Electric Bear / Below Brew Co - Unruly AF Pale Ale

Two breweries from the Bath region have teamed up to produce this 0.5% ABV pale ale. It is (as declared on the 440 ml can - complete with cool artwork) unruly, unfined and unfiltered. It's also vegan, but isn't GF. In with the malted barley, wheat and oats are Citra, Mosaic and Idaho 7 hops. A vigorous head is created upon pouring and it leaves plenty of lacework down the glass as one drinks it. The aroma is at once both floral and juicy. A delightful combination of flavours comes forward upon tasting - citrus (tangerine), stone fruit (apricot and papaya) and pine - and all carried by a smooth and soft mouthfeel. The slight sweetness of the ale is cut through by a finish that is both hoppy and bitter. Easily full marks, unruly or not.

5 / 5

Jump/Ship - Jackstaff IPA

This Scottish brew comes in a 330ml can, and is both GF and vegan whilst the declared alcohol content is less than 0.5% ABV. Mosaic and Centennial are the hop varieties listed, together with barley and oats. Upon pouring into the glass, Jackstaff creates virtually no head which is rather disappointing. The aroma though is a pleasantly floral one. Pine and tropical are the flavours to the fore with just a touch of citrus. As one might expect from the lack of head, the body lacks any real carbonation but the finish is smooth, rather peach-like. A good, solid IPA but let down somewhat by the lack of life in the body.

3 / 5

Gower Brewery - Zero IPA

"Packing all the taste and flavour of a regular IPA", it says on the  330ml bottle label so that's what I'll call this low alcohol beer from the Gower Brewery based in Swansea. The brewery produces several beers and this is their low alcohol offering (given as no more than 0.5% ABV). The beer is described as suitable for vegans and the ingredients listed are malted barley, hops and wheat. The main hop used is the Simcoe, although a grand total of 9 hops is utilised - from the US, the UK and New Zealand. It pours a rich bronze colour into the glass and the aroma is one of an inviting traditional pale ale. The taste is a very smooth one, a very easy to drink one. It is both resinous and hoppy, with the piney character blending well with stone fruits and a soft lemon sherbet undercurrent. Zero's mouthfeel is smooth and is not given to too much carbonation. The slightly clipped bitter finish rounds off a very enjoyable brew. 

4 / 5

Padstow Brewing - Crew Brew Hazy Pale Ale

This Cornish brewery produce both alcoholic beers and ciders, but also offer up this 0.5% ABV hazy pale ale. The company donate 10p to the Cornwall Air Ambulance from the sale of each 440ml can. The ingredients listed are barley, wheat and oats. It is a very lively beer upon dispensing and releases a prominent tangy grapefruit aroma. The taste is similarly citrussy - mostly grapefruit but also with some lemon and orange in the mix. Despite the billowing head the mouthfeel is gentle and it has modest carbonation on the tongue. With all the citrus characteristics, the finish is expectedly sharp. A refreshing brew and a worthy cause.

3 / 5

Chouffe

Chouffe comes in at 0.4% ABV and is produced by Brasserie D'Achouffe in Belgium, this being their first low alcohol beer. Barley malt, wheat malt, hops, spices and hop extracts are the ingredients listed on the distinctive 330 ml bottle. A large foamy head bursts into life as one pours the beer into a glass but it very quickly dissipates. There is very little aroma, maybe just a touch of breadiness. The taste is equally reticent; perhaps a hint of spice or the mildest of fruit, but not much more than that. It has a very thin and watery mouthfeel and soon loses any carbonation. Unsurprisingly the finish is as unmemorable. It's not unpleasant but it doesn't really tick any boxes for me. 

1 / 5

Brains - No Brainer IPA

Brains brewery hails from Cardiff and was established in 1882. This, an IPA, is their first foray into NOLO beers - coming in at 0.5% ABV. The ingredients listed on the 330ml can are given as malted barley, wheat and hops; although which three varieties of hop are utilised is not specified. A soft, wholewheat bread aroma kicks off proceedings. On the palate No Brainer has a biscuity, caramel and malty vibe going on and is all perfectly balanced. The taste is robust but not overpowering. The body is very smooth, whilst the finish allows a citrus bite to come through. Would I buy another one? That's a no brainer.

