Alcohol-free 101
A glossary of alcohol-free drinks
What do zero-proof, NA, dealcoholized and low-ABV mean?
Short answer
A few of these words have legal meanings on a US label: non-alcoholic, alcohol free, dealcoholized and low alcohol. Others, like zero-proof, spirit-free and mocktail, are menu words. Here's what each one means.
ABV
Alcohol by volume: how much of a drink, by volume, is alcohol. When a US beer label gives the alcohol content, it states it as a percentage of alcohol by volume, such as 4.2% alc/vol.
Proof
In US rules, proof is twice the percentage of alcohol by volume, so 80 proof is 40% ABV. Federal spirits rules don't count a product with less than one degree of proof (0.5% ABV) as distilled spirits. Zero-proof literally means no alcohol, but on a menu it's a description rather than a label term.
Non-alcoholic (NA)
On a US label, less than 0.5% ABV. A beer can be called non-alcoholic only if "contains less than 0.5 percent (or .5%) alcohol by volume" is printed right next to the word. FDA's guidance asks for the same statement on dealcoholized wine.
Alcohol free and 0.0%
No alcohol. For beer, "alcohol free" and a 0.0% label are allowed only when the drink contains no alcohol. For dealcoholized wine, FDA allows "alcohol-free" only when there's no detectable alcohol, and says it doesn't mean the same as non-alcoholic.
Dealcoholized or alcohol-removed
Made as wine, then the alcohol is taken out. FDA's guidance puts "dealcoholized" or "alcohol-removed" right before the word "wine", and considers the term misleading on a drink with more than 0.5% ABV.
Low alcohol or reduced alcohol
On beer, less than 2.5% ABV. That's more than a non-alcoholic beer, so low alcohol isn't alcohol-free. Low-ABV on a cocktail menu likewise means less alcohol, not none.
Zero-proof, spirit-free and mocktail
Menu words, not label terms: they aren't among the alcohol-content terms the federal beer rules define, and TTB allows other terms as long as they're truthful and not misleading. If it matters to you whether a drink has any alcohol at all, ask what's in it: a zero-proof cocktail made with non-alcoholic beer or wine can carry a trace, up to just under 0.5%.
Labeling and legal details here apply to the United States (federal rules).
Sources
- Malt Beverage Labeling: Alcohol Content, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
- 27 CFR 7.65, Alcohol content (malt beverage labeling), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- 27 CFR 5.1, Definitions (proof; distilled spirits), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- CPG Sec. 510.400 Dealcoholized Wine and Malt Beverages: Labeling, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Checked against its sources on October 11, 2026. We recheck every explainer at least every six months. This isn’t health advice: for questions about pregnancy, medication or your health, ask your own clinician.