine.
So why have mid-strength beverages become a thing? Laura Willoughby, founder of the mindful drinking organisation Club Soda, says: “Ultimately, moderation does not have to be a binary choice between drinking and not drinking. The goal is to encourage a more intentional drinking culture – not just when we choose to abstain from alcohol, but also when we choose to enjoy it.”
The past decade has seen the trend for mindful drinking gathering pace, with people turning to “zebra striping” (alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks) and “coasting” (drinking lower ABV drinks for longer) as they become more conscious of their health and wellness. More recently, areport by KAM Insights (paid for)showed that all age groups under 55 are drinking alcohol less frequently, and 70% of 25- to 34-year-olds are actively looking for ways to lower their alcohol consumption.
And there are positives to be had by switching to mid-strength drinks, besides the avoidance of the fuzzy head the morning after. Tim Lawton, drinks expert at Dry Drinker, says: “Many cite reduced-calorie counts as a key draw. Others use mid-strength wines as a step between full-strength and non-alcoholic options – it’s relatively common for people to opt for lower alcohol consumption if they’re not ready to go entirely alcohol-free.”
So, whether you’re looking for mid-strength drinks for long, lazy summer drinking, are actively trying to reduce your alcohol intake, or are just curious about what’s out there, I’ve rounded up a selection of beverages that have less alcohol but all the flavour of the standard versions. I tested 40 mid-strength drinks – including wines, beers, cocktail cans and various spirits – to bring you this list of genuinely great-tasting tipples to enjoy. To qualify, drinks had to be lower in alcohol than the category norm, and taste as good as the standard version. The competition was stiff, particularly with wines and beers, so it’s well worth exploring the category for yourself.
£2.25 for 350ml at the Whisky Exchange£13.20 for 6 x 350ml at Majestic
With so many fantastic alcohol-free and mid-strength beers around, I found it difficult to pick just one drink. But I kept coming back to this Great Taste award-winning pilsner-style lager, with its crisp, lightly citrus flavour. Brewed in south London at a B-Corp certified brewery, it’s a very civilised 2.1% with lower sugars and calories as a result. It’s a super-refreshing all-rounder that will keep you well-watered over a long, lazy picnic.
£24.99 for 70cl at Amazon
Vodka might not be the first thing to come to mind in the mid-strength drinks sphere, but why not? If your go-to tipple is a vodka, soda and lime, or if you like to begin your evening mixing an after-work martini, then a lower-alcohol version could be a great option. Made from UK barley, rye and wheat, Quarter Proof is distilled and blended at 15% for a light and smooth taste that’s perfect in all manner of vodka-based cocktails. It also makes a mean vodka martini: up the olive brine or lemon and vermouth, and serve ice-cold.
£7.99 for 75cl at Click N Drink
This pale pink, partially de-alcoholised rose from South Africa has everything you want in an easy-drinking summer wine. It’s bursting with berry flavours, while a hint of zest keeps it fresh and stops it from falling into sweeter rose territory. Bright and well-balanced, it goes brilliantly with salads, picky bits and barbecued foods. TheKamina merlotis also very good.
£8 for 75cl at Sainsbury’s£8 for 75cl at Amazon
French sauvignon not your thing? Then why not consider this lighter take on the classic Australian chardonnay? 19 Crimes’ full-flavoured, round, buttery wine has all the expected flavours of the grape, but with only 7% alcohol. It’s bold and sunny with pronounced stone fruit, and is begging to be enjoyed well-chilled with a Sunday roast.
£12.99 for 75cl at 6Percent
6Percent founders Gabriella and Russell Lamb launched this range having become frustrated by having to limit themselves to just a few glasses of wine, but being disappointed with 0.5% alternatives. Not surprisingly – the clue’s in the name – this sauvignon blanc is 6%, and offers the perfect balance of flavour and body. It’s lighter than your usual, but not detrimentally so. Dry, elegant and still clearly French sauv blanc, it’s perfect for a weeknight glass in the garden and only 53 calories a go.
Sign up toThe Filter
Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link.
after newsletter promotion
£7.25 for 75cl at Tesco£7 for 75cl at Amazon
Considering so many low- and no-alcohol red wines are known for being terrible, I was surprised to find that the mid-strength reds did pretty well in my tastings. This bottle from McGuigan was certainly a nice surprise: the characteristic peppery, spicy shiraz flavours work well at 7%, while the powerful black fruity flavours provide plenty of interest and roundness to counteract any potential “thinness” from the de-alcoholisation. Far better than I’d expected, and I’ll be buying it regularly.
£21.50 for 75cl at Sandridge Barton£25 at Delli
For something very different, this delightful low-intervention light red from Devon’s Dart valley is fun, fruity and fresh. Its name references the wild horses on Dartmoor, and 25p from every sale goes to the Dartmoor Preservation Association. Made using three grape varieties (pinot noir précoce, madeleine angevine and pinot noir), this is one for natural wine fans who have a taste for the unexpected. Here, crushed cranberries and sour cherries come to the fore, while its hue is a near-transparent raspberry that hints at the lower 9% volume. Drink lightly chilled and with an open mind.
£4 for 75cl at Majestic£5.50 for 75cl at Waitrose
There were some strong contenders in the mid-strength cider field, but Maison Sassy pipped the competition to the post with its irresistibly crisp and juicy apple- and strawberry-packed Cidre Rose. Made in Normandy using 18 varieties of apples, it’s crunchy, tart, juicy, sweet and fresh – it’s like diving headfirst into a French orchard, and I love it. It’s 3%, but I’d drink it at any volume.
£19.50 for 3 x 100ml at Nio Cocktails
Nio’s range of lower-alcohol cocktails impressed, and arriving in the same clever packaging, are the new Negroni Next, Cosmopolitan Next, Margarita Next and White Lady Next. Using a mix of 0% spirits and standard alcoholic ingredients, you can enjoy all the convenience of a premade cocktail, but with less alcohol. The negroni is a triumph, with 0% Tanqueray blending nicely with great-quality vermouth, Campari and bitters for that tart, aromatic cocktail you’d expect, at just 10.8%.
£18 for 6 x 70cl at Good Time In
I don’t think I’ve had a Reef since 2005, but it’s worth revisiting this noughties tipple if you’re looking for a more moderate fruity, boozy drink that comes in at 3.4%, when most fruity boozy drinks are 5%. The tangy, tropical Orange & Passion Fruit tastes just as sweetly exotic as it used to: drink it straight from the fridge on a hot day or mixed into a party punch that won’t see everyone falling over too early.
Joanne Gould is afood, drink and lifestyle writer with a decade of experience. As well as enthusiastically eating her way through London’s best bars and restaurants, she’s also a keen home cook and can often be found trying a new recipe or kitchen gadget, while taste-testing anything from South African wines to speciality coffee or scotch. Luckily, she also enjoys walking, running and keeping fit and healthy in her spare time – for balance