I need to cut down, quite possibly due to my love of 5-7% beers...
Any recommendations for lighter drinking beers I can get in the supermarkets?
I did prefer darker real ales but I guess I'll be on lighter/summer stuff now, hopefully ~3% can allow a good flavour? I've tried zero alcohol...no thanks!
Am also wine-curious...
Some no alc is better than others.
I do tend to favour the stronger beers aswell especially malty one. Hate the hoppy shit. So interested in those flavours in a non 7.5abv.
Now, you need to go with me a bit here...
Sainsburys do a dirt cheap 2% lager.
It’s not particularly nice, but if it’s cold enough, 2 cans after a ride in the sun, gets the thirst out of the way to sip something nicer. Beers after a ride is one of my many Achilles heals. Similarly a cold can after work reduces the urge significantly.
It’s also cheaper than spring water.
I don't mind the Heineken 0% if its freezing cold out of the fridge. Very refreshing, particularly with a bit of lemonade as a (very non-turbo) shandy.
Most weak beer tastes like weak skol or carling pish or whatever
I'm in a similar position and have recently tried what Aldi had in.
Mitchellbob ultra - watery.
Becks light - okish
Coors light - best of the bunch and its got a picture of a mountain on the bottle.
Nanny State easily the best for me
Nanny state gets it wrong
Punk af is good for alcohol free without tasting alcohol free.
Father in law alerted me to perlenbachwr 0% from lidl. I don't even shop in lidl but when it hot in summer go out my way to get some to keep in the fridge as a thirst quencher without going for the beers. I don't keep beer in the fridge for the same reason easy dead calories without thinking about it.
I keep beer in the cupboard so I have to conciously think I want a beer. And then stick it in the freezer /fridge while I have a perlenbacher....unless it's the weekend and I've moved my 2 evening beers over already.
If I stored it all in the fridge everynight would be beer night.
I'm also partial to an Amstel raddler in the sun....so I'm expecting big things from brewdog 50:50
I never look at the strength but then I probably only have more than 3 beers in a night a few times a year.
If you like the strong stuff why not drink less in volume/frequency terms?
Nannny States not bad either, nor is Adnams Ghost Ship zero.
Some of the citrusy pale ales are good too and none I've had so far have crossed the 5% point.
I find some 0.5% beers to be pretty good tbh. Just enough alcohol to taste decent.
Some good recommendations at the link below.
https://steadydrinker.com/articles/best-non-alcoholic-beers/#10
5 pints instead of 6 before the honory kebab?
I prefer Brew Dog Hazy AF to Punk AF, but not sure of supermarket availability. Both are 0.5% and taste like beer.
My brother drinks a zero alcohol milk stout I think it might be “Big Drop” - not my favourite style, but he rates it.
I’ve had a couple of the Infinite session beers too. I think the pale ale was better, but didn’t really rate either.
Big drop is good.
Brooklyn alcohol free is my current favourite
In case you didn't know what your looking for a "session ale". Lots of good ones about but I can't think of any from a shop
I kniw its not saying much
But budweiser af stuff is nicer than actual Budweiser
1 cold Erdinger blue is good after a ride but that is about it.
Aftr that I strugle but I am cutting back from 8.6 Duval so please cut me some slack
Wine - try a bottle of Pinot Grigio, it is a bit lemon flavoured but quite swig-able
Brewdog Wake Up Call coffee stout, if you can get it, is really nice. Lunchtime beer though, not just due to the lack of alcohol, but the presence of caffeine.
0.5% - Tiny Rebel Clwb Tropica Alcohol Free - best AF you’ll find
~3% - Kernal Table Beer - different hop variety every batch, often very good
Brooklyn AF and Adnams ghost ship AF are good.
2 years off the beer anniversary last week! 😉
Punk af is good for alcohol free without tasting alcohol free.
I tried one the other day: a bit thin but definitely tasted like beer. Big Drop is the best AF beer I've tried.
I was in the same boat as the op,I ended up drinking what I always drank after trying loads, but one less.
Heineken has become my go-to as it's the easiest to find everywhere.
Liked Big Drop also.
Tried some alcohol free red wine in a restaurant once. Not at all bad, but more 'fruit juice' than wine.
I've also taken to drinking long whiskies now that I've gotten over my snobbery about ice and water. They smell good, taste good and fill a gap that a big punchy 7% IPA would have filled otherwise.
Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5% is the best easily available option in my opinion.
As already mentioned the low alcohol level does just enough to make it a good alternative, never liked any of the zero versions I've tried in the past.
If you are looking at "proper" beers the lowest decent one that i've found is Banks Amber 3.8% - Tesco's do it for 90p a bottle.
My recommendation for a post ride thirst quencher is Schofferhofer Grapefruit Beer, at 2.5% has just enough relaxant for the leg burn.
