The Role of Chilli in Alcohol-Free Drinks
One of the key qualities of many alcoholic beverages is that they have a kick. The stronger the alcohol, the stronger the kick. So often, when drinking alcohol-free spirits, people want a drink with a kick. Alcohol-free distillers provide this kick using various ingredients, including fiery ginger, black pepper, bitter juniper and chilli. So let's look deeper into the role of chilli in alcohol-free drinks.
What Does Chilli Do in Alcohol-Free Drinks?
Using chilli in alcohol-free drinks provides the same kick as the alcohol. This is because both alcohol and chilli irritate and activate the same pain receptors in your mouth. It is why the kick in both alcohol and chilli (ginger and cinnamon too) is a mouth feel rather than a taste.
The resulting rush of endorphins when we drink alcohol or consume chilli helps us feel more pleasure and euphoria when we drink. This effect is one of the main reasons that alcohol-free drinks often contain chilli. Some drinks may not list chilli as an ingredient even when the spirit has been distilled with chilli. It does not legally have to be specified beyond the word "spices".
What Are the Health Benefits of Chilli?
Chilli peppers, otherwise known as Capsicum annuum, have long been associated with health benefits. Chilli is rich in nutrients and minerals. They contain vitamins A, C, B6, K1, Pottasium and copper and are an excellent source of antioxidant carotenoids. All of these properties mean that chilli provides a lot of health benefits, including:
Pain relief
Improved eye health
Protection against long-term health
Anti-cancer properties
Improving bone strength
Stronger immune function
More energy
Healthy kidneys
Much more
So not only does chilli provide a great kick in an alcohol-free drink, but it also provides you with many health benefits.
Which Alcohol-Free Spirits Contain Chilli?
Many alcohol-free spirits contain capsicum, capsaicin or chilli. This is not always stated on the label and can be included in the botanicals or flavourings. Here are some of our favourite alcohol-free drinks with a chilli kick.
Crossip Dandy Smoke
This alcohol-free spirit won the Best Overall Non-Alcoholic Spirit 2023 and is a delicious smokey drink. It is the perfect alcohol-free spirit to put in sour cocktails or mix with cola or ginger ale.
Dandy Smoke has a sweet, smoky lapsang flavour with notes of pine. It has a deep fruity, cinnamon and clove flavour and ends with a kick from a mix of ginger, chilli and nutmeg.
While Dandy Smoke has the smokey flavour of a whisky, it is not intended to be a whisky replacement. It is an alcohol-free spirit in its own right but does taste delicious when used instead of rum and whiskey in cocktails.
Strykk Not Vanilla Vodka (and Vodka)
Strykk creates one of the few alcohol-free vodkas out there. The vanilla vodka and the vodka are both perfect to use instead of vodka in any vodka-based alcohol-free cocktail.
The vodka has a subtle combination of lemongrass and capsicum to bring you the vodka flavours that you know and love so well, with the slight kick that vodka brings.
The vanilla vodka is infused with Madagascan vanilla beans. These create a warm buttery and sweet toffee aroma. There is a slight warming kick to the alcohol-free vodka that comes from the capsicum.
Ish Spritz
Ish’s non-alcoholic Spritz comes in an easy ready-to-drink can. It is an award-winning drink and aims to replicate the balance of a good Italian Spritz. While they have won many different awards, the award they are most proud of is the Category Champion award at the Bartenders Brand Awards in London.
The mixture of French gentian root and quassia bark for bitterness and Italian citrus for tangy freshness makes this a delicious alcohol-free Spritz. The Capsicum aftertaste gives this Spritz an almost alcohol-like kick.
New London Light First Light
New London First Light is another award-winning alcohol-free spirit. It won the People’s Choice Award for “Mindful Drinking” and an award for the Beverage Testing Institute Gold Award.
This alcohol-free gin is made by distilling a combination of different botanicals including Macedonian juniper berries, ginger, habanero capsicum, orange, sage, cardamom, cascarilla bark lemongrass and more. The combination of ingredients helps to create a layered, sophisticated spectrum of flavour with a warm kick at the end.
Sign Up for a JOMO Alcohol-Free Subscription Box
If you are looking to discover more alcohol-free drinks then why not sign up for a JOMO Club alcohol-free subscription box? With a JOMO subscription, you will regularly receive a box filled to the brim with alcohol-free goodies directly to your front door.
Each subscription box is mindfully curated and contains hand-selected alcohol-free products. JOMO chooses these products based on the taste of the product and the ethics and sustainability behind the brand. This way we ensure that we include the best alcohol-free products out there.
The JOMO alcohol-free hamper contains one full-sized alcohol-free spirit, mixers and garnishes to make a range of delicious alcohol-free cocktails. Next to this, you will receive a range of ready-to-drink alcohol-free beverages and some delicious snacks. It really is the gift that keeps on giving. So sign up now and find your favourite alcohol-free drinks!