Today, we tackle the big question: Does non alcoholic beer taste the same as regular beer? We discuss the influence of yeast, dealcoholization and methods used to preserve flavor in alcohol-free brews.
When non-alcoholic beer first came out, many people considered it to be a watered-down version of traditional beer. Because of this, there are still a lot of people who ask whether non-alcoholic beer today, has the same flavor as regular beer, or if it is still watered down.
As a brewer or drinker, you might therefore wonder with skepticism, does non alcoholic beer taste the same as regular, full-strength beer? And more importantly, can it taste the same?
We admit, non alcoholic beer does not taste the same. But with advances in brewing, today ultra-low alcohol beers are very close to their full-strength fathers. Let’s look at how and why.
Does Non Alcoholic Beer Taste the Same as Regular Beer?
Factors Influencing Taste in Non-Alcoholic Beer
There are many different factors that affect the taste of a non-alcoholic beer. All of these factors work together to help us in answering the question ‘does non alcoholic beer taste the same as regular beer?’ These factors include..
Brewing Process and Ingredients
The most important factor influencing the flavor of non alcoholic beer is the brewing process itself, and of course, the ingredients. Both non-alcoholic and alcoholic varieties are brewed from a mash, that is fermented with yeast. In order to maintain the flavor, aroma, and presentation of a beer, it must have, at the very least, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In this regard, regular beer and non alcoholic beer are much the same, except for minor deviations such as the choice of yeast.
Alcohol Removal Methods (Dealcoholization)
Although it may be possible to brew a beer with an extremely low alcoholic content, it’s really hard to re-create the flavors, taste, and aromas of a traditional beer before the alcohol content gets too high. As a result, most non-alcoholic beers are brewed normally, then the alcohol is simply removed through distillation, reverse osmosis, or evaporation. These alcohol removal methods can impact the taste of the non alcoholic beer, and depending on the method used, may have a major influence on why non alcoholic beer tastes different from regular beer.
Temperature Control and Yeast
The temperature of the brew must be closely regulated to ensure that the yeast is given the most hospitable environment to convert the sugars into alcohol. Because some non-alcoholic beers are brewed at a different temperature than traditional beer, depending on the strain of yeast used, this can affect the taste and flavor. Certain strains of yeast are preferred for making non alcoholic beers as they produce less ethanol, and each yeast strain imparts its own unique flavor.
Water Quality
The quality of water also plays a role in the overall brewing process, for both non alcoholic and regular beers. Interestingly, some places simply sell modified wort water as a “non-alcoholic beer” because there is no need to remove any alcohol content from it. However, it is quite sweet and does not taste the same as a traditional non-alcoholic beer (or any beer for that matter), since it does not undergo fermentation to convert the sugars into ethanol.
A common complaint with non alcoholic beers – apart from the obvious fact that they don’t contain alcohol – is that they often taste watery. Next, let’s see how brewers are tackling this big issue.
Beer Styles and Flavor Profiles
When it comes to non-alcoholic beers, you have a wide variety of flavor profiles to choose from. With many big name beer brands including Heineken and Nastro Azzurro now releasing alco-free alternatives, it is becoming easier to find non alcoholic beer that does taste the same (or almost the same) as their full-strength counterparts. However, some types and styles of beer are better suited to non alcoholic beer brewing than others. As a result, you are more likely to find alcohol-free beers in naturally lower-alcohol styles (eg lager), rather than traditionally heavier ones such as porters.
Lager vs. IPA
The most common forms of non-alcoholic beers are lagers and IPAs. A lager has a light and crisp taste, which is quite different from the bold and hoppy flavor of an IPA. And, although Brewers attempt to mimic their alcoholic counterparts as closely as possible, the taste and flavors can vary depending on the brewery.
Hops work very well in masking the fact that the beer does not contain alcohol, by adding intense flavor, complexity and bitterness to the brew. Also consider how both strong hops and strong alcohol can both spark a mouth-puckering reaction while drinking, creating an illusion of “strong” beer. This use of hops may explain why IPAs are popular as non alcoholic beers, despite being traditionally high-alcohol beers.
Stout and Non-Alcoholic Variants
Breweries do their best to capture the robust flavor profile of the traditional roasted stout. While non-alcoholic variants are not as bold as the traditional stout, there is still a clear presence of coffee and chocolate tones in every sip. However, stouts are generally strong, so the lack of alcohol which adds flavor in itself, is often quite noticeable.
