Want to know the best non-alcoholic beers? Looking for a complete list of alcohol-free beers?
In this article we will take a closer look at the existing alcohol-free beers and the processes to make alcohol-free beer.
Non-alcoholic beer has been in vogue for a few years now and we finally discover non-alcoholic beers that taste great!
We will start with some information to define alcohol-free beers precisely.
Then we will give you a complete list with more than 30 alcohol-free beers described and classified by style (IPA alcohol-free, Stout, lager…)!
For those who are interested to buy a pack of Alcohol free beer, we advice this pack from Beerhawk that contains the best non alcoholic beer. (delivery : UK)
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What is an alcohol-free beer?
The definition of alcohol free beer can vary between different countries. As an example, beer was always considered alcohol free in Russia until 2011!
In the UK it is written by law that alcohol-free beer can countain a very small amount of alcohol (less than 0,05%)
Source : Drink aware
For more details here are the different definitions in the UK :
Alcohol free beer : No more than 0,05% ABV
De-alcoholised Beer : No more than 0,5% ABV
Low-alcohol beer : No more than 1,2% ABV
Alcoholic beer : Contains more than 1,2% ABV
In this article we are mainly presenting alcohol-free beer but we will also present som low-alcohol beer.
For information, in the United States, non alcoholic beers can contain up to 0,5% alcohol.
In France the alcoholic strength must be less than 1.2% ABV for the beer to be considered alcohol-free.
How is alcohol-free beer made? How alcohol-free beer is made
For those who wish to discover the best non-alcoholic beers, you can go directly to the next section.
A total of 5 processes exist to reduce the alcohol in beer: bottom fermentation, rapid fermentation, osmosis, evaporation and vacuum distillation.
There are different ways to brew alcohol-free beer
First method to brew alcohol-free beer : Limiting alcohol production
The bottom fermentation process
This process involves brewing the beer at a low temperature. This will allow little sugar to be extracted from the malts. As a reminder, it is the transformation of the sugars into alcohol by the yeasts that brings alcohol to the beer. Therefore less sugar = less alcohol in the beer.
The brewery should also choose light or lazy fermenting yeasts such as the Saccharomices Ludwigii yeast. However, as our colleagues of a small foam say on their blog, these yeasts can also interfere by removing flavours from beer.
Rapid fermentation
Another method to limit the production of alcohol in beer is the rapid fermentation method.
This consists of shortening the fermentation process to limit the transformation of sugars into alcohol. However, the difficulty with the rapid fermentation method is that it leaves more sugars and less gas in the beer. Logically the taste of the beer can be altered as a result.
Methods for removing alcohol from beer
A certain amount of equipment is required to produce alcohol-free beer.
Alternative methods for making alcohol-free beers also exist. This means taking the alcohol out of a classic beer and turning it into an alcohol-free beer.
The osmosis or microgrilling process
The operation is rather simple on paper: the beer is put under pressure to pass through an organic membrane (pictured below). The purpose of the membrane is to retain the alcohol molecules and allow everything else to pass through.
This is probably the best way to preserve the taste of the beer, but it is also one of the most expensive methods.
The evaporation method
Another method also exists, the evaporation method. In this case the beer is heated to 80° between 30 minutes and an hour, which forces the ethanol molecules to evaporate.
Vacuum distillation
Like the evaporation method, it consists of heating the beer for several hours at around 35°. This will reduce the alcohol content of the beer to around 0.5%, but will not make all the alcohol disappear.
What are the best alcohol-free beers?
There are of course many alcohol-free lager beers and also many beers from industrial breweries. However, we have found several IPAs, white beers and brown beers that are available as alcohol-free beers.
In addition, a few craft breweries have now entered the segment of alcohol-free beers and we will also present them to you here.
Finally we have tried to select some beers available online so that you can order them!
We will start by presenting the alcohol-free lager beers and then we will move on to alcohol-free white beers, alcohol-free IPAs, alcohol-free stouts and alcohol-free acidic beers.
Alcohol-free lager or pale ale beers
Leffe 00
Alcohol level: 0.0%.
If you like Leffe beer, you’ll be happy to find it in a non-alcoholic version! It is one of the favourite beers of the French according to Statista.
The traditional malt flavours of Leffe beer can be found in this alcohol-free beer. The cereal is present and the sweet caramelised flavours can be recognised. A non-alcoholic beer with a very good value for money.
