For many of us, enjoying the local liquor is part of enjoying a holiday. But if you have a few drinks while you’re on vacation, will travel insurance still cover you? We look at how insurers apply alcohol exclusions and what you can expect.

On this page:

• Does travel insurance cover alcohol?
• When do insurers apply the alcohol exclusion?
• How much alcohol is too much for a travel insurer?
• How does the insurer know how much alcohol you’ve drunk?
• What if my drink was tampered with?
• What about drug use? Can your claim be voided if drugs are detected?
• What to do if your travel insurer denies your claim

Does travel insurance cover alcohol?

Having a couple of drinks won’t void your travel insurance cover for your whole holiday. But travel insurance won’t cover you for events that arise because you were under the influence of alcohol.

If you leave your phone in a taxi or fall off a bar stool and break a bone, your insurer will probably deny your claim if they think it occurred because you were drunk. 

Travel insurance covers you for unforeseen events, but insurers rely to an extent on your own ability to foresee events and take evasive action. So for example, if a volcano affects travellers to Bali, your insurance won’t cover you if you know about the volcano but don’t take action to avoid being impacted by it.

If you’ve had a few too many drinks, your ability to foresee events is blurred. So there’s a much higher risk of something going wrong, and if an event has too high a risk of actually occurring, then insurers don’t want to cover it.

When do insurers apply the alcohol exclusion?

How the alcohol exclusion affects you can be as innocuous as having a few drinks at a wedding and slipping and breaking a leg, or something more sinister like having your drink spiked at a nightclub.

Here’s an  for the ÌÇÐÄVlog travel insurance buying guide.

“Lee (not his real name) was attending a wedding in Phuket, Thailand, when he fell down some stairs at the hotel, breaking his leg and several ribs. Because he’d been celebrating with a few alcoholic drinks, his insurer refused his claim for medical expenses, citing his intoxication at the time.”

“The incident cost Lee $10,300 in medical expenses, which had to be paid in full before he could leave hospital. Lee’s injuries also meant he was unable to work for the next six weeks, causing further financial hardship.”

How much alcohol is too much, according to a travel insurer?

Some insurers specify a blood alcohol limit over which they will not cover you. GoInsurance uses 0.10%, which is twice the legal driving limit, and a level at which your speech might be slurred.

Cover-More and other insurers specify a 0.19% limit. Some people will struggle to walk a straight line at that point.

Many insurers don’t specify a limit though. If they think the amount you’ve had to drink caused or contributed to your claim, they might try to deny it. How they word the exclusion varies between insurers.

Insurer World2Cover, for example, says its cover excludes: “You being under the influence of alcohol where… Your judgement or actions are impaired and this impairment causes or contributes to any loss or damage.”

For Allianz, it’s when you’re “…affected by any intoxicating liquor or drug to the extent that your physical, or mental functions, or your judgement are impaired”.

‘Under the influence’ or ‘affected by’ alcohol is a grey area, but it generally comes into play at the point where the event that caused your claim wouldn’t have occurred if it weren’t for you being drunk.

If you slip on a wet walkway when you’re drunk, an insurer may say that if you weren’t drunk, you would’ve had better judgement and been able to avoid that slippery walkway, or at least walked more carefully across it.

If you break the local law where you are, travel insurance won’t cover you. So if you drive a hire car or moped with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) greater than the legal limit for the country you’re in, travel insurance won’t cover you for any resulting incidents.

How does the insurer know how much alcohol you’ve drunk?

You may find a clause in your travel insurance policy that obliges you to agree to a blood alcohol or breath analysis. So if the insurer suspects you’ve had some drinks, they may get you to take a test before they agree to cover your claim.

If insurers can’t get their hands on a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) test in time, they may use other methods to estimate your BAC in order to decline your claim. In one case, Cover-More estimated a BAC based on the policyholder’s weight and the drinks on their bar bill.

They might also use other methods to estimate it, including testimony from witnesses, bar receipts, medical reports or even how you describe events to the insurer.

How do you know if you’re covered?

When you buy your policy, your travel insurer will send you a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). The easiest way to find the alcohol clause is to open the document and do a find or Ctrl+F for ‘alcohol’ or ‘liquor’. That should take you to a sobering read of alcohol and other exclusions in your travel insurance policy.

What if my drink was tampered with?

Drink spiking does unfortunately happen. Another common problem is that some drinks may contain methanol, which is toxic. It is sometimes used as a cheap substitute for alcohol in local home-brewed spirits, cocktails, or as a top up in brand-name alcohol bottles.

But if you have a high blood alcohol concentration, it can be hard to prove that it was because your drink was spiked. In this case, preventative action is the best strategy (not only for your insurance, but also for your own health and safety).

 to avoid getting into a fix. These include things like drinking in a safe space, avoiding cocktails or mixed drinks made by a bartender, and looking after your mates.

What about drug use? Can your claim be voided if drugs are detected?

Recreational drug use is legalised to an extent in some destinations around the world, but travel insurers still exclude cover for the use of non-prescription drugs. 

Often it’s in the same clause as alcohol use. For example they exclude a claim that arose because you were “under the influence of any intoxicating liquor or drugs (except a drug prescribed to you)”.

And use of illegal drugs is of course excluded. So you need to know the local laws wherever you’re visiting.

Other alcohol and drug exclusions

Another exclusion you’ll come across is for claims that relate to the treatment of alcoholism, drug addiction or substance addiction. This may mean your visit to a rehabilitation clinic, but it can also extend to other people. 

For example, if you want to interrupt your holiday to travel home to visit a sick relative, the insurer may deny your claim if your relative is sick due to chronic use of alcohol or drugs (whereas you claim may be approved if your family member is suffering a different type of medical issue).

What to do if your travel insurer denies your claim

If your travel insurer denies your claim because they reckon you had too much to drink, but you disagree with them, the first step is to lodge an internal dispute with your insurer. Check the insurer’s website or PDS for their official complaints procedure and contact details (usually an email address). 

If the insurer still denies your claim after you lodge a dispute with them, you can raise a dispute with the independent ombudsman, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).

Even if you were drinking, the insurer still has to prove you were drunk and that this intoxication actually caused the event that led to your claim. 

A ruling by the Financial Ombudsman Service, AFCA’s predecessor, found that an insurer was not able to rely on the exclusion to deny a claim for a woman who left a backpack in a taxi after a couple of drinks (this was a while ago but it’s not easy to find recent cases where the insurer lost). The ruling stated:

“…she [admits to] consuming a number of drinks on the evening but was not under the influence nor did the loss arise directly or indirectly from the influence of alcohol. Other than this statement, there is no evidence regarding the influence of alcohol.”

“The Applicant claims the backpack was left in the cab in the confusion of trying to settle the cab fare whilst at the same time keeping an eye on children. There is no evidence to contradict this.

“The evidence is not sufficient to establish that the loss arose directly or indirectly from the influence of alcohol.”

The post Does travel insurance still cover you if you’ve had a drink? appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• What is the best non-alcoholic gin and tonic premix?
•  Our verdict: Are non-alcoholic gin and tonic premix drinks any good?
• How we tested

Gone are the days when the only alternative to an alcoholic beverage was a traditional soft drink or plain water.

As the number of people choosing to drink less or not at all grows, the market is responding with more and better-quality non-alcoholic versions of traditional boozy beverages.Ìý

It isn’t just non-alcoholic beers and wines that are available these days. Non-alcoholic versions of spirits are also easier to find. You can even buy premix non-alcoholic drinks from a variety of brands, with alcohol-free gin and tonics (G&Ts), margaritas and negronis available in our supermarkets and larger bottle shops.Ìý

But how do they taste? We assembled five of the premix G&T options and asked 11 ÌÇÐÄVlog staff to test them out.

What is the best non-alcoholic gin and tonic premix?

It was a close contest, but the winner of our taste test was the Naked Life Classic G&T. Three of our tasters said it was closest to the traditional alcoholic version of the drink.Ìý

Not far behind, in second place was the Lyres G&T. While nobody thought this product tasted particularly like a real gin and tonic, several did comment favourably on its pleasant, slightly gingery flavour.

Here’s how each product performed, from the highest to the lowest rated, according to our tasting panel.

1. Naked Life Classic G&T

• Pack size: 4 x 250ml pack
• Price per pack: $15
• Price per drink: $3.75
• Taste test score: 5.5/10

Ingredients: sparkling water, natural sweetener (erythriol, stevia), citric acid, natural flavour (gin), quinine, lemon extract, orange extract, bitter orange extract, natural botanical distillates and extracts.

