[Drinking] Alcohol free beer

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Re: bit in bold above, PUNK AF is labelled ALCOHOL FREE IPA. It's also labelled 0.5% ABV. Does that mean it's mis-labelled? Asking for a friend

I'm not the expert on this stuff on NSC, so can't comment about them, but I know that many marketing people will interpret the rules as far as they can for their own advantage. That's where the ASA step in to make sure that claims are legal, decent and truthful.

 

[Springal]

Re: bit in bold above, PUNK AF is labelled ALCOHOL FREE IPA. It's also labelled 0.5% ABV. Does that mean it's mis-labelled? Asking for a friend

Anything up to 0.5% is alcohol free.

You’ll find small traces of alcohol in fruit juices, bread, bananas etc

 

[zefarelly]

I prefer ale to lager, but a few of the lagers are good if very cold

I'm still trying to find a good red wine . . . . AF obvs, I've found plenty with!

 

[Guinness Boy]

I usually do 6 months off the booze every year. The choice of AF options now is incredible compared to 4/5 years ago. I find the comments about “why bother” baffling - it’s just a drink!

Obviously everyone has different tastes, but my current favourites are…..

Brooklyn Special Effects
Brewdog Punk AF
Tiny Rebel Clwb Tropica Non Alc
Maisel’s Weiss AF Weiss Beer
Mikkeller Drink’in The Sun

Not tried the Guinness option but will give it a go for sure.

For me it's about taste and temptation. I absolutely know what water tastes like, that it has 0 calories and that (no matter how good the marketing and bottle) there really isn't a "better tasting" water out there. But unless you can tell me hat all of those 5 above taste not only the same as but BETTER than an equivalent fully leaded beer I genuinely cannot be bothered - I'd prefer to drink the nicer tasting drink at a time of year when I'm not detoxing.

I'm the same with coffee BTW - never touch decaff. Why bother? Coffee is bad for your teeth and breath. Unless I'm going to get a proper buzz off a really decent tasting coffee I'll just have water.

I accept everyone is different. Back in the days when I was still allowed to travel for work there were a group of four of us who flew back to Gatwick from Edinburgh every Thursday night and would meet after security at the Brewdog. One of them drove back from the destination airport and always had Punk AF. They ended up preferring it!

 

[The Fits]

I run pubs and don’t drink. I’m confident that if you do a blind test on a few of the AF lagers and loads of the ‘craft beer’ ones most wouldn’t tell the difference (obviously they’re different to a 7% DDIPA). I’m actually considering opening a ‘low and no’ venue- there’s huge demand for it now.
For those just wanting to get drunk less, most of the table beers (2.5-3ish %) are delicious.

 

[The Fits]

(We stock Lucky Saint, Thornbridge Zero Five and rotate Big Drop’s offerings)

 

[Springal]

Just keep in mind some AF beers have lactose in to get the mouth feel / thickness of a ‘proper’ beer - so could be the same if not more in terms of calories

 

[zefarelly]

I run pubs and don’t drink. I’m confident that if you do a blind test on a few of the AF lagers and loads of the ‘craft beer’ ones most wouldn’t tell the difference (obviously they’re different to a 7% DDIPA). I’m actually considering opening a ‘low and no’ venue- there’s huge demand for it now.
For those just wanting to get drunk less, most of the table beers (2.5-3ish %) are delicious.

I love the idea of low with full flavour, as opposed to weapons grade . . . If you go out for an evening and there are tasty ales all non or low you can even consider enjoying it and driving . . .a big appeal for country pubs and dining

They need to do more wine like this . . . Something 4-6% maybe, you can safely have a few glasses and drive, or not get pissed/have a clear head in the morning. [MENTION=3462]Springal[/MENTION], most of the AF stuff does at least have ingredients on the side ?

 

[Springal]

https://www.brulobeer.com/ have 20% off - code HOP20

 

[Worthingite]

Tiny Rebel's Clwb Tropica does an Alcohol Free version and it is BANGING.

https://www.tinyrebel.co.uk/beer/clwb-tropica-non-alc-4-pack

Tiny Rebel do some stunning beers - their advent calendar this year was out of this world. Also, they don't treat their staff like s**t like some other large craft breweries....

