(Feel free to just skim down to the feedback of the beer if you don't want to bother with the backstory around AF beer or feedback from others)
Ahead of recording episode 18 of A Woman's Brew Podcast (out now on all major podcast platforms and Youtube) covering "alcohol free" beers for Dry January, I put out a call across various platforms to try to understand whether or not people choose to drink non-alcoholic beers as part of their regular drinking routine and why (or why not). As a noob to AF myself - having only tried a handful of low/no alcohol beers previously, excluding the ones we tried for our Brewdog AF episode - the aim of this was to try to help myself and Joanne better understand the key elements of what to realistically look out for in these offerings. While we could judge based on our collective knowledge of beer only, that seem to be a realistic or fair way to rate.
To pre-empt what will proceed, I will just explain for anybody that isn't already familiar. "Alcohol free" & "non-alcoholic" doesn't exclusively mean 0.00% alcohol. A can may be labelled as alcohol free but still contain trace amounts of alcohol, which won't really get you drunk but that I understand from people in the addiction and recovery community as well as those with particular health problems can be something they don't want to dabble with as a personal choice. This completely fine and understandable as it's a very personal choice, but I think it's imperative to stress that you should always double check the ABV % listed on the can/bottle if you are in this situation just to be safe. The guidance that I could find around ABV % in beer are as per the below breakdown, but does not factor in lower ABV styles such as table beer or "micro" beer (which I've found to typically contain about 2 - 3.5% ABV but was unable to find formal guidance around this):
Alcohol Free: Contains no more than .05% ABV
De-Alcoholised Beer: Contains no more than .5% ABV (most common I've come across)
Low Alcohol Beer: No more than 1.2% ABV (also seen it sometimes listed as Table beer)
Alcoholic Beer: containing more than 1.2% ABV
When the results were in, we received a total of 43 responses. The breakdown was more evenly weighted than I anticipated with 49% being a "no" and 51% being a "yes". The reasoning provided behind those that do not choose to "go dry" was almost a resounding "because of taste/mouthfeel". Answers closely following were that it did not seem to scratch the itch or replicate it enough to make it worthwhile (and "be worth the calories" or be good enough "value for money") to justify buying.
In regards to what was wrong with the taste, it was fed back that it tasted too much like unfermented beer, was too sweet, too watery, too bland, too unbalanced, and/or too flat tasting. For mouthfeel, it was mostly people feeling it was too thin. Overall the feedback heavily suggested it was just a disappointing experience where they preferred to drink anything else over alcohol free and it was also noted that even those that taste decent when ice cold lose their luster as they would warm up. Those that said no without having tried mostly fed back that it was due to it simply not fitting into their lifestyle/routines or that they found it pointless to seek out if there was no alcohol.
Alcohol free for me has just never fit into my drinking routine thus far, so have never found a need to explore offerings until now. I drink - for the most part - on Friday and Saturday nights with the occasional stout or sour Sunday thrown in the mix, but Monday - Thursday is typically "dry" by default. Those that chose "yes" in my feedback request by and large mentioned it used to avoid FOMO (Fear of Missing out) during times when they can't drink (E.G. being the designated driver or cutting back/eliminating their alcohol intake for any of the numerous reasons) or to blend in when in those situations mentioned above. I have never felt uncomfortable ordering a diet coke or water when socialising with others in a drinking environment if necessary and have always just gone for a light 1/2 pint before switching to something "soft" if I felt so inclined, but after exploring all the different options that seem to now be available over the last year or two from heavy hitting breweries, I couldn't help but get involved and see if I could change my own mind. The main element I judged these beers on was A: Am I getting what is expected based on the style they're selling me and B: Does this scratch the itch for beer? (is the quality high enough and does the taste taste similar enough to a "full fat" alcoholic beer).
Now onto the beers!!! (WARNING: I'm starting off macro as this seems to be the first port of call for people embarking on their AF journey - with 3 people in particular having mentioned that they almost exclusively buy their AF beers from supermarkets. There was also a fair percentage of others mentioning they either started in supermarkets or heavily hinted that they still do rely mainly on Supermarkets for the AF selections. I started with supermarkets/easier accessible options before moving onto the bottleshop/brewery direct stuff.)
