DEMAND FOR non-alcoholic beverages is surging. The total no-and-low-alcohol market is expected to be worth $65 billion by 2027, with an annual growth of almost 8 per cent. At the centre of this boom is non-alcoholic beer, which already accounts for 45 per cent of non-alcoholic beverage sales in Australia and is the fastest growing beverage in the alcohol sector.

Thanks to new innovations in the brewing process (reverse osmosis? Vacuum distillation? Seriously impressive stuff.), non-alcoholic beer has literally never tasted better. And the industry is proving that beer doesn’t need to be a full-strength pint to be enjoyed. If anything, the extra challenges posed by making non-alcoholic beer (the alcohol needs to either be prevented from forming during fermentation or removed post-brew) have led to a surfeit of creativity. Non-alcoholic beers are imbued with a variety of experimental fruity, bitter and refreshing flavours that deliver the taste you want from a beer, without the buzz – unfortunately, they still come with the calories, and for some reason, the same price point despite the absence of alcohol taxes.

Non-alcoholic beer once languished, largely untouched, next to the at-home brewing kits on supermarket shelves. Those days are over. And as we head into summer, a number of beers are vying for a place in your esky. These are some of the non-alcoholic beers worth stocking up on.

What are the best non-alcoholic beers?

Heaps Normal Another Lager

Heaps Normal is a juggernaut in the non-alcoholic space, with a reputation that has been hard-earned. Another Lager is a big reason why the brand is so popular. With a floral flavour profile that includes hints of citrus, the lager offers a perfectly satisfactory taste – and perhaps the best fizz of any can on this list.

Rating: 9/10

Better Beer Zero Alc

Founded by Matt Ford and Jack Steele (collectively and more commonly known as The Inspired Unemployed), Better Beer’s zero alcohol offering is crisp, refreshing and a good enough substitute for the brand’s flagship beer, but it lacks the distinctive flavour to help it stand out in a crowded market.

Rating: 5/10 

Heaps Normal Half Day Hazy

Heaps Normal describes this brew as ‘Sunshine in a can’. That may be overdoing it, but it is certainly hoppy and full of zesty flavours. That said, we’re unsure if you could knock back six or seven of these in a single session. They’re simply not sessionable.

Rating: 6/10

Capital Brewing Co. Alc-Less Pacific Ale

Easily drinkable and refreshing, Capital Brewing Co.’s Alc-Less Pacific Ale boasts a full, tropical flavour that really hits the spot. There’s a touch of citrus and pine, but it lacks some of the kick that would lend it a higher rating.

Rating: 7/10

Hiatus Beers Premium Lager

Hiatus Beers’ crisp and easy drinking Premium Lager delivers a solid balance of smooth malts, bitterness and citrus. It’s brewed with pilsner malts and Hersbrucker hops, a bold combination that pays off.

Rating: 8/10

Heaps Normal Quiet XPA

Tropical and citrus-y, Heaps Normal’s Quiet XPA offers a balance of bitterness and subtle malt sweetness. We prefer the brand’s lager, but if you’re a pale ale connoisseur this could be a better fit.

Rating: 7/10

Nort Refreshing Ale

Nort Refreshing Ale has a fruity aroma and clean finish. The brand has gone to great lengths to make the beverage as low-calorie and low-sugar as possible, but such an undertaking has come at the expense of the kick that would make the beer worth drinking. Still, if you do want the non-alcoholic option with the fewest calories and least amount of sugar, this is it.

Rating: 5/10

Hiatus Beers Pacific Ale

Hiatus’ classic Pacific Ale opens with aromas of passionfruit, guava and mango upon first crack. The waves of tropical fruit then overtake your senses upon first sip, followed by a balancing bitterness that rounds out a complete package. This beer was a deserved champion at the 2024 Sydney Royal Beer & Cider show.

Rating: 9/10

Sobah Pepperberry IPA

Sobah Brewing Co. is a First Nations-owned and led company that uses traditional ingredients from the Australian bush to make non-alcoholic beers. We know what you’re thinking, what on earth is a pepperberry, and why would it be good in a beer? It’s a native fruit that adds some spice to this brew. And what’s more, the pepperberry tree is known for being rich in antioxidants, magnesium zinc and calcium. This beer is almost healthy.

Rating: 8/10

Heineken Zero

Heineken Zero is one of the most popular widely available non-alcoholic beers. They brew it like a full strength beer, but use special yeast to bring out new fruity notes before removing the alcohol. It’s a solid choice if you want a familiar taste, but we encourage venturing out into an experimental flavour profile for non-alcoholic beers, and this is not that.

Rating: 6/10

Heaps Normal Cheeky IPA

This is a classic West Coast IPA from Heaps Normal that boasts a pine punch with hints of amber and a refreshingly dry finish. It’s pleasingly bitter, with a big, bold flavour profile that helps it stand out in a frequently over-fruity non-alcoholic beer crowd.

Rating: 8/10

Great Northern Zero

Another widely available option, Great Northern’s zero-alcohol beer comes with a fruity aroma that carries through to the palate. It has a balanced sweetness and goes down smoothly. Although, similar to Heineken Zero, it doesn’t take many big swings and winds up being a slightly-worse alternative to its full strength cousin.

Rating: 6/10

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