Non-Alcoholic Beer

Stanford · 18-08-2018 9:28pm #1

Can anyone recommend a non-alcoholic beer that doesn't taste like soapy water?

wonga77 · 18-08-2018 9:34pm

The Heineken 0.0 is the best of them I think. Erdinger is quite popular too but it's only alright imo

Stanford · 18-08-2018 9:36pm

Thanks, I've tasted Erdinger 0.5% and its extremely malty, will try the Heineken 0.0%

oakshade · 18-08-2018 9:39pm

The Heineken 0% is unreal. Best of the unleaded beers IMO

Stanford · 18-08-2018 9:42pm

""unleaded beers""....thanks but I'll stick to the non-alcoholic..........!!!!!!!

wonga77 · 18-08-2018 10:00pm

The Heineken one has been a massive success, only launched a few months ago but sold out of stock in the early summer. Carlsberg do a non alcoholic too but I haven't tried it

Ronan|Raven · 18-08-2018 10:02pm

Got a small can of the Heineken one in with a box of regular bottles. It was actually decent enough.

_Brian · 18-08-2018 10:03pm

oakshade wrote: »

The Heineken 0% is unreal. Best of the unleaded beers IMO

Definitely, served cold it’s near indistinguishable from regular beer.

L1011 · 18-08-2018 10:26pm

Heineken is probably the best of the 0.0% options; Nanny State probably the best of the 0.5% options.

Ciarrai76 · 18-08-2018 11:00pm

Baltika 0 is very good.

Tom Dunne · 19-08-2018 11:51am

I've been on a bit of a mission over the summer, with the good weather, to try out a few different non-alcoholic beers.

First off, I can't stand Erdinger - sugary, cloudy muck.

Heineken Zero - not bad, needs food to carry it.

Carlsberg 0% - actually one of the better na beers. Just watch out for the smaller bottles, a little sleight of hand to make them appear cheaper than Heineken Zero. Stick two in a pint glass and you are sorted. I would recommend this one.

Guinness Pure Brew lager - just tried this the once, slightly more hoppy than the others, would possibly appeal to craft beer drinkers. Very nice.

And finally, there's one from Salzburg in Austria, can't think of its name, but it's ok. Somewhat similar to Erdinger.

OldMrBrennan83 · 19-08-2018 11:54am

Pubs absolutely ride you for the Heineken one for some reason but it's easily the best of the lot. I always found the Erdinger one of the most disgusting things I ever tasted, I'd nearly rather a Kaliber.

Dial Hard · 19-08-2018 11:59am

I had the worst headache of my life after two bottles of the Erdinger a few years ago. Absolute poison.

As others have said, the Heineken is probably the most drinkable I've come across. The Guinness Pure Brew is also tasty (in a very different way, there's a distinct citrus note to it) but just bear in mind it's 0.5% as opposed to the 0.05 of the Heino. Meaningless in most scenarios but important if the person drinking it is a recovering alcoholic.

Harika · 19-08-2018 12:05pm

Tom Dunne wrote: »

.

And finally, there's one from Salzburg in Austria, can't think of its name, but it's ok. Somewhat similar to Erdinger.

That's the Stiegl.

BeerNut · 19-08-2018 12:12pm

Tom Dunne wrote: »

And finally, there's one from Salzburg in Austria, can't think of its name, but it's ok.

Stiegl Freibier.

Stanford · 19-08-2018 12:37pm

Thanks Folks, I'll try the Heineken, I've also tried Paulaner but its vile..!!

OldMrBrennan83 · 19-08-2018 12:43pm

Stanford wrote: »

Thanks Folks, I'll try the Heineken, I've also tried Paulaner but its vile..!!

The Heineken was €6 for 6 small tubes last time I got an online order from Tesco a few weeks ago a grand price to try a few. I think long neck bottles were €6 for 4.

Stanford · 19-08-2018 12:46pm

€6 for 4 longnecks is the quoted price but my local doesn't have it in stock, maybe Dunnes.....

https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=295710307

OldMrBrennan83 · 19-08-2018 2:48pm

I never tried to get the bottles delivered as they're the same size. These were in stock though.

https://m.tesco.ie/mt/www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=295710175

Masala · 19-08-2018 2:54pm

Is there any that are on draught in a pub environment..???

Recent close call with the breatheliser could convince me to move to alcohol free beers if caught up in a round in the local again

OldMrBrennan83 · 19-08-2018 2:57pm

Masala wrote: »

Is there any that are on draught in a pub environment..???

