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Nothing beats an ice cold glass of delicious cider on a warm summers day. Sitting in your favourite pub garden with friends, maybe a dog if you’re lucky, soaking in the sun and relaxing. It’s a popular British pastime (during to slivers of sunshine we actually receive).

When we’ve spent a large portion of our lives drinking, we tend to hold an association with alcohol & having a good time. But, correlation doesn’t mean causation. You were having a good time, alcohol just happens to have been present a lot of the time because alcohol IS present, a lot of the time. That’s not to say that by not drinking it, you’ll stop having as much fun. On the contrary. You’ll learn where authentic fun lies for you. The people you really love spending time with & the activities you really enjoy doing.

If sitting in a pub garden with your loved ones (and hopefully a dog) is what does it for you, you shouldn’t think that by giving up alcohol you’re going to lose out on these moments of fun. An ice cold delicious non alcoholic cider, a warm summers day, good friends (preferably the funny kind) and that good dog can make for an even better day (and night, and the day after that, AND the day after that).

It’s time to stop romanticising alcohol. So, strap in, whilst we take you through (in no particular order) the 7 best non alcoholic ciders currently available in the UK.

Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links meaning I gain commission if you purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!

1. Smashed

I’m always a fan of companies who solely provide ‘low & no’ alcohol drinks. Their heart is more likely in it (as opposed to Big Alcohol jumping on the trend). Smashed hit this criteria. Their range includes alcohol free beer as well as non alcoholic cider. They pride themselves on brewing their drinks for full flavour & removing the alcohol afterwards during distillation. Smashed are UK based & try to use local suppliers where possible.

Smashed is multi award winning & has been featured on Dragon’s Den, Saturday Kitchen and Something for the Weekend.

Available as classic apple cider, but also a fruit cider in berry flavour.

ABV: 0.05%

Pros: Available in cans (as well as bottles) which makes it easy for drinking in public which is totally fine, because it’s not booze!

2. Kopparberg Alcohol Free Cider Strawberry and Lime

Love Kopparberg? Good news! Kopparberg alcohol free cider is just as delicious. Polar to a no or low alcohol only focused business, Kopparberg also have a huge alcoholic range. Of course the perks here are that they have big resources to make drinks we already know and love, taste just as delicious sans alcohol. This isn’t always easy, but luckily for us, cider is on of the more forgiving drinks – tasting almost identical with the alcohol removed! Kopparberg have even come up with mocktails using their non alcoholic cider as the mixer. Delicious!

Swedish based Kopparberg currently offer their non alcoholic cider in strawberry & lime, but also in mixed fruit & mixed fruit: tropical.

ABV: 0.05% (contains trace alcohol – alcohol can never been FULLY removed).

Pros: You won’t be hard pushed to find this in your local! Kopparberg is one of the most widely available ciders in the UK.

3. Kopparberg Alcohol Free Pear Cider

Kopparberg again?! I hear you cry. Well yes. But pear cider deserves it’s own category. This is another cider that tastes identical to it’s alcoholic doppelganger. As someone with a sweet tooth, pear cider was always one of my favourite drinks – tasting like a liquidised pear drop. A little harder to come by whilst out and about, but readily available to purchase online (and very affordable). If you’re looking for something refreshing, with real sweetness. This is your drink.

ABV: 0.05% or less

Pros: Taste like dessert in a glass.

4. Thatchers Zero Alcohol Free Cider

Thatchers is another well recognised English brand (it’s apple cider has been made in Somerset since 1904!). Their Zero version is described as ‘medium, dry & crisp’, so if you’re still shuddering at my dessert in a glass comment above, maybe this is more suitable for you. Flavours include apple & fruity aromas.

ABV: 0.05% or less

Pros: Makes wonderful mulled cider – check out our recipe here.

5. Wignac

La Lady Squirrel by Wignac is 100% organic pressed apple cider from the Ardennes (that’s in France darling) with 0% alcohol. Featured on Sunday Brunch, Wignac is run by siblings Edouarde & Eliane who have reintroduced apple orchards to their family land after wars of the past ruined the abundance of fruit trees they once held. Wignac pride themselves on being one of the only ciders on the market to have no sulphites.

