Guinness

Guinness entered the alcohol-free market with Guinness 0.0, their zero-alcohol version of the classic draught. The launch had a rocky start. An initial release in late 2020 was recalled over contamination concerns, leading to months of refinement before a proper relaunch in 2021. Getting an alcohol-free stout right is notoriously difficult. The roasted barley character, that distinctive bitterness, the creamy nitrogen-infused texture: these are hard to preserve when you strip out the alcohol.

The brewing process starts conventionally, using water, barley, hops, and yeast. Alcohol removal happens through cold filtration rather than heat, which helps protect the flavour compounds that give Guinness its character. The result pours that familiar ruby-black with a tight tan head. Tasting notes lean into chocolate and coffee, balanced by roasted bitterness and a hint of sweetness.

Guinness 0.0 has earned a solid reputation among alcohol-free drinkers. Many find it remarkably close to the real thing, which is saying something for a style that has defeated plenty of other brewers attempting AF versions. The body holds up better than most alcohol-free dark beers, avoiding the thin, watery finish that plagues the category.

You'll find Guinness 0.0 in supermarkets across the UK in cans, and increasingly on draught in pubs. The brand's distribution muscle means it's one of the most accessible alcohol-free stouts available. Whether or not you were ever a Guinness drinker, it's a useful benchmark: the stout style finally done properly without alcohol.