What our testers said:

“Easy to drink, refreshing.” (Jane)

“Good taste, sweet, but not overly so.” (Tony)

“Bland and underwhelming.” (Jen)

“Sharp and fresh. Tastes most similar to a real G&T.” (Megan)

2. Lyre’s G&T

• Pack size: 4 x 250ml pack
• Price per pack: $19.49
• Price per drink: $4.87
• Taste test score: 5.4/10 

Ingredients: carbonated water, Lyre’s Dry London (46% – water, glucose syrup, natural flavouring, acidity regulator [citric acid]), sugar, natural flavouring, acidity regulator (citric acid), preservative (sodium benzoate).Ìý

What our testers said:

“Interesting flavour, but it doesn’t taste like a gin and tonic.” (James)

“Ginger, fruit flavours. A good balance.” (Deepa)

“Strong aftertaste like ginger. Not unpleasant.” (Tony)

“Refreshing, but I would prefer more fizz.” (Deanna)

“More like watery ginger beer than a gin and tonic.” (Jane)

3. Gordon’s 0% Gin with Tonic and a Hint of Lime

• Pack size: 4 x 330ml bottle
• Price per pack: $16.49
• Price per drink: $4.12
• Taste test score: 4.3/10

Ingredients: carbonated water, sugar, natural flavours with botanicals, lime juice (from concentrate), food acids, preservative, quinine.Ìý

What our testers said:

“Fresh, tangy, but a little too sweet.” (Megan)

“Very floral. Delicate, light flavour but does have an overall artificial vibe.” (Jordan)

“Tastes like soda water with a dissolved lolly.” (Jane)

“Flavour very weak and slightly soapy.” (Deanna)

“Not particularly special in any way.” (Edward)

4. Monday Distillery Classic Non-Alcoholic G&T

• Pack size: 4 x 300ml bottle
• Price per pack: $20.99
• Price per drink: $5.25
• Taste test score: 3.1/10

Ingredients: carbonated Australian spring water, natural distilled gin flavour and concentrate, citric acid, stevia, natural flavours and natural extracts.

What our testers said: 

“Quite watery and not much substance to it, but easy to drink.” (Guy)

“I winced when I first tasted it. Not good.” (Jen)

“A bit sherbetty, and too sweet.” (Jane)

“Bland – more like soda water than gin and tonic.” (Tony)

“Basically tastes of nothing. Not nice.” (Deanna)

5. Yes You Can G&T Alcohol-Free

• Pack size: 8 x 250ml can
• Price per pack: $29.99
• Price per drink: $3.75
• Taste test score: 2.4/10

Ingredients: sparkling water, natural sugar, natural flavour, citric acid, distilled juniper washing, natural lemon lime flavour, ascorbic acid.Ìý

What our testers said:

“Smells like lemonade.” (Edward)

“Almost a medicinal taste. Very sharp and cloying mouth feel.” (Guy)

“Unpleasant, strong and bitter.” (Jane)

“Bitter flavour and not much else.” (Megan)

 Our verdict: Are non-alcoholic gin and tonic premix drinks any good?

Most of our testers were unimpressed by the products they tried and most agreed that they still had a way to go. In particular, the drinks were criticised for lacking the typical botanical flavours they would expect of gin.Ìý

Those who said would be willing to buy these products (only four out of the 11), said they’d probably be willing to pay around $5 for one of these drinks as an alternative to other soft drinks if they were avoiding alcohol and wanted something to enjoy in a social setting.

How we tested

We had a blind tasting panel made up of 11 ÌÇÐÄVlog staff. They tasted the five products in our test and then scored each sample out of 10. All of the samples were served chilled. Scores given are an average.

The post Which non-alcoholic gin and tonic tastes best?  appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• How we test

But what does alcohol-free gin taste like? And can you tell the difference between regular gin and one that’s non-alcoholic? 

Determined to find out, we called cocktail hour at ÌÇÐÄVlog HQ and pitted well known brand Gordon’s London Dry Gin against its zero-alcohol version Gordon’s Alcohol Free in a blind taste test with 12 intrepid participants. See How we test for the details.

Can you tell the difference?

Yes. It was pretty obvious to our tasters which sample contained alcohol, and which one didn’t.

Comments such as ”has an alcoholic vibe”, ”smells alcoholic” and ”definitely can taste the alcohol” were peppered through their tasting notes for the regular gin. And all our tasters correctly identified the non-alcoholic gin sample.

You’re clearly not going to get the buzz and warmth associated with alcohol. But alcohol content aside, the appeal of gin is largely its signature flavour derived from juniper berries and other botanicals.Ìý

So when you remove the alcohol, does the flavour hold its own?

Which ‘gin’ tastes best?

After tasting each sample, our tasters were asked to describe it and rate how much they liked it overall on a nine-point scale stretching from ‘dislike extremely’ through to ‘like extremely.’ 

Gordon’s London Dry Gin (served with tonic water) was rated more positively overall than Gordon’s Alcohol Free (also served with tonic water), receiving a total of 78 points – compared with 63 points – out of a possible total of 108.

Here’s what our taste testers said.

Gordon’s London Dry Gin

Size: 700mL

Price: $39 ($5.57 per 100mL)

Tasting notes (when served with Fever Tree Indian tonic water):

The aroma and taste of alcohol – or specifically gin – was noted by the majority of our tasters in their comments.

”Definitely can smell the alcohol,” said one. ”Discernable gin taste with tartness on the back of the throat,” said another.

Several people referenced citrus or juniper flavours, commenting that it ”tastes like gin with prominent citrus”, has a ”stronger smell of juniper” [than the other sample] and ”Smells like gin – scent of juniper (and tonic) citrus. Tastes like gin.”

Although most people rated it favourably, not everyone was a fan: “For me the alcohol was the strongest flavour. Couldn’t detect any botanicals or other flavours.”

Gordon’s Alcohol Free

Size: 700mL

Price: $35 ($5 per 100mL)

Tasting notes (when served with Fever Tree Indian tonic water):

Reviews for Gordon’s Alcohol Free were mixed.Ìý

Some people weren’t convinced of its allure, leaving comments such as ”Pleasant, not harsh, but nothing earth shattering”, ”Does not give the warmth of an alcoholic beverage, but is not unpleasant”, and ”It’s almost gin. Drinkable, but not quite there.” 

A couple of tasters were less flattering, describing it as smelling or tasting ”medicinal”.

But others were more complimentary.Ìý

”Nice floral, botanical flavour. Really enjoyed the sophisticated non-alcoholic taste,” said one participant.Ìý

”Tastes good, presumably non-alcoholic, but a strong alternative,” said another.

One taster summed it up with, ”Overall not a bad adult alternative if you’re looking to pace yourself or have a day off.” 

Cheers to that!

How is non-alcoholic gin made?

A regular gin is a neutral spirit (usually distilled from a grain such as wheat or barley) infused with flavours from juniper berries and other botanicals. The flavour can be varied by the adding of different spices, fruits and floral elements.Ìý

A low or no-alcohol version can be made the same way with a neutral spirit and botanicals going through multiple rounds of distillation to remove all the alcohol from the liquid. Alternatively, it can be made without a base spirit at all – instead, botanicals are macerated (soaked) in water, then distilled until a gin-like flavour has developed.

Gordon’s, for example, describes its alcohol-free product as having a ”bold, juniper led character” that’s made ”using only the finest distilled botanicals, just like the original Gordon’s London Dry Gin’.”

Zero alcohol, zero calories?

Gordon’s Alcohol Free is labelled as being 0.0% alcohol, but it does actually contain trace amounts, although no more than 0.015% alcohol by volume (ABV). But this is a negligible quantity compared with the 37.5% ABV of Gordon’s London Dry Gin. In fact, you could drink an entire 700mL bottle of Gordon’s Alcohol Free without even consuming the alcoholic equivalent of one standard drink.

Another benefit of choosing non-alcoholic gin over an alcoholic one is the lower number of calories you’ll consume.Ìý

A 30mL pour of Gordon’s London Dry Gin contains 64 calories (about 270kJ), whereas the same shot of Gordon’s Alcohol Free contains just 3.6 calories (about 15kJ). But unless you’re drinking it neat, you still need to consider the calories in your choice of mixer.

Where can you buy non-alcoholic gin?

You can pick up Gordon’s Alcohol Free 700mL – as well as four-packs of 330mL bottles premixed with tonic – from a range of brick-and-mortar and online retailers including Dan Murphy’s, Kogan, Liquorland and Woolworths.

