Boozeless Brews: Plumbing the Depths of Non-Alcoholic Beers
What with all the parties, clubs, and bars abounding in our fair city, it can often feel like we Beijingers have to choose between our social lives and our livers. Thankfully, there's an alternative that can help save our bodies: non-alcoholic beers.
In the hunt for a pre-hangover cure, we perused a few local supermarkets and online stores in search of decent-tasting boozeless brews. Here's what we found:
Asahi Dry Zero (Japan) - RMB 22-30 per 350ml
One of the best things about this Japanese brew is that it contains 0 calories, 0 alcohol, and 0 grams of sugar. We're not really sure what is in it, though. The taste is much lighter than its boozy cousin and lacks the base hoppy notes, although it is a nice light golden color, just what you would expect from a beer.
The label is more upfront about its non-alcoholic content than the other beverages on this list, but the color scheme is very similar to the usual Asahi, so it ends up being quite discreet. It's also quite expensive compared to the other brews on account of it only being available online and shipped from Japan.
Verdict: 6/10. Great news about the low calories, though not so much the lack of taste. Although we're trying to ditch the alcohol we're trying to lose – we'd still like some character in our beer.
Clausthaler Dry Hopped (Germany) - RMB 89 for 6 bottles of 355ml
Compared to the Asahi, Clausthaler comes much closer to having a real brew bite, with bitter notes that nod towards an IPA. It's best enjoyed straight out of the bottle (because, hello, look at this minimalist beauty), but if you pour it into a glass you can also feast your eyes upon its deep cloudy amber shade. It's only available online, for an unbeatable price of under RMB 15 per bottle. Each bottle contains 92 calories.
Verdict: 9/10. A strong favorite. Its simple design, strong flavor, and cloudy hues all make it a true winner.
Erdinger (Germany) - RMB 168 for 12 bottles, 330ml
Erdinger's Alkoholfrei beer surprised us with its sour notes, which set it apart from anything else on this list. That distinctive element aside, we found that it lacks both base notes and an aftertaste. However, it makes for easy drinking and is also pretty damn cheap, with a price tag of just RMB 14 per bottle. Contains about 82 calories per bottle.
Verdict: 7/10. This supermarket-style brew is nothing special but could work as an easy picnic in the park sipper.
Bavaria (Holland) - RMB 112 for 12 bottles, 330ml
More like lemonade than beer, the Bavaria "Radler" series comes in a variety of flavors: lemon, apple, and peach, among others. Fans of shandy will have found their clear favorite here thanks to a burst of lemon that punches through. Think beer cocktail rather than anything you have ever tried down the pub.
We wouldn't recommend pairing with food due to its sweetness, but the Radler is pleasant on its own and the fruit element may also appease cider drinkers looking for a non-alcoholic substitute. Available online and in April Gourmet stores around Beijing, and contains about 120 calories per bottle.
Verdict: 7/10. If beer cocktails are your jam, this is the one to go with.
All in all, we were happy to find that there's enough range among these non-alcoholic brews to make them suitable for all your party and picnicking needs. While there aren't any non-alcoholic beers on tap in any of our favorite Beijing breweries yet, we're hoping that may change as people wise-up to drinking beer while trying to avoid its less appealing elements.
Wanna keep the booze-free kick going?
Check out our weekly round-up of events that won't leave you hungover.
More by this author here.
Email: tautviledaugelaite@thebeijinger.com
Images: Unsplash, Tautvile Daugelaite
