Hailing from the UK, Clean Co has been making waves with their non-alcoholic spirit alternatives. One of the spirits I wanted to try was their Clean G, a non-alcoholic gin alternative. I’ve always been a fan of alcoholic spirits, and when I decided to swap my alcohol for non-alcoholic alternatives, I was glad to see companies like Clean Co popping up to serve people like me.
So let’s go ahead and try this non-alcoholic gin! Below, I share my full tasting notes in this CleanCo Clean G review and where you can buy it.
What is CleanCo Clean G non-alcoholic gin?
Made in the United Kingdom by non-alcoholic spirits company CleanCo, Clean G is an alcohol-free alternative to gin. It is also vegan, lactose free, and gluten-free. CleanCo has a celebrity founder behind it (CleanCo is owned by Spencer Matthews of “Made in Chelsea” fame), which definitely helped propel the brand forward when it launched in 2019.
Clean G is inspired by the London Dry Gin and made from botanical ingredients such as real juniper, and it has even won the Gold award at IWSC (International Wines and Spirits Competition) 2021. At the IWSC, the judges mentioned pine, wood, floral, citrus, and juniper aromas, a smooth mouthfeel of spice, and ginger as a spicy finish.
According to the website, Clean G is made by distilling 50% more of the key ingredients in order to pack a punch without the alcohol, so it is good to know that it is not just flavored water. However, they don’t disclose any information about how their non-alcoholic gin is distilled.
CleanCo Clean G Ingredients
CleanCo Clean G is made from: Water, Vegetable Glycerine, Natural Flavorings, Acid (Citric Acid), Preservative (Potassium Sorbate).
Unlike non-alcoholic beers, natural flavorings in non-alcoholic spirits refer to the botanicals such as juniper, and not chemically created flavors. In the case of Clean G, some of the botanicals used include juniper, orris root, cardamom, and angelica root.
One thing you’ll notice is that there is no added sugar or sweeteners like Stevia, which is a good thing because companies often add sugar to replace the lost of the alcohol with sugar.
CleanCo Clean G Calories
CleanCo Clean G gin contains 28 calories and 5.5 grams of carbohydrates per 50ml shot. If you’re looking for zero calories and zero carbohydrate non-alcoholic gins, then check out Monday Gin or Dhōs Gin Free.
CleanCo Clean G Review
Looks & Aroma
On the nose, this non-alcoholic gin doesn’t have the strong juniper aroma that I would expect from a traditional gin. Instead, the smell has notes of lemon, ginger, and a hint of sweetness that reminds of sweet candies. When poured into a glass, it does look like gin but with a naturally cloudy appearance that all non-alcoholic gins have.
Taste: Neat
My first impression is that Clean G gin tastes more like a shot of watery botanicals water than gin. The taste is citrus-forward with lots of dry lime. It starts off being slightly bitter from the lime before becoming more like a lime juice.
As for the juniper – which is the essential ingredient of any gin or gin alternative – well, I couldn’t find much of the juniper notes. Nothing about this drink tells me I am drinking a gin alternative.
Also Read: Does Non-Alcoholic Gin Taste Like Gin?
Taste: On Ice
Adding ice to Clean G helped to tone down the strong lemon notes, but it also washes out the juniper notes even more. I usually like adding ice to my non-alcoholic gins, but in this case, I prefer Clean G neat.
Taste: With Tonic Water
When I mixed Clean G with tonic water, I found that the carbonation and flavors of the tonic water overpowered Clean G’s flavors. It does add some layers of flavor to the Gin & Tonic, but frankly, the taste was predominantly tonic water.
Verdict – Is CleanCo Clean G Gin Worth It?
I find myself being very unimpressed with CleanCo Clean G. It is definitely not the best alcohol-free gin I’ve tasted and reviewed, and I’m not sure why the judges at IWSC gave it such high scores (which makes me wonder how bad the other gins were).
Don’t get me wrong, Clean G doesn’t taste bad at all. It is a decent tasting non-alcoholic drink but it needs more juniper notes, less lemon, and a fuller mouthfeel to replicate traditional gin better.
Where to Buy CleanCo Clean G
I ordered mine from Proof No More. If you’re in the United States, you can order CleanCo Clean G from our favorite online retailer Proof No More. They have free delivery for orders above $99, or a $9.99 flat delivery fee.
If you’re in the UK, you can order it from Wise Bartender or Dry Drinker.
We hope you enjoyed our CleanCo Clean G Gin review. If you’re craving even more non-alcoholic spirits reviews, click below:
Low on the juniper and excessive on the lime. Lacks the flavor and aroma to be a non-alcoholic gin alternative.