I've just completed a 30-day stint without touching any alcoholic drinks, and have rewarded myself with a definitely alcoholic bottle of Rosé wine, lol. During this period, I took the opportunity to check out some zero-alcohol wines and beers, and I'm wondering whether other members have any views on these.
In the red wine zero alcohol department, I tried out McGuigan Shiraz and Eisberg Merlot. These were perfectly pleasant to drink, but they didn't really taste like proper wine, more like grape juice, which ought not to be too surprising as that's essentially what they are. It was also possible to drink the whole bottle in well under an hour, whereas it would take me around twice that time to finish a bottle of 'proper' red wine. I also tried some alcohol-free beers and lagers, and they did taste a lot closer to the real thing.
Another factor is the cost. Both of these wines were priced at the same level as a bottle of ordinary alcoholic wine (£3.50-£5.00), though you'd expect them to cost a good deal less, as they're really just fruit juice. The UK has some of the highest alcohol taxes in Europe, apart from the Scandinavian nations, which is reflected in the prices of alcoholic wine and beer, so one might expect non-alcoholic wines and beers to cost significantly less. It's possible that the process of removing the alcohol is costly, and may be reflected in the price, but it's at least just as likely that the manufacturers are ripping off their customers, is it not?
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On a mountain range
I'm Doctor Strange
15 Feb 2022, 9:57 pm
