Every year, the number of us cutting down or giving up booze increases. And whether or not you’ve sustained a ‘dry’ January, the lure to drink less is appealing to more and more of us. Non-alcoholic beer, anyone?
“With the ‘low and no’ market in significant growth, and a huge range of non-alcoholic and reduced alcohol options now available, it’s clear that reducing alcohol consumption is no longer a trend confined to Dry January,” says Sainsbury’s buyer Jack Banks.
Sainsbury’s has seen sales of no and low beer and cider grow by 32% in the last year alone, with 14 new products launching into the category. And we can all agree the taste has come a long way since we supped on a bottle of Kaliber in the 1990s.
For what feels like forever, drinking alcohol and socialising have always gone hand in hand. But now, whether you’re staying in or going out, there are always booze-free options, and we’re also a lot more accepting of people simply choosing not to drink.
“People are more aware that there’s no need for socialising to automatically equal drinking alcohol,” agrees Luke Boase, founder of Lucky Saint, the first ever alcohol-free member of the British Beer and Pub Association in its 117-year history. “Alcohol can be a social lubricant, but if you take it away from social interactions, you’re still left with the real cause of enjoyment. Whether that’s the mates you go cycling with each weekend, fellow fans at the game, or even your pub quiz team.”
Many producers now use innovative techniques to ensure the taste and characteristics of your booze-free beer are just as good as its alcoholic counterpart, notes Banks, who recommends Smashed Lager – which is brewed in exactly the same way as regular beer, before using state-of-the-art cool vacuum distillation to gently de-alcoholise. “The result is a refreshing lager with a perfect balance of barley malt and hoppy bitterness,” he says.
“It helps hugely that the quality of alcohol-free drinks has improved rapidly in the last few years: before the pandemic, one in four pub trips in the UK was already alcohol free,” adds Boase. “People are discerning about what they drink, and they’re looking for excellent taste and design. Many ‘low and no’ beers are so good these days, you can’t tell the difference, and this has helped many people make the transition.”
Non-alcoholic beer you need to try
Give these tried and tested booze-free beers a try if you’re keen to cut back or cut out alcohol…
1. Lucky Saint. £2.20, Zero Zilch Zip
Embraced by the pub community for the quality of the beer, Lucky Saint is currently available in more than 3,000 venues, including restaurants, hotels, bars and pubs. If you fancy picking up a few bottles yourself, newcomer Zero Zilch Zip is an online alcohol-free drinks store featuring a collection of AF beers that are curated by its team of exotically-named zerologists.
2. Lazer Crush, £1.60, beavertownbrewery.co.uk
Beavertown Brewery’s alcohol-free IPA has been brewed with a new type of yeast to provide its delicious fruity flavour. It’s crisp, mildly malty and super fresh.
3. Zag, from £7.49 for a pack of five cans, zagdrinks.com
Not strictly a beer, but if you like zesty wheat beers, you’ll love this refreshing mix of kombucha, green tea, lemon, lime and mint. It’s flavourful because it’s made without alcohol, rather than having alcohol removed after the filtration process.
4. Premium Pilsner 0% Alcohol Free, £2.49 for six bottles, Aldi
A Golden yellow pilsner with a slightly bitter and predominant grain taste, and a bargain to boot.
5. Infinite Session Indian Pale Ale, £4 for four cans (was £4.50), Sainsbury’s
Just 36 calories a can, this hoppy, citrussy, bitter and refreshing IPA has a lovely smooth finish.
6. Pilsner Zero Alcohol, £1.30, Sainsbury’s
Launched in 2021, this alcohol-free pilsner has a fresh and balanced flavour, with fruity and malted cereal notes.
7. Smashed Lager, £5 for four cans (was £5.50), Sainsbury’s
Craftily brewed before removing the alcohol, this pale gold beer is clean and balanced, and ends with hoppy bitterness.
8. Guinness 0.0, £4.50 for four cans, Sainsbury’s
One of the most successful alcohol-free launches has been Guinness 0.0, which became a top-selling product at Sainsbury’s almost instantly. It’s hard to tell it apart from the real thing.
9. The Low and No Alcohol Mixed Case, £25, beerhawk.co.uk
Can’t decide? This Low and No Alcohol Mixed Case from Beer Hawk has 15 wonderful beers to choose from. Try them all and decide on your favourite.
Best-selling non-alcoholic drinks
Cutting back on alcohol? Check out our list of best-selling non-alcoholic drinks on Amazon!
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