Thornbridge zero five is also recommended
West Berks Brewery have just (well, 4 months ago) brought out a range of low alcohol beers called Solo
https://www.wbbrew.com/product/solo-alcohol-free-mix/
Not bad actually.
I went through a phase of drinking to much and whilst I found things like Erdinger, Punk AF and Nanny State were perfectly drinkable, I decided the key for me was to remove my thirst so I didn't neck the first can or 2.
So now I just neck a pint or 2 of water before the first can/pint even when in the pub and I find it really helps slow me down.
Ooo, had a thought - Siren Half Mast is pretty good too. Had one in the pub and didn't realise it was only 2.8% until I went back for another one...
Again, not sure it's available in supermarkets (maybe near the brewery).
I like Dark Star Hophead it's 3.8% and very refreshing.
Most of the German Radlers are excellent, if you can get them over there? Warsteiner do a decent zero alcohol one, but the 2% one is better. Amstel (yes, I know that they're Dutch) have a great one that's like drinking a fruit pastille. Their zero sugar one is vile, though.
Gipsy Hill Carver is excellent at 2.8% but you’ll have to order direct or find a decent beer shop.
I like the Tiny Rebel Clwb Tropica NA for low/no alcohol. Thornbridge Zero Five (think it used to be called Big Easy) is nice too, and in some big supermarkets and Ocado.
If you live in North Manchester you can get Brightside brewery to deliver, they have an alcohol free that's really good. And their session ale called Odin is 3.8 and is a corker
+1 for the Brooklyn one (special effects?)
It's head and shoulders above the others I've tried.
Would like to sample the tiny rebel and Thornbridge though.
Cheers all. Tried ASDA and the Punk AF is ok, Ghost Ship less so. I tried a few before, mostly lagers, they were all pish.
About 3 regular beers under 4%, weakest 3.6%. I guess I have a bit of dependency and knowing I need to cut down makes me.want it more!
I'll try a few more supermarkets then maybe online.
Another thing to try that works for me is not to have any in the house. I found if it wasn't there the temptation was lessened greatly, plus living in the middle of nowhere ment I couldn't just pop to the shop.
I like Infinite Session, the Pale Ale is nice , IPA a bit sharp for me but perfectly acceptable.
No beer in the house?! Crazy!
We have most things mentioned in the house… the Carver is fine, Thornbridge very disappointing, Tiny Rebel easily the best. Not tried the Brooklyn yet… will get some in.
No beer in the house?!
You called?.....
Forgot to recommend Wiper and True small beer. Lovely stuff.
https://wiperandtrue.com/order-beer-online/small-beer-case-12x-440ml-cans
Hard to beat that Lidl alcohol free pilsner for the price. I gave up drinking about 4 months ago and have tried a few of the alcohol free ones. For the money it's great.
Otherwise Punk AF is pretty epic.
We have the Wiper and True one in as well, is pretty good. Punk AF been and gone … was more beer like than Nanny State. Tiny Rebel still the best.
Post ride cold Erdinger for me.
Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5% is the best easily available option in my opinion.
I picked up a bottle along with some other beers a while ago, drank it and really enjoyed it. My g/f had to point out it was 0.5%, I hadn’t noticed!
For a lower ABV without being alcohol free, one of my favorites is Pocket Rocket by Arbor Ales.
A lot of flavour without the high ABV of some IPAs. But also unfined and a bit hazy if thats your thing.
Hog's Back Brewery Little Swine is only 2.8% and very nice.
https://www.hogsback.co.uk/brands/seasonal-ales/little-swine/
I picked up a bottle along with some other beers a while ago, drank it and really enjoyed it. My g/f had to point out it was 0.5%, I hadn’t noticed!
I'd say along with Heineken, it's the one that tastes most like it's full strength version.
Have a look at cloudwater
You won’t find them in the supermarket but some of the more discerning bottle shops will have them and they do mail order (or same day delivery if your in Manchester or bits of london)
These two are low alcohol but still have the hop flavours of much stronger beer (rather than a lot of low alcohol stuff which is just a bit watery
Small pale 2.5%
https://shop.cloudwaterbrew.co/products/small-pale-1
Hoppy little lager 3%
https://shop.cloudwaterbrew.co/products/hoppy-little-lager-6-pack
They also do hopped sodas which are a nice alternative to low alcohol beer which manage the impressive act of Being a flavoured soft drink and not being to sweet.
https://shop.cloudwaterbrew.co/collections/soda
On the back of this thread and striking a chord that I'm trying to cut back, certainly for a period, I bought several types of non and low alcohol beers last night, not impressed with Peroni, but Ghost Ship is passable - ish, still have Nanny State, Punk AF to try yet. Perhaps try and seek out the breweries that do 2.5%, at least they have some taste.