Gordon’s is perhaps the best known gin brand to have brought out a non-alcoholic version (popular brand Tanqueray has also launched one, though it’s not yet available in Australia). But there are many other brands of non-alcoholic gin available, so you can shop around to find the botanical mix that most tickles your taste buds.

How we test

Our test coordinator got behind the bar and mixed the drinks. Both the regular gin and the non-alcoholic gin were served with tonic water, at a ratio of one part gin to two parts tonic.Ìý

Twelve people took part in our blind taste test. Each person received one of each sample identified by a code only. For each sample they were asked to:

• taste it
• describe it
• rate it on a nine-point hedonic scale, using descriptors from ‘dislike extremely’ through to ‘like extremely’
• say which sample they believed to be non-alcoholic.

The score for each sample is the sum of all ratings out of a possible total of 108.

The post Gordon’s alcoholic vs non-alcoholic gin taste test appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Best tasting non-alcoholic beer
• Other beers tasted
• Tasting notes
• Is there any alcohol in non-alcoholic beer?

But whether it’s because you’ve signed up to Dry July, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or just want to cut down on the amount of alcohol you consume, you may have considered swapping your usual tipple for a non-alcoholic (also called no-alcohol or alcohol-free) beer.Ìý

These drinks look, smell, and taste like beer but they contain less than 0.5% alcohol.Ìý

And with more and more big-name breweries coming out with no-alcohol options – some of which can be found in Coles and Woolworths – it’s easier than ever to find no-alcohol beer.Ìý

But which tastes best? We put six no-alcohol beers to the test.Ìý

Best tasting non-alcoholic beer

Carlton Zero 

• Score:Ìý52%
• RRP: $0.49/100ml ($7.40 per 4-pack)
• ´¡±ô³¦/³Õ´Ç±ô:Ìý0.0%
• Weight: 375ml can

Other beers tasted

Coopers Ultra Light Birell

• Score: 45%
• RRP: $0.36/100ml ($8.30 per 6-pack)
• Alc/Vol: Less than 0.5%
• Weight: 375ml bottle

Heineken 0.0

• ³§³¦´Ç°ù±ð:Ìý45%
• ¸é¸é±Ê:Ìý$0.66/100ml ($12.99 per 6-pack)
• Alc/Vol:Ìý0.04%
• Weight: 330ml bottle

Erdinger Weissbrau Alkoholfrei  

• ³§³¦´Ç°ù±ð:Ìý37%
• ¸é¸é±Ê:Ìý$0.81/100ML ($15.99 per 6-pack)
• Alc/Vol:Ìý0.4%Ìý
• Weight: 330ml bottle

Hollandia Non Alcoholic 0.0% Beer

• Score:Ìý32%
• RRP: $0.76/100ml ($9.99 per 4-pack)
• Alc/Vol:Ìý0.0%
• Weight: 330ml can

Holsten 0.0%

• ³§³¦´Ç°ù±ð:Ìý30%
• RRP: $0.61/100ml ($11.99 per 6-pack)
• Alc/Vol:Ìý0.0%
• Weight: 330ml bottle

How we tested

±Ê°ù´Ç»å³Ü³¦³Ù²õÌý

In 2019, we taste tested six no-alcohol beers available from Coles, Woolworths and Dan Murphy’s. The price shown is what we paid in June 2019.Ìý

°Õ²¹²õ³Ù¾±²Ô²µÌý

We set up a blind tasting for 30 ÌÇÐÄVlog staffers. Each product was assigned a code and its brand concealed. Our tasters sampled them in a random order. For each sample tasted, people decided if they disliked, liked or loved it. A total of 180 samples were tasted and voted on across the six no-alcohol beer products. A minimum of 30 taste tests were completed per product.Ìý

Scores

The taste score is calculated as an average of all responses, where ‘dislike’ is scaled at 25, ‘like’ at 70 and ‘love’ at 100.Ìý

Tasting notes

Tasters described the most popular no-booze beer, Carlton Zero, as ‘mild’, ‘light’, ‘fruity’ and ‘drinkable’.Ìý

“Refreshing, I would drink this [again],” said one of our testers. “A smooth taste, most similar to alcoholic beer”, said another. “Has a sweet aroma and pleasant taste… very light and easy to drink,” said another tester.Ìý

But not everyone’s a fan, with some commenting that it’s “bland and generic”, “watery” and even “tastes somewhat like cardboard”.

Overall, ÌÇÐÄVlog staff thought the taste of all alcohol-free beer left much to be desired, with 69% of samples receiving a ‘dislike’.

Some comments included: “Has a weird banana-y smell… are they actually selling this as beer?”, “tastes like spag bol”, “[it’s] beer-adjacent”, “whatever dog was soaking in this one needs to get to a vet!”, “tastes like old socks”, “smells a bit like rotting fruit and tastes of dish water”,  “coffee notes, like Peroni, but not good, unlike Peroni”. Ouch.

A growing market

The no-alcohol beer segment has existed for some years but has remained extremely small until recently, when a slew of new drinks appeared on the market. The most mainstream of those is Carlton Zero, launched by Carlton United Brewery (CUB) in late 2018.Ìý

CUB believes non-alcoholic beers can be worth up to two percent of the Australian beer market, with that market already growing “12-fold” since Carlton Zero was released, spokesperson Chris Maxwell says.

Maxwell says the drinks are for adults who want to drink less alcohol: “It’s also unlocking occasions when people might not have even thought about drinking an alcoholic beer but because they love the taste of beer, they can, like at lunchtime or at work.”

Clinton Schultz founded non-alcoholic craft beer company  four years ago and says it has experienced a 20% annual growth, thanks to two distinctive age groups – baby boomers and millennials.

“We found that baby boomers have got to an age where they’ve had enough of alcohol a lot of the time, but they do enjoy the flavour profiles that come with beer and wine,” he says.Ìý

“And a lot of young people are just choosing not to drink.”

Overseas, the market is far more advanced, especially in countries such as Canada, the UK and Belgium, where established brands such as Peroni, Kronenbourg 1664, Heineken, Budweiser and San Miguel all have their own non-alcoholic versions.

In the UK, the market has doubled in size since 2015, and in 2018 alone it grew by 37%.

Is there any alcohol in non-alcoholic beer?

Like decaf coffee, which does in fact contain a small amount of caffeine, non-alcohol beers can include some alcohol, up to 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV), according to .Ìý

In comparison, a full-strength beer will contain 4.8% ABV, mid-strength beer has 3.5% ABV, low-strength beer has 2.7% ABV, and low-alcohol beverages must contain less than 1.15% ABV.Ìý

Under Food Standards Australia,  must strictly match the (ABV) each drink contains.Ìý

Can I get drunk on it?

Patricia Hepworth, director of policy and research at the says such small amounts of alcohol are processed almost as soon as it’s consumed, so people can’t get drunk.

It also means that it’s considered safe to drive after drinking, but fair warning – your breath may still smell like booze.

Are non-alcoholic beers healthy?

It’s not easy to compare no-alcohol beers to alcoholic versions in Australia, because alcoholic beverages with an ABV over 1.15% are exempt from labelling kilojoule content, or any other nutrients for that matter.Ìý

Some varieties may still have high levels of kilojoules from sugar, which can contribute to weight gain and problems with tooth decay.Ìý

But Schultz says if non-alcoholic beer is made naturally, it can be quite healthy.Ìý

“It has far less sugar than soft drinks,” he says.

CUB promotes the fact that Carlton Zero has 10 times less sugar than a regular soft drink. But that comparison has drawn criticism.

“Non-alcoholic beer, when it’s a substitute for alcoholic beer, is undoubtedly a good thing; it’s much healthier for someone who would have otherwise drunk beer,” says Hepworth.

“But from a health perspective, what’s particularly worrying is non-alcoholic beer positioning itself as a family-friendly healthy alternative and we’re particularly concerned with the fact that what is being advertised looks and tastes just like beer.”

She recommends current and recovering alcoholics avoid non-alcoholic beer as it could ‘trigger’ them.

“Alcohol-free beer, which often taste the same as standard alcoholic beer, can provide that make the drinker want the real thing.”

Can under-18s buy or drink it?

It’s not illegal for under-18s to buy or drink no-alcohol beer, but some supermarkets and liquor stores may have their own policies when it comes to selling it to under-18s.

And even if they can buy it, doesn’t mean they should.

“It’s very easy for minors to purchase,” says Hepworth, adding that children and teenagers should “absolutely not” consume non-alcoholic beer.Ìý

“It could condition people from a young age to crave the taste of beer [and] we can only see it further leading to more excess alcohol consumption in the future.”

Maxwell says Carlton Zero was “strictly designed and marketed” and that it abided by the same advertising standards for alcoholic drinks.

