Analcohol-free ornon-alcoholic drink, also known as atemperance drink, is a version of analcoholic drink made withoutalcohol, or with the alcohol removed or reduced to almost zero. These may take the form of anon-alcoholic mixed drink ornon-alcoholic beer, and are widely available where alcoholic drinks are sold.
Sparklingapple cider,soft drinks, andjuice naturally containtrace amounts or no alcohol. Some freshorange juices are above the UK 'alcohol free' limit of 0.05% ABV, as are some yogurts andrye bread.[1]
Ethanoldistillation is used to separate alcoholic drinks into what are advertised as non-alcoholic drinks andspirits. Distilled wine produces low alcohol wine[2] andbrandy (from brandywine, derived fromDutchbrandewijn, "burning wine").[3] Distilled beer may be used to producelow-alcohol beer andwhisky.
However, alcoholic drinks cannot be further purified to 0.00% alcohol by volume by distillation, although several brands market their non-alcoholic drinks with '0%' on the packaging. Most drinks labeled "non-alcoholic" contain 0.5% ABV, as it is more profitable than distilling it to 0.05% ABV often found in products sold by companies specializing in non-alcoholic drinks.[citation needed][4]
Alcohol is legal in most countries of the world where adrinking culture exists. In countries where alcohol is illegal, similar non-alcoholic drinks are permitted. The definition of "alcohol-free" may vary from country to country. The term "non-alcoholic" (e.g.,alcohol-free beer) is often used to describe a drink that contains 0.0%ABV.
However, most drinks advertised as "non-alcoholic" or "alcohol free" sold by countries withzero tolerance with state-run liquor monopoly, actually contain alcohol. In theEuropean Union, the labels of drinks containing only more than 1.2% ABV must state the actual alcoholic strength (i.e., show the word "alcohol" or the abbreviation "alc." followed by the symbol "% vol.").[5]
Alcohol is apsychoactive drug and some critics say that the label "non-alcoholic" is misleading, due to the presence of small amounts of alcohol in most drinks labelled as such, and a threat to recoveringalcoholics.[6]
Non-alcoholiccocktails often resemble alcoholic cocktails without any liquor. They can be a blend of fresh fruit juices, syrups, cream, herbs and spices, or can use non-alcoholic spirits. These drinks are designed specifically for those who are sober, and are particularly favored over cocktails byteetotalers, underage persons, drivers, pregnant women, and others who choose drinks that are alcohol-free.[7]
TheWoman's Christian Temperance Union publishes several recipes for fruestas, which are nonalcoholic fruit drinks for large functions, such asproms and weddings.[8] As a locution, fruesta drinks are etymologically derived from "fruit" and "fiesta", being aportmanteau of the two words.[8]
In theEuropean Union, the labels of drinks containing more than 1.2% ABV must state the actual alcoholic strength (i.e., show the word "alcohol" or the abbreviation "alc." followed by the symbol "% vol.").[9]
The government of Denmark have decided to change thealcohol free legal definition from 0.1% alcohol by volume to 0.5%.This is due to the different taste of 0.5% than of 0.1%.[10]
Non-alcoholic beverage means a beverage which contains a maximum of 1.2 percentage by volume ethyl alcohol.[11]
Non-alcoholic beer, termed as "birra analcolica", is regulated as equal to or less than 1.2% ABV.[12]
Systembolaget definesalcohol-free as a drink that contains no more than 0.5% alcohol by volume.[13]
Licensing laws only place restrictions on the sale or consumption of drinks with an alcohol content of over 0.5%.[14]
In Japanese Liquor Tax Law, alcoholic drinks (酒類,shurui) are defined as equal to or more than 1% ABV,[15] so that drinks that are less than 1% ABV are not treated as alcoholic drink.[16] However, Advertisement Judging Committee on Alcoholic Drink (酒類の広告審査委員会,Shurui no Kōkoku Shinsa Īnkai), organization for making self‐imposed regulation, defines non-alcoholic drinks (ノンアルコール飲料,non’arukōru inryō) as drinks that 0.00% ABV.[17]
Analcohol free drink is defined as under 0.7% alcohol by volume.[18]
Non-alcoholic drinks are defined as containing less than 0.5% abv in general, or less than 1.2% abv if based on a fermentation product, including drinks likekefir,kvass andmedovukha. This also includeslow-alcohol beers by definition.[19]
Amalt drink that contains less than 0.5%alcohol by volume does not have to be labeled.
(e) Non-alcoholic. The term “non-alcoholic” may be used on labels of malt beverages only if the statement “contains less than 0.5 percent (or .5%) alcohol by volume” appears immediately adjacent to it, in readily legible printing, and on a completely contrasting background. No tolerances are permitted for malt beverages labeled as “non-alcoholic” and containing less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume. A malt beverage may not be labeled with an alcohol content of 0.0 percent alcohol by volume, unless it is also labeled as “alcohol free” in accordance with paragraph (f) of this section, and contains no alcohol.(f) Alcohol free. The term “alcohol free” may be used only on malt beverages containing no alcohol. No tolerances are permitted for “alcohol free” malt beverages.
— U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 27, Part 7—Labeling and advertising of malt beverages, Subpart E §7.65 Alcohol content[20]
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