Tag: Virgin drinks

Historically, a cocktail was defined as a mixed alcoholic beverage consisting of a spirit, sugar, water, and bitters. However, modern mixology has blurred the lines, and the answer to whether a cocktail is alcoholic is now more nuanced than ever.

According to the USDA, a standard canned "fruit cocktail" must contain a specific distribution of diced peaches, pears, pineapple, grapes, and cherries, and is completely non-alcoholic. The simple and surprising truth is that while a traditional, canned fruit cocktail does not have alcohol, the term 'cocktail' can be a source of confusion because it also refers to mixed alcoholic drinks.

According to Drinkaware, government guidance allows beverages labeled 'alcohol-free' to contain up to 0.05% alcohol by volume (ABV), and in practice, some may contain up to 0.5%. So, do virgin drinks contain alcohol, or are they truly 100% free of it?