 

[SeagullinExile]

Like some others Heineken Zero is my recommendation. Out sells any other N/A lager by a country mile in mine. Good product, but like other similar beers it's outrageously overpriced.

 

[Springal]

Tiny Rebel do some stunning beers - their advent calendar this year was out of this world. Also, they don't treat their staff like s**t like some other large craft breweries....

Mmmm not sure about that. Staff in their taproom had to put up with a food menu with items such as the ‘BJ’ , the ‘motorboat’ - they complained to management who didn’t do anything so went viral on social media instead

 

[Postman Pat]

After the Brighton Marathon/BM10k a couple of years ago, they were giving out free pints of Erdinger Alkoholfrei, that was quite pleasant.

Only 25 calories per 100 ml, isotonic and contains vitamins (B9, B12). Contains negligible amounts of fat, saturated fatty acids, protein, salt. Minimal alcoholic content under 0.5% vol.(apparently).

https://uk.erdinger.de/beer/alkoholfrei.html

 

[Hamilton]

I had to go alcohol free on Christmas Day and chose Brewdog's Punk AF. I thought is was very good. Surprised me.

 

[Worthingite]

Mmmm not sure about that. Staff in their taproom had to put up with a food menu with items such as the ‘BJ’ , the ‘motorboat’ - they complained to management who didn’t do anything so went viral on social media instead

Just had a little read up on it. All a little storm in a teacupish. Were the names crass? Yes, definitely. Enough to provoke outrage? Not for me. Their branding can be a little juvenile and not always to my taste, but to be honest, it's not hurting anyone and if it is, I'd question their sensibilities - and this is coming from me as a lefty liberal "wokeflake". Non issue in my eyes - they did something a bit crass, got a caning for it and changed it. I would also say in their defence, they're a living wage employer, and are doing a lot to be a sustainable, ethical business.

 

[Hotchilidog]

After the Brighton Marathon/BM10k a couple of years ago, they were giving out free pints of Erdinger Alkoholfrei, that was quite pleasant.

Only 25 calories per 100 ml, isotonic and contains vitamins (B9, B12). Contains negligible amounts of fat, saturated fatty acids, protein, salt. Minimal alcoholic content under 0.5% vol.(apparently).

https://uk.erdinger.de/beer/alkoholfrei.html

Erdinger Alkoholfrei is superb and pour into one of their iconic glasses you'd barely know the difference. Highly recommended

 

[Audax]

Here's a thread on the same subject from early December, contains some more good suggestions. Merge?

https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/showthread.php?391790-Non-Alcoholic-Beer-Suggestions

Must be another thread floating around somewhere as well - I know I posted in one last year, shortly after sampling the 0.0 Guinness.

 

[Audax]

Just keep in mind some AF beers have lactose in to get the mouth feel / thickness of a ‘proper’ beer - so could be the same if not more in terms of calories

And potentially dangerous for those with lactose intolerance issues...

 

[Doonhamer7]

Erdinger alcohol free (there title but has <0.5%) is Mrs D7’s choice. I personally would drop to a soft drink

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I run pubs and don’t drink. I’m confident that if you do a blind test on a few of the AF lagers and loads of the ‘craft beer’ ones most wouldn’t tell the difference (obviously they’re different to a 7% DDIPA). I’m actually considering opening a ‘low and no’ venue- there’s huge demand for it now.
For those just wanting to get drunk less, most of the table beers (2.5-3ish %) are delicious.

Agree that this is a future big market.

Almost without exception, if I visit a pub, I'm the one driving, so limited at most to a pint and a half.

If the session (for the others) runs to 3 or 4 pints, then its a bit shit, moving to coke or whatever, and I'm not prepared to pay £4 for a 330ml bottle of a mediocre AF beer.

On a hot summer day, going for shandies isn't TOO bad, but its all a bit sweet.

I wonder if a 50/50 'shandy' of a decent lager and a draft AF lager would be a WINNER?