An alcopop is any of certain mixed alcoholic beverages with relatively low alcohol content, including:
- Malt beverages to which various fruit juices or other flavorings have been added
- Wine coolers: beverages containing wine to which ingredients such as fruit juice or other flavorings have been added
- Mixed drinks containing distilled alcohol and sweet liquids such as fruit juices or other flavourings
A drink or beverage is a liquid intended for human consumption. In addition to their basic function of satisfying thirst, drinks play important roles in human culture. Common types of drinks include plain drinking water, milk, juice, smoothies and soft drinks. Traditionally warm beverages include coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Caffeinated drinks that contain the stimulant caffeine have a long history.
Gin is a distilled alcoholic drink that derives its flavour from juniper berries and other botanical ingredients.
Mulled wine, also known as spiced wine, is an alcoholic drink usually made with red wine, along with various mulling spices and sometimes raisins, served hot or warm. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas. It is usually served at Christmas markets in Europe, primarily in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Nordics and eastern France. There are non-alcoholic versions of it. Vodka-spiked mulled wine can be found in Polish Christmas markets, where mulled wine is commonly used as a mixer.
A wine cooler is an alcoholic beverage made from wine and fruit juice, often in combination with a carbonated beverage and sugar.
Baileys Irish Cream is an Irish cream liqueur, an alcoholic drink flavoured with cream, cocoa and Irish whiskey. It is made by Diageo at Nangor Road, in Dublin, Ireland and in Mallusk, Northern Ireland. It is the original Irish cream, invented by a team headed by Tom Jago in 1971 for Gilbeys of Ireland; Diageo currently owns the trademark. It has a declared alcohol content of 17% by volume.
The term punch refers to a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruits or fruit juice. The drink was introduced from the Indian subcontinent to England by employees of the East India Company in the late 17th century. Punch is usually served at parties in large, wide bowls, known as punch bowls.
Liquor is an alcoholic drink produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include: spirit, distilled beverage, spirituous liquor or hard liquor. The distillation process concentrates the liquid to increase its alcohol by volume. As liquors contain significantly more alcohol (ethanol) than other alcoholic drinks, they are considered "harder." In North America, the term hard liquor is sometimes used to distinguish distilled alcoholic drinks from non-distilled ones, whereas the term spirits is more commonly used in the UK. Some examples of liquors include vodka, rum, gin, and tequila. Liquors are often aged in barrels, such as for the production of brandy and whiskey, or are infused with flavorings to form flavored liquors, such as absinthe.
WKD also known as Wicked is a brand of alcopop produced by Beverage Brands. It is sold and heavily marketed in the United Kingdom and Ireland with the slogan ‘Have you got a WKD side?’, and also in many countries in mainland Europe. AC Nielsen ranked it as the number-one UK ready to drink (RTD) alcopop in 2006. In December 2014 to comply with alcohol tax laws and to minimise future tax increases, “Alcoholic Mix WKD” replaced the old “Original WKD”, and the old Original Mix is now no longer available in both the UK and Ireland. The small change to the alcohol element of the WKD was not intended to change the taste of the product and still contains triple distilled vodka. In addition, it contains an alternative alcohol base to minimise tax. The actual recipe remains unchanged. The WKD bottling facility in Ayrshire, Scotland closed in November 2022 due to rising costs.
Rev is a 7% ABV vodka-based cola beverage (alcopop), infused with guarana. Malt beverage versions are also available in cans instead of plastic bottles. Rev was originally manufactured by FBM Distilleries in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, but is currently also marketed as a malt-based beverage by the Geloso Group and distributed exclusively within Canada under license from Bacardi. The malt version is currently available in 3 flavours in Quebec: Original ("Blue"), Watermelon + Grapefruit ("Red"), and Mulberry ("Purple"). The Mulberry flavour is sold only in Quebec, with all over flavours being available in all other provinces. The vodka based flavours, which are not produced by the Geloso Group, are available in red and blue (original) flavours. Rev Low, a purple, low calorie flavour of the drink, Rev Factor, as well as green and yellow flavours have been discontinued. The drink is sold in packs of four 330 ml bottles, single 330 ml or 473 ml bottles, and 355 ml cans.
Ready to drink packaged beverages are those sold in a prepared form, ready for consumption. Examples include iced tea and alcopops.
Hooper's Hooch is an alcopop that was most popular during the mid-1990s. The name Hoopers refers to William Hooper, inventor of the hot water bottle and manufacturer of lemonade in the 1840s whose trademark was owned by Burton-on-Trent-based brewer Bass. Launched in Britain in 1995 by Bass as an alcoholic lemonade, it attained immediate popularity, leading to the development of orange- and blackcurrant-flavoured versions.
Vodka Cruiser is a brightly coloured vodka-based alcoholic drink, with an alcohol content of 5%. Sometimes described as an alcopop, this premixed drink is available in seventeen flavours, including guava, lemon, lime, passion fruit, pineapple, raspberry, and other flavors depending on location. The product originates from New Zealand, and is produced by Asahi Premium Beverages, formerly known as Independent Liquor.
Cider is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of apples. Cider is widely available in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. The UK has the world's highest per capita consumption, as well as the largest cider-producing companies. Ciders from the South West of England are generally higher in alcoholic content. Cider is also popular in many Commonwealth countries, such as India, South Africa, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. As well as the UK and its former colonies, cider is popular in Portugal, France, Friuli, and northern Spain. Germany also has its own types of cider with Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse producing a particularly tart version known as Apfelwein. In the U.S. and Canada, varieties of alcoholic cider are often called hard cider to distinguish it from non-alcoholic apple cider or "sweet cider", also made from apples. In Canada, cider cannot contain less than 2.5% or over 13% absolute alcohol by volume.
Rakı or raki, is an alcoholic drink made of twice-distilled grapes. It is the national drink of Turkey. It is also popular in other Balkan countries as an apéritif as well as in Kazakhstan. It is often served with seafood or meze. It is comparable to several other alcoholic beverages available around the Mediterranean and the Middle East, e.g. pastis, ouzo, sambuca, arak and aguardiente.
A malt drink is a fermented drink in which the primary ingredient is the grain, or seed, of the barley plant, which has been allowed to sprout slightly in a traditional way called "malting" before it is processed.
Rio is a Chinese ready to drink alcopop beverage brand conceived in 2003 and manufactured by Shanghai Bacchus Limited Company, an arm of the Australian-based Bacchus Distillery. Rio is a member of the China Alcoholic Drinks Association, and was inducted in 2010. Along with Breezer, Rio is one of the largest alcopop producers in China where both the brands share a combined two-thirds of the alcopop market in China. Rio generated revenue of 365 million yuan in the first half of 2014. In 2016, Bacchus reached a partnership with Veolia Water Technologies China.
