Non-Alcoholic (ABV < 0.5%) Beers (2023)

Good questions - the ones I have had all taste like "beer", because they are beer, just have had the alcohol removed post fermentation, etc
Yes, I get the feel of a beer - some are "lighter" in mouthfeel / body then others.......you need to just pick a few of the ones I and others have suggested and see for yourself! Go into it with an open mind and palate, and you will most likely be pleasantly surprised - many of these beers have come a long way from the early NA days with beers like O'Douls etc etc

 

I grabbed some SN Hop water and Flying Dog Deep Fake. Both were pretty fresh, everything else was not.

Just to bitch, I found out today that even ZERO alcohol hop water counts as alcohol at the cashier. The Wegmans would not let me check out with two zero alcohol SN and Lagunitas hop waters along with the Belgian gift packs I grabbed. I was told that was too much alcohol for one person to buy. I left them on the counter and walked out with the Belgians only. Stopped at a WF and was carded for ZERO alcohol hop water. WTF? I have never been carded for regular alcohol there.

Will try these two varieties out soon.

Enjoy

 

Personally, I keep a few NA beers on hand for the type of situations you're describing. Will it be satisfying... that's for you to decide. Personally I find the NA stouts and German-made NAs to be most similar to the full ABV versions, so I would try those first. The IPAs can be hit or miss in my experience.

Another reason I keep a few NA beers in stock is for a longer night of drinking with friends I mix NA in as pacer drinks. NA is way more satisfying than glasses of water and I'm definitely thankful the next morning.

 

Man, PA sure has some strange beer laws! This reminds me when I used to drive from OH > PA > NJ to visit the woman I used to see.....I would stop sometimes at a Wegman's off Rt 33 (Nazareth area, if memory serves?) to check out the beer selection.....no signage saying you could only buy XX number of ozs of beer per trip, so of course I was stopped and told I could not buy all the beer I wanted to purchase on my first visit there - very strange!

Keep us posted on how you like the ones you got today!

 

I have been experimenting recently and only Guinness 0 really tastes like the real thing. I have no idea why brands like Athletic and Wellbeing get huge scores. Granted they seem better than Bravus, O'Douls etc etc, but really?
So its Guinness 0 or Clausthaler Dry Hopped for me, both seem reasonably priced and are not sickeningly sweet.

 

Those are the two that I'll continue to buy. But I'll continue to listen to strong recommendations for others too.

 

Yup, but I have tried about 6 now. High scorers on here and its depressing that I can't taste what others do.
Guinness is the only one i can stand drinking 3 or 4 at a sitting

 

I’m with you. Heineken 0 is the only other one I can do as well.

 

Been drinking Athletic mostly....but ordered the only NA at a restaurant today.. O'Douhls Amber.....literally tasted like an average 5% clean amber lager. Surprised.

 

I'm going to have to try that one; however, it's daddy is essentially a weak-tasting pale lager which is far from being a favorite style for me. We'll see.

 

O'Doul's may be better than its reputation, why else would they have stayed in business, wish I get to try one day. They may also slowly have been improving the brewing technique.

 

I don’t mind regular Heineken at all. May not be worth a try to drink a lesser version if you don’t dig it.

 

Give this one a try - really tasty NA pils

One of the best I have had.....truly

Stella Artois Liberte

 

You son of a bitch I’m in!
I’m also doing dry January, and probably a ‘damp’ February. I can certainly stop drinking for a month or so, I do it every year. But I really do miss having a beer or two when I’m prepping dinner on the weekends. When I’m stirring risotto without a drink it just feels wrong. So after finding this thread and skimming over last year’s, I stocked up on a few NA beers. And tonight I made a shrimp scampi and enjoyed an Athletic Brewing Free Wave. I was pleasantly surprised and it certainly scratched that itch I was having in the kitchen.
Cheers,
Mike

 

PSA - I know BrewDog does not get a lot of love here for many of their regular beers - but wanted to pass on, they are having a $5 rebate deal going on from Jan 1 - 2/28 - 5 bucks off a 6 or 12 pk of their wide range of NA beers....I had just ordered 3ea - 6 pks of their NA beers on the BD website, which were on sale for $8.99 ea - so with the $5 rebate, my final cost will be $3.99 / 6 - not too shabby!

Check it out!

 

I may have "punished" them enough for now, may ponder to buy again...

 

I didn't know they had any NA beers other than the Hazy AF, which is the only one that I see in the two stores that I frequent. I'd buy the mixed pack if I saw it. I likely can't order online because Michigan is one of the states that have regulations that make it difficult to ship alcoholic beverages, so most shippers don't bother.

 

BrewDog likely has more NA beers than anyone else I have seen - just counted 14 of them on their website (several are sold out though)....most of their brews I have tried have been solid / good....would recommend them!

 

Nanny State (pale ale) has been around here for a long time, Punk AF (IPA) since relatively recently. As BrewDog may have learned from their mistakes I may include them in the next haul.

 

Good afternoon all
I realized I have been remiss and haven't been sharing my dry January experience with the group.

This is one i would recommend.

Stella Artois Liberté
11.2oz green bottle Best Before 30MAY23 poured into a Stella Artois chalice at fridge temp with 0.0% ABV claimed on the label instead of the usual >0.5. The beer pours brilliantly bright pale gold with nearly white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island leaving behind quite a bit of patchy lacing. The aroma is mild with sweet pale malt and a hint of skunk. The taste is semisweet pale malt with a hint of wort before a lightly bitter, lightly skunky finish. The mouthfeel is thin bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, excellent NA beer. I would prefer this to most macro light lagers.

This one and the Heineken are the best light style NAs that I've tried and both are in the stupid green bottles. I'm not a huge fan of the skunk, but it's less icky than diacetyl, which I loath.

Cheers all!