Forget the hangover: we ranked every non-alcoholic drink you need this summer
Whether you're the designated driver, cutting back on booze, embracing the sober-curious lifestyle or simply can't face a hangover in the middle of a heatwave, there's never been a better time to reach for a non-alcoholic drink.
Gone are the days when your only options were a flat lemonade or an orange juice while everyone else enjoyed a pint.
Supermarket shelves are now packed with alcohol-free beers, sparkling spritzes and canned cocktails that genuinely taste like the real thing.
In fact, some of them are so convincing you'd struggle to tell the difference.
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To save you from spending your way through every alcohol-free option on the shelves, we put some of the biggest names and newcomers to the alcohol-free world to the test.
From beers and ciders to sparkling aperitifs, here's what we'd happily stock the fridge with this summer.
BERO Shandy
If you haven't come across BERO yet, it's the alcohol-free beer brand co-founded by Tom Holland, and its latest launch comes with a pretty sweet backstory.
According to Tom, the new shandy range was actually inspired by Zendaya.
"To be honest, I created the BERO Shandy for Z. She's never been a beer drinker, so I wanted to bring something new to the table that she could enjoy," he explained. "I've always loved shandies, so exploring that style with BERO felt like the perfect next step."
The limited-edition variety pack includes four different flavours, Daybreak, Golden Hour, Sunset and Midnight, each combining lemonade with one of BERO's alcohol-free beers.
BERO Shandy Variety Pack, 12 Pack
£22
Each can has its own personality, from lemon-lime and pink grapefruit to floral elderflower and even blackberry with yuzu.
Rather than tasting like flavoured soft drinks, they still retain enough beer character to feel like proper shandies, making them ideal for long afternoons in the garden or festivals where you want something lighter.
If you like variety, this was easily one of the most interesting packs we tried.
Hawkstone Zero
If you're after a beer that feels as close to the real thing as possible, Hawkstone Zero is a solid place to start.
For fans of Clarkson's Farm, the chances are you'll already be familiar with Hawkstone. The brand was founded by Jeremy Clarkson and has built a loyal following thanks to its focus on British-grown ingredients and premium beers.
Hawkstone Zero, 12 Pack
£31.20
While it's marketed as Hawkstone Zero, it's worth noting that it's technically a low-alcohol beer rather than a completely alcohol-free one.
At up to 0.5 percent ABV, it contains a fraction of the alcohol you'd find in a standard lager, which typically sits around four to five percent ABV.
It pours with a proper golden colour and crisp head, making it feel like you're still drinking a premium lager.
Taste-wise, it's light and refreshing without that overly sweet aftertaste that some alcohol-free beers fall victim to.
It's the sort of drink you could happily crack open during a barbecue or while watching the football and not feel like you're missing out.
If you're already a lager drinker, this one is an easy switch.
Nozeco
No summer celebration is complete without something bubbly, and Nozeco has become one of the biggest alcohol-free alternatives to prosecco for good reason.
There's actually a much wider range on offer than many realise. Alongside the sparkling original, the brand also produces a rosé version, a red Merlot-inspired and white Chardonnay-inspired wine alternatives for those who want the wine experience without the alcohol.
The prosecco-style option has plenty of apple and pear notes and enough fizz to feel like you're opening the real thing.
While the rosé brings slightly sweeter berry flavours to the table, making it a great option for summer evenings and garden parties.
Whether you're celebrating with friends or pouring a glass for brunch, it still delivers that sense of occasion you'd expect from popping open a bottle.
Nozeco Celebration Sparkling Mixed Case, Alcohol Free Wine Trio
£21.17
Meanwhile, the still white and red alternatives offer something for people who aren't looking for bubbles.
They're never going to completely replicate a full-strength wine, but they do a surprisingly good job of delivering familiar wine flavours.
The Nozeco range makes it much easier to enjoy a glass with dinner when you're sober-curious.
Bottle Green Hugo Spritz & Bitter Orange Spritz
Bottle Green has taken two classic European aperitif serves and turned them into ready-to-drink alcohol-free bottles that feel tailor-made for sunny afternoons.
The Hugo Spritz is floral, fresh and packed with elderflower, balanced with a gentle fizz and hints of mint and lime.
It's incredibly easy to drink and feels like something you'd order at a rooftop bar.
Meanwhile, the Bitter Orange Spritz leans more towards the classic Italian aperitif experience (think non-alcoholic Aperol Spritz).
Bottlegreen Bitter Orange
£3.75
Bottlegreen Hugo Spritz
£3.75
It's citrusy with a pleasant bittersweet finish that isn't overpowering, making it a great option before dinner or as a refreshing alternative to your usual soft drink.
Between the two, they offer something for both sweeter and more traditional spritz fans.
Thatchers 0.0 Blood Orange Cider
This ended up being the standout favourite of the entire test.
Thatchers has taken everything people love about a crisp cider and given it a juicy blood orange twist that somehow feels even more suited to summer.
Thatchers 0.0 Blood Orange Cider, 4 Pack
£4
It's fruity without becoming sickly, with the blood orange adding a refreshing sharpness that keeps every sip interesting.
Best served ice cold, it's the kind of drink you'd happily have in the garden while firing up the barbecue.
You can get it in both cans and bottles, and Thatchers also has a version with alcohol if you want to serve the same beverage to both non-alcohol and alcohol drinking guests.
Peroni 0.0% Lemon & Blood Orange
Peroni's flavoured alcohol-free beers offer something a little different from your standard lager by layering in bright citrus flavours that immediately make it feel like a summer drink.
Peroni 0.0% Lemon Alcohol Free Beer Cans, 4 Pack
£5.50
Peroni 0.0% Blood Orange Alcohol Free Beer Cans, 4 Pack
£5.50
The lemon comes through to create something that’s refreshing, while the blood orange adds a slightly sweeter yet still citrus flavour to the beer.
If regular alcohol-free lager isn't usually your thing, these cans offer a fun alternative that feels made for drinking in the sunshine.
Roley's Super Natural Lager
The award-winning tipple seeks to cut out the 'compromise' that comes with boozing and, as an official partner of Hyrox, is made for those who want to live an active lifestyle while enjoying themselves.
LADbible writer Joe Douglas, put the drinks to the test after having eight beers while watching football and with work the next day. At 8am, his mouth wasn't dry, his head wasn't pounding, and he felt completely fine, especially as someone who suffers with hangovers.
Roley's says it 'created a beer that fits seamlessly into a life lived with intention', and it really did perform like it said it would.
They also say the beer keeps taste, clarity, and satisfaction exactly where it should be.
Roley's Super Natural Lager (six pack)
£19.99
What is a good non alcoholic drink? Our verdict
If you want something sweet and cocktail-like the Bottle Green spritz would be the ideal option. For a good non-alcoholic cider the Thatchers Blood Orange stood out by a mile, but for that light buzz and for another hangover-free lager option Roley's 'miracle beer' would be our favourite for a summer barbecue.
Choosing not to drink alcohol no longer means settling for second best.
Whether you're cutting back completely, driving home or simply fancy waking up without a headache the next day, there's now an alcohol-free option for almost every occasion.
Better still, plenty of them genuinely stand on their own rather than trying to imitate the original.
With everything from premium lagers to sparkling spritzes and creative shandies now available, there's never been a better excuse to give alcohol-free drinks a chance.
Topics: Food And Drink, Alcohol
Rosie Floyd