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REAL ALE –
WITH LOW
ALCOHOL?
Wiper and True Brewery
from Bristol are legendary
on the craft beer circuit.
They continue to tamper
and test new hops and
ingredients to create
stunning beers including
a stout made from milk.
A best-selling beer from
them is Wiper and True
Small Beer, which has
big beer taste but is only
2.7% ABV!
Vibrant with citrus,
tropical fruit and berry
flavours meandering to a
gentle bitter finish.
The Naked Grape
Hungerford.
330ml bottle,
four for £12
2015 –
CLASSIC
YEAR FOR
GERMAN
WINES
So long under the
shadow of Liebfraumilch,
classic German wines
have come back into
their own in style with the
stunning Rieslings of the
2015 vintage.
The alcohol levels of
these beautiful wines
are so low yet they make
such lovely drinks.
I tried a Mosel Kabinett
wine from the village of
Wehlen. Only 7.5 per
cent ABV yet perfumed,
poised and ever so long
flavoured. A wow!
This low alcohol is a
characteristic of most
fine German wines.
Try the Louis Guntrum Riesling from Nierstein.
This is only 9.5% ABV, and tastes of peaches,
green apples, and juicy pears.
Perfect with cold cuts and curries.
The Naked Grape, Hungerford.
£12.99 per bottle
top
tipples
by
There’s no need to give up alcohol in the new year,
altogether, get a taste for the low ABV options
says James Allen.
A
s an alternative to the dreaded dry January, how about simply maintaining your consumption
levels, but decreasing your alcohol intake by opting for wine and beer with lower ABV?
One of the challenges of making low alcohol products is that the alcohol itself adds both body and
a slight sweetness to the drink.
The less alcohol the thinner and dryer it becomes and thus a challenge to its maker. With care and
attention, however, it is quite possible to make excellent, even outstanding low alcohol drinks, both
beers and wines.
Here are a few of them.
STONEWALL
SAUVIGNON BLANC
9.5% 2015
Stonewall comes from one of New Zealand’s
finest estates and enjoys a huge fan club here
in the UK. Owner John Forrest has always
been an innovator and his latest success is this
9.5% Vol Sauvignon.
It’s a great way to keep alcohol consumption
in check without compromising on quality or
flavour. John explains: “My aim was to achieve
fruit ripeness with reduced berry sugar levels
and hence reduced final wine alcohol.
“After two years of trials, and thanks to my
viticulturist Tim Alexander, we succeeded in
producing wines, sustainably grown and cost
efficient, which met my two key criteria.”
Classic, fresh and lingering, this could be the
future of Marlborough Sauvignon. A lovely
apéritif and partner to seafood, exotic salads
or goat’s cheese.
Laithwaites, Theale.
£11.99 per bottle