Is there good alcohol-free beer in Spain?
It’s not easy to find a non-alcoholic beer that really delivers—that truly feels like beer and not a malt soft drink. Lack of body or unbalanced sweetness are some of the typical flaws. However, in Spain there are at least fifteen microbreweries that have dared to launch their own alcohol-free beer. Many of them are inspired by styles that go beyond the typical pale lager. In this lineup you’ll find IPAs, brown ales, stouts… What are you waiting for to try them?
Below is a list for those who have banished alcohol from their lives (or simply have to drive) but don’t want to give up the taste of a beer with full character. It’s also worth highlighting its low calorie content, half that of a conventional beer. Take note!
- Castelló Beer Factory Freedom: citrusy, tropical IPA with double dry hopping of Simcoe, Citra, and Mosaic hops. (Castellón)
- Laugar Kendu: brown ale. (Biscay)
- Mica Sin Alcohol: blonde ale (Burgos).
- Byra Sin: lager. (Álava)
- Brebel Free IPA: India Pale Ale with Mosaic and Citra hops. (Biscay)
- B&B Celestial Range: Birra&Blues’ lineup consists of five beers: an IPA with Simcoe and Mosaic hops, a helles with Munich malt and Saaz hops, a pastry stout, a brown ale and a hoppy lager combining Saaz and Simcoe. (Valencia)
- La Sagra 0.0: lager. (Toledo).
- Villa de Madrid Chula Alcohol-Free: blonde ale. (Madrid)
- Mala Gissona Txalupa: pale ale. (Gipuzkoa)
- Domus Sin: amber ale. (Toledo)
- Zeta / Majara Be-Low: IPA with Chinook hop dry hopping. (Valencia)
- Majara WOW: brown ale with Centennial hop dry hopping. (gypsy/contract brewed)
- Bailandera Sin Alcohol: English brown ale. (Madrid)
- Gastro IPA Non-Alcoholic: India Pale Ale with wheat and Cascade dry hopping. (Toledo)
- La Cibeles Sin: a blonde ale that began to be brewed during the pandemic in support of healthcare workers. (Madrid)
- Althaia Mediterranean IPA Non-Alcoholic: DH India Pale Ale. (Alicante)
Although it is now a well-established product, the first Spanish alcohol-free beer is less than fifty years old. Ámbar, in Zaragoza, was the first domestic brewery to launch one on the market under the slogan “to drink double without seeing double.”
Alcohol-free beer is destined for success in Spain, as it is the European country that produces the most of this type of beer, around 13% of the total according to data from the Spanish Brewers Association. In fact, 48% of consumers choose this variety of beer at some point. As stated in the association’s latest socioeconomic report, these figures are due to the fact that Spanish consumers value flavor and experience more than alcohol content.