Wheat Beers
Because of the slightly fruity taste of a wheat beer, both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties taste fairly similar. The fruity flavor can be easily replicated in a non-alcoholic version, due to the available natural flavorings used in brewing.
Why Does Non Alcoholic Beer Taste Different?
Alcohol Content’s Impact on Flavor
When considering the question does non alcoholic beer taste the same as regular full-strength beer, it is important to consider the taste of alcohol itself. Not only an intoxicant, alcohol also plays a crucial role in the flavor of the final product.
The Role of Alcohol
When drinking an alcoholic beer, there is a warming sensation in the back of the mouth, and a mild bitterness to the taste. In higher alcohol-content beers and barleywines, the presence of alcohol is even more pronounced.
Balance in Traditional Beer
Many brewers go out of their way to balance the malty sweetness and the bitterness of the hops when re-creating their non-alcoholic varieties. It can be a challenge to deliver a well-rounded version of the traditional beer, without adding alcohol.
Challenges in Non-Alcoholic Beer
Unfortunately, there will always be challenges when it comes to brewing a non-alcoholic beer. Although Brewers have gone out of their way to achieve a high level of complexity and balance, they are generally not able to reach the same level as a traditional alcoholic beverage. This causes brewers to rely on other components of the non-alcoholic beer in order to compensate for the lack of alcohol.
How Does Non Alcoholic Beer Taste the Same?
Techniques to Preserve Taste
Perhaps the hardest part about removing alcohol from a traditional beer (dealcoholizing), is that many processes can actually destroy the taste of the final product. This means that brewers need to be very selective in the processes they use to limit alcohol content and add flavor, with the goal of ensuring that non alcoholic beer does taste the same or close to regular full-strength beers.
Low-Temperature Evaporation
One of the more common methods of removing the alcohol is through a low-temperature vacuum evaporation process. Rather than heating up the beer to evaporate the alcohol out, it is placed in a vacuum which reduces the boiling point of the alcohol. This allows a brewer to preserve the more delicate flavors of the traditional beer.
While effective, one issue with this method is that it is not accessible to home brewers. Afterall, unless you are a scientist by occupation, you’re unlikely to have or be able to obtain a low-temperature vacuum evaporation setup in your garage.
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis is another technology that is gaining in popularity. The process of reverse osmosis forces the alcoholic beer through a specially designed membrane that separates out the alcohol but allows the rest of the liquid to pass through. As a result, reverse osmosis is considered to be gentler on the flavor of a non-alcoholic beer, when compared to other methods.
Flavor Addition
Despite all of the efforts to protect the taste, flavor, and aroma throughout the process there will still be some degradation. As a result, some brewers will reintroduce certain flavors after the alcohol has been removed, to restore the volatile compounds that may have been lost during the process.
This process is quite likely similar to how commercial coffee and orange juice manufacturers may reintroduce aromatic oils and essences into their products after pasteurization and other processing steps.
Answer: Does Non Alcoholic Beer Taste the Same as Regular Beer?
So, does non alcoholic beer taste the same… or not?
Due to the lack of alcohol, which adds flavor in itself, non alcoholic beer does not taste the same as alcoholic beer. However, the flavor of beer is not just alcohol, and many other influences on flavor including hops, grain and yeast selection can make non alcoholic beers very similar in taste to their regular full-strength counterparts.
Aside from alcohol, the other main challenge in preserving flavor in non alcoholic beers in the method used to dealcoholize or otherwise make the beer non-alcoholic, which can potentially degrade flavor. However, commercial technology and processes to dealcoholize beer has improved meaning that non alcoholic beers can taste almost the same as regular beer.
The main influences on whether non alcoholic beer does taste the same as regular beer, or not, are:
- Dealcoholization process (the method used to remove alcohol from beer)
- Yeast (some yeasts are preferred for non alcoholic beer brewing)
- Beer style (eg lager, IPA, stout)
- Flavor additives (adding flavors to balance and enhance the overall flavor profile)
To learn more, check out our article on the best beer styles best for alcohol-free beer brewing, and learn more about the role of ingredients in our guide to non alcoholic beer ingredients for brewing.
Happy brewing!
