Beer has become a cultural phenomenon. One so deeply embedded in men’s day-to-day lives that for a lot of us, it’s difficult to imagine life without it.
Whether it’s a pint after work with your mates, or a bottle in your hand while you cheer for your favourite football team, beer has a mysterious way of finding its way to you.
But like many of the finer things in life, we also know deep down that you can have too much of a good thing. And as we grow in awareness of the damaging impact that excess alcohol can have on our physical and mental health, many men are pledging to cut back, or quit booze altogether.
The problem is that beer’s tight associations with so many of our regular rituals makes it hard to simply ignore it. For instance, is it even possible to enjoy a summer barbecue without an accompanying chilled bottle of amber nectar?
Happily, talented brewers and taste experts around the world have been busy creating delicious low and alcohol-free solutions to this very question.
Whether you’re looking to cut back on alcohol for fitness reasons, for the good of your mental health, maybe you’re following medical advice, or simply making a conscious lifestyle choice to quit drinking, we’re here to share the great news that if you love the taste of beer, there’s no need to deprive yourself of it. There are literally hundreds of low and non-alcoholic beers out there that taste every drop as good as their higher percentage brothers.
So many in fact that the choice can be overwhelming.
So to narrow down your options, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to the best low-alcohol and alcohol-free beers around. Including selects you can find in your nearest supermarket, as well as those that are worth a little extra hunting.
Best Low / Non-alcoholic selection pack
Alcohol-free beer case from Beerwulf
If you’re just starting out with low and no-alcohol beer and want to sample a broad selection to find your new favourite – including many featured on this list below, start with this excellent selection of 16 alcohol-free beers from Beerwulf.
Whether you’re partial to IPAs, Lager, Stout, Wheat beer, Dark Beer or something a little fruity, this case has you covered with the pick of the crop from some of Europe’s finest brewers.
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Best Low / Non-Alcoholic Supermarket Beers
Finding a healthier beer option shouldn’t be a daunting task – you can even find some at a store near you right now. Here are the best low and non-alcohol beers that you can find in your local supermarket.
ASDA
At ASDA, you can find Morland Old Speckled Hen Low-Alcohol Beer 0.5% at one of its new dedicated low and no-alcohol fixtures.
This refreshing low-alcohol, ale-style beer is made by the Old Speckled Hen, a reputable brewer with years of experience in the industry. It delivers great taste and aroma thanks to malted barley extract and natural hop flavouring.
Lidl
The established German international supermarket chain offers a competitive no-alcohol beer to its customers – Perlenbacher 0.0% Non-Alcoholic Lager.
The beer is brewed in France by the Brasserie de Champigneulles. Its clear amber colour, and complex aroma consisting of pepper, grapefruit, lemon, pale malt, and brown bread definitely make it an enjoyable choice for summer days.
Morrisons
At Morrisons get your hands on a case of Beck’s Blue Alcohol-Free beer.
Beck’s non-alcoholic alternative to beer makes no trade-offs when it comes to taste. Beck’s Blue is completely natural, made of barley, hops, yeast, and water. It’s brewed in Germany, and it makes a great light refreshment. Stock up for those summer barbecues.
Sainsburys
The second-largest chain of supermarkets in the UK delivers a great offer of low/non-alcoholic beers. At Sainsburys you can find Doom Bar Zero Alcohol Amber Ale as an excellent alternative to classic beer.
Sweet roasted malts and spicy resinous hop give this ale a balanced and moreish taste with a subtle yet memorable bitterness.
Waitrose
Waitrose is an excellent supermarket chain to visit for low-alcohol beer hunting. Among many alcohol-free beers in their stores, you’ll find San Miguel 0% Alcohol Beer.
Brewed and imported from Spain, San Miguel is not only a great option if you want to enjoy the refreshing taste of summer holidays with no alcohol, it’s also suitable for vegans and vegetarians – a beer that truly complements the healthy and conscious lifestyle. The dominant aromas are herbal and floral.
Aldi
Aldi supermarkets are located in over 20 countries and chances are that you’ll be able to find one in your area. Aldi offers Sainte Etienne 0% Alcohol, a beer produced for Aldi in France.
Sainte Etienne contains almost no flavouring, with only hop extract and barley malt delivering a great opening malty aroma. It also has subtle caramel and pepper aromas.
