Searches and purchases for non alcoholic beer are on the rise in Australia, but for those not familiar with the ins and outs of alcohol free beer, making the right choice can be daunting.
Here’s everything you need to know about it and the best non alcoholic beer in Australia.
What is non-alcoholic beer?
Non-alcoholic beer is exactly what it sounds like, a beer with zero or extremely low alcohol (0.05% is the standard). The beverage still contains the same ingredients as regular beer, it is just cooked longer to evaporate any alcohol, allowing the hoppy taste of beer to remain but alcohol free beer is the final product instead of regular beer. Along with other low alcohol drinks, non-alcoholic beer is growing rapidly in popularity as the rate of Australians drinking in excess has been in a steady decline since 2010 (source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare).
There’s a number of reasons why people may choose to drink non-alcoholic beer. It’s a great choice for those who have struggled with alcohol addiction or are unable to drink alcohol for health or religious reasons, but still enjoy the taste. It’s also a good beverage for designated drivers, pregnant women or just those looking to cut back who aren’t quite satisfied with soft drink or water. Despite it being alcohol free, it may not be suitable for those aged under 18.
DID YOU KNOW? Non-alcoholic beer has been around since Medieval times as it was often safer to drink than contaminated water
Is non-alcoholic beer good for you?
Compared to a standard beer, which is 4.8% alcohol and on average contains 126 calories, non-alcoholic beer contains zero or 0.5% alcohol and on average contains 88 calories, making it a much better beer choice for the waistline. Some studies have suggested that alcohol free beer has some antioxidant properties and can boost immunity thanks to the polyphenols in beer.
If you’re looking for a low carb alcohol option though, non-alcoholic beer may not be the best choice as it still contains a hefty dose of carbohydrates, and the same goes for those who want low sugar alcohol options, as low alcohol beer still contains some sugars.
Here are our pick of the ten best non-alcoholic beers:
10. Erdinger Low Alc, Wheat Beer, $15.99 (six-pack), Dan Murphy’s
