Hidden alcohol in everyday products

Alcohol shows up in places people don't expect. Here is what labels and official sources say, with links to each entry. This guide reports label facts only; it does not tell you what to use.

Jump to: Kombucha · Mouthwash · Vanilla extract · Cooking · Cough & cold liquids · “Non-alcoholic” labels

Does kombucha have alcohol?

Kombucha is fermented, and fermentation produces alcohol. The US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) treats kombucha at 0.5% ABV or more as an alcohol beverage (TTB kombucha guidance). Many store brands say they stay under 0.5%; some raw brands are sold to adults 21+ because of naturally occurring alcohol. Kombucha can keep fermenting if it gets warm, which is why several brands say to keep it refrigerated.

Under 0.5% by brand statement:

• Health-Ade – Health-Ade Kombucha: <0.5%
• Brew Dr. – Brew Dr. Kombucha: <0.5%
• Humm – Humm Kombucha: <0.5%
• Remedy – Remedy Kombucha: <0.5%

Contains alcohol / no figure published:

• GT's Living Foods – Synergy Raw Kombucha: not stated unverified
• GT's Living Foods – Classic Kombucha: not stated unverified
• KeVita – KeVita Master Brew Kombucha: not stated unverified

Want no fermentation at all? Hop waters such as Hoplark 0.0 state that they are not fermented.

Alcohol-free mouthwash

Classic antiseptic mouthwashes often list alcohol as an inactive ingredient (for example, 21.6% on Listerine Cool Mint's FDA label and 15 wt% on Scope Classic's manufacturer label). Alcohol-free versions are widely sold and are marked on the front of the bottle.

Contain alcohol:

• Listerine – Listerine Cool Mint Antiseptic Mouthwash: 21.6%
• Listerine – Listerine Total Care Fresh Mint Anticavity: 21.6% v/v
• Scope (Crest) – Scope Classic Mouthwash (Original Mint): 15 wt%

Labeled alcohol-free:

• Listerine – Listerine Cool Mint Alcohol-Free Mild Mouthwash: Alcohol-free
• Listerine – Listerine Total Care Zero Alcohol Anticavity: Alcohol-free
• Crest – Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Mouthwash: Alcohol-free
• TheraBreath – TheraBreath Fresh Breath Oral Rinse (Icy Mint): Alcohol-free
• ACT – ACT Anticavity Fluoride Rinse: Alcohol-free
• Colgate – Colgate Total Advanced Pro-Shield Mouthwash: Alcohol-free

Alcohol-free vanilla extract

In the US, “vanilla extract” has a legal definition (21 CFR 169.175) requiring at least 35% alcohol by volume. Products sold without alcohol are usually called vanilla flavoring and use glycerin instead. Imitation extracts can also contain alcohol (McCormick Imitation Almond lists 32%).

• McCormick – Pure Vanilla Extract: not stated unverified
• Simply Organic – Non-Alcoholic Vanilla Flavoring: <0.5%
• Frontier Co-op – Organic Vanilla Flavoring (non-alcoholic): Non-alcoholic
• McCormick – Imitation Almond Extract: 32%
• McCormick – Pure Almond Extract: not stated unverified
• McCormick – Premium Vanilla Flavor: not stated unverified

Cooking wine, mirin and bitters

Cooking wine is wine with salt added; mirin is a sweet rice seasoning; aromatic bitters are spirit-based. Kikkoman notes that the alcohol in mirin evaporates during cooking but does not completely disappear.

• Holland House – White Cooking Wine: not stated unverified
• Kikkoman – Aji-Mirin Sweet Cooking Rice Seasoning: not stated unverified
• Angostura – Angostura Aromatic Bitters: not stated unverified

Cough and cold liquids (OTC only)

Some liquid cold medicines list alcohol on the Drug Facts label (Vicks NyQuil Cold & Flu: “Alcohol 10%”). Many brands sell alcohol-free versions. We only list labeled over-the-counter products, never prescriptions. Ask a pharmacist before changing any medicine.

• Vicks – Vicks NyQuil Cold & Flu Nighttime Relief Liquid: 10%
• Vicks – Vicks NyQuil Alcohol Free Cold & Flu Nighttime Relief: Alcohol-free
• Vicks – Vicks DayQuil Cold & Flu Liquid: Alcohol-free
• Robitussin – Robitussin Mucus + Chest Congestion: Alcohol-free
• Delsym – Delsym 12 Hour Cough Relief (Grape): Alcohol-free
• Benadryl – Children's Benadryl Allergy Liquid: Alcohol-free

What “non-alcoholic”, “0.0” and “dealcoholized” mean

• Non-alcoholic (US): under 0.5% ABV. May contain trace alcohol.
• Alcohol-free / 0.0%: the label states no detectable alcohol (US labels use “alcohol free” for 0.0%). Labeling rules differ by country; for example, BrewDog markets Punk AF at 0.5% as “alcohol free” in the UK.
• Dealcoholized / alcohol-removed: made as wine, beer or spirit, then alcohol removed; usually under 0.5%.

Browse NA beer, NA wine, and NA spirits.

Label facts, not medical advice; talk to your sponsor/clinician about what's right for you.