Guinness 0.0: New non-alcoholic beer launches in UK, global rollout expected in 2021

26 Oct 2020 --- Guinness is introducing Guinness 0.0, the Guinness with everything except alcohol, following a four-year development process. Launching in the UK today, Guinness 0.0 will be available in off-licenses and supermarkets before rolling out to other British retailers. It will be available in pubs across the UK and Ireland from spring 2021 and available in global markets later in 2021.

The move comes as the “sober curious” trend gathers pace in the beverage arena as more individuals opt to lower their alcohol intake or remove it altogether. As Millennials and Gen Z consumers explore a lifestyle less influenced by alcohol, beverage companies are targeting these audiences with NPD.

“Guinness knows that for those that choose to drink, alcohol can be part of a balanced lifestyle. However, social occasions are becoming increasingly diverse to cater for those who choose not to drink alcohol as well as those who do. We put the consumer at the heart of our business and the launch of Guinness 0.0 allows us to provide consumer choice for different occasions,” a company spokesperson tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

Guinness 0.0 will be available in pubs across the UK and Ireland from spring 2021 and available in global markets later that year.“Guinness 0.0 will be available in Ireland and Great Britain. Further markets will launch Guinness 0.0 in 2021, so watch this space.”

Guinness 0.0 is a non-alcoholic beer from the brewers at St James’s Gate, the Home of Guinness in Dublin, Ireland. It boasts the same dark, ruby red liquid and creamy head of the original brew. They both also feature hints of chocolate and coffee, smoothly balanced with bitter, sweet and roasted notes. 

Methoding non-alcohol 
To create Guinness 0.0, the St James’s Gate brewers start by brewing Guinness precisely as they always have. They use water, barley, hops and yeast, before gently removing the alcohol through a cold filtration method. 

The cold filtration process allows the alcohol to be filtered out without presenting thermal stress to the beer, protecting its taste and character integrity. 

The brewers then carefully blend and balance the flavors to ensure Guinness’s distinctive flavor profile and taste characteristics.

A commitment to retaining Guinness’s distinct character and the taste was central to the four-year process led by the technical and innovation teams at St. James’s Gate. 

“Unmistakably Guinness”
The resulting product is “unmistakably Guinness,” notes the company, just without the alcohol.

Taste tests by an independent panel found that Guinness 0.0 “exceeded expectations” with its taste lauded as “outstanding.”

“The launch of Guinness 0.0 highlights our commitment to creating an alcohol-free beer that is 100 percent Guinness but 0 percent alcohol,” says Gráinne Wafer, global brand director at Guinness. 

“We know people want to be able to enjoy Guinness when they choose not to drink alcohol without compromising on taste. With Guinness 0.0, we believe they will be able to do exactly that.”

“Guinness has always had an unwavering commitment to quality, and our entire brewing team is hugely proud of the care and effort that has been put into the four-year Guinness 0.0 is also a low-calorie option for those choosing moderate consumption, with just 16 calories per 100 ml. development process for Guinness 0.0. We’ve created a taste experience that we believe is truly unrivaled in the world of non-alcoholic beer,” adds Aisling Ryan, innovation brewer at St James’s Gate. 

Low-calorie and alcohol-free
Moreover, Guinness 0.0 is also a low-calorie option for those choosing to moderate, with just 16 calories per 100 ml. 

This means a standard can of alcohol-free Guinness 0.0 contains just 70 calories.

The initial UK supermarket roll out means Guinness 0.0 can be purchased in 440 ml cans, in packs of four. 

Edited by Elizabeth Green, with additional reporting by Gaynor Selby.