A spritz cocktail on stone tiles

Light, low and no alcohol drinks for late summer

How to find the alcohol alternative that's right for you, plus new products for each category.

Alcohol-free; low-alcohol; alcohol-removed: There are numerous terms you’ll see on cans, bottles and packaging for sober drink alternatives in Canada. What does each actually mean? We went straight to the official source – the Government of Canada – to find the difference between them each.

Light alcohol drinks

What does light alcohol mean?

Drinks labelled “light” are regulated by type – light wines must have 9% alcohol or less, while light ciders must have 4% or less and light whiskys 25% or less. Beers between 2.6% and 4.0% are considered light.

Light alcohol drinks we love:

can of beer against yellow circle

Old School Light Lager,
Bench Brewing

Niagara’s Bench built their brewery out of a refurbished schoolhouse in Beamsville, Ont. – their new light American-style lager is called “Old School” in a nod to the origin story. Light-bodied and crisp with a subtle, herbal character, this beer has delicate aromas of aromas of maize, water crackers and light bread. 

ABV: 3.8%
$3
A yellow bottle over a cream-coloured circle
Lemon Spritz Veneto,
Bottega

The new limited-edition Lemon Spritz from Bottega is a fresh, zesty blend of sparkling wine, Sicilian Limoncino and fresh mint. It’s fresh and full-bodied, with a slight bittersweetness and tart citrus taste. Mix with Prosecco or sip solo – don’t forget the lemon wedge or mint leaf to garnish.

ABV: 5.4%
$15.50
A bottle of wine in a light blue arch frame
Sidney Low-Alcohol Pinot Grigio,
Sidney

Sidney’s 7% A.B.V. Pinot Grigio is full-flavoured, elegantly balanced, bright and lively with only 1 gram of sugar and 90 calories per serving. With delightful notes of white peach, pink grapefruit and Meyer lemon, Sidney is the perfect treat for the moderation-minded. Available at the Wine Rack.

ABV: 7%
$16.95
A bottle of whisky with a blue label over a cream-coloured circle
Sortilège Blueberry,
Sortilège

Quebec’s Sortilège uses maple syrup in their whisky distillation process – a nod to the traditions of French Canada’s early settlers, who added maple syrup to their eau de vie. This one is flavoured with wild blueberries from Lac St. Jean for a fruity, summer-ready whisky.

ABV: 23%
$36

A white and purple can in a light blue circle

Bramble Berry Light Cider,
Shiny Apple Cider

Shiny Apple Cider unveiled their new Bramble Berry flavour this year, a vegan- and gluten-free Ontario light cider with a fruity kick. Tart blackberry and lemon flavours lead to a subtle botanical finish. This one picked up two gold medals at the 2024 All Canadian Wine Championships.

ABV: 4%
$3.50
A bottle of rosé wine over a neon yellow circle
Stoneleigh Lighter Rosé,
Stoneleigh

The new easy-drinking wine from New Zealand’s Stoneleigh is an extra-light rosé with a bouquet of red berry and orchard fruit aromas. Fresh and vibrant on the palate with delicate flavours of yellow plum, this wine is made sustainably from orchard to bottle.

ABV: 9%
$20

Low alcohol drinks

What does low alcohol mean?

According to federal Canadian regulations, “low alcohol” is an acceptable claim for a product with less than 1.1% alcohol by volume. “Contains less than (naming the percentage alcohol)” is also acceptable on low alcohol products.

Low alcohol drinks we love:

A can inside a neon yellow circle
Paradisco Hazy IPA,
Tuesday Brewing

Tuesday Brewing, a new Canadian line of non-alcoholic beers, has released their Paradisco Hazy IPA just in time for summer. The tropical, hoppy brew has flavours of tangerine, mango, stone fruit and a hint of resinous pine – plus a kick of Vitamin C.

ABV: 0.5%
$12/4
A bottle of red wine over a cream-coloured circle
Prickly Red,
Studio Null

For a premium low-alcohol red, look towards California’s wine country. Studio Null’s new Pricky Red is a dry blend of Tempranillo and Syrah with a carbonic bite and savoury, round profile with tannin. The wine is aged for nine months in French oak after fermenting in concrete tanks. 

ABV: 0.3%
$46
A red and white can in a light blue circle
Golden Pale Ale by Ellie Black,
Sober Carpenter

Halifax’s Ellie Black is set to become the first Canadian artistic gymnast to compete at four Olympic Games this summer – and her new limited-edition beer with Sober Carpenter is the perfect way to celebrate. This golden pale ale has a light, balanced profile and only 40 calories.

ABV: 0.5%
$43/12
A light blue can, pink can and purple can over a cream-coloured circle
Wander+Found Variety Pack,
Wander+Found

Toronto’s Wander+Found has recently debuted three of their popular non-alcoholic wines – the Sparkling Cuvée Blanc, Sparkling Rosé and Pinot Noir – in summer-ready can form. Pick up six in a variety pack from Upside Drinks.

ABV: <0.5%
$25/6
A tall can of beer in a light blue circle
Lemongrass Ginger Saison,
Libra

Meet the new limited-edition brew from Libra: Their botanical-powered Lemongrass Ginger Saison beer is a blend of herbal notes and zesty ginger, culminating in a satisfyingly dry finish. Order up some Thai and discover your new favourite pairing.

ABV: 0.4%
$12/4
A blue can in a neon yellow circle
Pilsner,
Partake Brewing

With only 25 calories and less than 0.5% alcohol, the new limited-edition Pilsner from Partake Brewing can be enjoyed guilt-free. A mild malty sweetness is balanced with a slight bitter taste and a clean-dry finish.

