Best supermarket so...
 

[Closed] Best supermarket sourced 0% beers

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Offline  scruff9252
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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 1:15 pm
Offline  lunge
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Brewdog Nanny State isn't bad at all.
Erdinger is alright too.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:17 pm
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Brooklyn's Special Effects is tasty. Waitrose, IIRC.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:17 pm
Offline  a11y
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Moretti Zero I had at the weekend was nice.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:25 pm
Offline  binners
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Marks and Spencer. Brewed by Staropromen. Its very nice

null

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:28 pm
Offline  LittleNose
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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 1:29 pm
Online  jonba
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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 1:29 pm
Offline  brant
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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 1:30 pm
Offline  unfitgeezer
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Just drink soft beverages!

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:31 pm
Offline  mattbee
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FreeDamm and Infinite Session IPA

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:35 pm
Offline  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 1:45 pm
Offline  daviek
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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 1:47 pm
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Big Drop Brewing Co

Good stuff.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 1:47 pm
Offline  scruff9252
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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 1:47 pm
Offline  Alphabet
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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 1:48 pm
Offline  squirrelking
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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 1:52 pm
Offline  thisisnotaspoon
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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 1:54 pm
Offline  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 2:00 pm
Offline  northernmatt
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Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5% is nice if you can find it.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 2:01 pm
Offline  theboatman
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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 2:05 pm
Offline  andy4d
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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 2:10 pm
Offline  BoardinBob
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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 2:11 pm
Offline  lister
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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 2:15 pm
Offline  jeffl
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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 2:22 pm
Offline  13thfloormonk
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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 2:27 pm
Offline  ski99
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Warsteiner alcohol free is very drinkable if you can find it.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 2:29 pm
Offline  toby1
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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 2:29 pm
Offline  Cougar
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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 2:41 pm
Offline  the-muffin-man
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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 2:55 pm
Offline  the-muffin-man
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And St. Peters Without is worse than drinking Mr Muscle drain cleaner!!

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 2:56 pm
Offline  YoKaiser
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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 3:01 pm
Offline  reluctantwrinkly
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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 4:32 pm
Offline  stevious
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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 5:12 pm
Offline  djglover
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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 5:16 pm
Offline  jimdubleyou
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Another +1 for Flat Tyre.

Not tried Punk AF, despite being a shareholder 🙂

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 5:26 pm
Offline  chakaping
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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 5:29 pm
Offline  squirrelking
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Forgot Franzikaner Weissbeir, they do an alcohol free version of that too.

 
Posted : 10/12/2019 5:30 pm
Offline  colournoise
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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 10:58 pm
Offline  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 : 11/12/2019 12:05 am
Offline  MrPottatoHead
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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 8:11 am
Offline  spacemonkey
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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 11:07 am
Offline  TheFlyingOx
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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 11:11 am
Offline  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 11:28 am
Offline  MarkBrewer
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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 11:33 am
Offline  edhornby
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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 12:46 pm
Offline  singletrackmind
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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 1:34 pm
Offline  tnrbilly
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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 1:37 pm
Offline  edhornby
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interesting info Singletrackmind, cheers : )

just realised the lame pun after typing there

 
Posted : 11/12/2019 4:52 pm
Offline  chewkw
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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 5:35 pm
Offline  Malvern Rider
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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 7:14 pm
Offline  swdan
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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 9:52 pm
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