A running tier list of alcohol-free beer I've tried. I got into AF beer a few years ago because alcohol was triggering my chronic heartburn — that's not really an issue any more, but I'd developed a genuine interest by then in what AF brewers were pulling off, and I kept going.
This is completely subjective. I tend to like strong, hoppy, floral beers, so the list is biased that way. UK purchase links where I have them.
52 beers tried · 33 still available · 19 discontinued
Absolute favourites — the ones I rave about and try to buy more of.
Grupo Modelo
Lager
Had this in Marbella and taste-tested it against the alcoholic equivalent — it'd be hard to tell them apart blind. Not normally my type of beer, but Victoria get to go in S tier simply because they've done such a good job.
Athletic Brewing Co.
IPA
Excellent hazy IPA. Great mouth-feel, hoppy and floral notes, with a crisp bitter finish that lingers. I bought 24 cans to fill my fridge after first tasting it — and reluctantly shared some with friends who agreed.
Signature Brew
Pale Ale
Stopped being brewed for a while but Signature Brew have brought it back. Cloudy, made with Simcoe hops — fruity and floral. So good I bought a whole crate for a friend too.
Below Brew Co
IPA
Excellent and disappears fast from my fridge. You can't go wrong with any of Below Brew Co's three S-tier beers, though the NEIPA stands out.
Below Brew Co
IPA
The standout of Below Brew Co's three S-tier beers.
Below Brew Co
Lager
Another tasty Below Brew Co entry.
Always pick these up when I see them.
Northern Monk
IPA
A great non-alcoholic beer from an established brewery. Hits all the right notes for a tasty IPA.
Athletic Brewing Co.
IPA
A little unfair on this one — Free Wave makes Run Wild seem worse, even though it's still excellent.
Below Brew Co
Golden Ale
Not quite as good as the other Below Brew Co beers but still super tasty.
Mash Gang
Pale Ale
Bought a can at MK Biergarten. Absolutely delicious. I'm a sucker for cloudy beers, alcohol or not. One of the few AF beers that captures the floral notes I like, plus a great hoppy citric aftertaste. Slightly over-carbonated — pour it and let it sit.
Big Drop
IPA
Gluten free. One of Big Drop's mainstays — won awards in 2020. I've had this on draught and it's a delicious pint, which is why it belongs in A tier.
Big Drop
Stout
An interesting take on a stout. Even if you don't normally drink darker beers, don't pass this one up.
Days
Pale Ale
Doesn't really taste of beer — it tastes very strongly of fruit, especially grapefruit. Nicely balanced; great for a summer day or BBQ.
Mash Gang
Lager
Enjoyed by my lager-drinking friends.
Enjoyable; would buy in a pinch.
Alhambra
Lager
Spanish lager. Inoffensive and perfectly drinkable, much like the lagers it imitates. Would order out with tapas, wouldn't seek out otherwise.
Devil's Peak
IPA
Lots of grapefruit, great aroma, strong taste — but not a lot of depth.
To Øl
Pale Ale
Really enjoyed it but it's just too far from beer to make A tier — very fruity and sweet, very little bitterness. You could call it a fruit soft drink. But the flavour packs a punch.
Below Brew Co
Brown Ale
Bitter and malty with a slightly sweet finish — going for a Belgian vibe and hitting it. A little thin, not really my taste.
Lervig
IPA
Tastes of pineapple, unsurprisingly. Easy to drink but very far from an alcoholic beer.
Infinite Session
IPA
Very easy to drink. Not particularly standout, but bonus points because my local Sainsbury's sells it.
Big Drop
Pale Ale
Does a good job of imparting hoppy and floral flavours with a pretty bitter aftertaste. My introduction to Big Drop.
BrewDog
Pale Ale
Was my favourite of the BrewDog AF beers before Hazy AF. Weirdly dark in colour for its light taste.
Lucky Saint
Lager
Held its head longer than thirty seconds. Lots of cereal, some sweetness without too much, not very watery, with a long bitter aftertaste. More complexity than expected — technically a good AF beer, even if not my style.