Delivery UK
Jupiler 00
Alcohol level: 0.0%.
The largest Belgian brewery Jupiler (it accounts for almost 40% of the beer sold in Belgium) quite logically offers a non-alcoholic beer that is mainly sold in bottles.
In this case the beer is fermented and then de-alcoholised. The colour of the beer is pale yellow and the nose has aromas of malts. In the mouth the flavours are slightly herbaceous and the beer is rather sparkling.
Delivery UK
The Diebels Alkoholfrei
Another German beer offered in its non-alcoholic version. German breweries turned to non-alcoholic beers very early on and most breweries of a certain size brewed one!
The Diebels Alkoholfrei is a beer that complies with the Reinheisgebot or purity law, which defines that a German beer must be made only of water, hops, cereals and yeast.
On the nose you will distinguish caramel and malt flavours. On the palate the hops are also present with some herbaceous aromas.
It is a very thirst-quenching beer.
La Palm N.A
Alcohol content: 0.25%.
The Palm Brewery is a Belgian brewery owner brewing various beers including the Palm and the Boon (gueuze boon). It also brews a non-alcoholic beer Palm N.A.
The Palm N.A. is an amber coloured beer with malt, caramel and spice aromas. The flavours in the mouth are also caramelised and honeyed.
It is a rather greedy beer for a non-alcoholic beer with more flavours than the classic non-alcoholic beers.
The Spaten Alkoholfrei
Alcohol level : Unknown
The Spaten brewery belongs to the same group as the Franziskaner brewery and the Lowenbrau brewery. It is a brewery in the city of Munich in Germany. Spaten is one of the official brewers of the Oktoberfest in Munich.
Spaten Alkoholfrei is a non-alcoholic beer with light grain and hop aromas. There is little bitterness in this beer.
Lowenbrau ALkoholfrei
The Löwenbräu Brewery is another Munich brewery which has therefore merged with the Spaten Brewery since 1997. The name of the brewery comes from the name of the café where the brewery was originally located: the Lion’s Brewery. As you can see, Löwen means Lions in German.
Their alcohol-free beer has aromas reminiscent of bread and cereals. It is a lager that is similar to German lagers.
Krombacher Blonde non-alcoholic lager
Alcohol level: 0.49%.
The Krombacher, a German brewery, offers a pilsner-type non-alcoholic beer. It is a rather successful pilsner with a slight bitterness as well as a slight herbaceous flavour.
The beer is straw-colored and the nose is rather pleasant, reminiscent of pilsner beers with that slight cereal smell. The palate is quite round with a slightly sweet aftertaste.
The Grolsch Premium Lager
Alcohol level: 0.5%.
The Grolsch Brewery is a brewery from the Netherlands. Their alcohol free beer is a non-alcoholic beer similar to a lager with a nice lightness on the palate.
The Grolsch brewery has existed in the Netherlands since 1615 and is now owned by AbInBev.
Clausthaler classic
Alcohol level: 0, 45%.
The Clausthaler brewery brews several alcohol-free beers, including the Clausthaler classic, which is an alcohol-free lager.
The colour of this alcohol free beer is golden and clear, and on the nose the flavours of cereals are very present.
In the mouth the beer is sweet, almost reminiscent of candy. The presence of residual sugars is very high.
Heineken 0.0
Alcohol content: 0.03% by volume
A beer that is well present in the non-alcoholic beer landscape, particularly because it is well distributed in bars and shops.
Heineken 0.0 is a non-alcoholic lager-type beer. The flavours are quite similar to the flavours of the classic Heineken beer. According to the Heineken website it is brewed with a special yeast that it calls A alcohol-free.
For the fermentation the beer is brewed with the osmosis technique we mentioned above. (depending on the site a small foam)
It is a rather thirst-quenching beer, like the Heineken range in general. However, it is not the most tasty beer in the non-alcoholic beer categories.
Bitburger drive
Alcohol level: 0.0%.
In terms of colour you will have a golden and rather clear beer. It is a lager style beer and the malty flavours are slightly present on the nose. It’s a slightly bitter beer, rather light and ideal for summer.
Bitburger 0.0 does not contain exactly 0% alcohol. However, we have not been able to find out the exact alcohol content of the beer.
Beck’s alcohol-free
Alcohol level: 0.3%.