Shipyard (Marstons in UK) - Low Tide Pale Ale
Style : American Pale Ale - ABV: 0.5% - Size: 500ML - Purchased: Tesco - Price: £1.30.
I've written up a very brief comparison piece on Shipyard Low Tide vs Shipyard Pale Ale separately to this just to help keep this a bit more clear and concise (it's not published yet but I will edit here once I do). This was THE only macro beer mentioned as enjoyable in the feedback I received so thought it was worth a go, especially as I could simply add it to my Tesco click & collect order at only just over £1. The aroma of Low Tide was as appealing (or should I say NOT appealing) to me as one would imagine given the name and the taste was as expected for the price point. It didn't have a fresh, grainy smell at all nor citrus, fruity or floral elements and - if anything - actually had a bit of a chemical tinge to it. In taste, it was not crisp enough to my liking and was just heavily herbal with a bit of citrus mixed in. For me, it certainly would not scratch the itch for a beer nor would I say that it was something I would choose to drink again. It's one that I would give a miss. Not having tried any of the other macro NA beers, however, I can't really comment on how it holds up so perhaps a separate experiment is needed. I don't think it tastes as though there is alcohol in it, but being that it's macro, I tend to assume (rightly or wrongly) that it's hard to judge it using the same standard you'd judge craft with anyways, so take my thoughts (as usual, regardless) with a pinch of salt.
Not Another Beer Co. - Lucky Saint Lager
Style : Unfiltered Lager - ABV: 0.5% - Size: 330ML - Purchased: Tesco- Price: £1.50 (with club card)
I would say we got first time lucky with this being the first Non-Alcoholic beer we tried together for the podcast (after I tried the Shipyard solo). Lucky Saint had a light hazed appearance due to being unfiltered and the smell is what I can only describe as being like a trip to the beach (but with perhaps a higher tide). It's very pale yellow in colour and when I whiff hard enough, it does have an aroma in the same vein as a German lager - with mild spice, light malty sweetness, and grains. With a malty sweet taste, I was getting some serious cereal, bready, and grainy notes alongside a fair amount of hoppiness. Even as a person that is not usually a traditional lager fan, this was surprisingly enjoyable. I found it to be very well executed and if you were to tell me it had alcohol in it, I wouldn't even question you. If I had to pick what one AF beer would appeal to the widest audience at a pub (of both craft and non-craft drinkers alike), I think this is very likely to be the one I would place my bets on. I found it to be unexpectedly more-ish so it gets the seal of approval from me.
Mikkeller - Drink'in The Sun
Style : American Style Wheat Ale - ABV: 0.3% - Size: 330ML - Purchased: Sainsbury's - Price: £2
Surprised to find this in a Sainsbury's (and doesn't appear to be listed on their website, so be warned if you attempt to find it), so I grabbed it when I could - especially as it's cheaper there than it is listed for anywhere else online (great in a "value for money" sense). In complete honesty, it's nothing like I would imagine in terms of aroma or taste when the word "wheat" is mentioned. While I know there are difference between different styles of beer utilising wheat (here is a really good write-up from US brewery, Allagash Brewing), it wasn't matching up with any of my expectations. In appearance, it was crystal clear with no haze at all and a pale yellow/straw colour with a foamy white head (I was definitely expecting at least a little more haze to it). At least initially, the smell was very heavily sulfuric-like but I could also make out some elements of light floral and sweet notes. It tasted neither full nor citrusy, but instead had a strong berry flavoured finish that - as it warmed up - turned more specifically like a dried apricot. It became a tad bit unenjoyable as it warmed up, with more malty notes coming through towards the back-end up the sip and the herbal notes growing in strength. It lost the balance in flavours that it had when cold. When it got really warm, it (interestingly) started to take on a bit of a passata-like taste.
