There’s something to be said for going to the pub, downing a few (and then maybe a few) pints and waking up the next day free hangover
Yes, it does, thanks to an ever-growing selection of low-alcohol and non-alcohol beers. Although the alcohol-free movement seems to have come into vogue only recently, drinking low-quality beer in the UK has a long history (we’re talking about the Middle Ages, when everyone drank beer because it wasn’t safe to drink water).
These days, if you want to go completely alcohol-free, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to beers. Removing the booze from beer can so easily mean removing the flavor – non-alcoholic beers were made by boiling off the alcohol, which had the unfortunate side effect of boiling away most of the flavor as well.
READ ALSO: Explore Brighton’s first alcohol-free bar with us this January
And while there are still some non-alcoholic beers on the market that look like brown water and taste like thin pumpkin, there are also draft AF beers and low-alcohol beers that are so good you’d never know they’re (almost) alcohol-free, and all of this is a non-alcoholic beer thanks to innovations in the manufacturing process.
Remember, for a drink to be considered legally non-alcoholic in the UK, it must be 0.05% by volume (ABV) or less. 0.05-1.2% is currently considered low-alcohol, although the alcohol hasn’t really been removed. But there are moves to raise that threshold to 0.5% to bring the UK into line with the US and other countries. So Whether you’re grumpy, dieting, or just trying out life in a stroller, these are the best low-alcohol and non-alcohol beers for your glass.
Beavertown’s Lazer Crush
Beavertown’s non-alcoholic IPA Lazer Crush is made with a special yeast strain that ferments the malt without adding alcohol, so you get full flavor and hoppy notes of peach, mango and grapefruit, all at just 0.3%.
beavertownbrewery.co.uk
![](https://brightontheinside.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2CA1D13F-90F9-4E08-BCA5-1A1D8447A7B7.png)
days
Made in Scotland, Days Lager and Pale Ale is a 100% 0.0% alcohol beer – no alcohol is produced in the brewing process, so there’s no need to burn it off. Days also donates 2% of all sales (equivalent to alcohol tax) to mental health projects, so you’re doing good by drinking this. (And their social media campaign featuring the brand’s two (initially) reluctant millennial founders is brilliant.)
daysbrewing.com
![](https://brightontheinside.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/CB6A6C0A-AAC0-431B-AB7E-A525A1BB68EF.png)
Loah
If you like a fruity beer, but prefer it without booze, get your hands on a can of Loah. Brewing them in the same way as full-strength beers, but with only a 0.5% percentage, all the hop flavor is preserved and infused with fruity notes of lime and peach in the two lagers and blood orange in the IPA.
loah. beer
![](https://brightontheinside.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FDC26F60-EB55-4B33-87BE-45ACBE8E1A42.png)
Athletic Brewing Co.
Athletic Brewing Co. is the best selling AF beer in the US and is now available in supermarkets along our shores. Run Wild IPA is a great session ale with malt, citrus and bitter notes, while Upside Dawn Golden Ale is lighter with subtle floral undertones, both below 0.5% ABV.
tesco.com
![](https://brightontheinside.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/D0BBB9FE-58DF-41FC-9215-28857ED2D291.png)
Saint of happiness
The award-winning Lucky Saint lager (0.5% ABV) is made with premium hops, premium malted barley and our own single-use yeast, and is left unfiltered to deliver the maximum amount of flavor without the alcohol. . Seriously, you won’t even notice it doesn’t contain booze. A bottle of beer has never felt so sacred.
luckysaint.co
![](https://brightontheinside.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/3B2719C5-C5EE-4BDA-90E6-501929F5A9DF.png)
Nirvana Brewery
Based in East London, Nirvana Brewery is the UK’s first and only non-alcoholic brewery, meaning it can produce a wide range of non-alcoholic beers from Bavarian Helles Lager to Dark & Rich Stout. We particularly like the Classic IPA, with notes of citrus, pine and spice – perfect when it’s hot outside, but delicious all year round.
nirvanabrewery.com
![](https://brightontheinside.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/65D569D2-0283-4E94-8A63-11A815CE0B87.png)
Big Drop Brewing Co.’s Galactic Milk Stout
No one likes a stout that tastes thin, so Big Drop has created a drink with all the depth and richness you’d expect from a regular stout. Galactic Milk Stout is smooth and chocolaty with just the right amount of bitterness to keep you coming back.
bigdropbrew.com