Non alcoholic Gin

The Siegfried Wonderleaf is even a vegan and sugar-free non-alcoholic gin. For pure enjoyment, our excellent Rick Free non-alcoholic is suitable.

The taste is in no way inferior to that of a "normal" gin: Juniper, lavender, lemon verbena and meadow sage give the gin alternatives their typical tart, lemony flavor. If you don't drink alcohol, you don't have to do without good taste for a long time. Let yourself be surprised by our impressive selection of gin without alcohol!

Our insider tip. Add a dash of lemon cordial to your non-alcoholic gin and tonic. The sugar in it ensures that all the flavors develop beautifully and combine perfectly with the tonic. This gives you a delicious, quick-to-prepare low-sugar drink that doesn't have to hide from any alcoholic cocktail!

We are all gin and gone!
Alcohol-free drinks are very trendy at the moment. In times of self-optimization, many people want to be healthier in all areas of life and this often includes abstaining from alcohol. But is non-alcoholic gin an alternative for everyone who wants to do without alcohol? We say unequivocally: YES! Non-alcoholic gin enjoys great popularity and is best enjoyed as a classic long drink with tonic. Whether Berliner Brandstifter, Djinius or Rick Free, the selection is large and thus serves the most diverse taste preferences. Siegfried Wonderleaf is even a vegan and sugar-free alcohol-free gin. For pure enjoyment, our excellent Rick free non-alcoholic is very suitable. What exactly the lighter gin variant is all about, where you can buy non-alcoholic gin, as well as other interesting information on the subject, you can read in this article.

What is non-alcoholic gin and what does it taste like?
You want to finish a nice evening alone or in company without drinking alcohol? We can recommend you in good conscience to buy a bottle of non-alcoholic gin. You have nothing to lose. Because the taste is in no way inferior to that of a "normal" gin: Juniper, lavender, lemon verbena and meadow sage give the gin alternatives their typical tart, lemony taste. If you don't drink alcohol, you don't have to do without good taste for a long time. Let yourself be surprised by our impressive selection of gin without alcohol! Take a look at our non-alcoholic gin store at your leisure and be inspired by the large selection. But what exactly is non-alcoholic gin actually? Doesn't a gin have to contain a certain amount of alcohol to be allowed to call itself such? In fact, according to spirits regulations, original gin must contain at least 37.5% vol. Alcohol to be allowed to carry this name on the label. Thus, strictly speaking, alcohol is the most important ingredient of the popular spirit and forms its base. In the non-alcoholic variant, water forms the basis of the beverages. This means that manufacturers are not allowed to call their liquors gin and instead resort to creative ideas. Some manufacturers use the term "gin style," while others come up with special names for it. Nevertheless, despite the lack of alcohol, manufacturers have managed to imitate the taste of the distillate almost perfectly. In the end, non-alcoholic gin is nothing more than distilled and flavored water.

Shelf life and storage
Shelf life is really the only weakness of the non-alcoholic beverage. Alcohol, especially in the large quantities in which it is found in "regular" gins, serves as a preservative and provides a much longer shelf life. Since this agent is missing, non-alcoholic gins do not have such a long shelf life. Exactly how long an opened bottle will last cannot be said as a general rule. In any case, you should always store a started bottle upright in the refrigerator, then it is enjoyable for about eight weeks. This is especially true for the summer months. However, you may need to discard it after only seven weeks, or you may still be able to drink it after nine weeks. We recommend that you taste test it regularly and make sure to always seal opened bottles airtight. A new and sealed bottle usually has a shelf life of several months to years and does not necessarily need to be stored in the refrigerator, unless the manufacturer states so. Otherwise, it is sufficient to store the spirit in a dry, cool place protected from the sun, for example, in the storage cabinet.

Production
At this point we can only give you general information about the production process. Each manufacturer has developed its own principle and recipes, which are, of course, top secret. Only the steps in the manufacturing process, which are carried out in each distillery, are known to the public. As with normal gin, a distillation process is used to produce the non-alcoholic version. In this process, the producers do not bring the alcohol to a boil, as usual, but water. This water contains so-called botanicals, herbs that are responsible for the typical taste of gin. The manufacturer then cools the water mixture down again. This is done in a specially designed machine. Distilleries must also perform this step for alcoholized gin. Nevertheless, the processes differ considerably between gin with and without alcohol. The challenge with "water gin" is to extract the botanicals in a much more concentrated form to compensate for the lack of alcohol flavor. Depending on the manufacturer, it may also be that additional flavors are added. But how can non-alcoholic spirits taste like the original? To ensure that the texture of the non-alcoholic gin comes close to the original, some manufacturers rely on stabilizers and thickeners. As for the taste itself, the juniper berries, which also provide the familiar, slightly bitter taste in the alcoholic variant, are often relied on. Producers aiming for a taste as true to the original as possible use similar botanicals and aromas as in the original variant. However, there are also distilleries that deliberately deviate from the typical taste and use completely different botanicals. So it's up to you whether you want to enjoy the familiar taste or try something completely new. After production, the non-alcoholic spirit must be stored for a bit before it can be sold in non-alcoholic gin stores, supermarkets and the manufacturers' own stores.