Wetherspoons
OK, Wetherspoons isn’t a supermarket, but they are everywhere – with over 900 pubs across the UK and Ireland. So if you find yourself passing your local ‘Spoons in need of refreshment, you can opt for Stella Artois 0.00% ABV.
Like its punchier sibling, it’s a premium lager with a full and complete flavour. Stella Artois with no alcohol delivers the hoppy bitterness some of you may know and love, and although it’s alcohol-free, it comes with the recognisable Stella Artois taste.
Tesco
If you’re local supermarket is a Tesco, you’ll be spoilt for choice with low-alcohol beers.
One of many is Birra Moretti – a famous Italian lager with a carefully balanced flavour. If you love fruity and sweet lemony flavours the chances are Birra Moretti will win over your palate.
WINNER: Best Low / Non-Alcoholic Supermarket Beer 2021
Our best low/non-alcoholic supermarket beer 2021 award goes to Lidl’s Perlenbacher.
Its perfect blend of flavours delivers a unique aroma that stays with you, regardless of the absence of alcohol. It’s a solid option for anybody cutting back on alcohol, but still craving a refreshing beer
Best Low / Non-Alcoholic Non-Supermarket Beers
Although, as we’ve seen, UK supermarket shelves are already teeming with delicious alcohol-free beer options, there’s an even more exciting array for those with the time and inclination to shop around.
Below you can find the best 20 low/non-alcoholic non-supermarket beers, each one offering a unique flavour profile and a different drinking experience.
You are one quick scroll away from finding your new favourite alcohol-free beer…
Beavertown lazer crush alcohol free IPA, 0%
Right at the start, we have a great IPA beer representative: the Beavertown Lazer Crush Alcohol-free beer. This pale ale is both smooth and gentle. It comes from Beavertown, a famous beer brand that has recently partnered up with Heineken.
Since it’s made from pale malt, there’s no need to remove alcohol after the fermentation and the flavour is very rich. It has several distinguishable notes, including grapefruit, passion fruit, and mango. A can of this beer is around £1.99.
Big Drop stout, 0.5% ABV
Big Drop Galactic Milk Stout drops in at 0.5% ABV, which makes it a low-alcohol beer. It comes out of the Big Drop Brewing Co’s, which is famous for crafting excellent beers. This beer is unique because it features lactose, a sugar derived from milk, hence the Milk Stout in its name.
It’s a dark beer with one-of-a-kind aroma – coffee and cocoa with the malt in the background. You’ll find the taste delicious if you love a little bitterness, as the sweet and bitter notes are perfectly balanced. It’s available for £1.89.
Binary botanical, 0.5%
Binary Botanical is a low-alcohol beer made for people who prefer beer over wine at the dinner table. A product of the Good Living Brew Company – one of the relative newcomers on the market – who have struck gold with this beer that tastes like heaven.
Instead of using brewer’s yeast, Binary Botanical opted for wine yeast. The dominant flavours are peach and pineapple, followed by wheat and malt. There’s a subtle touch of honey as well, with only a littlebitterness. One Bottle of Binary Botanical will set you back £1.79.
BrewDog Lost AF, 0.5%
BrewDog Lost AF is a non-alcoholic beer brewed by Brewdog, a company with a focus on crafting ale yeasts beers in the most sustainable way possible. Unlike most brewing companies, they are completely carbon neutral. In Lost AF they added a bit of lactose which gives it that recognisable mouthfeel.
Cascade hops give this beer a sweet aroma, and you’ll also taste passion fruit and grapefruit. Its flavour is paired with a medium bitterness that tends to build up as you drink. One can of Lost AF usually costs around £1.79.
Brooklyn Special Effects alcohol-free lager, 0.4%
Brooklyn Brewery also has its own low-alcohol beer. Special Effects ships out with only 0.4% alcohol, making it a perfect substitute for your regular beer.
Made with bottom-fermenting lager yeast, its golden brown colour comes from Munich and Caramel malts, while its flavour bouquet comes from Amarillo, Citra, and American Mosaic hops. Special Effects delivers the perfect blend of herbiness and tropic flavours. £2.19.
Coast Beer Co Centennial IPA, 0.0%
Created by Coast Beer Co, two things make Centennial IPA 0% alcohol quite unique – it’s alcohol-free and produced from a single hop – the Centennial.
