Yes, there is such a thing as non-alcoholic beer, and no there is nothing wrong with people who don't want a regular beer. These type of beers are starting to become fairly popular with people who want that beer feel without the nasty hangover (and it's especially important to drink non-alcoholic beer when you're the designated driver). There are many non-alcoholic beer brands on the market that range in color, aroma, and taste, but the following are my personal favorites.
Also to note that non-alcoholic beer can be more expensive than regular beer. That is because it's sometimes rare to find non-alcoholic beer.
#SpoonTip: Even though there is 0.5% ABV in some of these options, they're still considered non-alcoholic. The legal definition of non-alcoholic describes beverages that have less than or exactly 0.5% ABV.
How is Non-Alcoholic Beer Made?
Non-alcoholic (N.A) beer goes through the same exact process regular beer but after all the mashing, the boiling of wort, the adding of the hop, and the fermenting, the alcohol has to be removed. Alcohol is removed by heating up the liquid and keeping it there until the solution is only 0.5% ABV (alcohol by volume). Although heating is the most common way to remove alcohol, it also tends to remove the flavor, so that's where vacuum distilling comes in. The vacuum helps the alcohol's boiling point be lowered as far as 120ºF, which helps keep the flavor of the beer intact.
Even though the now non-alcoholic beer tastes relatively like beer, it's more of a flat liquid since it has no natural yeast from the removal of the alcohol. In order to have a non-alcoholic beer with carbonation, some breweries inject carbon dioxide during the canning process or add starter yeast with sugar to let it ferment in the bottle. The non-alcoholic beer then tastes more like a regular beer when carbonation is added.
Bitburger Drive
This is a non-alcoholic beer that contains a proud 0.0% of alcohol in it. It has a mild honey smell and has a crisp, clean and full flavored finish. The company promotes this beer as being great after a workout thanks to its isotonic effect (i.e. it helps with muscle contractions).
Saint Pauli Non-Alcoholic
When you first open this German beer, you can smell the aroma of malts with hints of rice. St. Pauli N.A. has a very sweet and citrusy taste. It is a Euro pale lager with a golden yellow color with a nice carbonation. There is a slightly bitter aftertaste, but it's not so strong that it's overkill.
Coors Non-Alcoholic
Coors Brewing company decided to make their own style of non-alcoholic beer with a 0.5% ABV. This straw-colored beer has a few bubbles when poured and a strong malt aroma. It tastes sugary and a little nutty.
Brewdog Nanny State
Nanny State beer is brewed by Brewdog in Scotland and has the most hopps of all the N.A. beers with a punch of bitterness as well. It is closely associated with people who love IPA (Indian Pale Ale) due to its similarity. This beer ranks at a high 45 IBUs (International Bittering Units), which says a lot about the amount of flavor packed into the beer. It's also suitable for vegans!
Clausthaler Golden Amber
Another German beer in the mix, Clasuthaler is brewed exclusively in Frankfurt, Germany. There is a sweetness tied to the beer with both aroma and taste. There is a malty aroma of grains and barley with a hoppy finish.
Mikkeller Drink'in the Sun/Drink'in the Snow
With an alcohol content of 0.3% ABV, this Denmark produced beer has a golden color when poured and generous coating of white bubbles. It has a lot more aroma compared to other non-alcoholic beers on the list. There are hints of lemon, grapefruit, peach, and apricot. It's a very refreshing mildly bitter beer with a dry finish. Perfect for the summer.
Erdinger Non-Alcoholic
This hazy golden beer comes from Germany with a pretty sizeable head of foam, as shown in the photo above. It has a strong aroma of lemon with hints of grainy malts and hops. It tastes like a mix of lemon and grain and a hint of banana. It is sweet but still a bit tart with an earthy and smooth finish.
Kaliber
Kaliber comes from the same company that brews the alcoholic beer, Guinness. The aroma that comes from this N.A. Irish pale lager beer is of sweet grains, honey, caramel malts and toasted bread (sounds very homey). It has a clear golden amber color when poured and has a sweet caramel taste with hints of corn and grain. Along with these flavors, there is a slightly bitter finish.
These eight non-alcoholic beer brands are a great choice when you're the designated driver, or if you simply dislike the taste of alcohol. All of these beers have a unique brewing process as well as flavors and carbonation. You may as well just try them all and see which one suits you the best!