Review: Free AF Canned Non-Alcoholic Cocktails and Wine
“Free AF?” We don’t have to tell you what AF stands for in today’s hip lingo: Why, it’s alcohol-free, of course.
Free AF, based in New Zealand and expanding now in the U.S., is built around non-alcoholic canned wines and cocktails, all made with its propriety alcohol substitute called Afterglow, “a 100% natural botanical extract that mimics the pleasant warmth of drinking alcohol—without the alcohol.” Take from that whatever you’d like… it’s all we know about the product.
We sampled a representative collection of three of the company’s offerings and didn’t consume a drop of booze. Thoughts follow.
Free AF Apero Spritz – This play on an Aperol spritz immediately shocks with its bright, Hi-C orange hue… and a flavor to match. Very fruity and overly sweet at the outset, it takes a bit of time for the drink to settle into a groove where the candied orange and tangerine notes find balance in the growing bitterness that builds toward a surprisingly lasting finish. The bitterness is a little blunt and hard to place, but it threatens to overwhelm things in the end all the same. That said, it’s tough to battle with that slightly saccharine orangeness that lingers throughout. Somehow this grew on me over the course of sipping through 8 ounces, but it doesn’t hold a candle to Lyre’s Amalfi Spritz. B- / $39 per 12-pack of 250ml cans
Free AF Vod%a Spritz – Don’t call it “vodka,” it’s vod%a! This spritz — all 10 calories of it — is flavored with passionfruit and lime, and includes no added sweeteners. The impact is as light as could possibly be, with just a touch of purply passionfruit, a little squeeze of lime, and a mystery sweetness that takes things to a gentle, floral finish. It’s not exactly an elevated La Croix, but it’s in the ballpark, with a reasonably refreshing but awfully inconsequential character to it. Fine but less cocktail-like than the Apero. B / $39 per 12-pack of 250ml cans
Free AF Sparkling Rose – This isn’t made from wine but rather sparkling water and a mix of grape, cranberry, apple, and pear juices, plus sugar and natural flavors. While ostensibly sparkling, the fizz dissipates quickly, leaving behind a semi-frizzante-like experience that is heaviest on the pear flavor, touched with a light pop of sour cranberry and a gentle wave of florals — complete with the hint of an alcoholic bite on the finish. It certainly tastes like a semi-sweet glass of rose and would feel perfectly at home poolside on a hot day. The beverage is less interesting as it warms up, so get it while it’s as cold as possible. A- / $44 per 12-pack of 250ml cans
Free AF Sparkling Rose
$44
