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[Closed] Non-alcoholic beers - any nice ones

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[#2017516]

I'm off the booze for the moment (medical), but fancy a cold beer.

Are there any that (1) give a reasonable impression of beer and (2) taste nice?


 
Posted : 22/09/2010 11:04 pm
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I've not drunk alcoholic beer for 7 years so it is difficult to compare, but i like Cobra's 0%, Bernard Alcohol Free Amber is ok too. If you have a sweet tooth Kopparberg Non Alcoholic Pear Cider is v nice.

Tesco is probably the best of the mainstream supermarkets for non-alcoholic beers, but Sainsbury's for wines.


 
Posted : 22/09/2010 11:11 pm
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I really like Bavaria Beer 0.0%. Really nice malty flavour.


 
Posted : 22/09/2010 11:15 pm
 bruk
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My wife and sis both reckoned Becks Blue was the best when they were pregnant. Still tastes like a facsimilie of beer to me though.

Drinkable but you know it's not real. (Even tried blind testing.)


 
Posted : 22/09/2010 11:45 pm
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Think you can get an erdinger one that's not too bad.


 
Posted : 22/09/2010 11:56 pm
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Becks Blue for my currently pregnant ride too. Not bad. Cobra make a horrendous one - avoid.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 7:09 am
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Both the becks and the bavaria


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 7:56 am
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Beck blue is just like drinking a glass full of chemicals bleurrgh!

Cobra Zero is excellent, actually i find it nicer than the alcoholic version

Erdinger alkohol frei is also good if you are into wheat beer (it even says it's isotonic on the bottle, so an excellent sports recovery drink!!)

and the added benefit of all these is that they are much cheaper than their alcoholic breathren


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 8:14 am
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Another one for Becks Blue - currently at Asda £2.50 for four bottles.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 8:16 am
 hora
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I know you want that malty-hit. I'd rather wait. Non-alcohol beer is wrong. You wouldn't have a hand shuffle and stop just before would you? 😆


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 8:23 am
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rOcKeTdOg - Member
Beck blue is just like drinking a glass full of chemicals bleurrgh!

Cobra Zero is excellent, actually i find it nicer than the alcoholic version

Erdinger alkohol frei is also good if you are into wheat beer (it even says it's isotonic on the bottle, so an excellent sports recovery drink!!)

and the added benefit of all these is that they are much cheaper than their alcoholic breathren

+1 on all that.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 8:33 am
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My wife tried the Cobra Zero as she is pregnant. She had one sip and left it. I thought it can't be that bad and tried it. One sip and the rest went down the sink. It is awful. I even tried to make a Shandy with the other bottles to get rid of it but even that was horrible. 🙁


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 9:13 am
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Cobra is UTTERLY minging. We bought two 6 packs of it, tried one and just left them. Horrible maltey grim taste.

Will search out the Erdinger - sounds good!


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 9:15 am
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Hmmmmm, mixed views on the Cobra non-alcoholic!

I was going to recommend it as one of the better ones along with the Becks one that's already been mentioned.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 9:17 am
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Mrs North tried the Becks Blue when pregnant (she had massive cravings for beer then), but it didn't hit the spot with her.

I'll give that a try, and the Erdinger too.

Cheers!


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 9:20 am
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No


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 9:32 am
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Stella ?


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 9:33 am
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I thought alc-free Cobra was truly revolting as well.

I agree Becks Blue isn't quite right on it's own, but if you squeeze quarter of a lime in the glass before you pour - it makes a much tastier and more beer-like drink.

I regard discovering this as one of my greatest personal achievements, so give it a try and let me know what you think.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 9:37 am
 GW
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non alchoholic beer and lime? why other? just have a nice soft drink.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 9:53 am
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It is a nice soft drink.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 9:54 am
 hora
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Have a Becks Blue with a [s]lemonade[/s] Vodka chaser


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 10:02 am
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Non alcoholic beer is like going down on your sister, it tastes similar but it's not quite right.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 10:09 am
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I drank the Becks Blue when I was pregnant, it was fine as long as you didn't have a normal beer before!


