Five delicious alcohol-free and low alcohol drinks that aren’t too sweet

The alcohol-free drinks market continues to go from strength-to-strength. From ultralow- alcohol beers, to Kombuchas and vinegar drinks, to alcohol-free spritzers – there really is something to suit everyone’s tastes.

But on the subject of taste, some of us can find alcohol-free alternatives to be a little too sweet. Not only is this frustrating when you are seeking a ‘grown-up’ taste experience, but also a hindrance when you are looking after your health, or managing an ongoing condition such as diabetes, or simply watching your weight.

So, what’s out there for those of us who enjoy an alcohol-free tipple but want to dodge the sugar? From popular sparkling options, to unusual bitter and stouts - check out our top suggestions below.

1. GON & Tonic Cucumber and Mint

A lovely cucumber aroma will be the first thing you notice on this twist on an absolute classic. We reckon this one has a great bittersweet balance and works out under 6g of sugar per bottle . Refreshing, light and 45 calories for a 250ml bottle, it’s a win-win!

2. Zerozecco

In a category of drinks that can be full of overly sweet flavours, this alcohol-free prosecco is comparatively dry with a delightful bite. A refreshing and mature tasting prosecco alternative that comes in at just 5.7g of sugar per bottle and just 32 calories per 125ml glass. Perfect for a celebration and very reasonably priced if you pick it out at a few common UK supermarkets.

3. No. 1 Living Passion Fruit Kombucha

Admittedly, Kombuchas aren’t for everyone, but we think this one’s a great all-rounder – and best of all it’s sugar free! No.1 Living has managed to inject the exciting and tropical essence of passionfruit while ditching the sweetness. With a slight bitter bite of goji berry, it’s much more mature than your average soda and is packed with the health benefits.

4. UNLTD. IPA

From our 2023 Sober Spring partners we have a deliciously complex 0.5% ABV IPA. Deep malt flavours and citrus aromas make this beer perfectly balanced. And what’s more, at only 19 calories and 0.1g of sugar per 100ml it really is a low-sugar alcohol-free beer super star.

5. Small Beer Dark Larger

As a stout beer, it’s no surprise that Small Beer’s Dark Larger brings heaps of bitter, coffee and chocolately flavours to the table. There’s definitely no sickly sugary sweetness to be found here. It’s worth noting that it’s a little higher alcohol content than a standard alcohol-free beer coming in at 1.0% ABV. On the sugar front, it comes in at 7g carbs per 350ml bottle so not the lowest sugar content in our list and worth drinking in moderation if you’re managing a long-term health condition where monitoring carbohydrate intake is important, such as diabetes.

See what you think of our suggestions and be sure to drop your own low-sugar suggestions in the comments below.