Alcohol Free Beer

Glen_Lee

Glen_Lee

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Following on from Paul's thread on non-alcohol Guinness - thought I would ask about zero alcohol beers more generally.

On a hot evening I do like a cold lager, & there are many decent reviews of Heineken 0.0%.....curious if there is much love or feedback on AF Beer?

I will try the Guinness, and perhaps over time just try different brands when they are on offer or tickle my fancy.

Ta. Richard
 
Once I decided to stop drinking alcohol, I struggled with that cold, frosty one on a hot summer day ... and tried quite a lot out there. For that "hits the spot" straight out of the fridge, I like Bavaria 0.0% ... they also do a wheat beer, which I've enjoyed particularly with a slice of lime.

When I did drink, I drank Guinness. Very little else intentionally. Now there's a Guinness Zero option, my journey into alcohol-free beers has pretty much finished.

Out and about, I do like it when the venue's offering is Heineken 0.0% which is infinitely better than bloody Beck's Blueugh!!! Peroni Zero is good. Corona Zero is good ... for one or two, but a bit bloaty and urgh thereafter. Bottle of Erdinger goes down a treat when I fancy something other than Guinness. Hoegaarden Zero is too sweet for my liking. Leffe Zero is curiously good, as in syrupy and almost boozy ... for that reason, I kinda don't like it, but it's a good effort!

Thing to remember is, it's not a replacement for beer if you're still a drinker ... but it makes for an infinitely better drink than "pop". Keep that in mind and you can work it in to suit.
 
I like trying new ones.
I have tried quite a few but often return to Lidl's and Aldi's own brand. And prefer aldi slightly over the lidl version.
Obviously the best I've had is guiness.
There are still a few AF Ales I'd like to try as I prefere Ales to Larger.
Is there any recommendations on AF Ales?
 
For lager Heineken really hits the sweet spot of a reliable product at a fair price - there are better but they cost, and there are a lot more expensive that aren't nearly as good.

My preferred tipple is wheat beer, particularly Erdinger, especially after a run. Lidl do a really good value version, but they've stopped selling it in the UK (it's still available on the continent).

For ales Big Drop and Athletic Brewing are available at my local Tesco in multipacks and generally a bit better than other ales I've tried (I especially didn't enjoy the St. Peters offering, although I know it has a lot of fans).

If I've been doing a bit of DIY I find a bottle of Special Effects (Brooklyn) really hits the spot, although It's a bit too hoppy to drink it at any other time.
 
Just found this summary of a few no/lo beers I tried last year on another (non-shaving) forum:

Some I really didn't like (such as St. Peters Without or Brewdog Elvis Juice) despite them being popular elsewhere on this thread. I think it's personal taste - most of the beers I wouldn't repeat (indicated with an asterisk) are ales, apart from two lagers which have been mucked about with. I tend to prefer ale whereas I have low expectations of lager.

I'd have any of the stouts or wheatbeers again, although not everyone likes them.

Lager
(can) Bavaria 0.0%
(can) Amstel Oro Tostada 0.0 (0.0%)* - toasted malt, I didn't like the alcoholic version either
(can) Mahou Sin (<1%)
(can) Heineken Zero (0.0%)
(can) San Miguel 0.0 Manzana (0.0%)* - flavoured with apple juice
(draught) Free Damm 0.0 (0.0%)
(bottle) Carlsberg Alcohol Free Organic Pilsner (0.5%)
(bottle) Lucky Saint Unfiltered Lager (0.5%)
(bottle) San Miguel 0.0 (0.0%)
(bottle) Freestar Prime Time Lager (0.5%)
(bottle) Stella Artois Alchohol Free (0.0%)
(bottle) Sagres 0.0 (0.0%)

Ale
(bottle) Brewdog Punk AF 0.5%
(bottle) Shipyard Low Tide Pale Ale (0.5%)
(can) Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn (<0.5%)
(can) Big Drop Paradiso Citra IPA (0.5%)
(bottle) Stortebeker Original 1402 Akohol Fri (0.5%)
(bottle) St. Peters Without (0.0%)* - I just didn't like it
(can) Brewdog Nanny State (0.5%)*
(can) Athletic Brewing Free Wave (<0.5%)
(bottle) Days Pale Ale (0.0%)* - bit too sweet
(can) Brewdog Elvis Juice Alcohol Free (0.5%)*
(can) Brewdog Hazy Jane Alcohol Free (0.5%)

Wheatbeer
(bottle) Erdinger Alkoholfrei (<0.5%)
(bottle) Franziskaner Weissbier Alkoholfrei (0.5%)
(bottle) Paulaner Weissbeer (0.0%)
(bottle) Erdinger Alkoholfrei Grapefruit (0.3%) (actually a Radler - I didn't like this at first, but developed a taste for it over the course of the four-pack)

Stout
(can) Guinness 0.0 (0.0%)
(bottle) Estrella Galicia Negra (0.0%)
(bottle) Big Drop Galactic Milk Stout (0.5%)
(can) Athletic Brewing All Out (<0.5%)

Not sure/can't remember
(bottle) Brooklyn Special Effects 0.4%
(can) Bristol Beer Factory Clear Head (0.5%)
(bottle) Clausthaler Unfiltered Non-alchoholic beer (0.4%)

The Brooklyn and Clausthaler beers both taste pretty similar as well as having the oddly specific 0.4% abv. I'm not convinced they're not the same beer, although I've not tasted them back to back.
 
I don't know if it is sold in the UK but Asahi Dry Zero is my preferred buy especially during summer. I used to buy the Becks Blue when I was living in London as it tasted the most like a beer to me. They have come a long way since the Kaliber days :D
 
Spent the last few months trying different alcohol free beers - enjoyed some of them very much. Others are terrible.

The best lager for me, Heineken......the Guinness zero is lovely. Going to have some tonight whilst watching the rugby. Got to say my favourite is Erdinger - in fact it is now my favourite beer full stop. Regardless of having no alcohol. Its even good for you, as it's isotonic. ;)
 
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