Even Cara Pils has gotten into it: beer without alcohol, and without a hangover, is much more than a fashion. But is it really healthy? Not sure…
More attractive than water, half as caloric as a classic beer or a soft drink, without the risk of a “hangover”: the arguments for toasting with a non-alcoholic beer are becoming more and more attractive and convince more and more fans.
A visible success in supermarkets. While, in the past, one in five customers opted for an alcohol-free alternative at Colruyt, today it is one in three. At Delhaize, sales of alcohol-free beer increased by 40% during the first six months of this year compared to the same period in 2023. “Thanks to more health-conscious consumers, alcohol-free beer now constitutes a segment in its own right,” confirms beer sommelier Sofie Vanrafelghem, who devotes a large section to this subject in his latest book. “For a bar, it is no longer possible not to include one on the menu.”
However, a certain nuance is necessary. Belgians remain heavy drinkers: more than 40% consume alcohol weeklyand sales of non-alcoholic alternatives only represent around 7.7% of all beer sales in Belgium. Five countries dominate the global non-alcoholic beer market, accounting for more than 80% of total production sold: Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and the Czech Republic.
A tasty revolution
“The alcohol-free beer revolution does not come out of nowhere,” emphasizes Sofie Vanrafelghem. Unlike the wine sector, the beer sector has heavily invested in new brewing techniques and years of research to perfect the production process. Although beer contains less alcohol than wine or spirits, it is under much greater pressure to offer alcohol-free variants. The negative aspects of alcohol are more associated with beer than other drinks.”
“The negative aspects of alcohol are more associated with beer than other drinks.”
“After the bland and watery alcohol-free beers of the first generation, today's well-hopped alcohol-free IPAs (India Pale Ales), make you forget the absence of alcoholcontinues the sommelier. However, for triples and quadruples, it remains difficult to recreate a rich mouthfeel texture in the non-alcoholic variants. But significant progress is being made to get closer to the original taste experience.”
If these aromas are now well preserved, it is thanks to the membrane filtration technique. This long process – around 72 hours – involves filtering the beer repeatedly until all alcohol particles are removed. In general, we obtain a alcohol level of approximately 0.4%as for the Brugse Sportzot. Another common method is the use of special yeasts that produce very little alcohol during cold fermentation, not exceeding 0.3-0.4%. The third technique is vacuum distillation, where the alcohol is removed by heating, but some of the aromas are lost and must be reintroduced later. The advantage of this method is to obtain an alcohol level of 0.0%, as for Hertog Jan 0.0 or Leffe 0.0.
A healthier alternative?
Many consider non-alcoholic drinks to be a healthier alternative. Replacing an alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic version is encouraged by expertsgiven the proven link between alcohol consumption and various cancers (mouth, throat, liver, intestines, breasts) as well as neurological disorders such as dementia. Scientists emphasize that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
At the population level, it is still too early to talk about a possible health gain linked to the harm reduction potential of non-alcoholic drinks. However, according to the Flemish Expert Center on Alcohol and Other Drugs (VAD), a scenario in which all alcoholic drinks contain five percent less alcohol would result in a significant reduction in mortality linked to alcohol.
0% drinks are also a good choice when it comes to caloric intake. An alcohol-free pilsner or IPA contains on average 26 kilocalories per 100 ml, compared to 45 kilocalories for a classic alcoholic version. Even compared to soda, non-alcoholic beer is a better choice. A cola contains approximately 42 kilocalories.
“Replacing a beer with a 0.0 is certainly a better alternative, but a less harmful product does not necessarily make it healthynuance Rosa Luyten, from the Institute for Healthy Living. Our Food Triangle ranks non-alcoholic beers in the red zonethe category of empty calories having little or no useful nutrients. They contain – like alcoholic drinks, sodas and energy drinks – naturally present and sometimes added sugars. A critical look at food labels is therefore necessary.”
Sports drink
Manufacturers therefore try to find eye-catching displays. In 2022, Corona launched Corona Sunbrew, a non-alcoholic beer enriched with vitamin D, promising to absorb more from drinking it than from enjoying a sunny terrace. In another style, some brands promote their non-alcoholic beer as a sports drink thanks to its isotonic nature – a drink with the same composition of salts as in our body fluids – helping to restore water balance during and after a sports session. Like classic beer, it contains polyphenols, B vitamins, calcium, potassium and phosphorus. This sporting argument encourages consume 0% drinks at times when alcohol would not normally be consumedfears VAD. This could lead to a change in traditional social norms regarding alcohol consumption.
