Sugar-free cocktails need not be bland libations. Here are nine sugar-free drinks to take you from sessionable drinking to spirit-forward sippers.
Sugar-Free Cocktails – Photo © Cocktails & Bars
When it comes to sugar-free cocktails, they are far and few in between. By definition, most cocktails contain a sweetening agent, be it a syrup, liqueur, oleo saccharum, sweet vermouth or fruit juices.
The following cocktails and mixed drinks contain no artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes such as stevia, agave, rice malt syrup or honey syrup. They’re low in carbs but not in flavour.
This cocktail collection includes drinks that contain a small amount of extra dry vermouth. By classification, extra dry vermouth has less than 30 grams of sugar per litre while dry vermouth has less than 50 grams of sugar per litre. More information about the different styles of vermouth and their sugar content can be found in the essential guide to vermouth.
Also included in these health-conscious cocktails are those with a shrub or a squeeze of lime/lemon juice which has minimal amounts of sugar for the volume used. Bitters also have a sugar component but the odd dash or two is rather small.
When seeking sugar-free alcohol, unaged neat spirits have no sugar content as they come off the still. However, some spirits such as vodka and rum have sugar added post distillation. Aged spirits such as bourbon and whisky get their sweet flavour profile from the oak, be it charred or toasted as the heat process caramelises the wood sugars in the barrels. Where caramel colouring is used in dark spirits, it may also contribute a small amount of sugar.
Regardless of the sugar content, even neat spirits contain calories. As with any alcoholic beverages, it’s worth noting that this cocktail collection is not about finding the best alcoholic drink for a diabetic nor does it constitute medical advice.
Click through the following pages to view sugar-free cocktails in the series.
