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[Closed] Best supermarket sourced 0% beers

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I've got my works xmas lunch coming up very soon, BYOB and a curry - braw. However these days I can't be arsed starting drinking at noon and being asleep by 5...

So as per title, what's the best 0 - 0.5% beer as found on local supermarket shelves? I've tried Becks blue and wasn't a fan. Budweiser prohibition brew was broadly better than drinking pints of coke but still, well like too gassy Budweiser...

What else is good?

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:15 pm
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Brewdog Nanny State isn't bad at all.
Erdinger is alright too.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:17 pm
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Brooklyn's Special Effects is tasty. Waitrose, IIRC.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:17 pm
 a11y
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Moretti Zero I had at the weekend was nice.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:25 pm
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Marks and Spencer. Brewed by Staropromen. Its very nice

null

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:28 pm
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Big Drop Brewing Co Pale Ale is the best I’ve tried by quite some margin.
We get it delivered from Waitrose - not sure if I’ve seen it on the shelves though

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:29 pm
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What lunge said (Brewdog is hoppy, Erdinger a standard lager). The Sainsbury's lager was drinkable but no cheaper than the Erdinger. Free Damm was nice. I also like the Franziskaner wheat beer.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:29 pm
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Nanny State and PUNK AF are ok.

I also really like the 0% white wine from Eisberg.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:30 pm
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Just drink soft beverages!

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:31 pm
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FreeDamm and Infinite Session IPA

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:35 pm
 beej
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Brooklyn’s Special Effects is tasty. Waitrose, IIRC.

Agreed.

Heineken 0.0 is probably my preferred AF lager, but I doubt I could tell it from the Peroni/San Miguel/Estella AF beers in a blind taste test.

Erdinger for something with more flavor.

Personally I don't like the Brew Dog ones. Becks Blue is OK, Bud terrible. I was disappointed with Infinite Session, but a lot of people like it.

Just drink soft beverages!

I can't drink sweet stuff in volume, hence if I'm in a pub not drinking alcohol, AF beers are a better choice for me.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:45 pm
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Low tide is pretty good and the one i go for if im after low alcohol beer

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:47 pm
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Big Drop Brewing Co

Good stuff.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:47 pm
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[strong]unfitgeezer[/strong] wrote:

Just drink soft beverages!

An evening (or indeed afternoon) drinking fizzy juice just makes my teeth feel furry and and unable to sleep due to the sugar. With coke especially the "hangover" seems just as bad too.

Fruit juices don't do it for me, looking for something a bit tastier than water and having a cuppa with a curry seems wrong...

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:47 pm
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I've tried a few and settled on Bavaria Original 0% which I buy from Asda. It's only about £2.20 for 4 bottles.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:48 pm
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Erdinger isn't a beer, it's a malt isotonic. I certainly don't like it but the malt is different. See also St Peters Without (both from Tesco).

Brewdog Nanny State is hoppy but nice if you like that kind of beer, I think they have another one out now but I've not tried it (EDIT: just noticed Brant mentioned Punk AF, that'll be it). Pistonhead Flat Tyre is also tasty but FFS make sure you get the blue and silver pack and not the blue and black (former is alcohol free, latter is 4.4%). Again, all available from Tesco.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:52 pm
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I was going to say the Heineken one is probably the closest to tasting like the normal version, and I quite like Heineken.

Not a fan of Nanny State, the hops make it taste like soap with nothing to balance it. Not tried Punk AF.

Lidl do an AF wheatbeer, which is nice if you like wheatbeers.

I can’t drink sweet stuff in volume, hence if I’m in a pub not drinking alcohol, AF beers are a better choice for me.

