‘Mid-strength’ is an emerging new drinks category that sits somewhere between full-strength and zero-alcohol.
A quarter of adults in Britain now ‘zebra-stripe’ – alternate between alcoholic and soft drinks – when they visit pubs and bars, while the concept of ‘sober-curiosity’ – that is, consciously choosing when and when not to drink rather than being completely teetotal or ‘a drinker’ – has sparked conversation and changed behaviour.
What’s more, according to research by Club Soda, a community and retailer that promotes mindful drinking, the mid-strength category is growing in popularity, with 55 per cent eager to explore these bottles as an alternative to full-strength alcohol.
Laura Willoughby MBE, founder of the club, explains: “Ultimately, moderation doesn’t have to be a binary choice between drinking and not drinking. The goal is to encourage a more intentional drinking culture – one where we pay attention to what we drink, not just when we choose to abstain from alcohol, but also when we choose to enjoy it.” Clearly, it’s a category that’s catering to a growing demand.
You may be wondering: what constitutes as mid-strength, exactly? “Mid-strength (middle-strength), by definition, typically refers to drinks that contain around half the alcohol content of their traditional counterparts, whether that’s beer, wine, or spirits,” explains Brad Crompton, director of Session Spirit, a brand that claims to be building the category between full-strength and low/no alcohol with its signature London Dry at 25 per cent ABV – making for G&Ts no stronger than a standard beer.
Crompton adds: “They offer a much-needed middle-ground between the two extremes we’re most familiar with: full-strength and alcohol-free.
The goal is to enjoy the familiar taste of stronger drinks while gaining more flexibility, whether that means having more in one session or simply consuming less alcohol overall.
Given the broad range within full-strength categories, especially for spirits, there’s naturally some variety in what qualifies as mid-strength. But as a general rule of thumb, expect wines in the 6–8 per cent ABV range, beers at 2–3 per cent, and spirits somewhere around 20-25 per cent (some lower, some higher).
Definitions may vary slightly, but mid-strength generally leans toward the mid-point, offering a lighter option without compromising too much on character or experience.”
We round up the latest and greatest mid-strength drinks to quench your thirst without the hangover below.
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Session Spirit London Dry – Mid Strength
ABV: 25 per cent
Created to serve up the full taste and experience of alcohol with the freedom to indulge sessionably, Session Spirit is being welcomed with open arms.
Its first drink, London Dry, delivers a smooth, citrussy kick with a dry, balanced finish. At 25 per cent ABV (the same as your bog-standard beer), it’s half the strength and fewer calories than a traditional gin (usually around 40 per cent ABV), but you’d never know it.
It’s infused with an award-winning mix of botanicals – juniper, cardamom, coriander and black pepper – that go just as well with a warming ginger ale as they do your usual tonic water. We’re diehard fans.
Buy now £29.95, Resident Artisan
Quarter Proof Three Grain Spirit
ABV: 15 per cent
Fiercely pro-drinking and anti-abstinence, Quarter Proof launched to give people the freedom to decide when and how much to drink without diluting the sociable experience.
Its Blanco Agave, London Dry and Three Grain spirits are the fruits of its labour – all essentials for the home bar 2.0 – but it’s the latter that has us convinced. At 15 per cent ABV, Three Grains is significantly lighter than your usual vodka at 40 per cent, but it doesn’t compromise on the crisp, refreshing taste to go with tonic or stand up in a killer martini.
It has aromas of pepper, grass and grain on the nose with a warm and clean palate. Seriously delish.
Buy now £22.50, Quarter Proof
Mirabeau x Fever Tree Rosé Spritz
ABV: 8.36 per cent
Light, sparkling and aromatic, Mirabeau – the rosé-wine producer – and Fever Tree, the tonic people, have teamed up on this mid-strength aperitif: Mirabeau x Fever-Tree Rosé Spritz.
Light and bright with 8.36 per cent ABV, it’s a winning combination of two-thirds Mirabeau IGP Rosé and one-third Fever-Tree Raspberry & Orange Blossom Soda.
The liquid is then carbonised and served over ice to deliver flavours of ripe raspberry with delicate notes of orange blossom and pink grapefruit. Summer in a glass.
Buy now £14.99, The Bottle Club
DECEM 10 per cent Gin
ABV: 10 per cent
DECEM is a fresh mid-strength gin at 10 per cent ABV that’s distilled with fragrant botanicals for a full-flavoured drinking experience.
