In search of a no-alcohol beer you'd actually want to drink

Australians may be at the forefront of the NOLO movement, but I'm afraid I'm not one of them.

The no and low alcohol trend has grown in popularity exponentially, but I have always found an issue with these increasingly popular beverages: the fact that that they usually do not taste anything like beer or wine.

Another problem is that I am against paying $30-$40 for a bottle of no alcohol spirits. I'd rather have a glass of water (maybe with some cordial). Thanks very much.

So when I was offered the chance to sample low-calorie and no-alcohol beers from Son Of A Nun I was not exactly optimistic.

But I took my "mindful drinking” moment and was pleasantly surprised.

I'm not going to be swapping my Peroni or Asahi Dry anytime soon, But the no-alcohol beer actually tasted beer-like, tangy and refreshing, and the low-carb option was actually very decent. I wouldn't have picked it. 

I could certainly see myself having a couple of these if was the dedicated driver - or on a serious diet.




Maybe I could be sold on "moderate consumption without sacrificing on flavour".

The Son Of A Nun Low Carb Lager (4.2% ABV, 90 calories) comes in a six pack for $22 and Zero Alcohol (81 calories) in a four-pack for $11.

They are available at independent retailers with local stockists listed here https://www.sonofanun.com.au/stockists.

So who, exactly, are Australian Beer Company, who make Son Of  A Nun?

The clue is in the address: Yenda, NSW.

Which is the home town of Australia's biggest wine label: [yellowtail].

It turns out that both brands are owned and operated by some of the smartest operators in the drinks business: the Casella family.

Casella Family Brands (CFB) took full ownership of Australian Beer Co. after Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Australia (CCEP) decided to sell its interest in the business two years ago.

“ABCo is an exciting business led by a state-of-the-art brewery, and we welcomed the opportunity to acquire full ownership,” said John Casella.

They are certainly doing a good job with Son of Nun, which might be well worth a try for anyone doing Dry July.