All the non-alcoholic wine that Yule offers once contained alcohol, making it different from sparkling grape juice. But during the extraction process it does loose the mouth-feel of a real wine.
"That's always been the most noticeable thing about the wine," Yule admits.
However, the non-alcohol beers put up a pretty good fight against the real thing, he says.
A blind test of my colleagues at Friday drinks suggests most can pick the alcohol-free beer - all but three could spot the difference. I thought the non-alcoholic Becks tasted pretty close to full strength - but, to be fair, my palate hasn't sampled the stuff in a while. Others said the alcohol-free version looked lighter, had weak head and wasn't as smooth.
I don't fancy the flavour of beer so much so that I'd reach for a non-alcoholic substitute. However, I sucked on a couple last Friday while others opted for the real thing. Most asked, "what's the point?" while begging for reassurance that one day I would stop this teetotalling and get on the lash with them again. I, on the other hand, enjoyed having something to sip that was similar to everyone else - but with only one-third of the calories and no threat of a hangover.
On another occasion I opened a bottle of Australian Cabernet Sauvignon from Loxton Wines to serve with a Mexican fiesta I whipped up. The red boasted a delicious, smooth smell - one of my favourite things about wine time. As Yule suggests, it lacks a little something in terms of body, but it was a great alternative.
I'd love to see alcohol-free options available across the bar here in NZ - this is when I want to charge my glass the most. Sadly, Yule says he doesn't think this will ever happen.
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Have you given alcohol-free beer and wine a try? Is there anything you prefer to drink at alcohol-charged events and bars?