Founded by Bill Wright – the MasterChef finalist and Instagram foodie – it is perfect in cocktails like gimlets and martinis, or simply straight-up. Comprising bright juniper berries, bitter angelica root, zesty orange peel and aromatic coriander seeds, the botanicals are steeped overnight in a traditional copper still to capture their rich, concentrated oils while low alcohol is matched by similarly low calories.
A mid-week winner.
Buy now £24.00, Threshers
Small Beer Lager
ABV: 2.8 per cent or less
Billed as the UK’s first mid-strength brewery, Small Beer offers a raft of beers – from a lager and an IPA to a hazy and an amber, amongst others – with ABVs no more than 2.8 per cent.
The secret is in its innovative brewing process that creates full-flavoured beers without artificially removing the alcohol, instead brewing each of its offerings to strength using the finest UK-grown ingredients. The brewery recently launched Blanche, a new mid-strength beer at 2.5 per cent ABV in collaboration with Sorted Food, the foodie community created by four mates on a mission to teach the world how to cook properly, but our pick is the pilsner-style Lager at 2.1 per cent ABV.
Crisp and clean, it’s made with British barley and serves up citrus aromas and stone-fruit flavours. Lipsmackingly good.
Buy now £2.30, Waitrose
McGuigan Mid Shiraz
ABV: 7 per cent
McGuigan, the Australian producer, is leading the charge when it comes to forward-thinking wine-makers tapping into the mid-strength trend with a Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé on offer.
Made from a combination of Shiraz and Syrah grapes, its Mid Shiraz is the stand-out bottle with less than 75 calories per glass and an ABV of just 7 per cent.
It’s rich and smooth on the palate with full flavours of spicy plum, cherry and blackberry – perfect with an Indian takeaway or barbecue food.
Buy now £7.25, Tesco
Bolney English Garden Spritz
ABV: 6 per cent
A spritz is always a good idea when it comes to moderated sipping, but the English Garden Spritz from Bolney – the Sussex winery – is a cut above the competition.
At 6 per cent ABV, it’s made from the estate’s 2022 Chardonnay-based Bianco Vermouth, a perfectly matched tonic from Folkington’s and botanicals from the winery’s kitchen garden.
The resulting drink serves up aromas of fresh grapefruit, lemon balm and white jasmine with sweet and bitter citrus and bergamot flavours.
For best results, serve it straight from the bottle over ice with a slice of grapefruit and a sprig of basil.
Buy now £17.00, Bolney
Maison Sassy Poiré Cider
ABV: 2.5 per cent
This organic cider from Maison Sassy, the producer that’s slowly but steadily redefining Normandy cider, serves up an extremely sessionable strength at just 2.5 per cent ABV.
It’s made using 12 types of pear that are pressed then fermented in the bottle, the traditional way to give the drink its gentle effervescence. The resulting drink is delicate and refined with pure aromas and a tangy finish that’s perfect with seafood – or simply as an aperitif.
Buy now £31.00, Maison Sassy
Gosnells Hazy Nectar
ABV: 4-5 per cent
Want a cider with less alcohol and none of the added sugars of its usual fake-fruit flavourings? We hear you.
Gosnells, the Peckham-based brewery that has long been championing nectars – lightly-sparkling, low ABV (4-5 per cent) drinks made from fermented honey – has you well and truly covered with its Hazy Nectar: a 4 per cent ABV drink with just 100 calories that’s bursting with notes of juicy pears and crisp apples.
We love it on its own but it’s just as good as a low-calorie mixer with your favourite spirit. N&T, anyone?
Buy now £32.50, Gosnells
Brick Brewery Raspberry & Basil Sour
ABV: 3.3 per cent
Brick Brewery in Peckham Rye has come up with a range of sours alongside its usual beers, the star of which is Raspberry & Basil: a sweet and tangy combination of its namesake fruit paired with the grassy green, menthol bitter notes of the herb.
It’s just 3.3 per cent ABV, meaning you can technically have twice as much, while the graphic label on the can gets extra Brownie points from us. Crack one open and enjoy.
Buy now £2.85, Brick Brewery
6Percent Mid-Strength White Wine
ABV: no prizes for guessing
The clue’s in the name with this one: a maker that creates mid-strength wine – a white and a red – at just 6 per cent ABV (roughly half the alcohol of a usual bottle of plonk).
The good news? It’s made from high-quality grapes grown in Bordeaux – one of the best wine regions in the world – to create full-flavoured bottles with 50 per cent less booze so you can sip more and stay for longer.
The white is a Sauvignon Blanc-style variety with flavours of zesty lemon, fresh gooseberry and crisp apple that will give you the same warm and fuzzies as your favourite from France without the pounding head the next day.
Buy now £12.99, 6Percent
