In an effort to help you stay firmly on track, we’ve reviewed five alcohol-free beers that can be enjoyed in place of your usual order, with one Scottish brew beating the big names in the taste category.
Cheers to that!(Image: Supplied)
Guinness 0.0% Alcohol-Free Draught Stout
Price: £5 for four
As reports of UK-wide shortages continue to dominate headlines, it’s fair to say that Guinness is having a bit of a moment.
With younger drinkers turning to the Black Stuff, and joining the never-ending quest to ‘split the G’, consumer demand has sky-rocketed with at least one person in your round likely to request a pint of this hearty stout over lager.
So how does the alcohol-free version stand up to the original?
It’s worth noting that, for me at least, a canned Guinness will never compare to a freshly pulled pint. There’s an art to that which only the best of bartenders have truly mastered, with the anticipation of waiting for the first pour to settle before topping up to a perfect dome of foam only adding to the experience.
So here I’ve judged the 0.0 against the canned version of Guinness and was impressed with the results.
The same depth of flavour hits you on that first sip, and the taste is remarkably similar to the original with malty notes of coffee and chocolate that pack just a little less oomph.
There could be a touch more fizz – but as you read on you’ll find that to be true of most of this week’s brews.
It’s a solid start and a worthy replacement for its alcoholic counterpart.
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Corona Cero
Price: £4.50 for four
Ah, Corona. A long-necked glass bottle that I will forever associate with summer BBQs and sunshine.
But our test takes place on a cold, wet, and miserable January evening, and this is no regular Corona. Although, with a thick wedge of lime, the Cero could just about pass for one.
Just like the Guinness 0.0, these guys have done a brilliant job of replicating the taste of their standard beers.
Straw-like in colour, there’s a clean, gentle malt taste to this beer with just enough of a bitter bite to make up for the lack of alcohol.
Crisp, refreshing and very drinkable, especially when just out of the fridge.
Read more:
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Jump Ship Yardarm Lager
£12.99 for six
The pioneering team at Edinburgh-based Jump Ship are responsible for launching Scotland’s first, and only, non-alcoholic brewery.
The brainchild of founder Sonja Mitchell, it took nearly a year to perfect the recipe and brewing process for their Yardarm Lager which later won ‘Best No and Low Alcohol Lager’ at the World Beer Awards.
It’s a little trickier to source than some of the bigger names on our list. I picked mine up at the ever-amazing Starter Culture in Glasgow’s Southside, but as the brand becomes increasingly popular you’ll likely spot them on menus at your favourite restaurants, specialist beer shop or available to purchase online directly from their website.
We’ll get a small niggle out of the way first and note that Yardarm does seem to lack the fizz factor which makes a pint all the more enticing, but that might not be a problem for you based on personal preference.
And it doesn’t matter really, because what this beer is missing in bubbles, it more than makes up for in flavour.
In terms of complexity, Jump Ship blows the others out of the water with zingy citrus notes and a real hit of hops despite its lightness.
It’s no wonder it took so long to perfect, and for craft beer fans this will scratch the itch for making new discoveries during the Dry January period.
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Heineken 0.0
£4.20 for four
Roped into taking part in this booze-free-beer-bonanza, my partner described this lager from Heineken as ‘the ready salted crisps’ of the 0% club.
It’s a good line. So I’m stealing it.
This amber hued-brew is far from terrible, but feels like something you might pick up en route to a party during Dry January simply to have a drink to hold rather than a beer you would actively seek out and repurchase.
It’s cheap and readily available so worth a go in a pinch, but I’d recommend saving your pennies for something with a little more character.
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BrewDog Punk AF
£4.50 for four
Despite stepping down from his role as CEO of BrewDog last year, James Watt regularly finds himself back in the news with some rather interesting views on work-life balance and marriage.
The less said about that, the better, so I’ll turn the attention firmly back to the Punk AF alcohol-free beer.
And in all honesty, this is another can I’d be happy to sip on my next pub visit.
There’s a tropical fruitiness you’ll recognise if you’ve tried the Scottish brand’s Punk IPA, which might not appeal to all but is bold enough to make it stand out from the crowd.
Upon further research, I found that BrewDog offers an impressive range of alcohol-free beer beyond what was available in my local supermarket.
Online outrage surrounding its co-founder aside – you have to commend their efforts to cater to the sober market.
Overall verdict
I went into this taste test fully expecting to moan about at least one of these beers, but would be lying if I said there were any I would refuse to drink again.
As Gen Z ushers in changing attitudes towards alcohol, and the term ‘Sober Curious’ continues to gain traction on social media, it’s encouraging to experience the diversity and innovation in alcohol-free alternatives to return to even long after Dry January has finished.