How is non-alcoholic beer made?

Non-alcoholic beer is in high demand! But have you ever wondered how beer actually becomes alcohol-free? There are various methods for producing non-alcoholic beer. We’d like to take a closer look at the four most common ones here.

Different methods for producing non-alcoholic beer

Non-alcoholic beers are generally brewed like conventional beers. There are fundamentally two common ways to make a beer alcohol-free:

1. Alcohol removal

Method 1: Vacuum distillation

A completely normal beer with a regular alcohol content is produced. The beer is then heated under vacuum and the alcohol evaporates – similar to distillation. Due to the vacuum, the distillation takes place at low temperatures (well below 100°C). This makes it gentler and the aromas are preserved. The method is very well suited for lager and similar beers. Fun fact: the evaporated alcohol is used at the Feldschlösschen brewery to heat the steam boiler and generate hot water, saving several tens of thousands of tonnes of CO₂ and heating oil per year.

Method 2: Reverse osmosis

Through special filtration techniques such as reverse osmosis, the alcohol is filtered out of the beer. Fully brewed and alcoholic beer is passed under high pressure along a special fine-pored membrane after fermentation. The alcohol passes through this «filter», the rest of the beer does not, and the beer thus becomes alcohol-free.

2. Stopped fermentation

Method 3: Stopped fermentation

The yeast in beer is responsible for the alcohol, as it converts malt sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide during the fermentation process. With stopped fermentation, the yeast is removed after it has worked up to the maximum permitted 0.5% vol. alcohol. No further alcohol can therefore form. Beers produced with this method are characterised by a slightly sweet taste due to the remaining residual sugar and are particularly suitable for alcohol-free wheat beers.

Method 4: Use of special yeast strains

These yeast strains are distinguished by their special metabolism. Unlike the cultured yeasts most commonly used in brewing, these strains can only utilise the primary fermentation sugars – sucrose, glucose and fructose – but not maltose or maltotriose, which are predominantly present in beer wort. As a result, only a small amount of alcohol is automatically produced. This method has so far only been used by a few breweries, as it has only emerged in recent years.

These methods ensure that non-alcoholic beer is not only appealing in taste, but also retains the enjoyment value that many beer lovers appreciate.