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:
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
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
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
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
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
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:
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
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
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
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
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
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:
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
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
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
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
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
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:
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
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
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
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
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.
