It’s Dry January, and there has never been more interest in low- and no-alcohol beer. We asked Honest Brew chief executive Michael Alcock about this trend.
How have sales of low- and no-alcohol beers grown each January?
In January of the last few years, we’ve seen the popularity of our low and no range grow. From a ten-times increase between 2019 and 2020 to close to double the amount of sales from this category in the January of 2021, it’s fair to say that more and more customers have been seeking out these beers each Dry January.
Any specific flavour profiles in low and no beer?
The advancements in brewing low- and no-alcohol beers means that a broad range of flavours can be created, just as with full-strength beers. Craft brewers have mastered a range of techniques, from perfecting water chemistry, to using grains that provide more body — like oats — and focusing on aroma hops at cold temperatures so that the hops don’t impart any unwanted bitterness. This means they can accurately recreate the flavours of full-strength beers.
Previously, there was a limited choice of weak and watery versions of premium lagers. Now you can enjoy styles like stout, IPA, pale ale, thanks to breweries like Tiny Rebel, Northern Monk, and alcohol-free specialists like Big Drop.
Has the pandemic affected how people approach subscription beers?
Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve seen changes in our customer base. With the uncertainty created by lockdown and furlough schemes, it seems that customers became less confident about being able to continue with classic subscription models.
However, many more appreciated the flexibility of our membership programme, where we saw members more than double since February 2020. There’s still a monthly payment, but the money is refundable until our customer chooses to spend it.
What is the most popular country for the beers among consumers. Any changes to supply since Brexit?
With a thriving and innovative scene, the UK is our most popular country that produces beers for customers, with the majority of all sales generated by beers from the UK in 2021. It’s no surprise, really, when there are so many exciting breweries that have grown from strength to strength over the years. We believe the pandemic has helped consolidate this, with many customers keen to support the UK breweries that faced uncertain futures after lockdown’s pub closures. After the UK, Ireland is our next most popular producer, followed by Germany.
In terms of our imports, new paperwork and rules has meant that bringing in beer from Europe has become a slower process. However, after a few teething issues earlier in the year, we’ve been to still secure a number of exclusive imports on a regular basis and even introduced some new ones to our range, like France’s La Chouette ciders and the award-winning range from Germany’s Waldhaus.”
Are low and no beers more ‘hydrating’ than normal ABV beers?
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that it promotes water loss. The less alcohol in a beer, the more hydrated you will be when you drink it. This is why beers under 4% ABV and especially alcohol-free beers have been touted recently as good drinks for recovering after exercise.
When you work out, you lose more than just water through sweat, and beer contains carbohydrates and sodium that help you replenish electrolytes. However, go over 4% and the alcohol’s dehydrating properties outweigh the overall benefits, so stick to lower percentages and alcohol-free options if you’re looking for post-workout hydration.
How does Honest Brew curate the low and no boxes?
When it comes to curating our mixed cases, we love to showcase the breadth of styles available. With our Drop it Like It’s Dry January case, we were keen to work with Big Drop for just this reason. As an alcohol-free only brewery, they keep things fresh by ensuring that no style is off limits, be it stout, amber ale or lager.
For our alcohol-free mixed cases we take a similar approach, while also bringing a number of different types of breweries to the forefront. From British independent outfits like Tiny Rebel, to specialists like Big Drop and traditional German breweries like Waldhaus, these cases aim to take our customers on a whistlestop tour of the alcohol-free beer world. Hopefully, this helps to bring the same sense of discovery found in our standard mixed cases that our customers love.