“It is absolutely not recommended for under-18s. It’s been over six months since we launched and we haven’t had issues with under-18s drinking it.”

The post Non-alcoholic beer review – Heineken, Carlton and more appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

But this Christmas and New Year, whether it’s because you’re pregnant, or sober-curious, or simply want to cut down on your alcohol intake, you may have considered swapping your usual glass of bubbles for a non-alcoholic version. (Yes, you can always drink sparkling water, kombucha or other soft drinks, but sometimes you want something that tastes and looks like the real deal.)

So which tastes best? We put six non-alcoholic sparkling wines to the test.Ìý

Best tasting non-alcoholic sparkling wine

There was only one percentage point difference between the top two tasting wines.Ìý

Edenvale Sparkling Cuvee

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Score: 62%
• Price: $9.50
• Alc/Vol: <0.5
• Volume: 750mL

Triallist comments

Tasters described it as “on the sweeter side, but not too sweet”, “more like Champagne”, “an appropriate substitute for alcoholic wine” and “I’d drink this again”.Ìý

Not everyone enjoyed it, but even the comments from those who disliked it weren’t too harsh with many commenting that it’s overly sweet and “passable at best”. Other comments include “not terrible, just instantly forgettable” and “it’s not great… I don’t hate it but it’s kind of blah”.Ìý

Fronti white sparkling grape juice 

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Score: 61%
• Price: $4.19
• Alc/Vol: Not stated
• Volume: 750mL

Triallist comments

The tasters who enjoyed this described it as “nice and sweet… I love this the best”, “decent… a bit like ‘Deep Spring’ mineral water” and “light and refreshing, I could ring in the new year with this”.

While its detractors commented on it’s sweetness:  “watery and sugary – what a bizarre combo”, “has very little colour, could be confused for tonic or soda water” and “is a good substitute for regular wine, but too sweet for my taste”.

Other wines tested

The products are listed below from highest to lowest score. For products with the same score, they’re listed alphabetically.Ìý

Edenvale Blanc de blanc

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Score: 51%
• Price: $12.90Ìý
• Alc/Vol: <0.5
• Volume: 750ml

Triallist comments

Some comments included: “quite like this one, but it tastes more like cider… very drinkable”, “apples in the bouquet, good colour. Quite like a cider or perry” and “tastes like cider, smells like wine”.

While other tasters didn’t appreciate it: “the taste is a bit unpleasant, I wouldn’t choose to put this in my mouth again”, “nothing to write home about, taste-wise” and “smells and tastes a bit earthy/mouldy”.

Lindeman’s Sparkling Alcohol Free Chardonnay Pinot Noir Muscat 

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Score: 45%
• RRP: $10.99
• Alc/Vol: <0.5
• Volume: 750ml

Triallist comments

Many tasters disliked it, commenting: “this smells and tastes awful. Very sour. More like beer than wine”, “didn’t like the taste at all, almost like day-old wine” and  “all of my nightmares of Spumanti have come back to me”.

But the tasters who enjoyed it described it as “very close to real sparkling wine”, “smells alcoholic, wouldn’t know it’s a soft drink” and “actually smells like wine! It’s a pretty convincing fake”.Ìý

McGuigan Zero Sparkling

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Score: 45%
• RRP: $12
• Alc/Vol: <0.5
• Volume: 750ml

Triallist comments

The tasters who enjoyed this described it as “more like wine – somewhat like a sweeter prosecco”, “Comes pretty close to the taste of sparkling wine” and “nice all round flavour, makes you feel like you’re actually drinking alcohol”.

While those who didn’t commented that it has an “unpleasant aroma and sour in-between flavour”, “tastes like very bad wine or cider” and that it has a “funky smell”.

Maggie Beer Sparkling Chardonnay

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Score: 41%
• RRP: $11.99
• Alc/Vol: Not stated
• Volume: 750mL

Triallist comments

Many of our tasters disliked this, describing it as “sweet and fruity, but with an aftertaste like sucking on a lemon” and “it tastes like the wine we’d steal off our parents in the 80s”.Ìý

But there were some fans: “Very sweet, but a good substitute for a sweet bubbly” said one taster, while another admitted it “tastes like Moscato…would have again but only because I love sugar!”

What we found

Of each sample of non-alcoholic sparkling wine tasted, 51% received a dislike by our triallists, while 49% received either a like or love.Ìý

However, overall ÌÇÐÄVlog staff prefer the taste of non-alcoholic wine to non-alcoholic beer – where a staggering 69% of all samples tasted received a dislike, with the worst tasting beer scoring a dismal 30%.

Grape juice or de-alcoholised wine? 

Four of the products we tasted contain de-alcoholised wine (also known as alcohol-removed wine) as a main ingredient:

• Edenvale Sparkling Cuvee
• Edenvale Blanc de blanc
• Lindemans Sparkling Alcohol Free Chardonnay Pinot Noir Muscat
• McGuigan Zero Sparkling

De-alcoholised wine is made by gently removing the alcohol from a wine that’s been fermented and matured.

It may still contain small amounts of alcohol, but .

The other two products are basically sparkling water and grape juice. Fronti describes itself as sparkling grape juice, while the Maggie Beer drink specifies that it uses the juice of Chardonnay grapes and includes the addition of verjuice, presumably for additional acidity.

How we tested

±Ê°ù´Ç»å³Ü³¦³Ù²õÌý

In 2019, we tested six non-alcoholic sparkling wine available from Coles, Woolworths, Liquorland and Dan Murphy’s. The price shown is what we paid in December 2019.Ìý

°Õ²¹²õ³Ù¾±²Ô²µÌý

We set up a blind tasting for 30 ÌÇÐÄVlog staffers. Each product was assigned a code and its brand concealed. Our tasters sampled them in a random order. For each sample tasted, people decided if they disliked, liked or loved it. A total of 180 samples were tasted and voted on across the six non-alcoholic wine products. A minimum of 30 taste tests were completed per product.Ìý

Scores

The ÌÇÐÄVlog Score is calculated as an average of all responses, where ‘dislike’ is scaled at 25, ‘like’ at 70 and ‘love’ at 100.

The post Non-alcoholic sparkling wine review – Maggie Beer, Lindeman’s, Edenvale and more appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• What are fast alcohol delivery services?
• How do they work?
• Fast alcohol delivery services compared
• Cost comparison
• Risks of fast alcohol delivery services

We’ve compared the key features and costs of six delivery services that operate in multiple cities across Australia.Ìý

What are fast alcohol delivery services?

While most wine clubs deliver monthly and standard deliveries from bottle shops usually take around two to four days, fast alcohol delivery services promise to deliver in as little as 30 minutes, meaning you can order drinks on demand just as easily as a pizza delivery.Ìý

They mainly operate in metropolitan areas, with fast delivery generally not available in rural or regional areas.

How do they work?

While each delivery service has a slightly different ordering process, the general features are the same:

• select postcode/address (this will determine product availability, delivery time etc)
• add items to cart
• create or login to your account (you’ll usually need to provide your phone number, DOB, address and full name)
• nominate who will be receiving the order (you can nominate yourself or another adult who will be asked for ID by the delivery driver)
• complete payment using your credit card or PayPal account 
• track your delivery on the app (if they have one)
• meet the delivery driver at the door and show your ID to receive your order.

Fast alcohol delivery services compared

We compared six major services offering fast alcohol delivery across more than one state.

There are also plenty of services offering fast, or same-day delivery that operate only in one city, such as Knock Knock Booze There (Brisbane) or Quick Bottle (Sydney), but we haven’t included them in this comparison.

Booze Bud Same Day delivery

Areas covered

Sydney and Melbourne metropolitan areas.

Time to deliver

Orders placed before 9am can be delivered 1pm–6pm or 5pm–10pm. Orders placed before 2pm can be delivered 5–10pm.

App

Yes but it doesn’t offer live tracking.

What can you order? 

Wine, spirits, cider, beer, seltzer, premix. Not tobacco products or snacks. Non-alcoholic drinks are also available.

Delivery fee

$9.90

Limitations

Available Monday–Saturday only

Can you send as a gift? 

Yes, option to add a gift note.Ìý

BWS ASAP Delivery

Areas covered

NSW, Vic, Qld, SA, ACT, WA, Tas but availability varies by postcode and is generally only available in metropolitan areas.

Time to deliver

Within one hour or your next delivery is free.

App

Yes. They also offer live tracking.

What can you order? 

Wine, spirits, cider, beer, seltzer and premix drinks. Not tobacco products. Just like at the bricks and mortar stores you can also buy snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.