Historical background: how long have non-alcoholic spirits been around and who invented them?
Although non-alcoholic spirits have been around for around 50 years, non-alcoholic gin is still in its infancy. It wasn't until 2014 that British designer Ben Branson came up with the idea to create the brand "Seedlip" together with the company "Distill Ventures". The idea of making the popular spirit alcohol-free was not a chance find, but was deliberate from the outset. "Distill Ventures" is a subsidiary of the world-famous spirits manufacturer "Diageo". This meant that "Seedlip" not only had the right marketing channels open to it, but also the opportunity to observe the target group. The newly founded company quickly realized that people in the industrialized nations were turning less and less to alcohol and that the non-alcoholic variants of beer, wine, sparkling wine and other spirits were selling well. At the same time, consumption of gin & tonic was rising steadily. In this former contradiction, Branson recognized a gap in the market and after many different experiments, "Seedlip" finally launched the world's first non-alcoholic gin. By 2019, the newcomer rose to the top of the non-alcoholic spirits market and was subsequently bought out by "Diageo". Today, there are a lot of imitators who quickly understood the potential of the healthier spirit. Nowadays, you can buy many different flavors of non-alcoholic gins.
Brief overview of when the most famous producers of non-alcoholic gins were launched on the market:
- 2015: Seedlip
- 2017: Ceders, Memento, Herbie Virgin
- 2018: Fluère, Stryyk, Siegfried Wonderleaf, Borrago, Sea Arch, Silk Tree, Labdanum, Driver's Tipple, Ginsin, No Ghost in a Bottle, Ginish, Nona June
- 2019: Laori, Humboldt Freigeist, Undone, Everleaf, Lyre's, Nine Elms, Feragaia
- 2020: Quarantini Virgin

The best varieties in comparison
Especially in 2018 and 2019, many new varieties came on the market. However, the most popular ones are far from being the best. In this section, we present the top 10. In doing so, we do not reflect our own opinion, but that of millions of German consumers. Your favorite is not among them? Feel free to write us in the comments which variety you particularly like and why.
1. Momotarō Ginzero: 0.5l bottle. Contains lotus flower, yuzu, sencha and juniper and is sugar free. What makes this variety special, besides its great taste, is the Japanese legend of Momotarō, who is said to have stood against evil with his animal companions.
2nd BIRDS Botanic Garden: 0.5l bottle. Contains juniper, cucumber & ginger among other ingredients and is sugar and gluten free. In total, this spirit scores with 16 botanicals.
3. Siegfried Wonderleaf: 0.5l bottle. Contains a total of 18 botanicals, is sugar-free and vegan. You can also purchase this variety in our alcohol-free gin store for 18,90€ per bottle and is suitable as a base for alcohol-free long drinks and cocktails. You can confidently use this variety as an alternative to Siegfried Rheinland Dry Gin. Nevertheless, there are differences in taste to the Dry Gin, which is why you should not equate the two bottles.
4. Gordon's non-alcoholic 0.0%: 70cl bottle. It tastes exactly like the original Gordon's and is suitable as a base for cocktails. Alternatively, pour 50ml into a glass with ice, add your favorite tonic water and top off with a slice of lemon and your after work drink is ready.
5. wind chime alcohol-free: 0.5l bottle, sugar-free, with clove, cinnamon and lemon. Well suited for gin and tonic.
6th Boar Gnzero: 0.5l bottle, made from organic ingredients, flavor: lavender, with organically grown ingredients from the Black Forest, free of sugar and artificial preservatives. Especially if you attach great importance to organic quality, we can recommend this variety, which is considered a pioneer among alcohol-free, organic gin alternatives.
7. Vogelfrei Botonical: 0.5l bottle, with 21 Mediterranean botanicals (including lemon, thyme, sage, lavender and juniper), especially suitable as a basis for cocktails and long drinks.
8. NoGin 42: 0.5l bottle, with a total of 42 spices and botanicals, especially suitable for cocktails and long drinks. For a gin and tonic variant, the manufacturer recommends 2cl of its gin alternative, due to its stronger inherent taste. This variety is particularly suitable for those people who prefer a stronger, herbaceous and more tart note even in the "normal" gin.
9. The Duke DUKE - Entgeistert, non-alcoholic: 0.7l bottle, is characterized by a fine-tart note with the flavors of cloves and lemon. The ingredients are from organic farming. The variety is well suited for cocktails and long drinks.
10th Siegfried Wonderoak: 0.5l bottle. This non-alcoholic gin is an evolution of the ever-popular Wonderleaf, which ranks 3rd on the list. This distillate uses only natural ingredients and is also low in calories. However, you should not drink this "gin" neat, but use it as a base for cocktails and long drinks.

