Beer, how low can you go?

Sales of no and low alcohol beer are booming, so we tasked our beer sommelier with suggesting some of the tastiest

According to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) 2025 was a record year for no and low beer. Some 200 million pints were sold and NoLos accounted for almost 3% of the UK’s total beer market.

If you think that sounds good, it also predicts that this summer will be the most successful on record for no and low alcohol beer. Forecasts for June, July and August suggest more than 64 million pints of the moderate stuff will be sold across those three months alone.

With that in mind – we asked our beer sommelier, Sophie Atherton, which NoLos she thinks taste the best.

Adnams Ghost Ship Alcohol Free 0.5%

The booming sales of low and ‘AF’ beers seemed to follow in the wake of Adnams releasing a groundbreaking de-alcoholised version of one of its best selling beers. It invested in a technique known as membrane filtration to remove the alcohol but keep the flavour and it turned out to be very successful.

That investment paid off in a beer that can be mistaken for an alcoholic brew. It offers a tasty balance of malt and hops, and while some will detect differences in flavour, the fruity hop character of ‘normal’ Ghost Ship is there in every mouthful.

Lucky Saint Unfiltered Lager 0.5%

‘Lagery’ is a word that crops up repeatedly in my tasting notes for this – and for that reason it is a pretty convincing substitute for the real thing. It will appeal most to those who prefer a malt forward beer with not too much hop bitterness. There is hop flavour though. Expect a lemony character that is particularly refreshing on warmer days.

Ilkley Brewery produces two NoLos, Nowt Mary a 0.5% milk stout and Maiden Mary a 0.5% pale ale.

Of the two the pale is the more beery, to my palate in any case. It’s a balanced beer with plenty of fruity hop flavours (raspberry and stone fruits) and a pleasing dry finish – making for a drinkable, thirst quenching brew.

I found the milk stout less beery, but it has a pleasurable silky mouthfeel and very chocolatey flavour and definitely offers a tasty alternative for dark beer fans who need to avoid booze. It also has the potential for attracting those who usually opt for soft drinks, or even as a substitute for milky coffee drinks.

Gadds’ No. 11 Ultra-light anytime pale ale 1.2%

This one won’t suit the teetotal because of its 1.2% ABV but it is one of the best kept secrets of low alcohol beverages and a great option for the ‘zebra stripers’ (those who alternate alcoholic drinks with NoLos!) . Skilfully brewed to its very low ABV, rather than being de-alcoholised, Gadds’ diverges from its usual local hop ethos here to make something that tastes more like an American pale ale, with zesty passion fruit flavours. There is no danger of palate-fatigue though as this is a supremely balanced and drinkable beer. Look out for it returning to bottles in the near future.

We also asked Sophie for her thoughts on NoLo beers overall.

“Just as the so-called craft beer revolution offered the opportunity of tempting customers with a wide selection of delicious beer made to a high standard – there was (and is) also a wide selection of mediocre brews,” she told us.

“I think it’s the same with low and alcohol-free beers. Some are simply dull! If, for some reason, I wasn’t drinking I would opt for sparkling water over a dull alcohol free – and I don’t think I’m alone.

“So it’s well worth licensees seeking out and stocking the tastier options and then making sure they actively sing their praises to customers.”