Beck’s Brewery is a brewery from Bremen, Germany. We were already telling you about this brewery as it also offers perfectdraft Kegs.
It is one of the 4 largest breweries in Germany and logically produces alcohol-free beers.
There is little resemblance to the classic Beck’s because it is primarily a light beer.
Jever Fun beer
Alcohol level: 0.3%.
Another German Pils with hops and herbaceous aromas.
Jever Fun beer is produced by the Firesisches Brauhaus brewery, which has been in existence since 1848. The brewery was founded by Diedrich König and belongs to the Radeberger Group since 2005.
Delivery UK
The Vandestreek Bock jij of bock ik?
Alcohol content: 0,5%.
The Vandestreek brewery in the Netherlands also brews a non-alcoholic Bock beer. This is a lager with a dry bitterness.
The Vandestreek Brewery is also a brewery in the city of Utrecht. In the beginning it was founded by 3 friends who started brewing at home in 2010. After a crowdfunding campaign they moved to an industrial warehouse and brewed craft beers including several non-alcoholic beers!
Budels Malt
Alcohol level: 0.0%.
Another Dutch non-alcoholic beer from the Budelse Brouwerij brewery. The Budels Malt 0,0% has a beautiful golden colour. The aromas are of apple and cereals.
The Budelse Brouwerij is a family brewery that has been in existence for more than 4 generations. Today it is run by Carine and her brother Gerard who have been carrying on the family tradition since 1870.
Clausthaler Extra Herb
Alcohol content: 0.45%.
A beer that is more amber than blonde but which we have classified in this category. It is brewed by the Clausthaler brewery that we presented above.
It is a rather sweet and malty beer.
Alcohol-free white beers (Witbier, Hefeweizen and Weizenbier)
Lowlander 0,00% Wit
Our best choice of alcohol-free white beer!
Brewnation
Alcohol level: 0.0%.
A Dutch non-alcoholic beer brewed with leftover orange peels: we love it!
Schneider Weisse Alkohol Frei
Alcohol level: 0.3%.
A non-alcoholic Weizen type beer brewed with wheat and barley. The wheat and cereal aromas are pleasantly present. In the aftertaste the herbal flavours are also distinguished.
The Schneider Weisse brewery is a historical German brewery, having been in existence since 1872. The brewery was founded by Georg Schneider father and son in Bavaria. It is a brewery that has remained in the family and in 2019 employs more than 100 people.
Delivery UK
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Alkoholfrei
Alcohol level: 0.5%.
A beer with a complex nose of spices, cloves and sweets. The beer is pleasant on the palate as well.
Krombacher Hefeweizen Alkoholfrei
Alcohol level: 0.4%.
The Krombacher brewery that we already present to you in our list of alcohol-free lager beers. In addition, the Munich brewery also brews an alcohol-free wheat white beer.
Paulaner Hefe Weissbier without alcohol
Alcohol level: 0.5%.
The Munich brewery Paulaner, one of the beers distributed at the Oktoberfest, also brews a non-alcoholic white beer.
It is a slightly acidic wheat beer with a pleasant taste.
Erdinger alcohol-free
Alcohol level: 0.5%.
Probably one of the best white non-alcoholic beers. The wheat flavours are pleasant and the beer is slightly bitter.
The Erdinger Brewery is one of the largest breweries brewing white beers in the world. In 1998 it was the world’s largest producer of white beer with 1.3 million hectolitres.
Delivery UK
Franziskaner Weissbier
We could not talk about weissbier without talking about Franziskaner Weissbier. The brewery from Munich is world known for her german weissbier.
Their no-alcohol beer is a real success with a malty and smooth taste. If you like Weissbier, this is a no brainer !
Alcohol-free IPA beers
Indeed you have understood well! Alcohol-free IPA beers do exist! We have tried to summarise them below. Some beers, however, are more hopped beers than real IPA beers but we had to classify all these beers well!
Brewdog Nanny State non-alcoholic beer
Our favorite non-alcoholic beer! The beer is brewed with 5 different malts and 8 different hops!
Brewnation
Alcohol level: 0.5%.
The Scottish brewery Brewdog is probably one of the most iconic craft beer breweries in the world! And it is only logical that it also brews an excellent alcohol-free beer. The beer is brewed with 5 different malts and a total of 8 hops.
Nanny State beer has a coppery colour. The aroma of hops is very much in the image of an IPA. The aftertaste is rather bitter like the IPA Punk, the emblematic India Pale Ale of the Brewdog brewery.
