The 10 Best Non-Alcoholic Beers to try in 2023
10 best non-alcoholic beers to try in 2023.
Ten Top Picks from a Wide Range of Non-Alcoholic Beer Options
Non-alcoholic drinks have come a long way in recent years and the non-alcoholic beer category is no exception. With so many great options from which to choose, I put the leading non-alcoholic beer options to the test in a head-to-head taste off.
There’s a Good Non-Alcoholic Beer for Everyone’s Beer Taste
The objective of my test was to find the non-alcoholic beer options that tasted most like a beer. Regardless of why you may be reaching for a non-alcoholic beer (for yourself or for a guest), you want it to be enjoyable and have some beer-like qualities. That means it should generally be refreshing and satisfying and, well, taste like a beer. I tested 21 different non-alcoholic beer brands commonly found in my local retailers and narrowed it down (through taste tests) to the top 10 non-alcoholic beers that are worth trying in 2023.
Note: I do not post negative beverage reviews on GrandOneLounge.com, so I have not named the non-alcoholic beers that did not make the list. I generally only post about beverage products I would recommend trying.
The Non-Alcoholic Beer Testing Protocol
For this taste test, all beers were chilled in their original can or bottle to 40°F/4°C. Tasting is subjective and your mileage may vary, but for this test I put taste and general mouth-feel satisfaction above all else. I also included beers covering a wide range of flavor and brew profiles. There really is something for everyone here, which is great.
If you are counting calories or carbs, I have also ranked the top 10 non-alcoholic beers by calories and carbs (equalized by amount, from lowest to highest). You'll find those lists at the end of the post.
The Top 10 Non-Alcoholic Beers for 2023
Since there is a huge range of flavor profiles of these beers and taste is very subjective, I have not ranked them (as my top pick may not be the same as yours). They are presented here in alphabetical order.
In the commentary notes for each beer I have noted the flavor profile and other qualities that should help you narrow down which beers you may like to try. These are all non-alcoholic beers, so none of them should be expected to provide an exact duplication of higher ABV beers (but some come pretty darn close). All non-alcoholic beers in this list are 0.5% Alcohol By Volume (ABV) or less. 0.5% is considered to be non-alcoholic in many jurisdictions.
Beck’s Non-Alcoholic Beer.
Beck's 0.0
Beck's non-alcoholic beer has a similar flavor profile to Beck's beer. So if you like Beck's beer, then you'll probably enjoy this one. I found it to have a very distinct Beck's flavor. Mouth-feel is also very much like a regular beer (not overly watery or weak tasting). This makes sense because under German law, the brewing process must be completed before the alcohol is removed. This helps to maintain that classic Beck's flavor profile.
What was tested:
330 ml/11 oz bottle
0.0% ABV
45 calories | 10 carbs
Equalized to 500 ml/17 oz: 68 calories | 15 carbs
Budweiser Zero Non-Alcoholic Beer.
Budweiser Zero 0.0
Budweiser Zero is the successor to Budweiser Prohibition (which was also a pretty good non-alcoholic beer). Bud Zero surprised me with a noticeable and crisp mouthfeel bite upon first sip. The carbonation is also very present in a similar manner and both of these added to the enjoyable experience of this non-alcoholic brew. It has a less bitter aftertaste than some others on this list and should appeal to Bud drinkers or anyone who wants a non-alcoholic beer with an American-style neutral flavor profile.
What was tested:
341 ml/12 oz can
0.0% ABV
50 calories | 12 carbs
Equalized to 500 ml/17 oz: 74 calories | 18 carb
Grolsch Non-Alcoholic Beer.
Grolsch 0.0
Grolsch starts out smooth with a very light taste. It is crisp, hoppy and has a slight citrus note as well. It also has a noticeable bitter after taste (which Grolsch frames as a "pleasant crisp aftertaste"). This is a characteristic of many beers and many beer drinkers enjoy the bitterness (it is found among many non-alcoholic and regular beers). When pouring, Grolsch produced the largest head of foam among all beers tested, so if you like a foam head, this one’s for you. Grolsch 0.0 has received numerous accolades across Europe. It has a medium-complexity flavor profile that will appeal to those who prefer European-style brews.
What was tested:
500 ml/17 oz can
0.0% ABV
115 calories | 29 carbs
Equalized: (same)
Heineken Non-Alcoholic Beer.
Heineken 0.0
Heineken 0.0 will definitely appeal to Heineken drinkers. It has the same flavor profile as its higher-alcohol cousin, which makes it a great choice. It is light in mouthfeel and very smooth going down. The malty flavor is well balanced with faint fruity notes. It is double brewed to get it as close as possible in overall experience to the original. All in all, Heineken 0.0 it is an enjoyable non-alcoholic beer worth trying.
What was tested:
330 ml/11 oz can
0.0% ABV
70 calories | 16 carbs
Equalized to 500 ml/17 oz: 106 calories | 24 carbs
Krombacher Non-Alcoholic Beer.
Krombacher Pils 0.0
Krombacher Pils is the number one selling premium lager beer in Germany, so its non-alcoholic cousin follows some impressive lineage. Krombacher has an immediate hoppy hit upon first taste, not unlike many European brews. It has a slight crisp bite and a good complex mouthfeel. It is definitely malty and would be a good option for Heineken drinkers looking for something different to try, as it has a similar taste profile.