Delivery fee

$10 flat fee.

Limitations

Minimum order of $20–30 depending on your location.

Can you send as a gift? 

No, but you can buy gift bags or gift cards.

Dan Murphy’s Delivery Now

Areas covered

NSW, ACT, Qld, VIC, WA, SA, Tas in selected metro areas only.

Time to deliver

Under two hours.

App

Yes. You can also track your delivery.

What can you order? 

Wine, spirits, cider, beer, seltzer and premix drinks. Not tobacco products. Just like at the bricks and mortar stores you can also buy snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.

Delivery fee

$15 flat fee.

Limitations

None.

Can you send as a gift? 

Yes, you can also buy gift hampers and have your order gift-wrapped for free.

Jimmy Brings

Areas covered

Select postcodes in Sydney (including the Shire and Parramatta), Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Perth.

Time to deliver

Usually within 30 minutes.

App

Yes, with live tracking.Ìý

What can you order? 

Wine, spirits, cider, beer, seltzer, premix drinks and even tobacco products. The store also sells wine bundles, non-alcoholic drinks and snacks like chips and jerky.

Delivery fee

$4.95–6.50 depending on location.

Limitations

Minimum spend $20.

Can you send as a gift? 

You can send to someone, but there’s no option for gift-wrapping or adding a message.

Liquoroo

Areas covered

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart, selected suburbs 

Time to deliver

Average of 30 minutes.

App

Yes, it’s an app-based service with real-time tracking.

What can you order? 

Wine, spirits, cider, beer, seltzer and premix drinks. Not tobacco. Also sells non-alcoholic drinks, snacks and extras like playing cards, condoms and even painkillers.

Delivery fee

Starts from $5 depending on distance from store. A service fee also applies.For example, our mystery shop for an order in Sydney cost $7.51 for delivery and $3 for service fee.

Limitations

$20 minimum order. Fairly limited product selection, especially for wine and premix drinks.

Can you send as a gift? 

You can send to someone, but there’s no option for gift-wrapping or adding a message.

Tipple

Areas covered

Select suburbs in Sydney and Melbourne.

Time to deliver

Can take up to 58 minutes, or you can schedule a date and time window.

App

Yes, it’s an app-based service plus tracking.

What can you order? 

Wine, spirits, cider, beer, seltzer, premix drinks. Not tobacco. Also sells non-alcoholic drinks and snacks.

Delivery fee

$7.95 flat rate.

Limitations

Minimum order is $15. You may proceed with an order below that amount but you will be charged the difference in a “small order fee” for example the small order fee for a $5 order will be $10.

Can you send as a gift? 

Yes, you can add a gift note.

Food delivery services

As well as dedicated alcohol delivery services like Jimmy Brings, and bottle shops with fast delivery options like BWS and Dan Murphy’s, takeaway food delivery services like Menulog, UberEats and Deliveroo have also jumped on the fast alcohol delivery bandwagon.Ìý

These services have added an “alcohol” or “liquor” section to their menus, allowing local alcohol retailers to offer fast delivery services through their platform.Ìý

If you already order food through these services, ordering alcohol will be a familiar process. As with other fast alcohol delivery services, delivery is mainly limited to more metropolitan areas.

Cost comparison

We compared the cost of buying a selection of identical alcohol products, plus delivery from all six retailers to see which services give you the best bang for your buck (see cost comparison breakdown, below).Ìý

Despite having the highest delivery cost, Dan Murphy’s was still the cheapest option overall.

We also found that prices for individual alcohol products varied significantly from one retailer to the next. For example, Absolut Vodka cost over $10 more at Liquoroo than at Booze Bud, Dan Murphys or BWS, but Liquoroo also had the lowest price on the Heineken six-pack.Ìý

So it’s worth shopping around to find the cheapest price on the items you’re buying.Ìý

Risks of fast alcohol delivery services

A recent study from The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) at La Trobe University found evidence that these services enable people to keep drinking when they otherwise would have had to stop (because they’d run out of alcohol).Ìý

Their study also found that on-demand alcohol delivery services were most popular amongst young people (aged 18–29) and seemed to be favoured by heavier drinkers. A recent survey by VicHealth also found that people who use on-demand services are more likely to report very risky drinking and to experience harm (memory loss or injury) from their drinking.Ìý

Worryingly, over a third of respondents in the FARE study who were aged under 25 reported either receiving delivery of alcohol without having their IDs checked or having alcohol delivered while they weren’t present.

NSW law update

NSW Liquor & Gaming introduced a number of new laws surrounding same-day alcohol delivery services which came into effect on 1 July 2021.Ìý

One of the main changes is that written instructions must be provided by the licensee to the delivery person detailing the adult who has been nominated to receive the delivery.Ìý

This means the delivery person can only deliver the alcohol to the adult nominated during the purchasing process and that adult must show their ID to verify their age and identity. They also can’t deliver to someone who is intoxicated.Ìý

The post Fast alcohol delivery services compared appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

Wine clubs and subscriptions can take this convenience to the next level. Set-and-forget models mean you don’t even need to remember to order – the wine arrives on your doorstep on a regular basis. But how can you tell whether they’re right for you?

Reasons to join a wine club

Are you often overwhelmed at the liquor store? Do you just want something delicious to drink and frankly don’t have the time or patience to scour the wine shop for a tasty drop?

“It’s incredibly confusing, the field of wine. There’s so many brands out there,” says wine writer Huon Hooke. “It’s confusing enough for us professionals in the business; I can’t imagine what it’s like for the average punter.”

Wine clubs take the guesswork out of buying wine – you’re literally paying someone else to do the thinking for you. And when that someone is a wine expert, you can feel reasonably confident that they’ll pick a winner.Ìý

Or perhaps you’re wanting to branch out from your usual tipple but you don’t know where to start – what to do? Joining a wine club or subscription is one way to challenge your palate and find new favourites.

Depending on the style of wine club or subscription you go for, they can give you a chance to try something completely new and different, but without the risk of picking up a $40 bottle of Nebbiolo only to find that it’s really not your thing. In this instance, a wine club or subscription is like having a oenophile friend gently guide you through the complex world of wine.Ìý

Boutique producer or big supermarket brand?

Supermarkets are steadily buying up wine retailers, wine producers and vineyards, and using private labels to squeeze out smaller producers.

Labels such as Lovers Not Toreadors, Chook Shed and The Fabulist sound like limited-release drops handcrafted by quirky winemakers, but they’re actually Coles and Woolworths brands.

Are independent online wine clubs a way out of this corporate quagmire, and will the quality and cost of the wine make it worth your while?

Do independent wine clubs save you money?

They can, but one of the downside of wine clubs that support smaller producers or only stock wines exclusive to them is that it can be tricky to calculate whether you’re getting value for money.

“It can be hard to know what you’re getting – unless you’re sent a bottle to taste in advance, it can be a bit of a gamble,” says Matt Dunne, group sommelier for hospitality group Solotel, which owns venues such as Aria Sydney.

Crafty pricing tactics can catch out even the most savvy consumer. Some retailers may inflate the recommended retail price of a wine to make it seem like you’re getting a cracking deal at the price they’re asking.

“The way a lot of these deals are promoted is actually a bit scandalous,” Hooke says.

You know the type: “RRP $35; our price $25” on a bottle that’s really only worth $15. And consumers can’t check the accuracy of the pricing because (surprise, surprise) the wine is only available through that particular retailer. They could tell you it’s worth anything and you’d have no way of checking.

Use wine apps to check if you’re paying too much

There are apps that can help you find out more about the wine: Is it overpriced? What do the reviews say? Has it won any wine awards?

Dunne recommends the Delectable, Vivino and Wine Searcher apps as good options for checking whether you’re paying too much for a particular wine. (Many of these apps are free, too.)

If in doubt, Dunne suggests sticking with classic styles – varietals that a region is known for, such as cabernet sauvignon from Margaret River, pinot noir from Yarra Valley or Tasmania, and riesling from Clare Valley.

Taste is largely subjective, and while recommendations from friends and palate questionnaires can help you find a wine you’ll love, it can be hit and miss. “You can’t guarantee that anybody will like anything – you really can’t,” says Hooke.

Independent wine clubs compared

We’ve looked at some of the better-known independent wine clubs in Australia to give you an idea of what’s out there.

Naked Wines

• No compulsory membership fee, but you can become an ‘Angel’ (member) and pay $40 a month to receive discounts and access to exclusive wines.
• Make sure you check what you’re signing up for – some people have unwittingly signed up to the $40 a month recurring payment.
• Single bottle prices range from $12.99 per bottle ($8.99 for Angels) to $149.99 for a bottle of single malt Tasmanian whisky ($109.99 for Angels).
• Delivery is free for Angels in Sydney and Melbourne. (Freight costs vary for other locations and shipping isn’t available to the NT.)
• If you don’t like the wine, you can ask for a refund or credit.