When you open the can, the aroma that hits you is a mix of Orange and Tangerine. And when you start drinking, you’ll detectpineapple and citrus in there too. A 6-pack of Centennial costs £15.99.
Erdinger Alkoholfrei, 0.5%
Erdinger is a low-alcohol wheat and barley beer brewed in the traditional way. It’s often advertised as a healthy product and handed out for free at sporting events in Germany. This beer can support your healthy lifestyle and increase your energy levels when they hit the day’s lowest.
It looks, smells, and tastes just like a regular beer, making it a perfect beer alternative. It also comes with a little bit of bitterness. One bottle of Erdinger Alkoholfrei costs around £1.89.
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Force Majeure tripel, 0.4%
Tripel is an alcohol-free beer hailing from Belgium. The Force Majeure brewery uses three times more grain to produce this beer than standard beer, hence the name Tripel. The special ingredient is unrefined sugar, making it less heavy and dry.
Tripel has a complex aroma featuring ripe banana, clove, pepper, and coriander. When you take a sip, you’ll taste roaster orange, caramel, and bubblegum. One unit sells for £2.69.
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Harvey’s Old Ale, 0.5% ABV
Harvey’s Brewery ships one of the contenders for the best low-alcohol beer award – Harvey’s Old Ale. It’s made the traditional way, with the alcohol being removed right before bottling.
It has a fruity red wine aroma, and you can also tell that there is roasted malt, oak, and berry in the background. While you drink, the dominant flavour is sweet raisin. One bottle costs £1.19 on average.
Heineken 0.0, 0%
If you want an alcohol-free beer with cereal and fruity flavours, try Heineken 0.0. Produced by one of the world’s largest beer companies, its made of barley malt, hop extract, and water.
The aroma is similar to a regular Heineken beer – the delicious kind they serve you in Holland – not the poor alternative on UK taps – while the cereal flavour dominates the drinking experience. One bottle of Heineken 0.0 is around £1.29.
Leffe Blond Belgian beer, 0%
Leffe Blond is another alcohol-free Belgian beer on our list – and is a staple in the fridge of the Man Body Spirit owner, Adam.. Leffe is a world-famous beer manufacturer, and their Blond ale is very popular. This is the non-alcohol version of, made of hops, water, and barley malt.
The sweet corny pale malt base is complemented with honey, banana, clove, and bubblegum. You can even taste a bit of orange. A pack of 6 cans costs around £11.20.
Lowlander 0.00% wit
Wit zero-alcohol beer is a wheat beer coming from the Lowlander beer manufacturer. The company adds orange and lemon peels and hops to wheat and barley malt. The floral aroma comes from the hops, but it’s way behind the smell of orange and lemon.
Citrus flavours dominate the experience of drinking it with a mild bitterness in the background. A unit price goes for around £2.09.
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Lucky Saint unfiltered lager, 0.5% ABV
Lucky Saint “Unfiltered Lager” 0.5% ABV comes from a UK-based company, but it’s actually brewed in Germany. You’ll admire this beer the moment you pour it into your glass, thanks to its hazy amber look.
The company did a great job when it comes to the beer flavour. It features just a hint of lemon, and the dominant aroma is malty, sweet, and fruity. It’s an unfiltered lager which makes it feel creamy when you drink it. Usually available for around £1.99.
Maisel’s Weisse alkoholfrei weissbier, 0.5% ABV
The Maisel’s Weisse alkoholfrei weissbier comes from the Maisel brewery founded in the 1800s in Germany. As the name suggests, this is the non-alcoholic version of Maisel’s original wheat beer. If you expect a beer to have a powerful taste, this might be the perfect option for you.
The beer delivers a low bitterness, as its aroma has tones of clove and ripe banana. It’s also creamy, which makes the drinking experience truly exceptional. A larger sized bottle than most, the price point is right at the industry average of £2.19.
Mikkeller Limbo raspberry, 0.3% ABV
Mikkeller is a Dansih brewer thatoffers an almost alcohol-free beer by the name of Limbo Raspberry. The colour and the flavour of this beer justify its name.
Limbo Raspberry’s aroma and flavour are one of a kind, thanks to the perfect blend of passion fruit, raspberry and cranberry flavours. One bottle of Limbo Raspberry goes for approximately £2.59.
