Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between de-alcoholised, alcohol free and
non-alcoholic?
Why alcohol free?
Will drinking alcohol-free
make a difference to losing weight?
How is the alcohol removed?
I'm pregnant, is it SAFE?
Is alcohol-free suitable
for diabetics?
Who drinks alcohol-free
wine?
Health and Research
Without getting too mixed up with legislation and how it affects
each country, our understanding in New Zealand is any beverage
with an alcohol content of 0.5% and less (0.5% alc/vol) is classed
as non-alcoholic. De-alcoholising is the term used to describe
the process of extracting the alcohol. Therefore in the case of
wine or beer, a fermentation or brewing process has taken place,
alcohol was present before the de-alcoholising process.
A 750ml standard wine bottle actually has an alcohol content of approximately
0.3%. When we refer to non alcoholic beverages no alcohol was produced in its
manufacturing process. The ironical debate is that often you will find a small
amount of alcohol in beverages such as fruit juice which was not present at the
time of manufacture but came about through the natural fruit fermentation. Please
be aware that many fruits follow a natural ferment and therefore a ripe grape,
for example, will contain alcohol however small.
There are many occasions now when people want to enjoy a glass
of wine or a beer but do not want alcohol. Believe it or not, the
figures we have obtained state that in 2002 an estimated 19% of
the population do not drink alcohol for one reason or another.
Attitudes are changing for the better, people in the past often
felt left out or anti-social simply because they preferred not
to drink alcohol. Alcohol Free is the option and fast becoming
a way of life.
Yes, when you are trying to lose weight, it is best to avoid or
limit alcohol. Alcohol is calorie dense. This means that
each sip of alcohol provides many calories (Alcohol provides 7
calories per gram and has no nutrients. Carbohydrates and protein
provide only 4 calories per gram, yet have valuable vitamins and
minerals). If you enjoy alcohol, but are trying to lose weight,
you may want to try our alcohol free drinks to replace the calorie-loaded
alcoholic drinks.
| Standard Wine Glass
= 148ml wine |
Standard Beer Glass = 330ml |
1
glass wine
1 glass champagne
alcohol-free wine
alcohol-removed champagne |
100
cal
130 cal
45 cal
40 cal |
330ml
beer
lite beer
alcohol-free beer |
150
cal
100 cal
60 cal |
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Generally, alcohol is removed by three different processes. All
the wines are normal alcoholic wines up to the bottling process,
so all the original characteristics are still held. One of the
critical drawbacks of the alcohol reduction process is its effect
on the "mouth feel" of the wine. The challenge for winemakers
is to compensate for this. Some wine producers have counteract
this effect by further manipulating the wine by the addition of
pre-prepared commercially marketed flavours to impart some palate
fullness. Which ever method is choosen, the ultimate aim is to
maintain as much of the "natural integrity" of the wine
as feasible.
Steam Vacuum
The Steam Vacuum is the pioneer de-alcoholising
process, which was patented in 1904. The vaporisation
temperature of alcohol is lower than that of
a water-based liquid, such as wine. The temperature
at which liquids will give off vapour (boil)
is dependent on the atmospheric pressure. The
lower the pressure, the lower the temperature
needed for vaporisation. Therefore, a wine in
a vacuum, which has NO pressure, will yield its
alcohol in a vapour at a very low temperature,
thereby losing its alcohol, while retaining the
characteristics and flavours that would be harmed
by normal boiling.
Reverse Osmosis
Osmosis is the process of two substances naturally reaching the same levels of
composition through a membrane (a filter). To separate out components, is to
reverse the process, and hence the name ‘Reverse Osmosis’. If one
is trying to separate components out of a substance through a membrane, it needs
substantial pressure, rather than a natural process. Alcohol is, therefore, in
this process, filtered out. Some water does leave as well, but the grape wine
concentrate remains, which is the vast majority, but a little of the wine concentrate
and water is added back into make up the bulk and balance flavours.
The Spinning Cone
The Spinning Cone Column is used extensively to reduce the ethanol content of
wines and produce low alcohol wine. This allows the winemaker to harvest the
grapes at full ripeness, with all the benefits of enhanced flavour intensity,
but without the often inevitable high alcohol levels and associated "hotness" in
the finished wine.
Reduction of the alcohol content of a wine is accomplished by the SCC using a
two-pass process. A portion of the wine to be treated is separated from the bulk
wine and processed through the SCC twice. The first step captures all the delicate
volatile aroma compounds of the wine which are then stored separately. The aroma-stripped
wine is reprocessed through the SCC to remove most of the alcohol. The de-alcoholised
wine and the flavour are then blended with the bulk of the wine to give a finished
product at the desired ethanol content.
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Yes, absolutely safe and many of our lady customers are pregnant
or breast feeding, still preferring the alcohol free option as
their babies are growing up. Remember that it is also very safe
for children and an even more so for teenagers. Take the worry
out of teen parties by having the alcohol free available. Wouldn’t
that be a great way for our children to grow up preferring the
alcohol free option?
See the research >>
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Yes, many of our customers are able to enjoy our wines and beers,
but as always, we still suggest you check with your doctor or medical
advisor if you are unsure.
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?
Alcohol for years has been an integral part of our way of life
and acknowledged by society in general. Times are changing and
an increasing cross section of the community, realise that change
has to come. What are the reasons why? Family dinners, a night
out, Drink Driving, religious beliefs, health, medical, starting
a family, pregnancy, breastfeeding, personal choice, spiritual,
abstinence, dining out, cultural, diet, weight, fitness, sports,
wedding receptions, baby showers, company parties, boardroom meetings,
business lunches, teenage parties, parties with friends, celebrations,
lunches and brunches, banquets or simple at home relaxing and share
a special moment.
Many of our customers on first experiencing an alcohol free wine/beer
found the taste different usually more fruity or sweeter than they
are used to. To understand this is to know that the ethanol has been
removed and what you are actually tasting is the real wine flavour.
This situation often prompts an expected skeptical response to having
no alcohol, as opposed to a more apt appraisal of the products for
what they are, simply wines and beer without alcohol rather than
a direct substitute for the alcoholic equivalent.
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