Alcohol-free Guinness review
Summary
Drink – Guinness 0.0
Producer – Guinness
Type – non-alcoholic stout
Alcohol content – 0.5%
Rating– 82/100
Review – Guinness 0.0 is by far the best alcohol-free stout I’ve drunk. As a fan of alcoholic Guinness, I was afraid that the non-alcoholic version would be a shadow of its former self but instead, it stands up big and strong against the traditional stout. Full of that classic Guinness flavour and the weight of history on its shoulders this drink is one all alcohol-free drinkers should try. Big thumbs up from MyDryBar.
I would hope that most people visiting this page would have come across the Guinness brand given their dominance in the beer world. Well, the good news for those who enjoy Guinness but no longer drink alcohol is that they have released alcohol-free Guinness – Guinness 0.0
Guinness is an Irish stout making its first appearance back in 1759 and over the centuries has become an iconic brand, not only thanks to the quality of the product but also due to its fantastic and creative marketing campaigns. So you think you know all there is to know about Guinness? Well did you know more than 150,000 pints of Guinness are lost every year in facial hair (not sure how that was calculated!) and three of Guinness’ five breweries are actually located in Africa.
To create alcohol-free Guinness the clever bods brew the stout as per the alcoholic version but gently remove the alcohol using a cold filtration method, helping to maintain its natural flavour. Although it does come in cans interestingly Guinness 0.0 can’t be poured in pubs using the same slow method, instead, they created something called ‘microdraught’ making it possible to pour a rich creamy pint of alcohol-free stout.
So … how was my first ever alcohol-free Guinness? Well, you’ll just need to read the review below to find out.
Is alcohol-free Guinness any good?
Taste
To answer the above question. Yes. Yes it is. If you are a fan of the alcoholic version of Guinness you are going to be pleasantly surprised how realistic this stout is. On first taste, you get those classic flavours of roasted malt mixed with coffee and chocolate undertones. It lacks a bit of body and creaminess you get from the alcoholic version but boy does it satisfy when it comes to a rich and filling stout. Great work by Guinness to recreate such a treat.
Aroma & Appearance
When poured into the glass it had an appealing rich dark red/ black colour reminiscent of a traditional Guinness. The beauty of this alcohol-free stout is the frothy, creamy head that stays around for a good while (albeit not as long as a normal Guinness). Aroma-wise you can certainly pick out grainy/ cereal notes with an earthy backdrop.
Bonus points
Although Guinness 0.0 is vegan friendly it isn’t suitable for gluten-free drinkers. That said it has one of the lowest-calorie counts we’ve come across for an alcohol-free beer … just 70 calories for a 440ml can! Although alcohol-free Guinness has been an incredibly hard find due to people snapping it up, you can begin to see four-packs in your local supermarkets and online stores.
Where can you buy alcohol-free Guinness?
At the time of writing, it is getting easier to find this stout with many supermarkets and alcohol-free specialists stocking it. Check out some options listed below …
Wise Bartender is a very well-respected alcohol-free retailer with a great selection of booze-free drinks and an easy-to-use site.
Proof No More is a great new alcohol-free retailer that brings all the latest and greatest beers, spirits and more to your door. Check out their extensive collection of non-alcoholic drinks.
COST (at time of publication) – $3.99
Key information
– per 330ml
Brewery – Guinness (Diageo)
Country – Ireland
Alcohol content – 0.0%
Calories – 70
Ingredients – Water, Malt, Barley, Roast Barley, Fructose, Natural Flavourings
Vegan friendly? – yes
Gluten-free? – yes
Availability – medium / high
Alcoholic Guinness vs non-alcoholic version
As mentioned in the review above both the non-alcoholic and the traditional version of Guinness share similar qualities. Both have a deep malty-rich taste but I would say the alcohol-free has somewhat of a lesser body and lighter to consume. Of course, when it comes to alcohol volume traditional Guinness is 4% with 177 calories whilst the non-alcoholic version contains no alcohol and significantly less sugar and calories. When it comes to appearance alcoholic Guinness is a little darker in colour and keeps a much frothier, creamier head. Overall though the alcohol-free is a great alternative and a proud member of the Guinness family.