The concept

Technically not a wine club, Naked Wines operates on a very different business model to its competitors. ‘Angels’ (Naked Wines members) have an ‘account’ they deposit $40 into each month, which Naked Wines uses to pay independent winemakers upfront to produce wine exclusively for its customers.

The payments sit in the Angel’s account as a credit they can use to buy wine from the site. Angels receive discounts and can buy certain wines that aren’t available to non-Angels.

Wine club details

Naked Wines’ winemakers are a mix of newcomers and industry stalwarts such as Simon ‘Sorby’ Adams, former chief winemaker for Yalumba; Caroline Dunn, formerly of Wolf Blass; and Daryl Groom, former chief winemaker for Penfolds.

All of Naked Wines’ products are made exclusively for them, so you’re not going to pick up a ’98 Grange on the cheap. But the model gives you access to wine made by experienced winemakers at a reasonable price.

For instance, a 2018 Sorby Adams pinot gris from Eden Valley will set you back $35 from the Sorby Adams website. A 2019 Sorby Adams pinot gris, also from Eden Valley, is listed as $17.99 on the Naked Wines site ($12.49 for Angels).

Wine Selectors

• Membership: $22 a year.
• Wine plans from $102 to $332.
• Customised plans available.
• 100% satisfaction guarantee – get a credit if you don’t like the wine.
• Shipping varies from $10.99 to $19.99.
• Delivery is free for orders of $299+.
• You can choose delivery frequency on select options.
• No lock-in contracts.

The concept

Founded in 1975 as the Hunter Valley Wine Society, Wine Selectors opened in airports in 2007 and now has ‘cellar doors’ at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth domestic airports.

Wines are selected by a Tasting Panel comprising winemakers, wine show judges and wine educators, and are tasted blind using Australian wine show judging criteria.

Wine club details

Membership is $22 per year. Pre-selected cellar door release plans range from $102 for a six-pack of wine, delivered every four weeks, through to $332 for a 12-pack of ‘Winemakers’ Releases’, delivered every two, four, six, eight, 10 or 12 weeks.

You can also create a customised wine plan where you choose the number, variety and frequency of your deliveries.

Members receive inclusions such as: Selector magazine, tasting notes, welcome pack, Food & Wine calendar, birthday voucher and event invitations.

Good Pair Days

• Bottles start at $15.
• You’ll be sent three bottles a month chosen based on your personal tastes.
• Each delivery includes tasting notes, food pairings and custom recipes for each bottle.
• Shipping is $9, or free for orders of 4+ bottles.
• 100% satisfaction guarantee – get a free bottle included in your next delivery if you don’t like a wine.
• Good Pair Days was formerly known as Wine Gallery.Ìý

The concept

Good Pair Days sends its subscribers a monthly three-pack of wine selected by a team of wine buffs led by Banjo Harris Plane, three-time Australian Sommelier of the Year. Good Pair Days uses a palate profile quiz to determine customers’ tastes.Ìý Each month, customers rate their bottles so the company’s recommendation engine can further pinpoint which wines they’ll like.

Wine club details

The standard subscription is three bottles of wine per month, plus $9 for shipping (free for 4+ bottles). You can cancel, skip or change delivery frequency when you like.

You’ll get tasting notes, food pairings and custom recipes for each bottle.

Different Drop

• Subscriptions available: 6-pack of mixed wines or red wines for $175, delivered every 1, 2, 3 or 6 months.
• Price matching available.
• Shipping is $9, or free for orders over $149.
• Full returns on orders up to 100 days after purchase.

The concept

Different Drop focuses on small-production Australian wines and spirits. All wine club packs are chosen based around the customer’s preferences, what they’ve previously ordered and enjoyed, and what’s new to the store.

Wine club details

There’s no set wine club selection – subscriptions are tailored to each customer’s budget, tastes and requirements, starting from $20 a bottle, but you can create a pack tailored to your tastes. “Simply tell us your budget, your wine preferences and how often you would like a delivery, and a custom-designed mixed pack … will be on your doorstep like clockwork,” its website says.

Vinomofo

• Has no lock-in contract.
• You can choose delivery frequency.
• Wine club subscriptions from $139  to $179 per dozen.
• Shipping is free for wine club subscription orders (orders outside of your subscriptions will cost for delivery).
• 100% happiness guarantee – receive a replacement, refund or credit if you’re not happy.

The concept

Vinomofo claims to do away with the “bowties and bulls**t” that have previously typified the wine world: “It’s just a drink,” they say.

Wine club details

There are three Vinomofo clubs to choose from:

• Black Market Club: $139/12-pack mixed case, delivered every one or two months.
• Mofo Club: $179/12-pack mixed case or straight reds or whites, delivered every one, two or three months. Includes tasting videos.

Wine Direct

• Wine club subscriptions from $99 to $195.
• You can choose the delivery frequency.
• Money-back guarantee if you don’t like the wine.
• Shipping is $7.50, or free for orders of 12+ bottles.
• No lock-in contract; cancel any time without penalty.

The concept

Wine Direct says it sources “belters from brands you know and love [and] quirky gems from tiny quantity, independent producers… we ONLY sell great wine, not groceries or petrol”.

Wine club details

There are three price levels, with a red, white and mixed offering in each:

• $99 Buck Wine Club ($99).
• Premium Wine Club ($124–$144).
• Platinum Wine Club ($165–$195).

You can select the frequency, length of subscription and number of packs. The packs change every three months.

Subscribers can skip a delivery or put their subscription on hold until a future date, and subscribers can purchase a subscription as a gift for someone else for any length of time.

Naked wines subscription confusion

Naked Wines’ unusual business model has caused some consumer confusion – some punters think they’ve made a one-off purchase, only to discover that Naked Wines is charging $40 a month from their credit cards.

We spoke to two people who were caught out by this. One had even been warned about the recurring payment, and was confident that he’d only made a one-off purchase – only to then discover he was being charged $40 a month. The other went to cancel her Angel membership but was won over by Naked Wines’ persuasive customer service staff. “I remember admiring their hustle,” she says.

In the end, both stuck with Naked Wines as they were happy with the quality, value and convenience.

Beware subscription traps

The ACCC has cracked down on so-called ‘‘ – where a retailer treats a consumer’s decision to make a one-off purchase as consent to sign them up to a recurring payment. While it’s hard to say whether Naked Wines’ system contravenes the Australian Consumer Law, the ACCC tells us that “a business that fails to disclose key information in connection with an ongoing subscription may be engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct”.

We spoke to Naked Wines CEO Greg Banbury about this issue.

He says you’ll only be signed up to the Angels waitlist (they’ve capped the number of Angels they can sign up) if you buy an ‘Angel Favourites’ case. However, we found that when you first visit Naked Wines’ website and take a survey to score a $20 voucher, you’re automatically directed to these ‘Angel Favourites’ cases. So new customers may be more likely to buy these and thus be added to the waitlist.

Throughout the checkout process, there’s no mention that you’ll be added to a waitlist, or that there’s a recurring payment associated with this – it appears to be a one-off purchase.

‘Less than transparent’

We asked Banbury why a company that’s so committed to transparency would be less than transparent about the fact that they’re signing people up to a waitlist (and associated recurring payment), and he defended the company’s messaging.

“There’s absolutely no benefit to us in signing someone up without them knowing,” he says. “It literally costs us money to recruit a customer who cancels.”

Banbury claims that Naked Wines’ email communications make it “explicit” that you’re being added to the Angels waitlist, but the automated emails we received made no mention of how to exit the waitlist, nor that becoming an Angel involves a $40/month recurring payment.

Banbury says he’s taking our feedback on board, but Naked Wines has received this same feedback since at least 2014 and is still continuing this practice. That said, except for a few disgruntled ex-customers, online reviews of Naked Wines are overwhelmingly positive, with happy customers vigorously defending the model and the quality of the wine.

We’re not saying don’t shop with Naked Wines – just be aware of the $40 a month recurring payment before you buy.

The post Are wine clubs worth joining? appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• What is the BeerDroid?
• How does the BeerDroid work?
• How do you dispense the beer?
• Is the BeerDroid beer any good?
• Is a BeerDroid worth it?

What is the BeerDroid?