Our favorites in the delicando Shop
Which non-alcoholic gin is best, can not be said across the board, because everyone's taste is different. The varieties mentioned above are only those that have received particularly frequent positive reviews from users. In our store we have several other varieties that we have carefully selected and there is something for every gin lover:
- Berliner Brandstifter alcohol-free: 0.35l bottle, therefore well suited for beginners. The distillate has a taste of juniper, elderberry, flowers and herbs.
- Djinius non-alcoholic: 0.7l bottle, not suitable for pure enjoyment. Contains the botanicals ginger, lemongrass, juniper and cardamom.
- Rick Free non-alcoholic: 0.5l bottle. The special feature of this gin variety is that the botanicals are first steeped in alcohol before distillation begins. Nevertheless, this variety is alcohol-free. It tastes fresh, strong, of juniper, ginger and pepper.
- Roner VIRGinIA Premium Alpine non-alcoholic: 0.5l bottle, new in our range. Best suited as a gin and tonic, contains the botanicals juniper, lavender, chamomile, lemon balm, mint, sage, saffron and gentian.
- Undone Juniper Type Gin Style non-alcoholic: 0.5l bottle, with the taste of juniper, herbs, citrus, coriander, pepper, ginger. We recommend combining with soda water, tonic water or in cocktails.

Price shock: that's why the non-alcoholic version costs a lot of money!
If you've taken a look around our store, you'll notice that some of the non-alcoholic varieties cost around 30€, and that's the case everywhere. But why do non-alcoholic distillates cost almost as much as their high-proof relatives? Isn't it always the alcohol that drives up the prices of "regular" gins? That's right, the purchase price of good quality ethanol alcohol is high and distillers pass that purchase price on to their customers. Water, on the other hand, the basis of non-alcoholic gins, is cheap. There are several reasons for the high prices. On the one hand, the producers have aligned themselves with the prices of premium drinks from the outset. Especially if they have been in the business before. In addition, there is the fact that non-alcoholic drinks are absolutely trendy and trendy goods have a higher demand. As with all goods, demand determines price: the more people want a product, the more it costs. So is it pure money-making? No, not necessarily. Of course, manufacturers have to earn more than they invest. But the main reason for the high prices is the extreme effort involved in production, which is higher than for the high-proof originals. Since not all botanicals found in alcoholic gins can be used, manufacturers have had to rethink and develop and try new recipes. Changes have also had to be made to equipment, and some botanicals for the non-alcoholic versions are more expensive than the typical and familiar ones. To compensate for the lack of alcohol, a higher concentration of botanicals must be used. Another problem is that each botanical must be distilled separately. All these circumstances make the selling prices of the finished, non-alcoholic gins so high. So it's not a rip-off, but covers expenses and ensures that the drinks are profitable. So, in case you decide to use a gin alternative, you should enjoy every sip especially and appreciate the amount of work involved.

How to drink non-alcoholic gins?
The most important question, as with "regular" gin, is how do you properly enjoy your drink? Of course, it is your own decision and depends on your taste and preferences. It won't hurt if you try different options. In terms of taste, most varieties are close to their high-proof originals. Therefore, it is worth combining the non-alcoholic varieties as you are used to. However, you should pay attention to the taste of the respective distillate and read the product description carefully before buying. Because not all varieties are suitable for pure drinking pleasure. Depending on the variety, you can mix an alternative gin and tonic, your favorite long drink or an interesting cocktail. If you are not sure, you should always go for an alternative gin and tonic, it always goes. Our secret tip: add a dash of lemon cordial to your non-alcoholic gin and tonic. The sugar in it ensures that all the flavors develop beautifully and combine perfectly with the tonic. This gives you a delicious, quick-to-prepare low-sugar drink that doesn't have to hide from any alcoholic cocktail! If you prefer cocktails, you can usually mix up a mocktail, which is a non-alcoholic cocktail. Depending on which gin alternative you choose, you can mix your favorite cocktail or long drink just as you would with a high-proof one, as long as the other ingredients are non-alcoholic or available as a non-alcoholic alternative. An example of this is the Gin and Juice, which usually involves mixing 2cl of gin with (grape) juice, ice and a lemon. What's wrong with substituting gin? The Gin Tonic Coffee offers another example. Again, you only need to replace the gin and you can add the other ingredients. Do you like a berry flavor? Then try the non-alcoholic Bramble, which consists of gin (or a non-alcoholic alternative), blackberries, ice cubes, sugar syrup and lemon juice. As you can see, many classic gin cocktails are easy to make without alcohol and are a great drinking treat.

Conclusion: Gin without alcohol has long since become a worldwide trend. Whether at home in the living room or in a bar, you can now get alcohol-free alternatives everywhere. And the best thing about it: Whether pure, as a gin and tonic or in a cocktail, the alcohol-free alternatives taste almost as good as the high-proof original. So you are spared the hangover the next morning, without having to sacrifice taste for it. Gin is the newcomer among non-alcoholic spirits, because it was only in 2014 that an entrepreneur came up with the idea. Yet non-alcoholic distillates have been around for nearly 50 years. Although the alcohol-free alternatives are based on water, they are almost exactly as expensive to produce as the alcohol-based products. This is due, among other things, to the fact that the production is more expensive and more complex. Except for the price, the alcohol-free distillates have only advantages to offer.