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 10:09 am
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Arf. (-:

Stumbled across this the other day, might be of interest:

http://www.alcoholfree.co.uk/index.php?cPath=2_12

Personally, quite like Beck's Blue and Cobra Zero, didn't get on with Baveria at all.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 10:12 am
 hora
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alcoholic beer is like going down on someones sister, it tastes just right.

Whilst in Todmorden....


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 10:16 am
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My wife had Bavaria (not the wheat type) when pregnant, obviously not a patch on the alcoholic Bavaria (which is one of my favorites) but it wasn't too bad. I had a few bottles out of solidarity and didn't mind it (it was nicer than over-sugary soft drinks)


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 10:16 am
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Been off the booze now for 15 months (medical reasons), and not found a decent beer, if pushed I'd say Cobra over some of the others, but TBH I'd go for an alcohol free cider - bit sweet, but I don't find them as gassy. The Bavaria is good when I can get it - seems to be patchy supply locally. Might try the link above to get some in for Xmas.

My local indian does Cobra alcohol free, so it is quite nice to be out for an indian & enjoy some resemblance of a beer with it.

Tried Becks Blue, but didn't like Becks anyway, so don't like the Blue version.

Alcohol free wine = cherry juice. Save your money.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 10:39 am
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mrsflash - Member
I drank the Becks Blue when I was pregnant, it was fine as long as you didn't have a normal beer before!

Good point, well made.

And it tastes better if it has time to get properly chilled too.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 10:52 am
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I was just about to say about the 'Alcohol Free Shop' depending on your location in the north it may be travellable, it's on the Oldham side of Manchester. I drive past it daily too/from work.

This sounds like a good idea...

[url= http://www.alcoholfree.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=2_12&products_id=213 ]Mixed Case[/url]


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 11:05 am
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cobra is ace - becks is minging - end of


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 11:24 am
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Cobra Zero is the most revolting non-alcoholic beer I've ever tried. Sort of like a beer-flavoured milkshake mixed with cough syrup. Couldn't manage more than a mouthful.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 11:27 am
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Cobra alcohol free gave me one of the worst hangovers I can remember. Whatever chemicals are in it disagreed with me. Becks is my first choice if alcohol free, a passable attempt.

One unit infrequently is not going to result in medical complications (unless you have cirrhosis or hepatitis). If one leads to another... abstention I'm afraid.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 11:42 am
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hp_source - you're a genius!

I'm in south Manchester, but can always make a trip up there.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 11:42 am
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One unit infrequently is not going to result in medical complications

True, but the sooner I can ditch these meds, the better.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 11:44 am
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May I suggest Furstenberg Frei?
If I'm attending a social event, but choose to drive (for whatever reason), I hope to see this in the beer fridge at the venue. It's perhaps the best of the lot.
If I'm at home, and want that 'cold beer' experience without the alco-kick, I'll have a couple of Beck's Blue, or that Bavaria, although it can be too malty for any more than one can at a time.

So, Furstenberg Frei, please.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 1:38 pm
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Cheers, Mike. I'll add that to the list.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 1:40 pm
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I had quite a few bottles of Bitburger Drive before I even realized it was booze free. Great tasting beer that doesn't have the chemical taste /smell of some others e.g. Becks Blue.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 2:13 pm
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Due to a girlfriend - off license malfunction I ended up with a few bottles of the alcohol free becks and thought it was ok, the taste was fine, it was the lack of aftertaste that gave the game away though.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 3:44 pm
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I was in a pub last month, where a punter was kicking off to the barman that his beer was "crap". Transpired that he'd been drinking Beck's Blue all night, was stone cold sober and didn't know why...


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 3:55 pm
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Was going to suggest the bitburger drive, best one I've discovered so far. Still not right though is it.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 4:14 pm
 igm
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Kronenbourg Pur Malt is drinkable and under 1%.


 
Posted : 23/09/2010 10:33 pm