As much as I didn't find the taste to be straight up offensive, I wouldn't exactly recommend this to somebody that I know loves wheat beers and is looking for something to replace their alcoholic wheat beers with an AF option as this is not likely to be what they are looking for. As for if I would have it again, it was lower-middle tier for me so I would have it if it was the only thing on offer, but I wouldn't necessarily look forward to it. I do, however, think there is a market that would enjoy it and it's passable as an alcoholic beer if somebody were to say it was table beer strength. This would be a "try at your own peril" ranking. With all that in mind, I would like to try some others from Mikkeller as I know they do a relatively big range of AF (and I have since purchased an AF oatmeal stout from them).
Big Drop Brewing Co. - Galactic
Style : Milk Stout - ABV: 0.5% - Size: 330ML - Purchased: Sainsbury's - Price: £1.50
The smell of this one right from the can was gorgeous. It was full of roasty-coffee notes and chocolate (like a mocha) with a mocha coloured head to match atop a very dark coloured liquid. For me, it was a tad thin, but I wouldn't suggest that was off-putting or out of character as there are some stouts that are on the thinner side. It wasn't so exceptionally thin that it would make it obvious it wasn't alcoholic. The flavour was one of bittersweet chocolate (they did use cacao nibs as it turns out), which made it a bit more rich than you'd expect based on the milkier chocolate smell. They describe it as a "honeycomb covered in chocolate", but I'm not sure I'd agree with that. Despite the disagreement on description, I think this would be a winner for a lot of people. It's not the type of stout flavour profile I personally enjoy, but I can't deny that I would believe there was alcohol in it if I was told as much and - as such - think it's well executed enough that I would recommend to stout lovers who like bittersweet flavours in their stouts. Perhaps if it were a tad bit thicker, I would enjoy it a bit more myself. When I went back to it after it got much warmer, I found that it did get more appealing to me as some nuttiness and a light hint of smokiness could be picked up and that was more to my liking. For the price point and the ease of accessibility, I wouldn't hesitate to at least suggest this one be tried.
Lervig - No Worries (plain version)
Style : Pale Ale - ABV: 0.5% - Size: 330ML - Purchased: Raynville Superstore - Price: £2
Where to begin... The "No Worries" series from Lervig has been recommended to me by numerous people. There is the plain pale ale version and then both a grapefruit as well as a pineapple variant. The grapefruit was the one specifically called out the most so I went in with high expectations assuming the standard version would be just as good if not just a tad bit cleaner and more to the point than its fruit variation. Once poured, it was exceptionally light straw in colour and heavily hazed (meaning I felt off to a good start as a person who typically enjoys a highly hazed beer). There was a thin, white layer of foam across the top and the aroma coming through to me was....interesting. It was sweet yet savory, with a bit of a sulfuric edge, floral notes, tomatoes, and fruity sweetness all rolled together in one. The taste for me - to be blunt - was like minestrone soup. Unique? Yes. Enjoyable for my taste buds? Absolutely not. Within the soupy quality, I felt there may have been some melon coming through but this got overwhelmed quite easily. While I can see how other people that enjoy that type of flavour profile or more adventurous offerings may want to give this a go and will enjoy it, it was a miss for me. It was difficult to say if this was passable as an actual beer or not because I was so thrown off by the bizarre tastes coming through. With that in mind, I will leave this in the middle ground of "Be Warned!" (P.S. - I have a pineapple variant I intend to pick up on payday so maybe this will go down a bit better?)
Lervig - Driving Home for Christmas
Style : Christmas Ale - ABV: 0.5% - Size: 330ML - Purchased: Raynville Superstore -
Price: £2
In stark contrast to No Worries, Driving Home For Christmas I found to be exceptional. While I admittedly didn't take quite the in depth notes I had for the others due to drinking while dog walking on Christmas Eve, I would say I enjoyed it twice as much as many of the others. The key takeaways for this one were "cinnamon", "cinnamon", and "a lot more cinnamon". Admittedly cinnamon can be risky for British taste buds so brewers seem to go lightly when adding it, but this one not only absolutely reeked of gorgeous cinnamon aromas, it also tasted like a cinnamon/nutmeg/allspice Christmas cookie with the malty notes you expect in an ale with a mild buttery taste mixed in ever so slightly. Though it could have used a slight bit more body, that was hardly noticeable compared to how much I was enjoying just being able to taste the cinnamon so clearly. It was very passable as an alcoholic beer and it is one I would certainly look forward to having again.