Adnams
Pale Ale
Tastes like a traditional ale — apparently they de-alcoholise actual Ghost Ship to make this. Not bad, but a little too sweet for me.
Drinkable if there's nothing else around.
Not for me. You may disagree — taste is subjective.
Brulo
IPA
I like Brulo's Idaho 7 a lot, but this was so disappointing. Very sweet, not a great aroma.
Beavertown
IPA
Maybe I'm being unfair — it's won awards. But pretty watery, smells more like a fruit cocktail than a beer, and not hoppy at all. Refreshing but too far from a beer for me.
Hoegaarden
Wheat
Couldn't even finish it. Everything I don't like about Hoegaarden and wheat beer. Super sweet.
Lervig
It's…something. Maybe at Christmas this would taste OK.
Omnipollo
Pale Ale
Unpleasant metallic smell, super sour and super sweet. Not a good pale ale.
Cruzcampo
Lager
A 6 out of 5 on the Weetabix scale. Soak some milk in Weetabix and drink that — that's what it tastes like.
Beers that aren't being brewed any more.
Merakai Brewing Co.
Pale Ale
Boy is there a lot going on. Fruit, sweet, bitter, wheaty notes with a nice sour aftertaste on the edges of your tongue. I love it when an AF beer isn't one-dimensional.
Below Brew Co
IPA
Super tasty, hoppy, great aroma — and much better carbonation and mouth-feel than the NEIPA and West Coast Hop Lock.
Funky Fluid
IPA
Polish brewery. Very cloudy, very hoppy, bitter finish, with a long-lasting head — close to S tier, but a touch too much sweet wheaty cereal flavour for me. Reminds me of Signature Brew Lo-Fi.
Sambrook's
Pale Ale
Wasn't expecting such a great AF beer from a relatively normy craft brewery. A bit too bitter and malty for my taste, but with depth, complexity, and good carbonation.
Ridgeside
IPA
Tasty slightly hazy IPA, right up my street. Easy to drink.
Big Drop
Pale Ale
Quite bitter, kinda fruity like sweet blackcurrant, very carbonated, a little lager-y. Some spice — almost aniseed-y like a mince pie. Not as good as their Paradiso Citra IPA.
Big Drop x Hop Notch
IPA
Gluten free. Seasonal so may not be around forever.
Big Drop
IPA
Gluten free. Part of their summer season but tends to stick around.
First Chop
IPA
Plenty of bitterness, perhaps a little over-carbonated, with a nice aftertaste. Easy to drink but not particularly stand out.
Browar Maryensztadt
Pale Ale
Inoffensive but pretty watery and low on flavour. Some hoppy, sweet notes.
Ridgeside x Mash Gang
IPA
Particularly watery for an AF beer (which often have that taste anyway), with a little hoppy bitterness on top.
Mash Gang
Stands out, but I'm not sure I'd buy a case. Tastes like you've dropped sweets in the bottom of your glass.
Lervig
IPA
Plenty of complexity. Very bitter, slightly malty, not super hoppy. Reminds me of Punk IPA. Slightly over-carbonated — pour aggressively and let it sit.
Big Drop
Golden Ale
Tastes quite a lot like a bitter lager. Not really to my taste, but if you like Lucky Saint and want something a bit less sweet you might like this.
Big Drop
IPA
Gluten free, seasonal. Forgot to write tasting notes — next time.
Põhjala
IPA
Had high hopes. Some promise in the flavour, but it smells awful — a whiff of drains — and that ruins it.
Big Drop
Brown Ale
Like a lighter version of their milk stout, with similar dark coffee notes.
BrewDog
IPA
Like sparkling grapefruit. Just a bit too thin for me.
AND UNION
Wheat
Not as nasty as Hoegaarden. I don't like wheat beer generally — but if you do, it's actually quite similar to alcoholic wheat beers.
Missed one? Email me.