Recent close call with the breatheliser could convince me to move to alcohol free beers if caught up in a round in the local again

Not sure on draught but one of my local spots charge nearly seven quid for a long neck of the Heineken.

Masala · 19-08-2018 3:00pm

Patww79 wrote: »

Not sure on draught but one of my local spots charge nearly seven quid for a long neck of the Heineken.

€7 fir a bottle ... that's criminal.

I be moving to a Cidona with ice in a pint glass then.... it will at least look like a Bulmers in disguise

Tom Dunne · 19-08-2018 6:38pm

Masala wrote: »

Is there any that are on draught in a pub environment..???

Recent close call with the breatheliser could convince me to move to alcohol free beers if caught up in a round in the local again

I saw Heineken Zero in a hotel bar in Carlingford recently.

artanevilla · 19-08-2018 7:00pm

Have to disagree with the majority on the Heineken, tasted like watered down Heineken to me, the typical soapy water non-alcoholic beer taste.

Stanford · 19-08-2018 7:00pm

Now you dashed all my hopes!!!

OldMrBrennan83 · 19-08-2018 7:01pm

Stanford wrote: »

Now you dashed all my hopes!!!

None of will be the same but I really found it the best of a bad lot.

gozunda · 20-08-2018 7:34pm

Plus one on the Guinness low alcohol beer.
Its a very nice beer imo.

sgthighway · 24-09-2018 7:23am

I have tried the Heineken Zero and think it is great but I have noticed a big difference in prices. Some pubs are charging the same price as the original Heineken but some are over a euro cheaper.

Harika · 24-09-2018 8:47am

sgthighway wrote: »

I have tried the Heineken Zero and think it is great but I have noticed a big difference in prices. Some pubs are charging the same price as the original Heineken but some are over a euro cheaper.

I think it is very similar to real Heineken as I even get the headache from it in both versions, alcoholic and non alcoholic.

dzilla · 07-10-2019 12:38pm

Heineken 0 appearing on draught in the last week or so in a few pubs i have been int. It is a self contained unit mounted on the counter top that accepts a small keg. I think they cannot keg it through existing lines due to the fear of yeast reacting with it or something from dirty lines I was told before. Its a bit of a game changer for designated drivers, i feel like i drink a long neck in about 4 gulps but a pint ice cold i can mull over for a while.

kenmm · 07-10-2019 12:43pm

I honestly coudn't think of anything worse than paying a fortune for a ****ty NA version Heineken - i'd rather just have water or cordial or something.

To those worried about how it looks etc - who the fu(k cares what others think - if you dont want a beer or cant etc then fair enough.

*edit - obviously loosing a limb or the outbreak of war are a little bit worse..

dvdman1 · 07-10-2019 12:49pm

Paulaner Non alcoholic is better than erdinger..hard to get

Effects · 07-10-2019 11:05pm

kenmm wrote: »

I honestly coudn't think of anything worse than paying a fortune for a ****ty NA version Heineken - i'd rather just have water or cordial or something.

I can understand not wanting to spend a fortune, but sometimes it's just more enjoyable to have a beer, rather than a water, even if it is NA.

And a lot of places will charge a lot for a cordial. Whelans charged me €1.80 a few years ago for a pint of water with a dash of lime cordial. Total rip off.

Stoner · 07-10-2019 11:16pm

wonga77 wrote:

Erdinger is quite popular too but it's only alright imo

I don't drink, never did, imo Erdinger is great stuff. Probably as a standalone drink rather than something someone who drinks but wants something that tastes like an alcoholic version of a drink they liked to begin with

dzilla · 08-10-2019 11:47am

Price wise a pint of Club orange etc is pricey cos they charge for 2 bottles into the glass, which is fair enough like but not ideal.

Hotblack Desiato · 10-10-2019 7:02pm

dzilla wrote: »

I think they cannot keg it through existing lines due to the fear of yeast reacting with it or something from dirty lines I was told before.

It'll be pasteurised so no yeast in it.
I don't see how it would be OK to run an alcohol beer through a dirty line but not a no-alcohol one?

L1011 · 10-10-2019 7:28pm

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

It'll be pasteurised so no yeast in it.
I don't see how it would be OK to run an alcohol beer through a dirty line but not a no-alcohol one?

I suspect they mean any yeast that may be in the line already from another beer, which could turn residual sugars in the no-alcohol beer in to alcohol.

