What is non alcoholic beer?
Alcohol free beer is the beer you know and love minus the alcohol. Initially when non alcoholic beer was first introduced there wasn’t much of a variety available. As years have passed an assortment of craft alcohol free beers have become available, and we love that! In some of the beers we stock you will notice that they contain a small trace of alcohol, this is due to the fermentation process and is nothing to worry about! You can find the same small traces in both kombucha and banana bread.
What is the difference between non alcoholic beer and alcoholic beer and a soft drink?
The difference between beer and non alcoholic beer is pretty simple although when you are drinking the two side by side it is a subtle difference. Generally, zero alcohol beer tastes very similar to beer containing alcohol; it is difficult to tell the difference.
Now for the harder question, the difference between non alcoholic beer and soft drink. Firstly, it is important to point out that soft drinks are full of sugar and generally looked at as bad for your health, mind, body, and teeth. Compared with alcohol free beer, which is made from natural ingredients, doesn’t have any additives, and is low on calories and sugar – it is a clear distinction that one benefits your health and the other doesn’t. So, if you were going to pick up a drink tonight, what would it be?
How is non alcoholic beer made?
Funnily enough most alcohol-free beer starts out the same as their counterparts; a mash is made, the liquid is extracted and boiled, the hops are added, and it is fermented with yeast. Is it at this point of the process that alcoholic beer would be bottled and ready for sale; zero alcohol beer takes a slightly different turn as we now have to reduce or completely eliminate the alcohol before it can be bottled. To do this there are 4 different methods: dealcoholisation, limited fermentation, dilution, or fermentation free. The two main methods for commercially sold beer are dealcoholisation and limited fermentation. If you would like to read more on this check our ‘how non alcoholic beer is made’ article.
What are the health benefits of non alcoholic beer?
By reducing your alcohol intake you are consciously taking a step to improve your health; if this is what you are aiming to do you may want to jump on the alcohol-free beers. Zero alcohol beer will give you more energy; processing alcohol consumes a lot of energy from your body as well as leaving you dehydrated. If you take the alcohol out of the picture you will find yourself with energy to spare! You will have more motivation; generally, when you drink alcohol the next day you can feel sluggish, fatigued, and find that it affects your mood. On the other hand when you drink alcohol free beer you can wake up feeling well rested, motivated, and recharged. Plus, did you know that most alcohol-free beers are lower in calories than their alcoholic counterparts; this means that without the hidden calories in beer you will lose weight without even trying. It also goes without saying that by drinking a beer with zero alcohol your liver will also be thanking you.
What beers have 0% of alcohol?
In NSW for a beer to be labelled as non alcoholic it needs to have under 1.15% alcohol per serving but we don’t stock anything above 0.5%. Some of the beer we stock that boast 0.0% alcohol are:
Coast Beer Co Classic IPA
Coast Beer Co Centennial IPA
Coast Beer Co Sabro IPA
Hawkesbury Prohibtion Non-Alcohol Pale Ale
Holsten Alcohol Free Beer
Carlton Zero
Bridge Road Brewers Lemon + Lime + Hop Bitters
Free Damn Non Alcoholic Lager
Früh Kölsch Alcohol-Free
Hop Valley H20 Sparkling Hop Water
Malt Star Non Alcoholic Beverage
Nirvana Dark and Rich Stout
Nirvana Traditional Pale Ale
All other beers listed on our website have 0.5% ABV or under.
What are Craftzero’s 5 must-try non alcoholic beers?
Below we have listed some of the Craftzero recommendations for non alcoholic beer:
Athletic Brew Co Run Wild IPA : This one is for all you craft beer lovers, brewed with organic Vienna malt and a blend of 5 varieties of Northwest hops, you will be sure to go wild for this award-winning brew.
Upflow Non Alcoholic Stout : Do we have some stout fans? There is nothing like an Upflow Stout to make you feel bold and sophisticated. With the deep and bold flavours of bittersweet chocolate and hints of espresso it is hard not to enjoy.
Mornington Free Non Alcoholic Pale Ale : Looking for a pale ale that packs all of the flavour but none of the booze? We’ve got you. The Mornington Free Pale Ale has citrus and passionfruit aromas brewed with a unique strain of yeast that makes for a crisp and refreshing drink.
Vandestreek Playground IPA : Made with five different types of hops this IPA brings out rusty orange tanginess which makes it fruity but not too sweet. It boasts a medium to full-bodied flavour which is impressive for a non alcoholic beer.
Big Drop Pine Trail Pale Ale : Think light, limey citrus with a bite, balanced bitterness, and a dry aftertaste. This Big Drop Pine Trail Pale Ale delivers on flavours, taste, and aroma even with the alcohol removed. We love it, and so do our customers.
But of course, we have a large variety of beers for all types of drinkers so if none of those tickle your fancy then head to our beer page and check the others out!
