Interesting article in the Financial Times today on how non-alcohol beer is booming in the UK, unlike its stronger siblings:
Declining beer sales have become a headache for brewers and pub operators alike, but one sector of the brewing industry is still making merry. Non-alcoholic beers are surging in popularity as sales of most of their full-strength cousins have stumbled. Data from Euromonitor shows that the total value of the non-alcoholic beer market in the UK has risen 9 per cent in the past year and is up 23 per cent since 2006.
I have to admit it - I have had a no/lo beer before. A relative drinks it and once in a while I have had a cold one and sorta enjoyed it. They are getting better. I know there is a whole bunch of science and processing behind decaff ale but what would happen if someone started putting out a line of 0% brews that were really tasty? The real question should be what would you do if this break through broke through? I mean noble hops and black roasted malt are pretty much neutral but the sort of thing that can be introduced boozelessly. Would you buy them? Could you even see yourself one day cutting one of those shelf filling 9% to 11% beer concentrates with them to custom blend your own session beers?
Comments
Ian in Cowtown - May 12, 2009 11:33 AM
Hi Alan,
I'm still not sure what to make of non-alcoholic beer. The last one I tried was O'Doul's Amber and it was sufficiently beer-like to be tolerable. I recently spotted Erdinger Non-Alcohol Weissbier on the store shelves. I haven't bought it yet but it has captured my attention. It could be a nice, sober accompaniment to a sunny Sunday lunch.
Blending with the non-alcohol stuff with a 10% skull-splitter is an interesting proposal. I have small children, limited time to drink beer and need to be bright in the morning, so the 10% bomber is often too much beer for me. But would cutting a 10% beer get you any further ahead if you still drank the entire bottle? Sure you'd drink a greater volume of liquid but you'd still consume all the alcohol. Perhaps only drinking half the 10% stuff, capping the rest in a smaller bottle (to minimize oxygen exposure) and also drinking water on the side is a better solution?
Alan - May 12, 2009 12:25 PM
Well, if we face all the "good" beer being made at higher levels, I suppose that (in light of beer cocktails) we need a session strategy. These "shooter" beers which some brewers like BrewDog at least put in 12 oz bottles are largely unmanageable in the format as sold.
And isn't rebottling and recapping is asking to much for a consumer product. While maybe not an ultimately workable solution, at least blending and weakening provides that other factor that is what a session implies - time.
Which leads to the corollary - is beer really for sipping?
Knut Albert - May 12, 2009 3:03 PM
Erdinger has a decent non-alcoholic, and there are a few other Germans. St Georgen has a few which are quite all right.
It's like gluten free beers, most are downright nasty, but St Peters in England and one of the German breweries do fine versions.
Stricter laws for drinking and driving makes many go for alcohol free alternatives, at least for lunch. And if you dont want a sweet drink and dont want water, this can be an option.
As for the last question - some beers are for sipping. Other beers, like the best of the British and the Germans, are for large gulps from big glasses. Beer can be everything. Wine is just for dinner.
Ed - May 12, 2009 3:52 PM
I can't see alcohol free beer ever getting big, it's still too noticable, but there low alcohol might have more of a chance.
Phil Carney - May 12, 2009 6:36 PM
No alcohol is not what I want from a beer
mimi - May 20, 2009 6:22 PM
Hi! I wonder if anyone can help me!? My brother (a beer alcoholic - yes really!) will be coming over from New Zealand to attend a family party in June. He is pretty good if he sticks to beer around the 2% alcohol level. Could anyone suggest a decent beer/larger around that level that I could offer him during the party? Last time he visited, I (foolishly) tried to give him some alcohol free stuff and he immediately hit the hard (4-5% stuff) which was being served to other guests...and it all got a bit messy. Any suggestions welcome.
Many thanks!
m.
Paul Neil - August 5, 2009 12:57 PM
Point NINE brewed by Sleaman was not bad tasting in my opion. But in there wisdom they have discontinued it!!!
Harley Dietrich - July 22, 2010 12:35 AM
I love beer, but recently I had a DVT (blood clot) in my leg and my doctor put me on a blood thinner. He also warned me about drinking any alcohol while on this drug. I tried many brands of NA beer and none seemed to measure up until I found Erdinger Non Alcoholic . It was a pleasure to drink. Now that I am off the drug, I can drink again, but I elect after a few regular beers to drink NA beer to prevent getting to drunk to drive. Erdinger is Great.