It’s party season and many of us now find ourselves shunning the Prosecco and tequila shots in favour of no and low-alcohol drinks. 

In fact, almost one in five people in the UK (18%) don’t drink alcohol at all, and this seems to be increasing with the younger generation – 16 to 24 year olds are those most likely to be teetotal.

So whether you’re the designated driver (on behalf of your colleagues, thanks!) looking to cut down on your alcohol intake or simply keen to explore the ever-expanding world of low- and no-alcohol drink alternatives, we’ve got you covered with our top five low- and no-alcohol drinks.

#5 Lucky Saint

The long-standing elephant in the room has been that alcohol-free beer just doesn’t give you the same satisfaction. Yes, it smells, tastes and looks like beer – but there’s that *something* missing from the refreshment factor. 

Lucky Saint’s founder, Luke Boase, was on a hunt for the low-alcohol 0.5% beer that would satisfy just as much as its 5% counterparts. Several years and 60,000 litres of beer later, he found the answer. 

It has biscuity malts, a smooth, fresh finish and that German-lager character that wouldn’t taste out of place at Oktoberfest. This is the great sensible answer when you fancy a beer after a long Wednesday.

#4 Caleño Dark & Spicy Non-alcoholic Spirit

Prefer a spirit? Parting ways with £22+ for a botanical liquid that tastes a bit like gin is difficult. But this rum alternative is the real deal.

It has all the hallmarks that you’d expect from the most mesmerising of spiced spirits – the amber-gold colour in the glass, lots of tropical-fruit flavours and rich aromas of coconut, cardamom and ginger. The biggest difference is that it’s completely alcohol-free.

#3 Rawson’s Retreat Alcohol-free Cabernet

Making good wine without alcohol is pretty much impossible, as alcoholic fermentation is the process that forms the delicious aromas and flavours and removes the grapes’ sugar. 

This 0.5% wine, made by Rawson’s Retreat, a line formerly under the banner of the world-famous Penfolds winery, is dealcoholised, which means it’s been stripped of the vast majority of its alcohol. 

This can often upset the balance of flavour, but it’s worked well to make this Cabernet a great low-alcohol alternative. Plus, it’s just 38 calories per 250ml glass – the same measure of a 13% wine contains about six times this amount.

#2 Small Beer

In the times of Shakespeare, lower-alcohol ‘small’ beer was consumed for its hydrating and nutritional purposes in schools and workplaces, as ‘drinking’ water was unsafe to drink.

When clean drinking water became readily available in the 19th century, ‘small’ beer fell off the map.

That’s until our Bermondsey neighbours, Small Beer, were founded to reinvigorate a forgotten classic. They chose to keep its classic lower alcohol content (it’s always crafted below 2.8%) and operate in a sustainable way – their brewery is run on entirely renewable resources, and they’re London’s first B Corp-certified brewer.   

Our choice is their spiky, hoppy IPA. It packs that punch that’s lacking in the vast majority of other no and low-alcohol beers, and you’ll be surprised that it’s just 2.3%. 

Read more on Small Beer.

#1 Espresso & Tonic

We might be biased here, but the espresso and tonic is the ultimate alcohol-free cocktail.

The bitterness of the coffee and the carbonated nature of the tonic create a character that’s a cracking alternative to a G&T, and it’s incredibly easy to make. 

Just make sure you include our Tutti Frutti Espresso.