Nirvana Brewery - Classic IPA
Style : IPA - ABV: 0.5% - Size: 330ML - Purchased: A Hoppy Place - Price: £3
Nirvana - like Big Drop - is another exclusively alcohol free brewery with a full range of beer on offer. In the glass, it was crystal clear and yellow in colour with a thin, carbonised head. The aroma was quite herbal-y with a wedge of lemon - which was not quite what I was expecting (perhaps because they aren't the type of IPAs that I typically gravitate to). In terms of taste, it was crisp and dry with those lemon and herbal notes coming through quite clearly in the taste. It's not a poor IPA even for an alcohol free option, but I would've liked heavier hoppiness and mouthfeel for it to scratch the itch for me as typically prefer the hoppier "jooose bombs" of the NEIPA persuasion. All that in mind, it wasn't as thin in mouthfeel as I expected it to be but feels like it could have benefitted from a bit more body. It wouldn't be what I'd describe as complex in flavour but if I were offered it again, I could (and probably would) drink it (but it wouldn't fill the IPA void in my life). I would - however - believe it was a table beer if you told me that was the case, so I think you can consider that a win in terms likeness to alcohol ranges.
Omnipollo - Blabars-Soppa
Style : Pale Ale with Blueberry & Vanilla - ABV: 0.3% - Size: 330ML - Purchased: Aberdeen Hop Shop - Price: £4.99
(Spoiler alert) BEHOLD! It's Bianca Light! (Spoiler alert)
The colour was a deep, "smashed blueberry" purple with a pink head. The aroma was unmistakably blueberry with a hint of vanilla hidden within to give it a bit of a funky edge (it was not far off from blueberry juice). In typical Omnipollo fashion, it's like a fruit smoothie in terms of thickness and mouthfeel. As you can guess, it's blueberry forward (and consistently throughout). Initially, it was fairly tart but your taste buds get used to that quite quickly. For me, it was a slightly thinner and alcohol free Bianca (their lassi gose range) and if they had labelled it as such, it wouldn't even be questioned. The problem is a bit more if you are a person who wanted a pale ale (as it was labelled) or are not a fan of the Omnipollo smoothie "thiccccc" style, it may be fairly misleading despite how delicious I found it. When comparing it directly with what you get from alcoholic Omnipollo beers, it's beyond passable (as many of them don't taste like alcoholic beers to begin with) and very well executed. As with the Bianca series, it leaves me feeling full so I was pleased with it being in a 330ml can. Though it's by far the priciest of the bunch from this session and it's one I would guess could and would stain your table/glassware easily if you're not careful, I would fully choose to drink this again.
Big Drop Brewing Co. - Firesider
Style : Pumpkin Spiced - ABV: 0.5% - Size: 440ML - Purchased: Big Drop Direct - Price: £9.80 for 4-pack
If you've followed almost anything that I've done (which is likely how you ended up here), you'll already know my feelings on Pumpkin and Pumpkin Spiced beers so I'm certain it goes without saying that I was excited to try this one. So much so that I put in an order direct with Big Drop just for the privilege of trying this seasonal brew. The appearance for this was exactly what I would envision for a PS beer - brownish colour with a reddish tint and a head that pours (and holds) quite well. All the spices you'd expect come through heavily in the aroma (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, & clove) in a sweet way. To my disappointment, those spices didn't carry through as heavily in the taste as it was mainly roast-y and smoke-y with the spices being more underlying. I would personally have loved for them to amp up the spices a bit more a la Lervig's Christmas Ale, but the taste feels fitting with its name : "Firesider". As it warms up further, I got a fair bit of nuttiness make its way through slightly alongside the smokiness but it was still enjoyable as a person who doesn't particularly gravitate towards smoke-heavy beverages. I think it was just unlucky that I happen to love pumpkin spice beer so much so that I had a high expectation when they were trying to deliver something slightly different. I would be honest though and say that I do think it's passable for a beer and it would make an excellent autumnal treat - especially to enjoy around an open fire or wood burning stove. Worth giving it a try if you like smokier beers.