The $799 BrewArt BeerDroid is billed as the “world’s first fully-automated personal brewing system” (and yes, there is an app for it which lets you control and monitor the brewing process). Choose from more than 40 prepared mixtures, called Brewprints, “inspired by the world’s greatest beers”. These packages contain the elements, enhancers, hops and yeast required to brew 10L of beer. We chose the West Coast Pale Ale and the Lion City Lager to try out. Brewprints cost around $28 to $44 depending on the style, and it’s $15 for delivery.

How does the BeerDroid work?

The BeerDroid and its app are very simple to use.

1. Spend a couple of hours sanitising it using water and the provided tablet and spray.Ìý
2. Once prepared, add 10L of cool water and add the Brewprint yeast, elements and enhancers as directed (no mixing is required, and hops or keg primer are not necessary until the kegging stage).
3. Start the brewing process by using the app or the controls on the unit’s panel. Updates, including the temperature and duration of brewing, are sent to the app (and displayed on the control panel) throughout the propagation and fermentation process. You’ll also be alerted when it’s time to bottle or keg the beer once fermentation is finished.

Our expert, Peter Horvath, did run into frequent error messages relating to the temperature the first time we used the BeerDroid (we were alerted to these via the app), and we had to keep restarting the fermentation process as a result. Eventually, we conceded that the unit was faulty, and had to arrange a replacement. After that, we had no issues.

How do you dispense the beer?

If you’re so inclined, there’s a beer dispenser upgrade called the BrewFlo. This is designed to help you recreate a pub feel. After kegging the beer from the BeerDroid (it costs $129 for a complete kegging kit, which includes PET bottles and disposable 5L keg liners) it dispenses temperature-controlled, carbonated beer with a frothy head. It also shows you how much beer you’ve got left in the dispenser. However, we opted not to use the BrewFlo as it costs almost as much as the BeerDroid itself, at $699! Instead, we bought PET bottling kits from the BeerDroid store ($25 for 12; including 24 carbonation drops).

Is the BeerDroid beer any good?

After all this science, we wanted to find out if the beer is actually any good compared to commercial beer. So after letting the beer sit for a few weeks to mature, we invited 22 ÌÇÐÄVlog staffers to a taste test of the BeerDroid’s West Coast Pale Ale and Lion City Lager alongside a commercially-bought James Squire Pale Ale. This was a blind tasting so each sample was identified only as A, B or C. Staffers rated each beer and then chose their favourite of the three.

The results were pretty close; a fairly even split across all three beers. None of the beers rated as outstanding overall, and we’d define the taste test results as average.

• Those who preferred the BeerDroid’s West Coast Pale Ale generally commented on how it had a “true” beer flavour or more of a “beer” taste.
• Those who chose the commercially-bought James Squire Pale Ale said it wasn’t as bitter or as strong as the others, and had more of a balanced and drinkable flavour.
• The BeerDroid’s Lion City Lager was also preferred by around a third of testers; a few said it was easy to drink and had less aftertaste than the others.

Is a BeerDroid worth it?

While the BeerDroid is a convenient way to brew beer and it’s easier to regulate the temperature from one controlled unit, its shiny and glossy approach does seem somewhat clinical – you lose the sense of the “homemade” when you’re brewing it – and it’s expensive. Not only is the main unit (minus accessories and ingredients) $799, but you’re officially restricted to the ingredients and accessories provided by Coopers.

To get around the cookie-cutter approach the BeerDroid tries to add a sense of creativity to the process by allowing enthusiasts to buy ingredients separately and allowing people to use the “custom” setting that lets you control the parameters you want. But it still doesn’t seem as authentic as the traditional, more customisable home brew kits (many of which are also sold by Coopers). Ingredients are given generic names like E1 (“minimal colour, grainy malt flavours, moderate bitterness”) or X3 (“moderate colour, rich toffee flavours, higher perceived sweetness”).

All in all, the BeerDroid produces acceptable beer, but the outlay is quite dear (you could get a traditional kit at around a quarter of the price). It does look nice and sleek, but you’d have to be a real gadget fan to want one in your home and use it on a regular basis.

The post BeerDroid review appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Beware dark-coloured drinks

We investigate the role of preservatives and by-products such as tannin, sulphites and histamines in your favourite tipple.

Are additives and by-products in alcohol harmful?

Sulphites

Sulphite preservatives (E-numbers 220-228) such as sulphur dioxide (E220), for instance, are often added to wine and beer to increase shelf life, reduce bacterial spoilage and help reduce undesirable aromas, flavours or colours that are produced during the fermentation process, and some people prefer to avoid these additives.

Dr Creina Stockley, clinical pharmacologist and Health and Regulatory Information Manager at the Australian Wine Research Institute, says research has shown that sulphites are only really a problem for a very small proportion of the population – such as asthmatics who have a sensitivity or allergy to sulphites.

“Sulphites in alcohol are very low compared to other food products and are unlikely to cause a reaction in most people,” says Dr Stockley.

Histamines

Another adverse-reaction suspect is histamines, which can be a by-product of some microbial processes in wines, says Dr Leigh Schmidtke, Senior Lecturer in Wine Microbiology & Production at Charles Sturt University.

For some people a reaction to histamines could be a cumulative problem caused over the course of a day, says Stockley.

“People can eat a range of foods high in histamines such as spinach or tomato, then at the end of the day have a glass of wine containing small amounts of histamines and think it’s the wine that gives them a reaction. Histamines are also found in some foods such as salami and sauerkraut, but whether an adverse reaction occurs really comes down to the individual.”

Tannins

Then there’s the question of tannins – but once again it seems they’re not to blame for alcohol-related regret. “Tannins are unlikely to cause an adverse reaction,” says Dr Schmidtke. “They come from the skin and seed of grapes and give body and texture to wine. Red wines are often high in tannins but they also are generally higher in alcohol, which could be the problem.”

Other additives

Other additives you might find in in wine are fining (processing) agents which are used to refine colour, odour and taste. They include gelatine, isinglass (derived from fish), egg white (egg albumen), casein (milk protein), skim milk, bentonite (a fine clay made of aluminium-silicate), carbon and polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP), a synthetic polymer.

These substances are largely removed through filtration during processing, but very small residual amounts can remain in the wine. As potential allergens, egg and milk products have to be declared on the label, but isinglass does not have to be declared when used as a clarifying agent in beer and wine. In any case, there’s no evidence that it contributes to hangover pain.

Beware dark-coloured drinks

While the jury’s out on additives and preservatives causing hangovers, there’s some evidence that congeners, by-products of yeast fermenting, can make hangovers worse.

Congeners, such as polyphenols and stronger alcohols like methanol, add colour and flavour to alcohol and differ between drink types. Darker drinks, such as red wine, bourbon, brandy and whisky, are also generally higher in congeners than white wine and vodka.  

While it’s hard to point the finger at what causes a hangover other than drinking too much, there’s thought to be a correlation between hangover intensity and congeners. One notable experiment showed bourbon, which has a high level of congeners, produced a more severe hangover than vodka.

Other research concluded that alcoholic drinks that contain more congeners produce more hangovers and that it takes fewer high-congener drinks to get a hangover. It’s also suspected that mixing different drinks could make you feel worse because you are getting a variety of different congeners.

Is organic wine better?

If you’re concerned about chemical additives and preservatives, certified organic, biodynamic and preservative-free wines are an option. However, Duncan Harris from Harris Organic Wines says there’s a misperception that all organic wine is free from preservatives.

“Australian Certified Organic is aligned with the European standards which allow there to be sulphur dioxide added to organic wine at about half the level of conventional wine,” he says. “There are some organic wines made without any sulphites, but it’s not common as it requires a high technical capability.” In the US, certified organic wines must have no added sulphur dioxide.

“Even if sulphur dioxide isn’t added there may be low levels in wine produced naturally during the fermentation process,” adds Harris. “So ‘preservative free’ labels should really say ‘no added preservatives’ as they can contain less than 10 parts per million (ppm) or in some cases less than 4ppm of sulphur dioxide.” ​

Alcohol also acts as a preservative, so the higher the alcohol level, the less need for preservatives to inhibit microbial growth. The high alcohol content of spirits ­– around 40% compared to white wine at 11.5% or full strength beer at 4.8% – can mean fewer preservatives.

You can also now buy a range of preservative-free beers which are pasteurised after bottling to kill any bacteria, removing the need to add sulphites. And for people who react to gluten, some Australian companies, such as Rebellion Brewing in Victoria, are now making gluten-free beers.

What causes a hangover?

It turns out that alcohol is a complicated liquid, so determining causality when it comes to adverse reactions is a bit of a guessing game. There are lots of variables.

