Smashed Alcohol-Free Beers and Ciders review

When I was a student (many many moons ago !), my housemates and I regularly used to meet up for a quick chat in the communal kitchen and throw out a random proposal of "let's have a night in and get smashed" ! Well, funnily enough, that's something I could imagine myself saying again fairly regularly, but this time, it has nothing to do with boozy nights in and painful hangovers the next day. Smashed is the name of a new range of alcohol-free beers and ciders that taste great and have none of the downsides of their alcoholic counterparts.  

 

As you can see from the packaging, they look just like cans and bottles of regular beer and cider, which is always a good thing if you're the only one not drinking. I can remember when I was pregnant and it was a birthday or Christmas celebration, I always felt a bit left out when everyone was happily knocking back champagne or wine and I'd have a glass of orange juice. I can also remember when we used to go out to pubs, I'd regularly get given a hard time about not drinking if I opted for a coke. Whether you're the designated driver for the night or just fancy a night off the booze, you can still join in and look the part if you opt for a can or bottle of Smashed. Definitely something to stock up on for all the end of year get togethers and parties (even if they end up being online meet-ups !).

It's such a great idea that I was actually surprised to learn that Smashed is the only British alcohol-free drinks brand which produces 0% beer, lager, ale and ciders. The Manchester-based business secured one of Dragons' Den's best ever deals in March 2020 with Peter Jones amazed at how close to an alcoholic drink its Smashed beers and cider tasted. Drynks is the only UK drinks brand who can produce the full remit of craft beers and cider because it owns the first and only state-of-the-art alcohol-free brewery which gently removes alcohol from premium craft beer and cider. 

Whatever you like to drink, you're bound to find something to suit your tastes. The range includes five options :

Lager - A refreshing pale gold lager beer with a clean taste which perfectly balances with a hint of barley malt, complex aromatic floral notes and a mild hoppy bitterness. 

 Cider - A golden, slightly opaque, sparkling liquid with a fresh, inviting aroma of English apples. The taste delivers pure refreshment with a perfect balance of sharpness, sweetness and bite. The initial refreshing upfront green apple taste is perfectly complimented with a great mouthfeel and a satisfying astringent mature English cider finish.

Berry - A new addition (and my favourite). A purple berry-coloured sparkling fruit cider with a fruity, fresh, clean nose with hints of English cider. The taste is sharp and refreshing with a perfect balance of sweetness backed up with a strong summer berry flavour, followed by hints of English cider and a firm cider astringency to finish.

 Pale Ale - Another new addition to the range. This light and refreshing drink is a fusion of the traditional and the modern. Caramel and hints of Toffee are finished with a modern American hop providing Tropical and Passionfruit notes.

Citrus - A pale gold sparkling liquid with fresh, clean aroma expressing English malt, hints of hop and a touch of citrus. The taste has been crafted for pure refreshment and has a pleasant malty base with perfect balance. A hint of sweetness pairs perfectly with the slightly sharp citrus notes in the aftertaste.

All Smashed drinks are vegan, gluten free (where possible), low in sugar and contain less than 100 calories per bottle/ can. That's great news too ! They are available in both 330ml bottles and 300ml cans, with a NEW 660ml Smashed Lager bottle which is great for sharing with friends. The 330ml Smashed bottles and cans have a RRP of £1.99 and are available in Booths supermarkets, as well as online at www.drynks.co.uk, Zeroholic.co.uk, Drydrinker.com (exclusive Smashed Lager 660ml) and a range of local independent retailers across the UK.

Disclosure : We received some samples, in order to share our honest review.