The difference between alcohol-free, low-alcohol and 0.0

Were you previously a rare case if you 'just' did not drink alcohol, the group of sober people has grown considerably in recent years. And that has not done the alcohol industry any harm. Today, there are countless non-alcoholic drinks available, including alcohol-free, low-alcohol and 0.0 beer. But what is the difference between all those types of 'sober' beers?

No meat, minimal sugar intake, no fish, moderation with alcohol or not drinking at all, quitting smoking: more and more people are making conscious choices regarding their health. The demand for alternatives is therefore increasing. The alcohol industry saw and still sees opportunities, so breweries come up with all kinds of replacement drinks. Nothing wrong with that of course, but sometimes things can be confusing. For example, an alcohol-free beer can still contain a small percentage of alcohol. That is why you can read here which beer alternative exactly means what.

Alcohol-free beer

There are several ways to make non-alcoholic beer. Often it is chosen to use a special yeast or to distill the beer, so that no alcohol remains. However, it turns out to be difficult to brew a completely alcohol-free beer. And according to the Dutch Commodities Act, an alcohol-free beer may contain a maximum of 0.1% alcohol. If you choose non-alcoholic beer, be aware that it contains a very small percentage of alcohol. It is therefore not recommended for people with an alcohol problem to opt for an alcohol-free beer.

Low-alcohol beer

The same applies to low-alcohol beer as to non-alcoholic beer, only the limit of the amount of alcohol that may be contained in it is slightly higher than for non-alcoholic beer. According to the Dutch Commodities Act, low-alcohol beer may contain a maximum of 1.2% alcohol. Also in this case applies: if you have an alcohol problem or if you really do not want to consume alcohol on principle, then it is not wise to opt for low-alcohol beer.

0.0 beer

You have this certainty. If it says 0.0 on the label, you know that there is not a drop of alcohol in it. Incidentally, we understand the alcohol-free/low-alcohol/0.0 trend very well. But we would also like to add a critical note: we recommend that you do not drink anything at all that can be associated with alcohol. An alcohol-free beer is almost indistinguishable from the real thing, that's why. An alcohol-free drink makes the step to real alcohol smaller. You can read more about why or why not drink 0.0 in the article: '0.0 drinking beers and wine yes or no?‘.

Sources: manners.nl and npo3.nl/keursdienst-van-waarde