The Best Alcohol-Free Beers for Dry January (That Actually Taste Good)

My honest picks for enjoying beer without the booze

Dry January doesn’t mean you have to put up with thin, watery beer anymore. I’ve tried a lot of alcohol-free beers over the past year — some excellent, some genuinely disappointing — and the category has improved massively. Brewers are now finding ways to keep flavour, body, and aroma, even without the alcohol.

If you’re doing Dry January (or just cutting back), this is my honest guide to the best alcohol-free beers worth drinking, plus a few tips to help you get the most enjoyment out of them.

🍺 Why Alcohol-Free Beer Is Better Than Ever

Modern alcohol-free beer is a completely different beast to what it was a few years ago. Advances in brewing and alcohol-removal techniques mean you now get beers that actually taste like beer, not sugary malt drinks pretending to be one.

If you want a deeper dive into how alcohol-free beer is made and what to look out for, I’ve covered everything in this alcohol-free beer guide.

You can explore all current options in Beerhunter’s Alcohol-Free Beer collection, which includes some of the best examples available in the UK right now.

⭐ Top Pick for Dry January: Erdinger Alkoholfrei 500ml Bottles

If I had to recommend just one alcohol-free beer for Dry January, it would be Erdinger Alkoholfrei German Alcohol-Free Wheat Beer 500ml Bottles.

This is the beer I always come back to. It doesn’t taste like a compromise — it tastes like a proper, well-made wheat beer. You get soft bready malt flavours, gentle citrus notes, and that smooth, slightly creamy mouthfeel that Erdinger is famous for.

Because it’s a wheat beer, it naturally has more body than many alcohol-free lagers, which makes it especially satisfying during Dry January. It’s refreshing enough for midweek drinking, but comforting enough to replace your usual evening beer.

If you’re sceptical about alcohol-free beer, this is the one I’d tell you to start with.

🍫 Guinness 0.0 – A Great Alcohol-Free Stout Option

If you usually reach for dark beers, Guinness 0.0 is one of the most convincing alcohol-free stouts available. It keeps the roasted malt bitterness and surprisingly creamy mouthfeel that make Guinness so popular.

It’s a great choice during winter and a solid alternative for stout drinkers looking to cut back. You can explore similar styles in the Stout collection alongside alcohol-free options.

🍺 Alcohol-Free IPAs – Hoppy Without the Headache

IPAs used to be one of the hardest styles to recreate without alcohol, but that gap has closed fast. Many alcohol-free IPAs now deliver citrus, tropical fruit, and piney hop character that actually lasts beyond the first sip.

If you normally drink craft beer, this is a brilliant category to explore during Dry January. It’s also worth comparing them with full-strength versions in Beerhunter’s wider IPA collection — the difference is far smaller than it used to be.

❄️ Crisp Alcohol-Free Lagers – Clean, Easy-Drinking & Versatile

Sometimes you just want something cold, crisp, and refreshing. Alcohol-free lagers are ideal for social occasions, midweek meals, or when you want something light and uncomplicated.

Many take inspiration from classic European styles, which you can also browse in the Lager collection.

🎁 Alcohol-Free Beer for Dry January Gifting

Dry January isn’t always a solo challenge — lots of people do it together. Alcohol-free beer makes a genuinely thoughtful gift: supportive, inclusive, and still enjoyable.

If you want variety, building a mixed case is a great option. Have a look at the Mixed Beer Cases collection for inspiration, alongside the alcohol-free range.

🍻 Tips for Enjoying Alcohol-Free Beer in January

From experience, a few small tweaks make a big difference:

• Serve it properly chilled

• Use a glass, not the bottle or can

• Choose fuller styles like wheat beer, stout, or IPA

• Enjoy it for what it is — not as a direct replacement

🏁 Final Thoughts: Making Dry January Enjoyable

For me, Dry January works best when it doesn’t feel like punishment. Alcohol-free beer lets you keep the ritual — cracking a bottle, pouring a pint, unwinding at the end of the day — without the alcohol.

If you try just one alcohol-free beer this January, make it Erdinger Alkoholfrei. It’s proof that cutting out alcohol doesn’t mean giving up flavour.

👉 Browse the full Alcohol-Free Beer range here:
https://beerhunter.co.uk/collections/alcohol-free