An alcohol-free beer... over 100 years old
Contrary to popular belief, alcohol-free beer did not originate with TikTok, Iron Man and smartwatches.
The first alcohol-free beers appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, particularly during Prohibition in the United States, when the sale of alcohol was banned. At the time, brewers were primarily concerned with survival.
The difference with today is fundamental:
👉 it is no longer a matter of constraint, but of choice..
A real underlying trend (and figures that speak for themselves)
La bière sans alcool n’est plus une niche.
- In Switzerland, it now accounts for 7 to 8% of total beer consumption.
- Its growth has been spectacular: +30 to +40% in volume over the last ten years.
- Meanwhile, alcoholic beer consumption has stagnated or declined slightly.
Even more striking:
👉 nearly a third of beer consumers in Switzerland regularly drink non-alcoholic beer, which they have deliberately incorporated into their habits.
Globally, it is one of the only beer segments to show annual growth above 7%, while the rest of the market is plateauing at around 1 to 2%.
Clearly, this is not a passing fad.
Why is it so popular ?
Several factors come into play:
- A change in attitudes towards alcohol: people are drinking less often, less heavily, but better.
- A generation that refuses to choose between pleasure and control.
- The reality of everyday life: sport, work, family, driving, busy weeks...
Non-alcoholic beer allows us to keep the ritual, without the side effects.
And above all — key point —
👉 we don't drink it ‘instead’ of alcoholic beer, but at times when we wouldn't have drunk anything before, or alternately.
How is non-alcoholic beer made?
One question always comes up:
“Beer, by definition, is fermented... so it contains alcohol, right?”
And that's true.
👉 Almost all non-alcoholic beers are real beers, brewed with water, malt, hops and yeast.
The difference lies in what is done with the alcohol.
1️⃣ Interrupting fermentation (old method)
Fermentation is started, then stopped very early on.
- Low alcohol content
- But often higher sugar content
- And unbalanced beers
This explains the historically poor reputation of some non-alcoholic beers.
2️⃣ Removing the alcohol afterwards (industrial method)
A classic beer is brewed, then the alcohol is removed:
- By vacuum evaporation
- Or by very fine filtration
It's very precise...
👉 but the alcohol also takes some of the aromas with it.
3️⃣ The modern method (craft & geek 🧠)
This is where it gets exciting.
We use yeasts known as ‘maltose negative’:
- They ferment simple sugars
- But can not consume maltose, the main sugar in beer
Result :
- Aromas
- CO₂
- A little alcohol... but very little
At the same time, the recipe is adapted:
- Warmer mashing temperatures
- Less fermentable malts
- Cereals such as oats or wheat for texture
- More expressive hopping
👉 Final result :
- Less than 0.5% alcohol
- Little residual sugar
- A dry, aromatic beer that is really interesting to drink
0.5%... is it really ‘alcohol-free’?
That's a legitimate question.
👉 0,5 % est un seuil légal, pas physiologique.
At this level:
- The quantities are comparable to fruit juice, kefir or fermented bread.
- You would have to drink around 18 300ml cans in a very short space of time to be unable to drive.
The issue is not ‘absolute zero’, but usage:
- At lunchtime
- After sport
- When driving
- During the week
That said, the choice is always personal.
Some pregnant women prefer to avoid alcohol altogether, while others feel comfortable with 0.0%.
👉 The key is information, not instruction.
And at WhiteFrontier?
Yes, and this is the first public announcement.
👉 An alcohol-free Martigny Vice will be officially released at the brewery on 23 January.
The evening is open to everyone who wants to come and try it.r.
And throughout January, alcohol-free drinks will be in the spotlight at the brewery:
- Alcohol-free beers
- Mocktails (non-alcoholic cocktails made with non-alcoholic beer)
Because beer, with or without alcohol, remains above all a product of pleasure, sharing and culture.