What was tested:
330 ml/11 oz bottle
0.0% ABV
90 calories | 21 carbs
Equalized to 500 ml/17 oz: 137 calories | 32 carbs
Kronenbourg Blanc Alcohol-Free Beer.
Kronenbourg Blanc 0.5
If I had to pick a personal favorite on this list, Kronenbourg Blanc would be my pick. Not surprisingly, this is because I enjoy Kronenbourg Blanc as a regular beer. The non-alcoholic version very much maintains the citrus fruit and coriander lively flavor profile you get with the regular Kronenbourg Blanc. If you are looking for a bright fruity non-alcoholic beer, this is the one to get. The beer is nice, light and creamy, with a complex flavor profile and no bite. It's a very smooth and easy drinking non-alcoholic beer.
What was tested:
330 ml/11 oz bottle
0.5% ABV
116 calories | 22 carbs
Equalized to 500 ml/17 oz: 176 calories | 33 carbs
Labatt’s Blue Non-Alcoholic Beer.
Labatt's Blue 0.5%
Labatt's Blue non-alcoholic beer will appeal to Blue drinkers looking for a no-alcohol option. It manages to maintain the Blue flavor profile quite well and has a crisp bite on first sip. It has very neutral flavor overall, however, typical of many mainstream North American brews and there is a fair bit of effervescent carbonation in mouthfeel. All in all it is a well-balanced non-alcoholic beer that I would place in the safe-for-all category in terms of a more neutral tasting beer.
What was tested:
341 ml/12 oz bottle
0.5% ABV
40 calories | 7 carbs
Equalized to 500 mil/17 oz: 59 calories | 10 carbs
Partake Pale Non-Alcoholic Beer.
Partake Pale 0.3
Partake is the only non-alcoholic beer to make the list that is not affiliated with an alcohol version. I tested the Partake Pale Ale, but they offer six flavors in total. It is brewed in Toronto, Canada with a U.S.-based brewery on the way. Since it has no higher-alcohol namesake to which it can be compared, I wasn't sure what to expect. The good news is that Partake tastes, well, like a beer and it beat out many name brands that did not make this list. It is light tasting, easy drinking and has a slight crisp and clean mouthfeel. If you typically drink any of the major North American big-brand light beers, Partake Pale will likely be a good option for you. It is also the only zero carb beer on this list.
What was tested:
355 ml/12 oz can
0.3 % ABV
10 calories | 0 carbs
Equalized to 500 ml: 14 calories | 0 carbs
Peroni Non-Alcoholic Beer.
Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0
Peroni is an Italian non-alcoholic beer that delivers the traditional Peroni beer profile, which should appeal to Peroni beer drinkers. It is light tasting with a relatively smooth and neutral flavor and an enjoyable mouthfeel. It is slightly hoppy, but just enough to let you know you're drinking a beer.
What was tested:
330 ml/11 oz can
0.0% ABV
80 calories | 19 carbs
Equalized to 500 ml/17 oz: 122 calories | 29 carbs
Weihenstephaner Non-Alcoholic Beer.
Weihenstephaner 0.5
Hailing from what claims to be the oldest brewery in the world comes a non-alcoholic beer with the most complex flavor profile on this list. As this comes from a Bavarian brewer, you can expect the distinct German style of beer taste experience. Weihenstephaner is full bodied with hoppy notes, slight bitterness and a distinctly sour after taste. I had to sample this one several times as its complexity puzzled me. But at the end of the day, all of its qualities combine to make it one of the most interesting non-alcoholic beers I tasted. If you are looking for something distinctly different from the others on the list, don't hesitate to give this one a try.
What was tested:
330 ml/11 oz bottle
0.5% ABV
50 calories | 9 carbs
Equalized to 500 ml/17 oz: 76 calories | 14 carbs
Ranking Non-Alcoholic Beers by Carbs (lowest to highest, equalized to 500 ml)
Are you considering low carbs when choosing a non-alcoholic beer? Here are the the ten beers listed above ranked by carbs, from lowest to highest (Note: carbs shown are based on a 500 ml/17 oz serving size for comparison purposes. Carbs per individual can/bottle are shown in each beer’s individual comments.)
Partake Ale (0)
Labatt's Blue (10)
Weihenstephaner (14)
Beck's (15)
Budweiser Zero (18)
Heineken (24)
Grolsch (29)
Peroni (29)
Krombacher Pils (32)
Kronenbourg Blanc (33)
Ranking Non-Alcoholic Beers by Calories (lowest to highest, equalized to 500 ml)
Are you counting calories when choosing a non-alcoholic beer? Here are the the ten beers listed above ranked by calories, from lowest to highest. (Note: calories shown are based on a 500 ml/17 oz serving size for comparison purposes. Calories per can/bottle are noted in each individual listing.)
Partake Ale (14)
Labatt's Blue (59)
Beck's (68)
Budweiser Zero (74)
Weihenstephaner (76)
Heineken (106)
Grolsch (115)
Peroni (122)
Krombacher Pils (137)
Kronenbourg Blanc (176)
The non-alcoholic adult beverage sector continues to make great strides in both product variety and product quality. The non-alcoholic wine and non-alcoholic distilled spirits categories are also growing with some very impressive new offerings. I will continue to update all of these categories with new releases and top picks for non-alcoholic drinks.
By Mike Belobradic
Wine, Spirits and Beer Virtuoso
Grand One Lounge