No Alcohol No Sweat

Beer contains alcohol. That’s how its been for a long, long time. If someone says the word ‘beer’, chances are that the first thing that pops into your head is a delicious drink that makes your tipsy. But now, with non-alcoholic beer becoming more and more prevalent and popular, that assumption is no longer necessarily the case. Non-alcoholic beer is on the rise, and here to stay. But how do you remove alcohol from beer?

Is it some kind of sorcery? Black magic that has to be enacted on the first full moon of the winter solstice. Or similar?

Well, no.

It’s done by science.

In fact, the evolution of science has meant that there are not one, not two, but four primary ways to remove alcohol from beer to make it non-alcoholic. They are:

• Vacuum distillation
• Reverse osmosis
• Heat treatment
• Arrested fermentation

Let’s take a look at each of them.

How to remove alcohol from beer

Vacuum distillation

Vacuum distillation involves boiling the beer at a lower temperature and reduced pressure within a vacuum still. This method’s innovation lies in exploiting the physics of pressure and temperature to achieve a lower boiling point for alcohol, allowing its separation from the other components of beer at a lower temperature. The alcohol vapour, once liberated, undergoes condensation, leaving behind a delightful, alcohol-free brew.

The merits of vacuum distillation are significant. Notably, it doesn’t compromise the beer’s taste or aroma, preserving the very essence that makes the brew unique. However, it’s important to note that this advanced process comes with a price tag – the specialised equipment and expertise required can be cost-prohibitive for some.

Reverse osmosis

Reverse osmosis is characterised by its impressive efficiency. The process involves pushing beer through a specialised membrane, effectively separating alcohol from water and other ingredients. Before this, the beer undergoes filtration to eliminate any solids. The magic happens under high pressure as the membrane filters out the alcohol, leaving behind a non-alcoholic beer that’s virtually indistinguishable from its alcoholic counterpart.

While reverse osmosis is an efficient and scalable method, it’s also notable for the need for specialised equipment and expertise, making it accessible primarily to larger breweries.

Heat treatment

Heat treatment offers a more straightforward, no-frills approach to de-alcoholising beer. This method entails raising the beer’s temperature to the point where the alcohol naturally evaporates. After this process, the beer is promptly cooled and readied for bottling, resulting in a non-alcoholic alternative.

The charm of heat treatment lies in its simplicity, which translates into cost-effectiveness. This makes it an attractive option for smaller breweries and home brewers looking to produce non-alcoholic beer. Nevertheless, the simplicity of this method does come with a drawback: the potential to affect the flavour and aroma of the beer more significantly than the previously mentioned techniques.

Arrested fermentation

Arrested fermentation offers a unique perspective in the world of de-alcoholisation. It involves the deliberate halt of the fermentation process, typically before all the sugars in the beer are converted into alcohol. Achieving this pause can be accomplished by cooling the beer or introducing specific chemicals that effectively eliminate the yeast’s activity.

The simplicity and low cost of this method make it an attractive choice, particularly for small-scale operations or home brewing enthusiasts. However, the trade-off lies in the method’s effectiveness. Arrested fermentation may not consistently yield non-alcoholic beer with the same precision as other techniques, potentially resulting in variations in alcohol content.

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Brewers are increasingly adept at using all these methods to produce good quality, tasty non-alcoholic beer. Removing the alcohol is going to affect the taste, especially for those who are used to drinking alcoholic beer. But brewers are rising to the challenge of rendering the lack of alcohol moot when it comes to drinking pleasure.

Still results can vary. Luckily, you can check out my tasting notes.

_{Image credit: Patrick Forr}