Alcohol-free Leffe review
Summary
Drink – Leffe 0.0
Type – non-alcoholic beer
Alcohol content – 0.0%
Rating– 60/100
Review – I would recommend non-alcoholic Leffe for anyone who enjoys both alcohol-free beers and the classic Belgian taste. Compared to the alcoholic version this 0% Leffe beer has striking similarities only really let down by its high sugar content and subsequent over-sweetness. One to enjoy at a summer BBQ but there are better options out there.
Given the rise in popularity for known brand beers to offer 0% alcohol alternatives it was not surprising to see that Leffe (owned by AB-Inbev which also includes Budweiser and Stella Artois in their portfolio) now produces an alcohol-free beer.
Leffe is a Belgium beer begun by Leffe monks of the Premonstratensian Order in 1240; so they’ve certainly had some time to create a unique and refreshing beer! Over the past few centuries, Leffe has become a very recognizable brand and is now available in over 50 countries; their alcohol-free version is a welcome addition to their family.
Is alcohol-free Leffe beer any good?
Taste
I found this to be an enjoyable beer to drink which although a bit sweet still had pleasant malty undertones reminiscent of its alcoholic big brother. There were no nasty aftertastes with this beer. It also wasn’t too carbonated which you sometimes get with other non-alcoholic beers
Aroma & Appearance
It had a subtle floral aroma, not too overpowering or unpleasant. As you can see from the image above Leffe’s alcohol-free beer has a realistic hazy lager colour. You do get a decent head when pouring the beer into a glass but it soon dissipated.
Bonus points
Compared to other beers, Leffe non-alcoholic beer version does have fairly high sugars and as such a higher calorie count (although a lot lower than the alcohol version). It is a fairly common beer and can be found in most stockists (see 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.
Alcoholic Leffe vs non-alcoholic Leffe
If you are a fan of the original blonde Leffe beer then you won’t be too disappointed with the new alcohol-free version. For sure you won’t get the malty hit that the original has, nor the super frothy head or golden amber colour but the 0% version is a pretty decent alternative. There is still a pleasant taste albeit sweeter than the original and missing that subtle bitterness but given the original is 6.6% ABV it’s no surprise that the 0% lacks the body. A very enjoyable alternative if you don’t want the hangover on the next day or the extra calories.
Key information
– per 330ml
Type – Blonde beer
Brewery – Leffe
Country – Belgian
Alcohol content – 0%
Calories – 132
Ingredients – water, barley malt, maize, sugar, hops
Vegan friendly? – yes
Gluten-free? – no
Availability UK / EU – medium
Availability US / CAN – hard