ABV: 0.00%

Pro: Perfect if you’re sensitive to sulphites – a rare sulphite free cider.

6. Stowford Press Low Alcohol Cider

Stowford low is a very highly rated cider – from award winning UK based cider makers. Expect crisp, ripe apple notes, with hints of honey & bittersweet finish. These guys have been making cider on their land for over 140 years, so they know what they’re doing! It’s important to note that this is low alcohol and not no alcohol cider – check out the FAQ below for more detail.

ABV: 0.5%

Pro: Made by people who know what they’re doing (even if they are responsible for Old Rosie!) Stowford Press low alcohol is a safe option for any cider lover.

7. Old Mout Cider Alcohol Free

Born in New Zealand but produced here in the UK. If you love Old Mout, you’ll love love their non alcoholic versions just as much. Fruity & exotic – this is the perfect cider for sipping in the summer. Also available in Berries & Cherries flavour. Old Mout is a high selling firm favourite.

ABV: 0.05%

Pros: It’s Old Mout. You can buy it in most pubs easily (which is always a bonus) and you know what you’re getting – delicious refreshing Old Mout!

How to Drink Alcohol Free Cider

You can drink alcohol free cider literally anyway you like. You can really drink it at any time of day if you’re so inclined. But! Don’t underestimate the deliciousness of mulled cider – check out our recipe here.

Looking for an Even Healthier Alternative?

Look. I’m not going to try and kid on that Kombucha tastes remotely like cider, but if you’re looking to drink something lower in sugar, that also looks the part… You could consider these gut friendly drinks.

FAQ

I feel Like I’m Missing Out By Not Drinking

It’s totally normal and it honestly takes some unlearning. We’ve been raised to believe that alcohol makes everything better when in actual fact, it makes a lot of things worse. Big alcohol has spent years forming emotional attachments between us and alcohol. It’s not only ingrained into our society, it’s ingrained in almost every aspect of our lives as way of ‘heightening’ an already amazing experience.

Here are some typical example of times we feel like we should be drinking…

• At the airport before a holiday – be excited you’re going on holiday! You don’t need alcohol to increase your anxiety for the flight or make you feel like crap on the other end!
• On holiday – the old ‘the holiday doesn’t start until your sat by the pool with a cocktail’ – Literally why?! You’re in a hopefully beautiful destination, looking to unwind, relax & have some fun. Alcohol increases stress & ruins your sleep. Fact. An alcohol free holiday will have you coming home not feeling like you need a holiday to recover from your holiday!
• With your friends – are they really that intolerable without the wine?
• With dinner – alcohol actually numbs your tastebuds so…

What’s the difference between low alcohol and no alcohol?

Low alcohol is normally around the 0.5% ABV mark & no alcohol drinks are typically labelled as 0.0%. As an industry standard they need to be 0.05% or lower to be classed as 0%. #

Don’t Fret! So many every day foods contain traces of alcohol! A ripe banana for example could have around 0.2% of alcohol present. You won’t get drunk from drinking low alcohol, you’re body can process it out of your system fast enough that you physically could not consume what you would need to to feel any effects! But of course, if you’re saying bye to booze for health reasons or pregnancy, you might want to stick with the 0%.

Why Drink Alcohol Free Cider?

Because alcohol is so passé! The next generation are ushering in a new era, one where we feel our feelings, say no to unnecessary hangxiety & make the most of our precious time! Drinking alcohol free cider can make you feel like you’re still taking part without all the rubbish side effects that come with booze. If you’re interested in trying to take a break from alcohol you can check out our article ‘9 Top Tips to give up alcohol for 1 year‘ here.

What About the Sugar Content?

Cider is high in sugar and alcohol free cider is still high in sugar. That’s no surprise. My general rule of thumb is if you didn’t worry about it before, why would you worry about it now?

If you’re looking for drinks lower in sugar you can check out the best alcohol free gins here, best non alcoholic rums here – or check out complete alternatives like Kombucha.

What’s in Alcohol Free Cider?

Typical ingredients include: Carbonated water, fermented apples, apple juice, sugar, citric acid, flavouring, preservatives.