HOW IS ALCOHOL-FREE BEER MADE?

ALCOHOL-FREE BEER FERMENTATION-FREE DEALCOHOLISATION LIMITING FERMENTATION

Alcohol-free beer varies in alcohol
content, as the definition of "alcohol-
free" varies in different countries.
compounds usually produced during
≤0.05% ≤0.5%
Low alcohol beers are also common.
In the UK beers with an alcohol
percentage above 0.5% but below
1.2% can be termed low alcohol.
required concentration.
Brewers can eliminate the alcohol-
producing fermentation stage by
not adding yeast to the wort. This
means that they must add flavour
fermentation using additives, often
resulting in dull flavour.
DILUTION
Brewers use extra
malt and hops during
brewing to produce a
concentrated beer.
After fermentation,
brewers add water to
dilute the beer to the
Brewers can brew beers as normal, Other brewers modify fermentation
then remove the alcohol after. There to reduce the alcohol content of the
are several ways of doing this. resulting beer.
DISTILLATION SPECIAL YEASTS
Heating beer removes alcohol which Some brewers use particular strains
boils at a lower temperature than of yeast which cannot ferment
water. But this also removes flavour. maltose, the principal sugar in wort,
Vacuum distillation reduces the and produce little alcohol.
temperature at which alcohol boils,
preserving more flavours.
CH2OH CH2OH
O O
OH OH MALTOSE
WATER ETHANOL
O
Boils at 100˚C Boils at 78.4˚C OH OH
OH OH
MEMBRANE FILTRATION
COLD CONTACT FERMENTATION
Some brewers use membranes that
Fermentation at low temperature
let water and alcohol through but not
produces little ethanol but does
flavour compounds. They then add the
produce some flavour compounds.
water back in to the beer.

OTHER METHODS
ALCOHOL-
FREE BEER
O
H3C
Brewers adjust the Other methods include limiting
OH acidity of the beer by fermentable sugars in wort or
OH WATER
adding organic acids removing yeast before too much
ALCOHOL
then carbonate it. alcohol has been produced.
LACTIC ACID BEER

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