There are several negative preconceived ideas about the reduction of alcohol applied to finished alcoholic products. Here is a small overview of these stereotypes...
1. The dealcoholization is only chemical
In reality, no chemicals are added to the final product during the dealcoholization process.
But how do you reduce the alcohol content in a finished alcoholic product? Several technologies and ways exist :
A first process is to dilute the product with water: this process shows however many qualitative weaknesses and is more oriented towards the definition of hard seltzer. Furthermore, you will never be able to create a alcohol-free beverage with this process!
A second option is to use the process of reverse osmosis: it consists to separate through membranes the alcohol from other residues. Easy to use and not very expensive, it is especially effective for the adjustment of the alcohol content.
Finally, we can use the method of vacuum evaporation: the goal is to separate the alcohol from the product (wine, beer, spirits, etc.) through the principle of distillation. It is today the most qualitative and efficient method to make alcohol-free.
Do you see something chemical and unnatural in this? In the end, it is only physics and common sense.
2. The dealcoholized product is inevitably low quality
On this point, two important things must be in your mind to better understand this type of product.
First of all, the quality of an alcohol-free wine, beer, spirit or cider depends greatly on the quality of the starting product. Even if the complexity for dealcoholization experts is to create something with as many initial markers as possible, it is obvious that a low quality product will only give a low quality dealcoholized drink.
Next, it is essential to understand that, for example, in the case of a wine, the light or alcohol-free line will necessarily be different; yes, it is not wine, and one should not try to find the traditional characteristics of wine at all costs. The dealcoholized product brings other flavors and other sensations, even if it is intrinsically part of the same family as the initial product, and therefore of the same consumption universe.
3. Are alcohol-free drinks really zero?
Apart from the case of low alcoholic beverages, which are not intended to contain 0% alcohol, so-called "alcohol-free" beverages reach a final alcohol content 0%. In fact, a few tenths may remain, and in this case the result, always written on the sticker, is around 0.2% or even 0.5%. These few remaining degrees can be explained by a choice on the part of the producers, who decide to keep a tiny part of alcohol in the product, thus allowing to keep all its complexity in the tasting, its texture and its length in mouth. However, the drinks with 0% of alcool are really available and can be consume with no moderation by people who don't want to drink alcohol.
The concern that can then appear is that this reduction of alcohol is compensated by an addition of sugar, sometimes at the limit of the discomfort on products of bad quality. However, this practice is tending to disappear, and new players in the sector, such as B&S Tech, are committed to work with as little sugar as possible, preferring to rely on the right choice of used technology and innovation in the processes to preserve the quality of the final result.
4. Dealcoholization is not economically virtuous
Here again, it is all a question of point of view. The most negative will say that it requires adding a step in the production process, and therefore additional costs, while the most visionary will affirm that dealcoholization allows a " delayed differentiation " of the product, which generates multiple possibilities from a single starting product, and therefore allows a potential diversification of range or even a unique and precious revalorization for the producer, which thus reduces its risks.
Thus, in addition to allowing a solid position in a booming market and adding possibilities in the management of stocks, dealcoholization offers the capacity to easily create new products.