TBF I usually end up ordering carbonated water with ice/lemon.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 12:54 pm
 tomd
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The Lidl AF Wheat beer is a good cheap option, but I find it a bit sweet. The Erdinger AF Wheat beers is closer to the real thing, but quite pricey. Sainsburys do it.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:00 pm
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Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5% is nice if you can find it.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:01 pm
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I've had the Erdinger and Moretti and both were pleasant enough, whilst I'm good with one or two of them I wouldn't be on them all night. I couldn't drink pop or juice all night either. So when needing to be af, generally I tend to stick with water as my preference.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:05 pm
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My father is trying a fair few the last couple of weeks and his favourite so far is a Czech one from Marks and Spencer, brown bottle with white/purple lable.

There was a wheat beer he got that he thought was great, had real taste he said. On closer inspection the 0.5 was 0.5 litres.....it was 6%abv!!!!

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:10 pm
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if you dont like sugary drinks, be warned that a lot of AF beers are full of sugar. the Erdinger one is definitely rammed full.

Nanny State isn't, and Punk AF has some sugar but not as much.

Nanny State was definitely my favourite during Sober October

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:11 pm
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My wife likes the Erdinger and has been drinking lots of Eisberg white wine too. That’s the nicest 0% drink I’ve tried recently; it’s got a dryness to it which is quite alcoholy.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:15 pm
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Our Tesco has a big selection of alcohol free beers. In its own section on the booze aisle. So just pop to your local large Tesco.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:22 pm
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Punk AF is my current fave, I think because it seems most drinkable in volume! perhaps less sugary as mentioned above.

Also enjoy the Big Drop beers, both Pale Ale and Stout. Brooklyn also nice and equally happy with Heineken.

I've been drinking more and more AF these days, just doesn't seem much of a sacrifice but still fills the Friday evening beer shaped hole quite nicely with some salt and vinegar crisps (obviously still enjoy a nice punchy IPA now and then).

At restaurants etc. if I'm going AF I quite often get a sparkling water and request some lime wedges. The 'fizz' seems to hit a spot in your throat that makes it seem like so much more than just expensive water. Again, doesn't feel like you're missing out so much.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:27 pm
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Warsteiner alcohol free is very drinkable if you can find it.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:29 pm
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Ghost ship, Infinite session and Nanny state/Punk AF are my personal preferences from this list. If you thought Bud was ok though I'm not sure there is much cross over in our tastes!

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:29 pm
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The big bottle with the blue label that I can never remember the name of is decent enough. (I'll check next time I'm shopping if I remember).

I've not tried it yet, but I've got a bottle of alcohol-free Old Speckled Hen here. That could be interesting.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:41 pm
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Heineken 0.0 is probably my preferred AF lager

Me too and have tried most of them. Becks Blue is rank.

For ale types Infinate Session and PUNK AF or Nanny State.

I can't drink more than 4 of any though - and aftertaste seems to build up after a few.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:55 pm
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And St. Peters Without is worse than drinking Mr Muscle drain cleaner!!

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:56 pm
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Bavaria or Erdinger for me. When I asked myself what I thought I was missing, going alcohol free, it was a cold lager rather than an ale. Both of those hit the spot.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 2:01 pm
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Shipyard low tide is my favourite at the moment, not quite as metallic tasting as ghost ship. First sip it seems a bit flowery but soon settles down after a couple of swigs.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 3:32 pm
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I drink mostly Heineken 0%.

I find most of the other lagers (particularly Becks and Bud) have some kind of weird undertone that I can't quite describe. Not totally nasty but enough that I'd avoid given the choice. If you're happy with the flavour of real Heineken then you'll probably like their O%. As mentioned above, the flat tyre lager is also excellent and a bit more interesting flavour-wise than Heineken.

I find the more ale-y ones a bit hit-and miss. They usually taste fine enough but they usually just leave me wishing I was drinking actual beer.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 4:12 pm
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Brewdog Punk AF is really good, I think because it is brewed at 0.5% abv rather than having the alcohol removed later leaving that weird malty taste many have.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 4:16 pm
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Another +1 for Flat Tyre.

Not tried Punk AF, despite being a shareholder 🙂

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 4:26 pm
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Brooklyn Special Effects or Erdinger are way better than anything else that I have tried.

