Pentire Drinks is an amazing company that makes beautiful botanical drinks (with no alcohol) on the Cornish coast. All the drinks from this company are vegan and gluten-free. The drinks are sold in easy-to-recycle bottles or cans.
If taking medication, check paper inserts before consuming grapefruit (tonic waters are also best avoided during pregnancy, due to quinine – just top with soda water instead).
The Cornish coast has a unique climate, soil and air moisture, meaning key botanicals thrive here. Everything is sustainably-sourced and uses Fair Trade organic ingredients, sold in sustainable packaging. The botanicals are even rich in vitamins. The company also donates to Blue Marine Foundation to help protect the world’s oceans. Everything is also made locally with seasonal ingredients, a wonderful way to support local agriculture, and keep jobs in communities.
There are three drinks in the range:
- Pentire Adrift is made from unique coastal plants with a fresh herby taste. Contains rock samphire, sage, lemon citrus and Cornish sea salt. Serve with light tonic, and a slice of lemon peel or sprig of rosemary.
- Pentire Seaward is a refreshing blend of sea rosemary, woodruff, sea buckthorn, wild seaweed and pink grapefruit. Serve with ice in a high glass, top with light tonic and garnish with a slice of grapefruit.
- Pentire Coastal Spritz contains natural bitter taste with coastal tones, blending the botanics with blood orange, sea rosemary and oakwood. Serve with soda or light tonic, and garnish with a wedge of orange and/or bay leaf. A nice local alternative to Italian negroni.
Pentire Margarita is a unique no-boozy tipple from the Cornish coast. Traditional margarita is made with tequila spirit from Mexico (it doesn’t have a ‘worm in the bottle’ but its cousin mezcal may do). This creates a similar drink in zero waste packaging, using local botanicals and supporting artisan small crafters.
The margarita is sweetened with organic agave syrup, rather than sugar. Sold in bottles to serve 2 or 5 people, this contains lime, sea salt and a dash of Mexican chilli, for a fresh zingy ready-to-drink no-alcohol cocktail. To serve, pour 100ml into a rocks glass over ice, then garnish with a lime wedge and slice of chilli. Also sold in easy-to-recycle cans.
A Low-Alcohol Sparkling Wine (from Cornwall)
Wild Life Botanicals is a new type of English sparkling wine. This vegan-friendly booze has just 0.5% booze and so is also lower in calories, and contains 8 active vitamins and minerals, and five fabulous botanicals: lemon balm, damask rose, rosemary, damiana and ashwagandha (avoid during pregnancy/breastfeeding). This drink was created (along with help from a naturopath, brewer and taste developer) by the founder of Cornish Sea Salt, and is hand-crafted in Cornwall too, to support the local economy.
The combined ingredients not only contribute to your daily vitamins and minerals, but the botanicals can help digestion, mood (unlike alcohol which can be a depressant), and even help you sleep (unlike alcohol wine, which can wake you up at night!) Rosemary is even good to help your memory and hair growth! Also in cans, the range includes:
- Nude has notes of gooseberry, greenage and banana, with the bubbly zing of lime and mango flavours.
- Blush has wild strawberry perfumes, with hints of rosehip tea, and Cornish orchard fruits of crab apple & red apple.
You can also buy gift boxes, adorned with beautiful images by a Cornish artist. Serve chilled in champagne flutes.
No-Alcohol Botanical Drinks (from Wiltshire)
Bax Botanics is an artisan company offering lovely herby botanical spirits from Yorkshire, made ethically with wild herbs and organic ingredients, all sent in zero-waste packaging. By law, no drink can be called 0% alcohol (there’s a little alcohol in bananas and bread), but this is as low as you can go. Even the bottle labels are made from biodegradable sugar-cane.
The founders spend years learning about botanical flavours and now use their skills to create unique blends using herbs, roots, berries and flowers, for spirits and cocktails with complex tastes. Serve with tonic water, to make the drinks come to life!
There are two drinks in the range:
- Sea Buckthorn contains fragrant herbs, Seville oranges and has a warm ‘buttery baked’ flavour.
