Our Favourite Low & Non-Alcoholic Beers (For Beer Day)
It’s International Beer Day this Friday!
Here at CROSSIP HQ, this upcoming event got us talking about the dire situation of non-alcoholic beers a few years ago. Thankfully, a lot has changed since then and there’s now a fantastic selection of low and non-alcoholic beers that challenge their higher-ABV counterparts in aroma, taste, and body.
And to make sure you get the best of the best, we’ve gone ahead and tested a load of alcohol-free brews (you’re welcome) to provide you with an overview of the best products for various categories, including IPA, pale ale, citra, and even draught beer.
But wait, some of the beers that are listed contain 0.5% alcohol, surely that’s not alcohol-free?
Well, you may be surprised to learn that these non-alcoholic beers tot up the same amount of booze as a ripe banana, meaning they probably won’t get you drunk. In fact, there are burger buns with a higher ABV than 0.5%! Nevertheless, if you’re on the hunt for a truly 0.0% alcohol-free beer, we’ve included some of these as well.
Let’s get on with it!
Which is the best non-alcoholic beer?
Big Drop Brewing's Craft Beers
Tiny Rebel's Clwb Tropica Non Alc
The best non-alcoholic IPA: Fungtn’s Lion’s Mane IPA
Photo credit: Fungtn
ABV: Less than 0.5% | Tasting Notes: Hops, earthy, bitter, fruity
Fungtn craft beers are vegan, gluten-free, and alcohol-free! But that certainly doesn’t mean you’ll be missing out. In fact, Fungtn beers are the driest of the non-alcoholic beers we’ve tasted, which means they’re “quaffable” in volume. They have the perfect deep and earthy umami flavour, making it a great session drink.
Plus, just like Crossip Drinks, Fungtn non-alcoholic beers are packed full of the good stuff. The Lion’s Mane IPA, for example, contains Lion’s Mane, or Hericium Erinaceus to give it its scientific name. This beauty of a mushroom has a delicious meaty and buttery flavour and is one of the most powerful adaptogens in the world of fungi! In other words, this non-alcoholic IPA may just stimulate the growth and regeneration of your brain cells, boosting your cognitive function...can’t say no to that!
Feel weird about mushrooms in your beer? You may not be when you realise that yeast used in the normal beer brewing process is also a fungus!
The best non-alcoholic pale ale: Signature Brew’s Lo-Fi
Photo credit: Signature Brew
ABV: 0.5% | Tasting Notes: Pine, hops, tropical fruits
Inspired by their favourite lo-fi beats, the team at Signature Brew recently created their first alcohol-free pale ale. And we have to say that Lo-Fi does not disappoint! Super chilled and fruity, this beer even has its own playlist!
Drink it when you want a chilled one or mix things up a little and try your hand at our epic Michelada cocktail (recipe below)!
The best Michelada cocktail using alcohol-free beer
Carl’s Michelada Recipe:
Ingredients
1 can of Lo-Fi
10ml Dandy Crossip
1 tbsp Tomato Puree
1 tbsp Lime Juice
1 tsp @leaandperrinsuk
1/2 tsp @tabasco
Pinch salt
Pinch Black Pepper
Method
Add all of the ingredients except the beer to a glass with ice. Stir until chilled. Top with extra ice then pour the ice cold Lo-Fi beer over the top. YUM!
The best non-alcoholic range of beers: Big Drop Brewing’s Craft Beers
Photo credit: Big Drop Brewing Co.
ABV: never more than 0.5% | Tasting Notes: bolder, hoppier flavours (see individual tasting notes below)
It’s impossible to go wrong with these guys. Simple as that.
The Pine Trail Pale Ale stimulates your tastebuds with a rosy floral aroma, a refreshing citrus bite, and finishes with a beautifully balanced bitterness. On the other hand, their Milk Stout delivers rich and delicious layers of honeycomb and chocolate.
For something extra special, try adding a shot of Crossip Fresh to the Pine Trail or a shot of Dandy to the Milk Stout.
The best fruity non-alcoholic beers: Tiny Rebel’s Clwb Tropica Non Alc
Photo credit: Tiny Rebel
ABV: 0.5% | Tasting Notes: tropical fruit, hops, malt
If you like fruit, this is wicked. Tiny Rebel actually gives a sh*t about flavour. Apparently, this is good poured over breakfast cereal (the team at Tiny Rebel recommend Lucky Charms) but this is not something we’ve personally tried just yet...let us know if you’ve given it a go by leaving us a message on our Instagram account!
The easiest to drink non-alcoholic beer: Heineken's 0.0
Photo credit: Heineken
ABV: 0.05% | Tasting Notes: baked bread, tropical fruit, fresh wholemeal
A ‘pointless’ and easy-to-drink beer for those hot days when you want to gulp something down for a refreshing hit. It’s also one of the only beers out there that’s 0.05% rather than the usual 0.5%.
The best non-alcoholic Citra beer: Freestar
Photo credit: Freestar
ABV: 0.0% | Tasting Notes: Floral citrus, sherbety bitterness & hints of cedar
If you’re looking for a truly 0.0% beer, then Freestar is the perfect choice! Gluten-free and vegan, these guys use super high-quality hand-selected natural ingredients to build the flavour complexity. They also skip the usual yeast fermentation step, which means no alcohol is involved in the entire beer-making process. Instead, the team at Freestar blend their beer. They must be doing something right because they’ve created a fantastic non-alcoholic beer with a refreshingly clean taste and subtle citrus notes.
The best independent on draught non-alcoholic beer: Lucky Saint
Photo credit: Lucky Saint
ABV: 0.5% | Tasting Notes: biscuity malt, hops, citrus
Lucky Saint is the first independent unfiltered alcohol-free beer on draught and it’s pretty awesome. So if you fancy a freshly poured pint in London or in pubs across the country, then you’re in luck! Check out their draught map for a pub or bar serving Lucky Saint near you or purchase it in bottles: