With the no and low alcohol market set to grow by 34%, there is no surprise that the best known and best loved London Dry Gin makers are trying their hand at a 0.0% alcohol free gin.
Sipsmith commands a premium price and has a large following. How will their 0.0% alcohol free gin compare to the others on the market, does it deserve its premium price?
About Sipsmith
Sipsmith is relatively young in the gin world. Other brands can be 200 years old but Sipsmith was founded in 2007 by two childhood friends, Sam Galsworthy and Fairfax Hall.
The pair actually had to get the UK law changed in order to begin distilling, how crazy is that and what dedication. An excise act still in effect from 1823 made it impossible for distillers to obtain a licence for a still under 1,800 litres and their meagre still was only 300 litres
Change the law they did in 2008 and by 2012 they had started to go global by opening an outpost in Spain.
In 2015, Sipsmith decided their experimental craft creations should be shared, and thus the Sipping Society was born.
Their members continue to receive our distillers’ most incredible gin-ovations throughout the year, crafted on their smallest still, Cygnet.
I have written 11 reasons you should try non alcoholic gin, an overview of why the market is so popular now.
Non alcoholic gin also has a number of surprising health benefits if you needed any more reasons to get trying today!
To buy Sipsmith FreeGlider on Amazon then follow this link
The Nutrition
Clear spirits are basically free of carbohydrate and sugar (only tase amounts), the calories all come from the calorie dense alcohol. For a complete article on calories in non alcoholic gin then read my article on it here
| FreeGlider | Sipsmith | |
| Calories per 50ml | 1kcal | 104kcal |
| Alcohol | 0.5% | 41.6% |
So FreeGlider has a marvellous 1% of the calories of its alcoholic sibling. That takes some doing.
We are told (and it’s true) that the majority of your gin and tonic is the tonic so when thinking about calories it must be thought of.
Lets look at a few FeverTree Tonics on the market…
| FeverTree Tonic | Kcal per 150ml mixer | Sugar per 150ml mixer |
| Elderflower Tonic Water | 51 | 11.7g |
| Light Indian Tonic Water | 23 | 4.4g |
| Premium Indian Tonic Water | 42 | 10.7 |
| Aromatic Tonic Water | 56 | 11.7g |
That is quite the variation but you would expect that in a whole product range. You can make smarter choices to reduce calories from you mixers.
What happens if you combine the best and worst?
| Gin | Tonic | Total calories | Total sugar |
| Sipsmith | FeverTree Aromatic Tonic | 160 | 11.7g |
| Sipsmith | FeverTree Light Indian Tonic | 127 | 4.4g |
| FreeGlider | FeverTree Aromatic Tonic | 57 | 11.7 |
| FreeGlider | FeverTree Light Indian Tonic | 24 | 4.4g |
So You could be saving 136 calories a drink with a light tonic and Sipsmith FreeGlider. That is a pretty larger saving if you scale it up over a few G&Ts.
The Look
The bottle is beautifully styled with imaginative artwork. The liquid itself is crystal clear as alway.
The Aroma
It is slightly muted on the nose (in the bottle) but you get the distinctive juniper berry hit with some citrus notes. Perhaps more lemon smell than lime. It is distinctively gin smelling however.
Once out and over ice it opens up nicely. Lots more citrus and bit juniper smells when in the glass neat.
There is allegedly eucalyptus but i cant get that. I even rubbed the leaves of a eucalyptus tree i have to get the smell fresh in my mind but nope, couldn’t get it.
The Taste
It is both lovely and lacking something.
There is certainly the mandatory juniper flavour, you would be worried if that wasn’t in a gin. As you know, it isn’t a gin if there isn’t juniper. There just isn’t a brilliant depth of flavour.
The entire flavour is tasted just down the middle of my mouth and tongue. Im not getting lots of citrus by any means. When you think of a high citrus spirit like Seedlip Grove 42 (see review here – 9.5/10)
Sipsmith tell me i should be getting a “a full-bodied capsicum heat” but i’m really not. It is a bit lacking and so is the zesty citrus they promise.
At the start i said it was both lovely and lacking. The drink is very nice, don’t get me wrong. It is highly refreshing and i can just imagine sipping this on a hot summers day.
If i was given the choice between this and Tanqueray 0.0 or Gordon’s 0.0 i know what i would want.
Tanqueray and Gordons had a huge flavour that coated the entire mouth in tastebud sucking juniper. They packed a punch that made you forget it was alcohol free. I think Sipsmith FreeGlider must comes up short.
The Verdict
It is good without being great, maybe very good. But do you want to settle for merely very good when excellent if out there and cheaper.
I have been wrong before. Some of my tasters really liked it and would want it again but i was writing solely from my own thoughts.
If you drink Sipsmith regularly (i don’t) then the chances are high you will love it so don’t let me put you off trying it and making your own mind up.
For my Tanqueray 0.0% review click here
For my Gordon’s 0.0% review click here
The Score
7.5/10 – It is a classy operator and will be many peoples first choice but i think there are better options.
Sipsmith website notes
It is relatively easy to make gin, however making great gin requires skill, patience and craft. The same applies to alcohol free spirits.
The Sipsmith team go to extraordinary lengths to craft the finest possible liquids, and Sipsmith FreeGlider was no exception.
We experimented with 189 prototypes and over 100 ingredients to create the ultimate alcohol free spirit; one that doesn’t compromise on quality or flavour.
The Nose
Refreshing eucalyptus, with spicy juniper undertones
The Palate
Bright zesty citrus balanced by a full-bodied capsicum heat
The Finish
An extra dry pine finale with a short fiery kick
Where to buy
To buy or check the live price of Sipsmith FreeGlider on Amazon then follow this link or click below.
You can try these at Wise Bartender as well, a brilliant non alcoholic retailer
For UK readers, Light Drinks has this and others, if you use code OPENINGTHEBOTTLE you get an additional 5% off
*Affiliate Disclosure – if you click on the links and buy from these providers, i might receive a small commission*
| Score |
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SUMMARY
Nice, but as a premium brand i expected more |
3.8
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