Peroni Libera, 0.0%
Peroni Libera comes out of one of the newer Italian breweries – Peroni whoremove the alcohol after the fermentation and use malted barley, hops, and maize to make the beer.
Straw and cereal dominate the aroma, while the taste is sweet with a noticeable malty flavour. A bottle of Peroni Libera is around £1.59.
Ramsgate Brewery Gadds No.11, 1.2% ABV
Gadds No. 11 comes out of Ramsgate Brewery. The name comes after the brewers’ conclusion that it takes 11 pints of this beer to get drunk. It’s an unfiltered low-alcohol beer with a pleasant taste and colour.
The hops dominate the flavour paired with sweet taste due to lactose. One can of Gadds No. 11 is around £1.60.
Rothaus Tannenzäpfle, 0.5% ABV
Rothaus Tannenzäpfle comes from a publicly owned German brewery called Rothaus. It’s a low-alcohol version of their popular beer, which means that the company makes one complete batch of beer and then removes the alcohol.
The unique colour and taste come from the two local hops. When you take a sip you’ll taste malt but the beer leaves a sweet taste. A bottle will set you back £2.39.
Schöfferhofer grapefruit, 2.5% ABV
The german-based manufacturer delivers the world’s first grapefruit wheat beer. While it’s low on alcohol, it still has a 2.5% ABV. The beer has a grape juice colour and appears somewhat hazy.
The aroma comes from wheat and grapefruit, but grapefruit dominates the flavour with some slight hints of sweetness in the background.
I have a friend who absolutely swears by this stuff. A can usually goes for around £1.74.
Thornbridge Zero Five, 0.5% ABV
Zero Five is a pale ale made by the UK’s first craft beer brewery – Thornbridge. This amber-coloured beer is made from American hops and Munich malts.
You can experience malty caramel in its aroma with a slight touch of mango. Two dominant notes are malt and caramel. One unit costs around £1.99.
WINNER! Best Low / Non-Alcoholic Non-Supermarket Beer
Our best low/non-alcoholic non-supermarket beer award goes to Big Drop “Galactic”.
What sets this beer apart from the competition is its unique colour, taste, aroma, and the experience it delivers. Plus, it comes from a brewery that specialises in crafting only low-alcohol beers.
As a bonus, it’s completely gluten-free. Quick reminder – Galactic is a dark beer that has a strong malt aroma mixed with cocoa and coffee. If you dare take a sip, you’ll also find a hint of nuts and vanilla.
Other articles you may be interested in…
I gave up drinking alcohol at Christmas 2018 – primarily to feel physically and metally better. In this article I share 4 of the biggest lessons I learned from the experience, as well as 4 major benefits I’ve experienced as a result.
Cutting back on alcohol might be one of a series of more conscious lifestyle changes you’re making to improve your quality of life. If you’re on the road to a more conscious and ethical existence, then you might find this guide to conscious and ethical consumerism relevant. .
And since you’ve decided to cut down on alcohol, you may be looking to also boost your physical health through exercise. If so, here we recommend 10 of the best online yoga classes for men that can introduce you to a daily physical activity, that also helpsimprove concentration, memory and a more positive growth mindset.
Need to know: Some FAQs about low and no-alcohol beer
Is low-alcohol beer better for you?
Low-alcohol beer is better for you because it contains 10-times-or-less alcohol than regular beer. Alcohol dehydrates you and reduces sleep quality, so a low-alcohol beer can help you sleep better, hydrate you, and even nourish your body with vitamins such as vitamin B.
Is low-alcohol beer better for your liver?
Alcohol significantly affects your liver’s metabolism. Drinking regularly can cause fats to build up in your liver, so the liver has to constantly work to deal with the build-up, which can lead to development of liver conditions. Low-alcohol beer is definitely better for your liver as it gives it some much-needed respite, allowings it to function properly.
Can you get drunk on low-alcohol beer?
You can’t get drunk on low-alcohol beer if you are a healthy adult. To feel the symptoms of being drunk, the alcohol levels in your blood should reach about 0.4%. However, the alcohol levels can’t build up to that amount with these beers because your body processes it as quickly as you drink it. That’s simply because low-alcohol beer contains no more than 0.5% ABV.