Hammerton - Crunch
Style : PB Milk Stout - ABV: 0.5% - Size: 330ML - Purchased: Aberdeen Hop Shop -
Price: £2.69
The timing for this one couldn't have been any more perfect as both Joanne and myself had tried both the regular Crunch and the amped up version: Crunchier for episode 19 of A Woman's Brew (link to follow after tomorrow's release). As with both of the others, the AF version is just as dark with that same beige-coloured head. The aroma was also quite similar in that I still got a heavy coconut note more so than any nutty (or peanut butter specific) scent. The mouthfeel was on the thinner side and I would've liked it to be a bit more full, but I did have the same critique for both Crunch and Crunchier while also understanding that off a tap, this could improve as well as accepting the fact that alcohol free stouts as a whole tend to be in the thinner side. When comparing directly to it's parent brew, it holds up pretty well and I really don't have too much criticism for it as it is a really great AF representation of an existing beer on the market. Though what I will say is that the label is nearly identical with the only exception being it has "AF" just below and to the right of the CRUNCH on the front of the label, so be careful of which one you grab! If you're a Crunch fan, I recommend picking this one up and trying it for yourself.
Cloudwater Brew Co - Cloudwater Soda (Hop-based Soda - NOT AF beer!)
Style : Green Tea & Simcoe Soda - ABV: 0% - Size: 440ML -
Purchased: Aberdeen Hop Shop - Price: £2.49
This was incredibly interesting to try as it is a totally separate kettle of fish and by far the hardest to try to describe as it can't really be looked at next to Cloudwater beers or even beers in general. Even when attempting to sample this, I was in "beer mode" and trying to swirl it around the glass and my mouth like I would with a beer. It poured with a fair bit of head that had no staying power (which I believe is probably due to the high carbonation level) and very pale in colour with visible carbonation bubbles fizzling about. It had a heavily herbal, green tea aroma with the taste to match. It was like having an iced green tea that somebody has mixed with soda water and it was very refreshing. I actually expected more carbonation to come through but there was no harsh carbonation "burn" to it and each serving is low in calories and sugar. I went in with an expectation that the green tea in particular would maybe be less impressive than the others, but I came away interested in trying more from both Cloudwater and the other breweries like Wild Beer Co who also make other varieties of "hop soda". I can't say that it scratches an itch for consuming a beer, but it is a healthier alternative to other non-alcohol products while also being more interesting than plain water. If this was more easily accessible and at a slightly lower price point, I would drink these very regularly. If this was available in a pub, it would be my go-to choice if I wasn't drinking or didn't have any good beer options available. This was a big win in my eyes and I wish this was stocked in many more places than it currently is. I highly recommend giving this a go.
Despite how impressed I was with some of these options and the desire I now have to continue exploring the world of AF beers, even the best wouldn't have me changing my habits to incorporate them regularly. I could see myself tacking one or two on to orders I make going forward just as something new and different, but I don't see it happening with a regularity that I could consider myself converted.
If you're looking to explore any or all of the above, some of the best websites I've found or have been recommended are as follows:
- Wisebartender.co.uk
- Drydrinker.com
- Sobersauce.co.uk (cheers to reddit user Back2Basic5 for this recommendation)
And special shoutout (again) to Aberdeen Hop Shop , House of Trembling Madness, and A Hoppy Place where I purchased the majority of the beers sampled above from. AHP in particular I know has just got some more Cloudwater sodas in as well as some new AF beer drops this past week if you want to check them out.
Please let me know on Instagram @adventures_in_hoptimism or via this blog if there are any others you think I should explore. I would love to hear the opinions of others and their experiences with AF as this has been exceptionally interesting to research and chat to others about! If you made it this far down - Thank you! :)