And yes, you can taste the sugar in the Erdinger.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 4:29 pm
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Forgot Franzikaner Weissbeir, they do an alcohol free version of that too.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 4:30 pm
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Nanny State, Erdinger Blue or the Franzikaner for me.

Sounds like I need to seek out some Punk AF to try though...

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 9:58 pm
 si77
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Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5% is nice if you can find it.

+1

Available in Waitrose and M&S

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 11:05 pm
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Moretti Zero +1

Been trying a few recently and this one is probably my favourite but pricier, followed by Heineken-which I'd buy if I was having quite a few over an evening.

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 7:11 am
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Nanny State, Erdinger and such like are passable IME. If you want to ramp up to a fuller flavour with more depth and richness then you can't go wrong with a selection from Thornbridge and Big Drop. Marginally more pricey in the high stree but infinitely more like the real thing.

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 10:07 am
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Folk mentioning Erdinger but there's a better one - Paulaner Hefe-weisbier non-alcoholic.
Erdinger is OK but still has that slightly offputting alcohol-free taste to it. Paulaner is - to my tastebuds anyway - almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

£1.30 a bottle in Tescos, last time I checked.

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 10:11 am
 tomd
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And St. Peters Without is worse than drinking Mr Muscle drain cleaner!!

+1, bought a couple of bottles of that and it was rank, a real chew. Lovely bottle though. It reminded of Kvass - malty and overly sweet. Which is not good. Kvass is a fermented beer-like drink popular in Central & Eastern Europe that's made from Rye bread. It's low alcohol and folk seem to go mad for it, but I find it a bit unsettling.

Good tips above on other AF wheat beers, I look for those and if their better than the Erdinger that'll be my go to post ride drink.

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 10:28 am
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Heineken is really good. Definitely the most drinkable for me and probably the closest to normal beer.

Punf AF or Flat tyre are really good too, that's the only 3 I drink now and I've tried quite a few different ones. Some of them are totally 🤢

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 10:33 am
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Morrisons do a Spanish one in a blue can that is drinkable and not too expensive. They seem to be less palatable if they get warm though, and this applies to Erdinger and the Brewdog as well IME.

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 11:46 am
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It's most likely the type of sugars they use.
Erythritol or stevia are both unfermentsble therefore good to use in alcohol free, nab lab beer
Adds to stability or reduces risk of bottle fermenting creating either bombs or ramping up the abv
It's hard to make decent low alcohol beer. By removing the alcohol you strip hop volatiles, alpha and to some degrees mouth feel
Big drop make nice low alc beer, not my favourites but make a great shandy if mixed 50 50 with lemonade

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 12:34 pm
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Know it's not beer and probably wouldn't go with curry very well, but Sheppy's 0% cider is not bad. My local Tesco sells it.

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 12:37 pm
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interesting info Singletrackmind, cheers : )

just realised the lame pun after typing there

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 3:52 pm
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You can get cider for 0.5% from Waitrose but then you are better off just drinking apple juice. 😀

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 4:35 pm
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+1 for Shipyard Low Tide. Only one I’ve tried that was remotely palatable IIRC. Not bad at all.

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 6:14 pm
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This reminded me that I really liked Lucky Saint 0.5% lager when I had it in a burger place. Now to see if I can track it down anywhere to take home

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 8:52 pm
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Think lucky saint is in Sainsbury's.

Punk AF is my current favourite, it uses lactose instead of sugar so you get a better mouthfeel than Nanny State which I find a bit thin. Heard good things about Ghost Ship and if they've got it tasting like the regular version it'll be good.

Just realised I'm typing this while drinking a barley wine 🍻

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 9:04 pm
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Looks like it is, will have to see if my.local one has it next time I'm in

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 9:08 pm
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Punk AF, horrific after taste. Yukky.

I binned it after 1 gulp and opened a doom bar

 
Posted : 12/12/2019 5:15 pm
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Tried the M&S Czech lager over the holiday and have to say it reminded me of Kaliber ........but the Adnams Ghost Ship was very good.

 
Posted : 27/12/2019 9:34 pm

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