5 / 5

La Trappe - Nillis

"Authentic Trappist Produce" is declared on the traditional-looking label. This Dutch ale comes from the Koningshoeven Brewery, which is owned by the global company Royal Swinkels. It has 0.0% alcohol, comes in a 33cl bottle and the ingredients are listed as barley malt, hops and hop extract. When poured into the glass the beer creates a delightfully dense creamy head. On the nose it has a rich caramel aroma. Tastewise the sweetness continues, together with liquorice and dark fruit - think dates and soft figs. The body has a nicely rounded feel to it, whilst the finish manages to have a distinctly bitter edge to it. It has the character one expects of a Trappist beer - for sipping, not quaffing - but for me there is too great a level of sweetness in the taste to be a beer that I'd pray to have another.

3 / 5

Downton Brewery - Secret Sobriety

Downton Brewery was set up 20 years ago and is based in Wiltshire. The can declares Secret Sobriety as "a low alcohol beer" but the description pitches it as an IPA. It comes in a 330ml can and has an ABV of 0.5%. The ingredients are listed as Avon water, malted barley and hops. The latter are Willamette, Azacca and Celeia, but the first two have subsequently been swapped out for Styrian Dana and Wolf. The beer is golden coloured and creates a good head upon dispensing. On the nose it is seriously hoppy. The body is light and well-rounded and delivers a delicious and balanced range of flavours - at once floral, resinous, piney and a touch herbal. The strong hop character follows through into the finish. Hopefully the tweaked recipe will be as good as this, because this is the best IPA I've had in a good while. 

5 / 5

Asahi Super Dry 0.0%

Brewed under the supervision of Japanese master brewers, it says on the 330ml can. It's a de-alcoholised beer and the ingredients are given as "barley malt, corn grits, hops, corn starch and natural flavours." It is therefore not GF. The beer is brewed and canned by Birra Peroni in Italy, for Asahi UK Ltd. A strong head is created upon pouring and the aroma is restrained and rather herby. Biscuity is how I would describe the taste and quite sweet as well. Smooth and well rounded is the mouthfeel, no doubt assisted by the corn starch. As per the name, the finish is quite dry. The word "lager" does not seem to appear on the can, but I think I would describe it as such. Best drunk well chilled and makes for a nice accompaniment to a meal. 

3 / 5

Bluntrock Brewery - No Low Can You Go? Pale Ale

Bluntrock brewery was born in 2021 in Rock, Cornwall. This pale ale is their first alcohol-free beer (0.5% ABV). It comes in a 440ml can (with some eye-catching artwork) and is a vegan brew. The ingredients are given as malted barley, oats, hops and chilli peppers. Upon pouring into the glass the body reveals itself to be decidedly opaque and sitting on top is a lively frothy head which soon subsides. There is a strong citrussy aroma. And so tastewise, NLCYG is full-on citrus, particularly grapefruit and lemon, with maybe a touch of restraining peach. I can't detect any chilli pepper amongst the flavours. An effervescent and light body makes for an easy quaff. Consistent with the flavours, the finish is quite sharp. Overall, it is a promising first AF beer from Bluntrock.

3 / 5

Big Drop - Reef Point Craft Lager

This East Anglian 0.5% ABV lager comes in a 330ml can and is vegan, GF and low calorie. Ingredients listed include malted barley and glycerine, together with Hallertau, Hersbrucker and Citra hops. The beer is very effervescent as one dispenses it into the glass, but the head that is created soon disappears. The aroma is a pleasing floral one, not powerful but neither is it overpowering. This continues through into the taste together with a nice balance of other flavours - particularly melon, pine and orange - all sitting on a gentle maltiness. Reef Point has a light level of carbonation and a gentle if rather thin mouthfeel. The finish has a restrained  pine character. Overall then a very pleasant AF lager.

3 / 5

M&S Low Alcohol Czech Lager

Bottled in the UK, but brewed in the Czech Republic (specifically at the Litovel brewery in Moravia), this lager comes in at 0.5% ABV in a 500 ml bottle. Zatec (Saaz) hops are used in the brew, together with malted barley and glucose-fructose syrup. It's also labelled as a vegan beer, which seems to be increasingly common. When poured into a large glass a good foamy head is created which hangs around impressively. The aroma is bready, albeit a very slight one. The taste is of a traditional lager, with touches of mandarin and green tea providing some distinctiveness. The body is well-rounded and it has moderate carbonation. A slightly bitter finish rounds off a pleasant if rather modest brew.

3 / 5