The Brewdog Brewery is one of the jewels of the world’s craft beer. Since its foundation, it has been a constant innovator in the world of beer. You can find their beers online but also in their bars all over the world!
Delivery UK
Brooklyn Special Effects
Alcohol level: 0.4%.
The Brooklyn Brewery is one of the world’s must-see craft beer venues! Born in New-York, Brooklyn district (no surprise), it has always brewed perfectly balanced hoppy beers.
Their non-alcoholic beer is a delight. On the nose you will discover hoppy flavours and roasted malt flavours. Also take the time to smell the resinous flavours of the citra hops used in the brewing process.
On the palate, it is a hoppy beer with its roundness and sweet flavors. The citrus fruits are particularly present!
BRLO Naked
Alcohol level: 0.2%.
The Berlin brewery BRLO also offers a non-alcoholic India Pale Ale! The beer is once again full of hoppy flavours with a nose of tropical fruits and grapefruit. On the palate the beer is round and rather bitter like IPA.
The Berlin brewery BRLO also offers a non-alcoholic India Pale Ale! The beer is once again full of hoppy flavors, with the presence of tropical fruits and grapefruit on the nose. On the palate the beer is round and rather bitter like IPA.
vandeStreek Playground IPA without alcohol
Alcohol level: 0.5%.
The vandeStreek brewery is a brewery in Utrecht, the Netherlands. It brews several alcohol-free beers, including vandeStreek Playground IPA, an alcohol-free IPA.
On the nose you will discover cereal aromas combined with typical fruity hop aromas (grapefruit, exotic fruits). On the palate you will find bitterness and a rather refreshing beer. This is a very good alternative for people who want to drink a non-alcoholic beer with taste and body.
Kehrwieder Kreativbrauerei ü.NN – überNormalNull
Here we present a beer and a brewery probably less known to French beer lovers. The Kehrwieder Kreativbrauerei is a German brewery which also brews alcohol-free beer.
The brewery is located in Hamburg in the north of Germany<
Furthermore the beer is an alcohol-free and unfiltered beer. The hops are very present with flavors of mango and pineapple.
Schoppe Brau No Juice
Alcohol level: 0.5%.
A rather hoppy German non-alcoholic beer.
Braxzz Orange IPA
Alcohol level: 0.2%.
Another Dutch IPA from the Braxzz brewery which brews only alcohol-free beers! It is a well-fruited IPA with a slight bitterness in the finish.
Maisel and Friends Alkoholfrei
Alcohol level: 0.5%.
Brauerei Maisel and Friends is a German craft brewery and also brews a well hopped alcohol-free ale pale ale!
The aromas of citrus, apricot and peach stand out on the nose. The bitterness is also present on the finish.
The Maisel and Friends brewery is located in Bayreuth in southern Germany.
Stout or brown alcohol-free beers
Big Drop Brewing Co Stout without alcohol
Alcohol level: 0.5%.
The American brewery Big Drop Brewing Co. also offers its alcohol-free Stout. The colour of the beer is black with a beige foam.
The beer has a beautiful coffee and cocoa aroma. In the mouth the aftertaste of alcohol-free beer is very pleasant! Another proof that alcohol-free beer can be pleasant to drink!
Braxzz Porter
The best alcohol-free dark beer available online!
Alcohol level: 0.3%.
The Braxzz brewery that we present to you above also brews a brown beer of the porter type.
Conclusion
In recent years we have witnessed a real renaissance of alcohol-free beers. Even if only a few years ago alcohol-free beer was generally tasteless and without sparkle, today we are starting to see real diversity!
Indeed most beer styles and colours are now proposed as non alcohol beers. The best European craft breweries such as Brewdog or La Débauche also offer their own tasty and flavourful alcohol-free alternative.
In addition, we are seeing the appearance of 100% alcohol-free breweries such as the Braxzz brewery in the Netherlands. In Germany most of the major breweries also offer alcohol-free beer. We now hope that new breweries will follow in Europe and around the world!
Alcohol-free beers therefore now offer real tasty alternatives for people who do not wish to drink alcohol. However, we should not forget that the classification of a beer in the alcohol-free category is done by law and therefore differs in each country. As a reminder, in France a beer with an alcohol content of less than 1.2° is considered an alcohol-free beer.