One very obvious difference between alcoholic spirits and their AF counterparts, is that the former tend to be clear, whereas non-alcoholic spirits are sometimes hazy or even cloudy. This may not be true for categories like non-alc gin- or whisky-style drinks, but it can definitely be the case for original creations that have no alcoholic equivalent. 

So why is this?

Well, alcoholic spirits are distilled, which generally produces a clear liquid. And even if there is some cloudiness due to infusing or steeping with flavourings, there’s usually a filtration stage to clear everything up.

But flavour in the best alc-free spirits tends to come from infusing fresh herbs, spices and botanicals. These give the drink depth and complexity, but the natural oils and extracts can also create a cloudiness.

Since AF spirits aren’t distilled they can’t be cleared this way. And while it is possible to clear the liquid by filtering, many AF producers choose not to - and here's why.

Alcohol is far more efficient at extracting flavour than water. So producers of non-alc spirit-type drinks have to work incredibly hard to get flavours in the bottle in the first place. Because of this, they don’t want to risk filtering out all the botanical flavours and textures that they’ve achieved. By not filtering, non-alc spirits producers are deliberately preserving the haze.

So, cloudy can be good. 

Of course, if you get a bottle that’s meant to be clear and isn’t, that could be the sign of a microbial infection or a fault.

But in the world of original alcohol-free spirits, cloudiness is usually down to a quality-minded producer, who thinks that the added flavour and texture are worth a bit of cloudiness in the glass.

Photo by Ana Juarez Tenorio, Pexels