Here are a few beers that I've selected for one reason and one reason only, at some point I've heard someone say those magic words, this tastes just like the real thing! So here they are:
Guinness 0.0
Relatively new to the AF market, it was certainly worth the wait. Side by side you may be able to tell the difference, but that's about it. Guinness 0.0 is possibly the closest beer to it's alcoholic version so far...
Adnam's Ghost Ship Alcohol Free Pale Ale
Adnam's say, "we invested in a de-alcoholiser; a reverse osmosis plant which allows the team to brew Ghost Ship 4.5% and then remove the alcohol." The good news is it works! Ghost Ship Alcohol Free is a great example of a brewer wanting to produce a decent AF version of a beer rather than feeling they should produce an AF version of their beer. Just like the 4.5% version this has that deep hoppy, biscuitty flavour with more than a hint of citrus.
ERDINGER Alkoholfrei
You know... the one for athletes! ERDINGER Alkoholfrei's bottle boldly claims, "isotonic thirst-quencher", whilst technically true, I suspect you may get a call from the head teacher if you send your child to school with it in their packed lunch! One thing is for sure, it's great tasting and it's brewed according to the Bavarian Purity Law, add that to the fact it's isotonic and contains vitamins B9 and B12, what's not to like! This is one one of the beers that I get asked about a lot and it's normally along the lines of, "have you tried the Erdinger AF, it's really good, just like the real thing".
Heineken 0.0%
The big boys have come out to play! When Heineken launched their AF version they did so with a £2.5 million marketing push, they meant business. If refreshing, crisp lager is your go to, this really hits the mark. Long gone are the days where you need to put up with that initial refreshing sensation followed by a much longer lasting weird after-taste, this one is just like the alcoholic version.
