My Non-Alcoholic Beer Journey
In 2011 I had my last alcoholic drink and in the last 10+ years the world of non-alcoholic beers has come on leaps and bounds.
So here is a story of my Non-Alcoholic Beer Journey as I have taken at least one picture of every beer I have had over the years I have 100s of pictures in my non alcoholic beer album on google photos and the most photographed beer in my collection is probably Heineken Zero.
With most of the beers there is a story, others only worthy of a couple of lines but each given a score out of 100 (see more details below) and as I try new ones they will be added to the list and from 2021 onwards I will be reviewing them as close to trying as possible
Current count of different non-alcoholic beers tried: 176
My recent beers
AF Beer Club and Map
I recently joined the AF beer club (Click here for details) which delivers a monthly box of new beers and they have created a map which shows places that serve AF beer on tap! The first I tried being heinken zero which was from a blade machine on the top of the bar back in 2019 but the second was a Lucky Saint in The Tap in Marlbourgh thanks to the Map and that one has given me the taste for more.
Current count of different non-alcoholic beers on tap tried: 4
Techniques for non-alcoholic beers
Interestingly I have learnt a little about how non alcoholic beers are made in most cases the beer is brewed normally and then the alcohol is taken out but most breweries keep their exact technique secret, but below are the 4 most common techniques to produce a non-alcoholic beer which is defined as having 0.5% ABV or less are:
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Reverse osmosis: is a water purification process that uses a partially permeable membrane to separate ions, unwanted molecules and larger particles in the case of beer the alcohol and water is removed, leaving a concentrated version of the beer, the water is then added back without the alcohol.
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Limited Fermentation: alcohol in beer is produced during fermentation, when yeast breaks down the sugar, this can be done in a variety of different ways Limiting Fermentable Sugars: Using grains that produce less fermentable sugars or techniques that limit the sugars from the grains in the mashing process. Special Yeast Strains: Some yeast strains will naturally produce less alcohol on fermentation but this may leave you more sugars in the final beer or other leave the beer with a sour taste. Blocking Fermentation: By changing the environment (eg temperature, acidity) during fermentation can either stop or slow down the process leaving less alcohol but you may be left with a sweeter or “unfinished” tasting beer.
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Watering Down: So rather than removing the alcohol you dilute the finished beer with water, with this process you need to make a concentrate beer first.
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Avoid Fermentation: By not fermenting the beer you avoid creating the alcohol but you also avoid doing what makes a beer a beer but producers tweak the production process to create a drink that looks and tastes like a beer.
Below is a link to more details on each of the beers I have tried from the top ranked down. My ranking is based on giving each beer a score out of 100 which is driven mainly by the taste (upto 70 points). I will also be giving marks for the occassion linked to when I have drunk the beer (upto 10 points), the design and branding (upto 10 points), the value for money (upto 10 points) and then I might give some bonus points or points deduction for other criteria which for example Holsten got 5 bonus points for being an old sponsor of Tottenham so always has a place in my heart or Peroni Liberia (my old top ranked beer) being deducted 10 points for no longer being available.
My Top Ranked Beers
1st: Lucky Saint (on tap)
Today I had a PINT and it's only been my second since I gave up drinking alcohol in 2011! This one was actually on tap the previous was just a Heineken zero out of a blade machine on the top of a bar.
2nd: Lucky Saint
This one poured, looked and smelt like a German beer and eventhough it was brewed in Germany its actually made for a UK beer company which had the following tagline on the bottle "Moderation isn’t the dirty word it once was. We’ve woken up from the hangover with a clear head and big ambitions. To specialise where others don’t, To innovate where others aren’t. To finally reward those who aren’t drinking with the beer they deserve."
3rd: Peroni Nastro Azzurro
The opening day of the Elizabeth Line in London and a message from the presenter of the Hidden London Hangouts meant a quick pop into a pub in Woolwich where I noticed this new one behind the bar.
4th: San Miguel 0,0
So a family trip to Ibiza in 2014 and one of the best non-alcoholic beers. I am not sure if the sun was a factor or that it tasted just like the real San Miguel but it was almost like the best beer I had tasted for such a long time, but my early relationship with San Miguel 0,0 was cut short after a week in Ibiza.
4th: Clear Head
The first mental health beer where the proceeds go towards Talk Club which is a talking and listening movement to help people get mentally fit.