- Verbena is a light fresh herby flavour, with notes of citrus and menthol.
You can also buy both drinks in ready-to-drink cans already containing tonic water. Wholesale orders are welcome for restaurants, shops and hotels.
Sprigster is a unique artisan company that produces botanically infused drinks in Wiltshire, inspired by English country gardens. They are alcohol-free (no drink can claim 0% alcohol, as even fruit and bread contain a little – but these are as low as you can go). These drinks are expertly crafted and bottled in-house by cooks and gardeners at a Victorian walled kitchen garden.
The signature infused drink is made with local fruits with no added sugar. Includes notes of ginger, rhubarb, fennel and hops, slow-cooked in apple-cider vinegar then blended with orchard apple reduction, and topped with Wiltshire spring water. Serve a single or double measure over ice, add soda or tonic water, then garnish with seasonal fruits and a sprig from the garden.
Garden Brut is a sparkling fizz alternative to champagne, made with English country garden ingredients, with an apple cider vinegar backdrop. Sprigster Hedgerow Blush is a pale pink sparkling fizz, with rhubarb flavours.
The Victorian walled garden is at the source of everything made. The south-facing layout and intelligent design of the beds, yield plump peaches and other fruits that make up these delicious no-alcohol tipples! Wholesale orders are welcome for shops, restaurants and hotels.
Alcohol-Free Botanical Spirits (from Suffolk)
Herbarium is an artisan company that makes tasty alcohol-free botanical spirits in Suffolk. Ideal alternatives to gin, no drink can call itself 0% (even fruit has a little booze). But these are as low as you can go. Hand-crafted in copper stills, serve with mixers for a tasty yet healthy drink for special occasions.
There are just 2 drinks in the range:
- Herbarium Distillation 29 contains spice, jumper and citrus. Ideal as a cocktail mixer base.
- Herbarium Distillation 8 contains floral herbs of rosemary, lemongrass, lavender and hints of pink pepper for a punch of warmth. Again a good cocktail mixer, or just pair with soda or tonic water.
This brand was founded by two friends who liked going to the pub, but wondered if there was a way to create a gin-type drink, without the alcohol. So they began experimenting and eventually came up with these two wonderful creations. Wholesale orders are welcome for shops, restaurants and hotels.
Artisan Fruit (no-alcohol) Gin Alternatives
Atopia is a wonderful range of no-alcohol gin alternatives, made with fresh fruity and hedgerow-inspired flavours. Ideal if you’re giving up or cutting down on booze, no drink can claim 0% alcohol (as even fruit contains a little booze). But these are as low as you can go. Crafted in a copper still, these are crafted by master distillers, with generations of experience, suing natural botanicals.
The range includes:
- Hedgerow berry – a compote of berries, with notes of rosehip & a little spice
- Rhubarb & ginger – crispy juicy fruits with a warm ginger finish
- Spiced citrus – zesty flavours with a gentle spiced finish
No-Alcohol Aperitifs for Cocktail Drinks
Everleaf is one of the best brands to make no-alcohol cocktails. These award-winning aperitifs are made by a skilled artisan, and ideal to blend for your favourite non-boozy treats for special days. No drink can call itself 0% alcohol (as even fruit has a little booze). But these are as low alcohol as you can go. Just mix one part Everleaf with 3 parts mixer over ice, then add a garnish for summer in a glass.
This brand was founded by a conservation biologist, who spent years learning how to observe and learn from the natural world. Also selling wholesale, all ingredients are sustainably sourced (like hand-harvested Irish dulse and organic olive leaf) and the company gives back to many conservation causes worldwide.
There are three drinks in this range, which you can also buy as gift packs:
- Forest blends sustainable botanicals from exotic saffron and vanilla, with orange blossom
- Mountain includes cherry blossom, strawberry and bittersweet rosehip
- Marine has flavours of sea buckthorn, bergamot for zest and kelp seaweed
A No-Alcohol Orange & Rosemary Aperitif
Wilfred’s Aperitif is a delicious no-alcohol mixer drink, created by an engineer. At just 21 calories per serving, it’s ideal if you are giving up or cutting down on booze (no drink can be listed as 0% alcohol as even bread and fruit contain a little booze). But this is as low as you can go. This traditional flavour drink is made with natural botanicals and bitter orange, aromatic rosemary and a hint of rhubarb and cloves.
