No longer just spanning the days of ‘dry January’, many of us have made the lifestyle switch to alcohol-free drinks – and it turns out so has Kate Middleton.
Driven by the benefits that come with cutting back on booze, such as better sleep, clearer focus and a generally healthier relationship with our bodies, more punters are choosing alcohol-free pints at the pub, while it’s commonplace to see zero per cent wine and bubbly on menus and supermarket shelves.
The Princess of Wales revealed her new stance on alcohol during a visit to a London beerhall, Fabal Beerhall, with Prince William. “Since my diagnosis, I haven’t had much alcohol,” said Kate Middleton after refusing a beer. “It’s something I have to be a lot more conscious of now.”
If, like Kate, you’ve already made the switch or you’ve been looking to cut down on alcohol, there are now plenty of alcohol-free beers that hold their own. To guide your decisions at the supermarket, expert tester Siobhan Grogan has put countless beers under 0.5 per cent ABV to the test and narrowed it down to her top choices.
Elsewhere, we’ve rounded up the best non-alcoholic wines which include red, white and sparkling bottles won’t leave you with a hangover, plus the best alcohol-free spirits for headache-free sipping.
Read more: We’ve tested the best alcohol-free beers for 2026
Lucky Saint alcohol-free beer, 12 pack
Our best alcohol-free beer is made by Lucky Saint, which tester Siobhan Grogan described as tasting like the real thing.
“I was so impressed by this beer that I even double-checked the label to make sure it was definitely alcohol-free,” Siobhan said in her review of Lucky Saint’s alcohol-free beer. “Astonishingly convincing, it was created by Luke Boase who couldn’t find an AF beer he loved so started working with brewers in Germany to create one instead”.
The beer has the same ingredients as a regular pilsner, which is brewed and fermented for six weeks before removing the alcohol content. “The impressive result is a golden, slightly cloudy beer with a nicely foamy head and a pleasing citrus tang,” Siobhan explained. “It’s light but malty with a great mouthfeel that will appeal equally to ale and lager drinkers, plus I loved the smart but understated teal-colour packaging.”
Chouffe alcohol-free, 330ml bottle
The recognisably chubby bottle of Belgian beer, Chouffe was chosen as the best budget alcohol-free beer. “If you’re a dedicated Belgian blond-style beer drinker, you won’t need to hanker after your regular pint any more,” Siobhan said in her Chouffe review.
Unlike the high ABV of the standard Chouffe beer, this low-alcohol version won’t have you wincing the next morning, plus Siobhan says it’s “seriously refreshing, with tropical fruit flavours, grainy aromas and an appealing maltiness on the palate” and less than £2 a bottle.
Guinness 0.0, four-pack
Alcohol-free Guinness has earned a solid reputation in the zero per cent world, so it’s no surprise it’s made the list. “Close your eyes and you’d almost believe you were drinking the bona-fide black stuff,” Siobhan said in her Guinness 0.0 review. “I certainly had no complaints about the flavour. It’s as thick and silky as you’d expect with a distinctive creamy head and a noticeable hint of coffee.”
While she says it’s a little sweeter than the alcoholic version, “its smooth-as-silk finish means this one is a no-brainer swap”.
Impossibrew enhanced lager
If you’re looking to go further with the health benefits associated with cutting back on the booze then, look no further than the Impossibrew enhanced lager. The drink has a mix of plants, vitamins and minerals that provide relaxation benefits without the hangover.
There’s no scrimping on the taste either. “The lager is genuinely refreshing with a touch of citrus and honey and a decent mouth feel, although it is a touch heavy on the hops for a lager,” Siobhan said. Plus of the added nootropic herbs including L-Theanine and organic Ashwagandha root, she said “I definitely felt myself unwind more after drinking this than with other alcohol-free beers”.
For hangover free cocktails and mixed drinks, these are best alcohol-free spirits