I also think its just an excuse for using a smaller keg and a shorter line, assuming it won't move much. It probably will move like the clappers on draught in golf clubs, dog tracks etc though - removes any obvious sign you're drinking it!

Hotblack Desiato · 10-10-2019 9:11pm

Yeah but shouldn't they be cleaning lines when switching beers anyway? and I'm strugging to think of a macro beer in this country which is not pasteurised, so there'll be no live yeast in the line anyway. And a beer line doesn't make a good fermentation vessel, and it shouldn't be sitting long enough for much to happen, and the temperature should be way too low.

Sooo much mythology around serving beer, it's not hard....

L1011 · 10-10-2019 10:04pm

I'm sure there's a bar *somewhere* that'd replace a line of something unpasteurised with this without properly cleaning it.

Just one. That probably won't stay open for long.

BeerNut · 11-10-2019 9:25am

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

I'm strugging to think of a macro beer in this country which is not pasteurised, so there'll be no live yeast in the line anyway

Wild yeast is in the air all the time and will get into your lines if you don't clean them. It will not magically transform your non-alcoholic beer into alcoholic beer though. That would be quite a tax wheeze if it were possible.

L1011 · 11-10-2019 9:34am

BeerNut wrote: »

Wild yeast is in the air all the time and will get into your lines if you don't clean them. It will not magically transform your non-alcoholic beer into alcoholic beer though. That would be quite a tax wheeze if it were possible.

"Line-conditioned lambic" could be a new selling point if it worked :pac:

Pikey · 11-10-2019 10:31am

Would be interesting to know who has tried Heineken 0% draught and what they thought.

loyatemu · 11-10-2019 10:44am

Wicklow Wolf have a new NA beer called Moonlight - they have it on draft in the Harbour Bar in Bray (I didn't try it as they had plenty of good alcoholic stuff on tap :pac:)

https://wicklowwolf.com/beer-category/alpha-pack/

downtheroad · 11-10-2019 10:47am

Pikey wrote: »

Would be interesting to know who has tried Heineken 0% draught and what they thought.

Had it last week in The Manhattan in Raheny. Tasted fine, no difference to the Heineken Zero bottles, served in a regular Heineken pint glass and impossible to tell apart from a regular Heineken pint. Not sure what the cost was though, was in a round.

Hotblack Desiato · 11-10-2019 3:38pm

BeerNut wrote: »

It will not magically transform your non-alcoholic beer into alcoholic beer though. That would be quite a tax wheeze if it were possible.

Just as well Customs & Excise weren't around 2000 years ago, they'd crucify you for it :pac:

Harika · 11-10-2019 11:08pm

Pikey wrote: »

Would be interesting to know who has tried Heineken 0% draught and what they thought.

I get the same headache from the non alcoholic than from the alcoholic Heineken. Lol
Polish shops stock non alcoholic beers now too and Lidl has the perlbacher beer that is actually great.

neris · 14-10-2019 2:09pm

Pikey wrote: »

Would be interesting to know who has tried Heineken 0% draught and what they thought.

had few pints of it weekend before last and was fine. price wise same as normal pint

neris · 14-10-2019 2:10pm

Harika wrote: »

I get the same headache from the non alcoholic than from the alcoholic Heineken. Lol
Polish shops stock non alcoholic beers now too and Lidl has the perlbacher beer that is actually great.

once its nearly frozen its drinkable

Simon201 · 16-10-2019 6:08pm

My local Spar has this stuff -
https://thornbridgebrewery.co.uk/products/big-easy-case-of-12

Ok so it is 0.5% but I've pretty much tried everything at this stage and they all kind of taste the same. I did try the Heineken on draught and thought it was a bit nicer (more bearable!!) than the bottle. But to me this beer from Thornbridge is the nicest I've tried. It's not got a real strong taste or has that taste like the other stuff which is like they are trying to taste like normal beer with that weird flavour. It says pale ale but you could think it was a lager as well.

brick tamland · 16-10-2019 7:52pm

I tried the non alcoholic Peroni recently snd it was nice. Not as nice as original obviously but as good as any non alcoholic stuff I've tried.

Years ago i got one of the worst headaches/hangover after 4 large bottles of NA erlinger. Wouldn't have been half as bad with 8 pints of regular beer. Was in bits all day.

Bassfish · 25-10-2019 11:16pm

The NA Pale Ale from Lidl is good.Maisels Weisse AF from Aldi is as nice as Erdinger AF. Good enough to get you through Sober October anyway

Non-Alcoholic Beer

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