Last Updated on May 4, 2021
Most dads like to grab a cold one now and then, but there are times when it’s better to choose an alcohol-free option. But what’s the best non-alcoholic beer?
In around four years, I’ve tried 36 different alcohol-free beers. I’ll give you my top 5 that are also highly rated among other beer-lovers. It’s worth pointing out that in most countries, beers can be called non-alcoholic if they contain 0,5% or less of it. All beers in this article belong to this category. This said, some countries have stricter rules. Additionally, the terms “low-alcohol” and “light beer” can add to the confusion as the allowed % varies from region to region and can be up to 3,5%.
List of my 5 Best Non-Alcoholic Beers
There are many types of beers out there, but the most common non-alcoholic beers used to be (not-so-good) lagers. Luckily, nowadays, breweries have experimented with other styles as well.
In my option, wheat beers are an excellent choice because alcohol-free options really resemble the real thing. They already taste quite sweat and are intended to be consumed when very cold.
This all said, I’ve also tried other alcohol-free ale types (sours and IPA-s, for example), but my list here only includes lagers and wheat beers. For me, the other styles just fail to make the cut.
1. Maisel’s Weisse Alkoholfrei
Alc: 0,5%
Type: Weisse (wheat beer)
Country: Germany
Brewery: Brauerei Geb. Maisel KG founded in 1887
This is my top-rated non-alcoholic beer, and it was chosen to be the world’s best in 2018 by The World Beer Awards (as I found out when writing this article). I consider it to be a nice fruity alcohol-free Weisse that tastes like a wheat beer should.
2. Claustharer Unfiltered Non-Alcoholic Lager
Alc: 0,5%
Type: Lager
Country: Germany
Brewery: Binding-Brauerei Brewery
If I need to go driving, I tend to buy a couple of these (because I don’t drink and drive). Clausthaler has made non-alcoholic beers since 1979, and the taste of this new dry-hopped beer is also excellent. Claustharer Unfiltered is a well-balanced lager that’s relatively hoppy (around 30 IBU). While their Original is also quite good, I like this one better.
3. Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier Alkoholfrei
Alc: 0,5%
Type: Weissbier (wheat beer)
Country: Germany
Brewery: Paulaner founded in 1634
This non-alcoholic beer tastes excellent when served cold (as all wheat beer should). It’s well balanced and fruity, and not much else to say here. Buy it and try it.
4. Drink’in The Sun
Alc: 0,3%
Type: Wheat Ale (wheat beer)
Country: Brewery of Denmark but beer brewed in Belgium
Brewery: Mikkeller
This is a nice hoppy well-balanced beer with notes of citrus. I consider it to be one of the best non-alcoholic beers around.
5. Warsteiner Pilsner Alkoholfrei
Alc: 0%
Type: Pilsner
Country: Germany
Brewery: Warsteiner founded in 1753
If you’re looking for a refreshing beer after a workout, then this may be the best option. It contains 0% alcohol, but the taste is well-balanced and even a little hoppy (16 IBU).
To Sump Up
I want to make a disclosure and point out that I don’t live in Germany😊 When I started to write this post, I had no idea that all my top picks (Drink’in The Sun is an exception) come from there. Even my other favorites that didn’t make it to the top 5, like Krombacher Weizen Alkoholfrei and Beck’s Non-Alcoholic, originate from there.
But that’s what it is. And if you don’t find your favorite here, don’t be dismayed because this is just my subjective list.
This said I hope it will help you to pick a non-alcoholic beer if you’re in a hurry and don’t even know from where to start (because there’s also a lot of abysmal stuff out there…believe me😊
Thanks for reading!