New England Brewing Co, Dobson's Distillery and Toppers Winery have limited alcohol free products

Sales of zero per cent alcohol product have grown more than 150 per cent in the last two years across Dan Murphy's and BWS.

And, the weeks before and during Christmas were the biggest on record for zero per cent alcohol sales.

Manager of Tamworth BWS Wendy Benjamin, said people were "definitely not" interested when she first started working in the store 35 years ago.

Now, people are choosing no-alcohol before reaching for low-alcohol.

READ MORE:

It's the community aged between 40 to 60 in Tamworth that are attracted to zero alcohols, Ms Benjamin said.

"I think a lot of it is their health issues," she said.

"They know they can drink the zero alcohol as if it was cordial."

While interest in non-alcoholic products has grown, the majority of trade at BWS is in alcohol.

The store is heading into its quietest month following Christmas and the country music festival.

No-alcohol is growing faster than low-alcohol in most markets, according to the International Wines and Spirits Record drinks market analysis.

The no and low-alcohol category value surpassed $11 billion in 2022 and is expected to increase by a third by 2026 - spearheaded by the growth of non-alcoholic products.

Zero per cent alcohol beer has driven a lot of BWS and Dan Murphy's sales, but there is also growth in zero per cent alcohol wine, spirits and premix.

New England Brewing Co owner Ben Rylands doesn't plan to make a strain of beer that's alcohol free.

It's a different product, and it's hard to make without the right tools, he said.

Technology, local disinterest and taste are barriers keeping alcohol producers in the region from making their products alcohol free.

Dobson's Distillery released a non-alcoholic drink called Pogo out of the desire to keep expanding and experimenting.

"I have a number of friends who can't drink, and so I was sort of making it for them in a way," owner Stephen Dobson said.

The response to Pogo was underwhelming.

"It's one of those things that sounds really good, but the reality is that non-alcoholic gin, is not gin," he said.

"And by its very nature doesn't taste like gin.

"If it says gin, it should taste like gin."

If the market called for it, the distillery would craft another alcohol free choice.

"If we feel as though there's sufficient demand, we will do it again," he said.

"As much as there's a rise in interest, I don't think people are necessarily buying a lot."

Toppers Winery does not make alcohol free wine, but the market might force them to, owner Mark Kirkby said.

The vineyard attempts to make wines with minimal intervention, so Mr Kirkby said it's "counterintuitive" to then put it through industrial processes that pull the alcohol out.

Most of the technologies for low alcohol wines require sophisticated gear and processes.

"It tends to be the big end of town that's doing those sorts of things," Mr Kirkby said.

"That's pretty sophisticated technology, particularly for small businesses.

"I don't think we've had anyone at the cellar door yet ask us for a low or non-alcoholic wine, or if we do it."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: