You may have seen headlines lauding the non-alcoholic beer consumption of German Olympic athletes and, tenuously, linking it to their medal-winning ways. Believe it or not, there is some scientific evidence that non-alcoholic, or very low alcohol, beer after exercise is a good thing. One set of research that supports this is from a 2012 study at Munich Technical University’s department of prevention and sports medicine, which shows the naturally occurring polyphenols in non-alcoholic beer have strong antioxidant, anti-pathogenic and anti-inflammatory properties, which help ward off instances of upper respiratory tract illnesses, significantly more common in people who exercise strenuously.
Scientists from the European Beer and Health group say: “Beer contains carbohydrates, sodium and fluid, which are important in recovering after physical exercise. However, the alcohol in beer has a diuretic effect, which means that it increases urine output. To rehydrate the body, it is better to choose beer containing 2% alcohol or less.”
When it comes to being drinkable, however, the brewing method is vital: previous non-alcoholic brands had the alcohol boiled off, which ended with a sickly product that tasted like a just-opened can of sweetcorn.
Brewers are now taking the science of beer to new levels by using a lazy yeast, which doesn’t make much alcohol, or a vacuum distillation process that preserves a lot of the flavour of full-strength beers.
Any beer 0.5% or below is considered non-alcoholic everywhere else in Europe (and the US), but, ridiculously, can be labelled one of four ways in the UK. However, as it’s impossible to get drunk on 0.5% beer, most of those I’m recommending are this ABV.
Big Drop Stout
(UK, 0.5%)
Smooth, silky, chocolate and coffee, this tops the list in the non-alcohol category.
Schneider Weisse Tap 3 Mein Alkoholfreies
(Germany, 0.5%)
With slight hints of caramel and bananas and some pepper kick, this is the best of the German bunch.
Nirvana Brewery Tantra
(UK, 0.0%)
One for the traditional bitter drinkers: just a hint more sweetness than normal, but a pretty crisp bitter end balances it out.
Mikkeller Drink’in the Sun
(Denmark, 0.3%)
Peachy and refreshing, this is in high demand by the running clubs set up by the brewery all over the world. (I enjoy it post-hot yoga.)
Erdinger Alkoholfrei
(Germany, 0.5%)
If you like a classic spicy clove and banana German wheat beer, this is for you.
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