Wilfred created the drink after being inspired by his world travels. He sourced all the botanicals he could find including the aromatic English rose, before returning back home and creating the first ‘draft’ using his mother’s freshly-picked rosemary and his dad’s homemade marmalade! This artistic blend coupled with an engineer’s mixing brain, created the drink you can enjoy today!
A Devon Gin Alternative, with Seaside Botanicals
Sea Arch (Devon) is a gin alternative made with seaside botanicals, which captures the spirit of the southwest coast, and also sold in a rose raspberry edition. Also sold in ready-to-drink mixer cans.
A Latin-Inspired Drink from Bristol
Caleño (Bristol) is a Latin-inspired tropical drink in light and zesty version (nice with tonic and pineapple) or a dark spicy version (good with ginger ale and lime). Designed for people who like to party, but without the alcohol. This is free from the sickly sweet artificial ingredients in similar brands.
A Herby Gin Alternative from Lincolnshire
Seedlip (Lincolnshire) makes quality gin alternatives, made to recipes formulated 300 years ago by a doctor. Readily available in stores, the range includes Garden (herbs and peas), Grove (bitter orange, blood orange, lemongrass) and Spice (oak, cardamom, bark).
Persian-inspired Spirit Drinks from London
Xachoh are Persian-inspired spirits and the birthplace of the founder’s family, where secrets have been handed down through generations to produce two drinks. Blend No 5 features tar anise and Blend No & features ginger root and mace.
Ready-Made Booze-Free Drinks from East London
Square Root is an East London soda brand, founded by two university friends (a biologist and a chemist) to create grownup flavours of popular sodas but all made locally with natural ingredients. Although most drinks are replicas of sodas (lemonade, cola etc), they also offer a small range of ready-made no-alcohol alternatives to popular alcoholic drinks, ideal for people who are trying to cut down or give up alcohol. No drink can be called 0% alcohol (even fruit or bread has a little booze). But these are as low as you can.
Orders are sent in cardboard packaging, and you can build ‘pop up points’ on regular orders. The range (also in cans) sold includes:
- A classic gin & tonic made with juniper.
- Square Root mojito is a no-alcohol version of the popular rum Cuban drink, this one’s made with sundried limes, fresh lime sugar, kaffir lime leaf and raw cane sugar, along with a fresh mint cold syrup. Also in raspberry and passionfruit versions.
- Nogroni is a popular spicy orange cocktail from Italy. This no-alcohol one (serve with an orange slice) features features sharp fruity flavours, made with steam-distilled fresh fruits (orange, blackcurrant, raspberry & grapefruit) alongside balsamic vinegar and quinine (not for pregnancy).
Bold-Tasting (no alcohol) Spirit Drinks
Strykk is a unique range of no-alcohol spirits with bold tastes. Ideal for parties or alternative drinks to serve at restaurants and pubs, these are free from alcohol (no drink can claim 0%, as even fruit or bread contains a little booze). But these are as low as you can go.
The range includes:
- Not Aperitivo (bitter orange and sweet Prosecco-like notes, with wormwood & Quassia). Serve with one part soda or tonic over ice.
- Not Gin combines juniper, basil & rosemary
- Not Rum is made with vanilla, raise & oakwood for a spiced rum alternative.
- Not Vodka combines cucumber, coriander & warming pepper. Also in a vanilla vodka version.
Once open, store in the fridge and consume within 12 weeks. Before opening, store in a cool dark place. Wholesale orders are welcome for shops, restaurants and hotels.
No-Alcohol Gin, Whisky, Rum, Vodka & Tequila
CleanCo offers no alcohol alternatives to gin, whisky, rum, vodka and tequila. This indie brand (founded by Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews) invests in flavour geniuses, so the drinks taste like-for-like with alcohol versions. Packed in recycled glass bottles with compostable packaging, Clean W is Halal-suitable and all bar Clean T is Kosher.
