How is beer made non-alcoholic? This question excites many fans of this drink today. In addition, a healthy lifestyle has been advertised more and more recently in society. Therefore, in television advertising, we increasingly see an appeal if drinking beer, then only non-alcoholic. So what is this drink? How does he manage to convey the taste and aroma of a well-known beer, while not having a single gram of alcohol in it?
What is non-alcoholic beer?
Before you learn how to make beer non-alcoholic, let's figure out what it is all about. Experts say that this is a drink that is similar to traditional beer only to taste. Moreover, it may not contain alcohol at all, or may contain a small amount of alcohol. The strength of the drink in this case, depending on the country, varies from 0.2 to one degree.
This drink is intended primarily for those who can not afford alcohol. For example, due to poor health or the need to drive a car. But at the same time he wants to drink beer.
It is worth noting that this is a very new invention. Non-alcoholic beer appeared only in the 70s of the XX century. This is due to the sharp increase in the number of cars on the roads and the growth of accidents involving drunk drivers. They began to develop it especially actively in those countries where the use of beer has become one of the traditions.
The technology for producing non-alcoholic beer is quite complicated. Beer with a degree is much easier to get. Therefore, the final product is more expensive.
Production technology
In order to understand how beer is made non-alcoholic, consider the technology of its production. There are two main options. The first is aimed at reducing alcohol in beer by completely eliminating the fermentation process, the second is aimed at removing alcohol from ready-made beer.
In order to exclude fermentation, it is necessary to use special yeast. They will not ferment maltose into alcohol. Another effective way is to stop the fermentation process by cooling.
This is not the best option, because the resulting drink contains a large amount of sugar, and its taste does not at all look like a traditional beer.
How to remove alcohol from beer
Another way that beer is made non-alcoholic is to remove alcohol from a finished product. Most often, thermal methods are used for these purposes. Vacuum distillation and vacuum evaporation are also very common.
This beer has a so-called "boiled" taste, because it is exposed to high temperatures.
There is another way to remove alcohol. It is called membrane. In this case, dialysis with the addition of concentrated sulfuric acid or osmosis (one-way diffusion process) is used. This is the only way to remove alcohol from beer without resorting to high temperatures.
Is there really no alcohol in non-alcoholic beer?
This question worries those who are contraindicated in alcohol on the recommendation of doctors, or lovers of a foamy drink, who will soon get behind the wheel.
An unequivocal answer to the question of whether there is alcohol in non-alcoholic beer cannot be given. It may be absent altogether, but may be contained in small quantities. It all depends on the manufacturer and the brand of beer you choose. It should be remembered that in different countries alcohol is understood to mean drinks with different alcohol contents in them.
For example, in Russia only beer with an alcohol content of less than 0.5% is not recognized as alcohol.
And in the UK there are even several categories. Non-alcoholic beverages are those in which the alcohol content does not exceed 5 hundredths of a percent. Then comes the category of drinks from which alcohol was removed. This is just non-alcoholic beer. The third category is low - alcohol drinks with an alcohol content of not more than 1.2%.
So whether there is alcohol in non-alcoholic beer, you need to control yourself by carefully reading everything that is written on the label.
If the beer is non-alcoholic, then it can be drunk by children?
This is another question that arises for everyone involved in the study of this drink. It must be recognized that in Russia there is no special legislation on non-alcoholic beer: since how many years it is allowed to sell and it is recommended to use it. Russian laws only deal with drinks containing alcohol, so formally there are no violations in the sale of non-alcoholic beer to minors.
But in some countries they decided to consolidate this moment by law. So, in the United States only drinks containing less than 0.5% alcohol, and by volume, are considered non-alcoholic. In most states, their sale to minors is officially permitted.
Non-alcoholic beer brands
Non-alcoholic beer first appeared in the USA. Among the popular brands that could offer lovers a foamy drink that does not contain alcohol is, first of all, BUD. It is today considered one of the best in this market.
It is also necessary to highlight the German beer non-alcoholic brand Clausthaler. The technology of its production at the enterprise is carefully guarded, declaring that it is a commercial secret. Many people cannot even guess that the beer they were offered does not contain alcohol. The merit in this special hop bitterness, which manufacturers manage to achieve.
Dutch Beckler beer is also common. To obtain it, special fermentation and filtration processes have been developed. The result is a first-class lager. At the same time, the drink contains malt, hops and purified drinking water. Manufacturers manage to achieve a mild and balanced taste.
The Belgians entered the market with the Martens brand. True, many are skeptical of this drink. The aroma is almost completely absent, there is an unpleasant and incomprehensible taste.
In recent years, Russian brewing companies have become increasingly involved in the production of non-alcoholic beer. They launch the Zhiguli, Trekhgornoe, Baltika Bar, and Baltika 0 brands on the market.
Calorie-free non-alcoholic beer
This value also varies, depending on the brand of beer. But the average performance is about the same. Most often, the calorie content of non-alcoholic beer is 26 kilocalories per 100 milliliters of the drink.
However, it does not contain proteins and fats. And carbohydrates are about 4.7 grams per 100 milliliters.
Benefit and harm
If you choose non-alcoholic beer, you should know about the benefits and dangers of this drink. We note right away that it can only be safe if you limit the use to one bottle, and not every day, but much less often. If you use it regularly, then you will not feel any improvement in health.
The fact is that most of the components in alcoholic and nonalcoholic beer coincide. The benefits and harms of these drinks are about the same. The main drawback is, of course, high calorie content. Both regular and non-alcoholic beer promise you serious problems with being overweight.
In addition, non-alcoholic beer is strictly contraindicated for lactating and pregnant women, adolescents and children. Although formally it does not contain alcohol, its components can have a negative effect on a young and emerging organism. Beer, even containing no alcohol, can seriously harm people with diseases of the pancreas, liver, kidneys, gall bladder. It’s also worth it to be non-drinker and coded alcoholics. The taste can be deceiving, and a person with a weak will is able to break into binge even from one can of beer, free of alcohol.
Be careful if you are taking medications. Most diuretics and antibiotics cannot be combined with non-alcoholic beer.
It also has a high level of cobalt, which is used to stabilize the foam. Therefore, this beer has a negative effect on the function of the heart muscle, it can provoke inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract, and some other organs.
Therefore, do not flatter yourself with the lack of alcohol in such a beer. It can be no less dangerous than normal.