The New Wave of Low Sugar Mocktails
Mocktails have historically been seen as alcohol-free drinks packed with sugar. The sort of drink that is perfect for kids. It will give them a big sugar high but is overly sweet for a lot of adults.
Whilst this used to be true, nowadays, things are changing. Due to the boom in the alcohol-free drinks industry, you can now get sophisticated, low or no-sugar mocktails. So what changed?
What are Mocktails Most Associated With?
When people think about mocktails they often imagine well-known virgin mocktails such as the Shirley Temple. It is a bright pink drink made from ginger ale and grenadine with a maraschino cherry on top. This is the epitome of a sugary mocktail and one of the most famous out there.
So it is no surprise that the word "mocktail" has come to signify drinks that are packed with sugar. You might manage to drink one, but they become nauseating after that. And they are certainly not a replacement for alcohol. They are not as sophisticated and do not have as much depth of flavour as a cocktail with alcohol.
But luckily that is changing rapidly.
New Alcohol-Free Brands Are Fighting Back
In the last five to ten years there has been a huge boom in alcohol-free spirits being distilled. These non-alcoholic spirits have a much more sophisticated flavour profile. Better still, more often than not are low in sugar. This is for a number of reasons.
A New Target Audience
The alcohol-free drink industry is increasingly targeted towards adults. As more adults give up drinking or start mindful drinking, the more interest there is in adult alcohol-free drinks. This is a big change from the past where the target audience for alcohol-free drinks was mainly children. So of course, things like the sugar content in a drink will change drastically.
Many of the new alcohol-free spirits have been created by people who are no longer able to drink. They have realised that if they want interesting alcohol-free drinks, they need to make them themselves. And so they have spent years researching and creating new alcohol-free options. This means alcohol-free drinks are now created with a more adult palate in mind - and therefore are lower in sugar.
New Creation Processes
Many of these newer alcohol-free spirits are made using a similar process to that of an alcoholic spirit. Namely, they are made by distilling, macerating, infusion or percolation with botanicals. Some of these spirits are even made with alcohol which is then removed at the end of the process.
This all means that alcohol-free cocktails and mocktails can now be made in a similar way to alcoholic cocktails. There are more sophisticated ingredients than fruit juice and fizzy drinks. So you can now make a delicious, layered and interesting non-alcoholic cocktail that is also low in sugar.
A Stronger Focus on Health and Wellbeing
The modern-day alcohol-free drinks industry is centred around health and wellness. It is all about creating drinks that not only taste great but are great for your body too. That’s why a lot of alcohol-free drinks include things like kombucha, apple cider vinegar or ginger.
Part of creating healthy drinks is about making them low in sugar. Not only is this good for general health, but it is also more inclusive for people with diabetes and other blood sugar illnesses.
This way you can drink something delicious whilst knowing that it is good for your body too! How amazing is that?
How Can You Find Low Sugar Alcohol-Free Drinks?
Not sure how to find low sugar alcohol-free drinks? Well, it is important to remember that whilst a lot of alcohol-free drinks are low in sugar, not all of them are. So make sure to check the labels.
An easy way to filter out drinks with a high sugar content is to go to the JOMO bottle shop. On the JOMO bottle shop, you can choose to view only low sugar alcohol-free drinks. That way you can easily see which alcohol-free drinks are suitable for you!
Some of JOMO’s Favourite Low Sugar Alcohol-Free Drinks
Whilst there are many delicious, low sugar alcohol-free drinks, some of our favourites right now include:
Dry Dragon - alcohol-free sparkling tea
London New Light Midnight Sun - an alcohol-free berry aperitif
Pentire Adrift - an alcohol-free gin-like drink
Noughty wines - alcohol-free wine and sparkling wine
Marie Laveau alcohol-free rum
Feragaia - an amber alcohol-free distilled spirit
Sign Up for JOMO
To learn more about the world of alcohol-free drinks and taste test more non-alcoholic tipples, then sign up for a JOMO subscription. With a JOMO subscription, you will regularly receive an alcohol-free hamper, filled to the brim with delicious alcohol-free goodies, directly to your front door.
Each subscription box contains the ingredients to make incredible alcohol-free cocktails, complete with an alcohol-free spirit, mixers and garnishes. You will also receive a range of ready-to-drink alcohol-free beverages and some tasty snacks too. All of this comes with a glossy magazine giving you all the information you need to know about your new alcohol-free goodies!
If you specifically want or need a low-sugar box then just note this in the comments box when you sign up and we will arrange that for you!
So what are you waiting for? Sign up for JOMO now to find the joy of missing out!