Big Shake-Ups & Bigger Growth: April’s Alcohol-Free Beer News
Another month, another look around the alcohol-free world.
The alcohol-free drinks market continues to evolve at pace, and March has delivered some genuinely interesting stories from big industry shake-ups to signs that alcohol-free beer is becoming truly mainstream.
Here’s what’s been happening in the world of alcohol-free beer, wine, and beyond.
BrewDog Brewery Collapse (BBC)
The biggest story this month has to be the collapse of BrewDog, one of the biggest craft beer success stories of the past decade.
It’s a surprising development, especially for a brand that helped push craft beer and later alcohol-free options into the spotlight. I’ve mentioned before in my BrewDog AF reviews that I’ve always had a soft spot for their beers. Yes, they’ve had their fair share of controversies, but they’ve also produced some genuinely solid alcohol-free options over the years.
The good news is that the core brewery has been bought out, which should mean the beers themselves live on. That said, it’s still tough to hear about the bar closures and job losses that come with a collapse like this.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn4ggqgyk51o
Alcohol-Free Beer added to inflation calculations (BBC)
In a quieter but very telling update, alcohol-free beer has now been added to the UK’s official inflation basket by the Office for National Statistics.
That might not sound exciting at first glance, but it’s actually a big deal. The basket is designed to reflect what people are regularly buying so including alcohol-free beer is a clear sign that it’s no longer niche.
It also ties into an ongoing conversation: why does alcohol-free beer often cost the same as (or sometimes more than) full-strength beer? As demand grows, it’ll be interesting to see whether pricing starts to shift.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8eg3g4lklno
News from Modest Drinker
It’s been a busy month here at ModestDrinker.com as well, with a few interesting reviews worth checking out if you’re exploring new alcohol-free options.
Snorkelers Sea Salt IPA
Fancy something a bit different? We took a look at Snorkelers Sea Salt IPA from Insel-Brauerei, a German craft brewery based on the island of Rügen. It’s a unique twist on the IPA style and definitely one for the curious.
Uiltje Bird of Prey 0.2 Review
We also tried Bird of Prey 0.2 the alcohol-free version of the flagship IPA from Dutch craft brewery Uiltje. If you like your AF beers hop-forward, this one’s worth a look.
Float On Pale Ale – Farm Yard Brewery
And finally, we reviewed Float On, a 0.5% pale ale from Farm Yard Brewery. Can it compete with full-strength versions? Have a read and see what we thought.
Final Thoughts
While the news around BrewDog is undoubtedly a blow to the craft beer scene, the bigger picture for alcohol-free beer still looks very positive.
With growing mainstream recognition (like inclusion in inflation tracking) and an ever-expanding range of styles and flavours, there’s never been a better time to explore what alcohol-free has to offer.
And as always plenty more to try next month.