“With this kind of healthwashingsays Sofie Vanrafelghem, the bad reputation of beer is growing even more. In addition, the taste of some of these “sporty” beers is so far removed from the original product that it becomes very confusing for an amateur.”
“For recreational athletes, sports drinks, including non-alcoholic beer, are superfluous”
Treating yourself to such a beer after a game of padel therefore has little point, beyond the fact that it is pleasant to drink and that it allows you to avoid the harmful effects of alcohol. “For recreational athletes, sports drinks, including non-alcoholic beer, are superfluous,” says Rosa Luyten. Water and a balanced diet ensure sufficient fluid and energy consumption to be able to exert effort and recover. Only top athletes need sports drinks containing carbohydrates and electrolytes.”
Non-alcoholic drinks are also not completely “virgin”. In Belgium, “alcohol-free” beer can legally contain an alcohol content of up to 0.5%, a level that even rises to 1.2% for wine.
For comparison: according to the Dutch Food Act, a product can be called “alcohol-free” if it contains less than 0.1% alcohol – it is not always possible to set the limit at 0 .0 due to the production methods mentioned above. However, our northern neighbors have found a trick: brewers use the English term “non-alcoholic” for beers containing between 0.1 and 0.4% alcohol, which is permitted. In Spain, so-called “alcohol-free” beer contains 1% alcohol, and in Italy and France, it can even go up to 1.2%.
To further complicate things, there is also low alcohol beers. These contain a maximum of 1.2% alcohol in the bottle. “Products with a low alcohol content are also increasingly popular in the hospitality sector,” explains Vanrafelghem. These are drinks with a lower percentage of alcohol than the classic product, such as Westmalle Extra, the monks' refectory beer with a level of 4.8% instead of 9.5%. For a Belgian, it's a low alcohol beer, but for a Brit, it's already quite strong (laughs). Those who still want to taste the richness of a higher alcohol percentage therefore no longer necessarily have to order a Triple.”
Pregnant women, who should avoid alcohol altogether, should look for the number 0.0 on the nutrition label.
The multitude of terms and hidden alcohol, even in negligible quantities, concerns health authorities. “We are not against soft drinks as a substitute for alcohol,” says Katleen Peleman, director of the VAD. But if you really don't want to drink alcohol, receiving correct information about the alcohol percentage of your drink should be a no-brainer. Non-alcoholic beer or non-alcoholic wine really must be alcohol-free.»
Pregnant women, who should ideally not drink alcohol at all, should therefore look for the number 0.0 on the nutrition label… which, however, remains a rounded percentage. A 0.0 beer will still contain a tiny amount of alcohol molecules. This residual fraction is comparable to what can form during natural fermentation in fruit juices, overripe fruits or other fermented products, which poses no risk during pregnancy. Even bacteria in our own intestines produce alcohol.
Pour people suffering from alcohol dependencethe general advice is not to switch to non-alcoholic or low-alcohol drinks, as they may be tempted to switch back to 'real' alcohol. The brain receives a stimulus in the reward system, but becomes disoriented when the necessary alcohol is not consumed, increasing temptation. On an individual level, alternatives can sometimes be useful according to the VAD, because they can offer more stability for those around people dependent on alcohol, for example by reducing family conflicts.
Alibi marketing
Finally, the association of non-alcoholic beer with major alcohol brands is problematic, believes the VAD. “Advertising for non-alcoholic beer is not nothing more than an alibi to promote alcohol gently, we explain. The branding is almost exactly the same: the shape of the bottle, the font, the words, the colors, the logo. With this type of marketing alibi, the alcohol industry can advertise in places it never could with alcoholic beverages. Remember the advertisement for Corona Cero, the first beer brand to sign a sponsorship contract with the Olympic Games? The indication “0.0%” was almost impossible to spot in advertisements. In this way, companies attract new target groups, such as minors, who become familiar with the classic alcoholic offering. The industry positions non-alcoholic beer as “healthy”, but it does not think about our health, only at its profit margins.»
An opinion that Sofie Vanrafelghem does not share: “The fact that well-known brands are launching quality alcohol-free alternatives on the market is in reality positive and reduces the gap for those who choose this option. Today we have the luxury of choosing between different non-alcoholic beers, from dry bitter to fresh fruity, including Trappist. If regular drinkers are swapping out their beers for non-alcoholic versions of the same name, that's worth encouraging. Of course, we must protect young people and fight against excessive alcohol consumption, but it would be a shame if beer were put on the same level as tobacco. We must appreciate and taste our fine beers, just like wine. How to enjoy a glass of beer at the end of the work week without guilt? It should be possible.”