“The fermentation process to produce alcohol naturally causes the production of many types of compounds, called congeners, so it’s hard to pin down whether an individual is reacting to any one particular compound in alcohol,” says Dr Schmidtke.

Some point to cheap wine as a source of unpleasant after-effects, but Dr Schmidtke says price is not a reliable indication of wine quality. And what’s in poorly made wines may not have an effect on how you feel the day after.  

“Makers of high-quality wine make a lot of effort with the process of wine making,” he explains. “Some low-quality wines do have higher amounts of preservatives and may be made from lesser-quality grapes. The processing is different and the wine may have more sulphur dioxide.”

However comforting it is to blame additives and by-products for day-after pain, the general consensus among experts is that the main culprit for alcohol-related suffering is drinking too much.

Drinking heavily, drinking quickly and drinking on an empty stomach all contribute to a higher blood alcohol level, which means more intoxication and a greater risk of alcohol-related illness and hangover.

One size doesn’t fit all…

“The effect of alcohol on people also comes down to the amount consumed and the individual’s physiology,” says Dr Stockley.

Variables include your age, liver function and your effectiveness at processing alcohol. Men have more liver enzymes for processing alcohol than women, while larger people have more body mass through which alcohol can diffuse. Even your mood or the medications you take can affect how quickly alcohol is absorbed and metabolised in your body.

“There is also a genetic component,” says Stockley. “Inherited genes can dictate the speed at which alcohol breaks down. People with the slow metabolic gene can end up with higher blood alcohol levels than those who process faster.”

The verdict

“The body can only break down about one standard drink per hour, but many people are not aware of what a standard drink is,” says Lisa Renn, an Accredited Practising Dietician and Spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia.

A standard drink in Australia contains 10g of alcohol. Depending on the strength of the drink, this could be a 30ml shot of spirits, 375ml bottle or can of mid-strength beer, or 100ml of red wine.

However, things can get tricky at a restaurant or pub, where a glass of wine or champagne is usually 150ml (or 1.5 drinks) and a 375ml bottle or can of full-strength beer is 1.4 standard drinks.

Your pour of wine at home may also be more generous than at the local café,­ so your consumption can sneak up on you.

The post Preservatives in wine and beer appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

It’s common practice for major beer brands to have their products brewed locally, to expand their markets, reduce shipping costs and keep the beer fresh. With strict requirements for the recipe, ingredients and brewing process, the locally brewed version should taste the same as the stuff made back in the home country … but does it?

Which brands import and which brands brew locally?

When you order an imported beer off the menu at your local restaurant, it would seem reasonable to attribute the premium price to the cost of shipping Peroni from Italy, Stella from Belgium or Grolsch from a canal-side beer hall in Holland. But this isn’t always the case.

International beer giant SABMiller, which took control of the formerly Australian-owned Foster’s, brews a handful of European beers here in Australia, including Grolsch and Peroni Nastro, both of which are brewed at the now fabled on the NSW Central Coast.

At the time of our test, Danish Carlsberg and French Kronenbourg 1664 were brewed under licence by Foster’s, but since then the contract to distribute these beers locally has been won by Coopers in South Australia. Coopers brews Carlsberg locally but not Kronenbourg 1664, which is now an import only.

Lion also has a share of the market, responsible for the local brewing of Dutch brand Heineken and German Beck’s, and since our test, Lion has also taken over local production and distribution of Stella Artois.

How do parallel beer imports work?

Head brewer at the Bluetongue Brewery Paul Feasey said there are many factors beyond country of origin that can influence the flavour of a beer. Each franchised brew comes with its own brand manual outlining the intrinsic properties of the beer, right down to equipment, raw materials and even the composition of the water used at the brewery.

“We do everything we possibly can that is in line with the brands in their home countries,” said Feasey – including shipping in Italian maize to brew the local Peroni Nastro and European hops to ensure Grolsch remains true to its Dutch heritage. In order to uphold his commitment to authentic flavour, Feasey tastes the beers every day and sends monthly samples to the home breweries for feedback.

Fresh is best

“Age makes a big difference,” said Feasey, who says little can be done to prevent flavour degrading over time.

“If you drank a fresh Peroni here today and then flew to Italy and drank a fresh Peroni in Rome, they would taste identical. The problem is, a container can take eight weeks to get here and spend three to six weeks at the docks in temperatures that can reach 70–80°C at certain times of the year.”

Panellist Ian Watson told ÌÇÐÄVlog that beer starts deteriorating shortly after bottling and tastes best at the seven-day mark, although Feasey believes ideal consumption time can be stretched out to three months.

The Australian industry standard requires that all beers brewed for consumption here be labelled with a best-before date of nine months after the date of bottling, although Feasey said a six-month shelf life would be preferable to get more fresh beer into the market.

ÌÇÐÄVlog taste test

In a 2012 investigation, ÌÇÐÄVlog enlisted a panel of seven beer experts who brew, buy or imbibe for a living. They tested seven brands – Beck’s, Carlsberg, Grolsch, Heineken, Kronenbourg 1664, Peroni Nastro and Stella Artois – to find how the premium imports matched up against their locally brewed versions. It was a blind tasting; the experts were not told which sample was locally brewed and which was imported.

Imported brands and their locally brewed counterparts were purchased from local bottle shops around Sydney. A panel of experts was presented with unlabelled pairs of locally brewed and imported beers and asked to arrive at a score out of 20 for each, taking into account appearance, aroma, flavour and technical composition.

We bought beers that were on the shelf, whatever the best-before date, to replicate what is generally available to the consumer at any one point in time.

Locally brewed vs imported

If you like the taste of European beer but don’t like the idea of a globetrotting brew, you should have no hesitation about purchasing a beer brewed locally under licence. Of the seven beers we compared, there was no unanimously preferred brew, with local brands on par with their authentic counterparts.

Of the local brews, NSW-produced Grolsch achieved the highest score. Six experts preferred the local brew’s lively full flavour over the import, which they said was “stale” and “hard to love”.

The Carlsberg and Kronenbourg 1664 local brews also scored better than their imported siblings, although in the case of Carlsberg, only just. Panellists commended the local Carlsberg for its solid characteristics and good drinkability, while Australian Kronenbourg was commended for its balanced flavours and ability to display the qualities typical of a European lager.

Lion’s Heineken scored just ahead of the Dutch version, and there was an overall consensus that the two were the closest match of the day.

Five of our seven experts preferred the imported Peroni Nastro, despite it being closer to its best-before date than its local counterpart.

Stella Artois and Beck’s both split the panel, so if you want to bring a bit of Belgium to your backyard or beer hall spirit to your BBQ, let your tastebuds be your guide.

Taste test results

Grolsch (Holland)

Number of judges who preferred the locally brewed version: 6

Number of judges who preferred the imported version: 1

Brewed in Australia by: SAB Miller

Kronenbourg 1664 (France) **

Number of judges who preferred the locally brewed version: 6

Number of judges who preferred the imported version: 0

Brewed in Australia by: Fosters

Carlsberg (Denmark)

Number of judges who preferred the locally brewed version: 5

Number of judges who preferred the imported version: 2

Brewed in Australia by: Fosters

Heineken (Holland)

Number of judges who preferred the locally brewed version: 5

Number of judges who preferred the imported version: 2

Brewed in Australia by: Lion Nathan

Stella Artois (Belgium)

Number of judges who preferred the locally brewed version: 3

Number of judges who preferred the imported version: 4

Brewed in Australia by: AB InBev

Beck’s (Germany) **

Number of judges who preferred the locally brewed version: 3

Number of judges who preferred the imported version: 3

Brewed in Australia by: Lion Nathan

Peroni Nastro (Italy)

Number of judges who preferred the locally brewed version: 2

Number of judges who preferred the imported version: 5

Brewed in Australia by: SAB Miller

Note on terms used

Local

Refers to locally brewed versions of the depicted beer. Local brewers are those that made the beer in Australia at the time of our test; some production and distribution contracts have since changed.

Imported

Refers to imported versions of the depicted beer.Ìý

** For Kronenbourg 1664 and Beck’s, one expert was undecided between the imported and locally brewed versions.

The parallel debate

Our experts also sampled two bottles of Corona, with best-before dates within two weeks of each other, brewed by AB-InBev in Mexico. The only difference: one arrived on our shores courtesy of the official importer via the traditional route, while the other was parallel imported via non-traditional channels.

In this case, five out of seven experts preferred the traditionally imported product, although experts said they were overall a well-matched pair and that parallel imports can offer consumers competitive prices and fresh characteristics if handled correctly.

The post Beer taste test: imported vs locally brewed appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.