Recent release from Shipyard - Low Tide 0.5 - tropical fruity taste - very nice 😛 May even be better than the knats pee Bud Light I currently use to make my DIPAs go further 😉
Weak but still taste good........
Saltaire Blonde 4%
Coniston Brewing Co Bluebird Bitter 3.6%
Salopian Oracle 4%
Bradfield Brewery Farmers Gold 4%
Ossett Brewery Yorkshire Blonde 3.9%
Ilkley Brewery Blonde 3.9%
Bevertown Neck Oil 4.3%
Vocation Heart and Soul 4.4%
Just got a case yesterday of Small Beer lager, which is 2.1%, First taste seems very pleasant.
Saltaire Blonde 4%
Coniston Brewing Co Bluebird Bitter 3.6%
Salopian Oracle 4%
Bradfield Brewery Farmers Gold 4%
Ossett Brewery Yorkshire Blonde 3.9%
Ilkley Brewery Blonde 3.9%
Bevertown Neck Oil 4.3%
Vocation Heart and Soul 4.4%
Funny how times have changed... those would've been considered standard strength in the past.
Re peroni af being crap
...it is I agree but my local pub which is also the local Italian serves birra moretti AF.
It's really rather good.
Perlenbacher 0.0 from Aldi for no booze
Bud light for little booze.
Weak but still taste good……..
Saltaire Blonde 4%
Coniston Brewing Co Bluebird Bitter 3.6%
Salopian Oracle 4%
Bradfield Brewery Farmers Gold 4%
Ossett Brewery Yorkshire Blonde 3.9%
Ilkley Brewery Blonde 3.9%
Bevertown Neck Oil 4.3%
Vocation Heart and Soul 4.4%
None of those are in any way weak 🙂
Under 4 might be considered a light beer but over is standard strength.
Coors "light" is over 4% Be as well on Tenants lager.
Have a look at cloudwater
You won’t find them in the supermarket but some of the more discerning bottle shops will have them and they do mail order (or same day delivery if your in Manchester or bits of london)
These two are low alcohol but still have the hop flavours of much stronger beer (rather than a lot of low alcohol stuff which is just a bit watery
Small pale 2.5%
Small Pale
I was about to say Cloudwater - tried the Small Pale for the first time last night and it's very close to the normal pale ale in flavour (they're all very nice and easy drinking). They also deliver anywhere in the UK for free via UPS when you spend £40 (if you're not in one of the local delivery zones)
Not difficult to spend £40 at Cloudwater. A fiver a can! And not much less for the low alcohol stuff. I'll just have to imagine how good it tastes 😂
Cheers guys. Am struggling with stuff online that's twice the price of supermarket (and the same per volume as wine FFS!)
I may try them tho if this turns out to be a longer term thing.
The infinite pale is best I've tried recently - thought their IPA was very bland. Nanny state in bottles still the champ for me, tho.
A lot of LA stuff tastes decent or even good on a first drink, but doesn't stand up to repeated visits IME. Hard to find one you'd be happy drinking on the reg.
Bud light for little booze.
It's 4.2% so still a fair bit.
Funny how times have changed… those would’ve been considered standard strength in the past.
In a traditional sense and when writing about beer yeah.
None of those are in any way weak
As weak as I usually drink and less than 5-7% the OP mooted. I find there are only a handful of easily available beers that taste of anything below 4%. I've tried loads below 4% and usually find they taste alright for the first mouthful, but by the third or fourth quite watery. There are a few exceptions I can't remember off the top of my head! But they're difficult to source in anything other than cask.
Some (not all) of my list you can get 4 for 6 quid (£1.50 a bottle) at Asda or Tesco.
find there are only a handful of easily available beers that taste of anything below 4%.
Sure. But isn't that the point of the thread? Quite a good selection of small beers and palatable 0.5% choices so far.
It’s 4.2% so still a fair bit.
3.5 in the UK
Going on hols to Spain tomorrow so that should help my 7-8% double IPA habit as there'll be nothing but 4% Spanish piss. As long as I can stay off the wine 🙂
This place has about 60 to choose from: https://www.craftyaf.co.uk and they did offer a 10% off coupon for STW users back in May. I can see if they're keen to do it again. They do a nice couple of mixed cases - Fruity/Hoppy/Light - though unfortunately no dark. They do do some dark AF beers though...
I've started trying to do nothing in the week and then just continue my blaze through the world's 8 percenters at the weekends... but there's only so many cans of plain tonic you can endure...
Quite a good selection of small beers and palatable 0.5% choices so far.
Hmmmm when there that low IMO you're not really drinking beer anymore, a substitute/shandy. Each to their own I'm not saying you can't!
Speaking of Spanish piss Mahou Green and Red (the 5.5% red is best) used to be surprisingly drinkable for mainstream bottled beers!