ABV: <0.5%
$30/12

Dealcoholized drinks

What does the term “dealcoholized” mean?

In line with the true nature requirements, the term “dealcoholized” may be used to describe a product whose alcohol level has been reduced to a level less than 1.1%, as part of the common name (for example, dealcoholized wine).

Dealcoholized drinks we love:

An orange and yellow can in a light blue circle
iOTA Non-Alcoholic Cerveza,
iOTA & Phillips Brewing & Malting Co.

The new Mexican-inspired beer from iOTA is a Cerveza-style lager with hints of freshly-made corn tortillas, malt, soda crackers and floral hops, all leading to a crisp, clean finish. The light-bodied beer is brewed with malted barley from local Vancouver Island farmers.

ABV: 0.5%
$35/12
A bottle of wine over a neon yellow circle
Non-Alcoholic California Chardonnay,
Yours

This award-winning, small-batch Chardonnay is free from the lingering sweetness that many dealcoholized wines are characterized by. Instead, you’ll taste crisp green apple and citrus notes on the palate, with subtle hints of vanilla and oak providing a creamy, luxurious mouthfeel.

ABV: <0.5%
$38

A bottle of brown spirits with a black label over a cream-coloured circle

Alcohol-Free Caribbean Spiced Spirit,
Ish

This nonalcoholic spirit starts with rum from Jamaica and Martinique before undergoing a process known as “supercritical Co2 extraction” which gently removes the alcohol while preserving the flavours. Vanilla, nutmeg and baked apple flavours come together to create a lush, complex flavour.

ABV: <0.5%
$35
A green and white can in a neon yellow circle
Non-Alcoholic Margarita Pour-Over,
Spiritless

The team at Spiritless uses a proprietary reverse distillation process to dealcoholize their Jalisco 55 Tequila, an herbaceous reposado. The new canned Margarita RTD adds cane sugar, fresh lime juice and sea-salt for an easy pour-over cocktail.

ABV: <0.5%
$16/4
A bronze-and-silver can inside a cream-coloured circle
Søbrii Zero G&T,
Sobrii

That’s right: Sobrii – who created Canada’s first dealcoholized non-alcoholic spirit in 2017 – has officially entered the RTD game. Their Zero G&T has no sugar, calories, preservatives or (of course) alcohol: just clean botanical flavours with a subtle effervescence.

ABV: <0.5%
$4
A bottle of wine over a light blue circle
Grand Cuvée,
Prima Pavé

Meet the latest release from Italian dealcoholized wine producer Prima Pavé (who go by the slogan “Sans Alcohol Has Never Been So Chic”). The bready, bone-dry Grand Cuvée is made with Chardonnay grapes and has by racy acidity with a persistent finish.

ABV: 0.0%
$40

Non-alcoholic drinks

What is considered to be “non-alcoholic” or “alcohol-free”?

In line with true nature requirements, the term “non-alcoholic” or “alcohol-free” may be used to describe a product whose alcohol level has been reduced to a level less than 0.05%, as part of the common name (for example, non-alcoholic beer).

Non-alcoholic drinks we love:

A blue and orange can in a cream-coloured circle
Spritz Italiano,
De Soi

The latest product from De Soi (a line of non-alcoholic sparkling aperitifs co-founded by Katy Perry and distiller Morgan McLachlan) is a take on the classic Italian spritz, featuring zesty citrus flavours with herbal and floral notes.

ABV: 0.0%
$6.50
A yellow and orange can in a light blue circle
Desert Margarita,
Parch Spirits Co.

The new non-alcoholic Marg from Parch Spirits is a triple-citrus blend of Mexican limes, tangerine juice and orange bitters, finished off with their organic Blue Weber agave, tamarind and wild-harvested Sonoran Desert salt.

ABV: 0.0%
$6
A bottle of wine over a neon yellow circle
Blanc de Blancs,
Leitz Eins Zwei Zero

The newest addition to Leitz Eins Zwei Zero’s alcohol-free wine portfolio is a crisp, refreshing blanc de blancs with the flavours of lime and citrus complemented by subtle hints of gooseberry and starfruit.

ABV: 0.0%
$18
A wine bottle with a floral label and pink foil cap over a light blue circle
Pure Blend Cassia,
Seraphim Social Beverage

Seraphim uses a proprietary blend of berries and botanicals brewed and imbued with the essence of wine to create a non-sparkling beverage that drinks like a red. The Pure Blend Cassia has a vibrant and fruit-forward flavour profile with tart berries and hints of cinnamon and spice.

ABV: 0.0%
$55

Non-Alcoholic Sangria,
Farm Boy

Your local Farm Boy now stocks a range of alcohol alternatives, including beers, mocktails and this lightly sparkling 0% sangria. It’s crafted with traditional winemaking techniques and pasteurized before alcoholizaition – you’ll taste a crisp, well-balanced flavour and gentle effervescence.

ABV: 0.0%
$3
A blue and yellow can inside a cream-coloured circle
Non-Alc Bubbly White Cans,
Proxies x Nomadica

Proxies (Acid League’s Michelin-sommelier-approved de-alcoholized wine brand) teamed up with Californian vegan winemaker Nomadica for this new product. The bright, aromatic bubbly is inspired by coastal Mediterranean whites with the flavours of peach, grapefruit zest, lilac and sea salt.

ABV: 0.0%
$40/6
*Regulatory information excerpted from The Government of Canada Food Inspection Agency
Share this article:

Sign up for our Good Life newsletter and get a FREE Easy Week Night Dinners Recipe Booklet

Name(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.