Podcast Episode

Why Alcohol Free Beer Is Booming

The Beer Rep Chats With··30 July 2026·44 min

About this episode

Alcohol-free beer has come a long way in a short space of time, but what's really driving its growth? This week on The Beer Rep Chats With, I'm joined by Sam, founder of We Can Be Friends, one of the UK's few breweries dedicated solely to alcohol-free beer. We dive into Sam's journey from production brewer to launching an alcohol-free beer brand, why collaborations have played such a huge role in its success, and how breweries are changing the way they approach low and no alcohol brewing. We also discuss why alcohol-free beer isn't as cheap to produce as many people think, the brewing techniques involved, the challenges of creating great body and flavour, and why more independent breweries are adding alcohol-free options to their core range. If you're curious about the future of alcohol-free beer, enjoy craft beer, or simply want to understand what goes into producing a great alcohol-free pint, this episode is packed with insight. If you enjoy the episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review and share it with another beer lover, it really helps the podcast grow. Shop We Can Be Friendshttps://wecanbefriends.co.uk/collections/beers-glasses We Can Be Friends Socials:Insta - https://www.instagram.com/WECANBEFRIENDSUK/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@wecanbefriendsuk Pod Websitehttps://www.beerrepchats.com/ Powered by ⁨@thekegwarehouse⁩   CHAPTERS 00:00 - 02:16 Introduction & Meet Sam from We Can Be Friends02:17 - 04:19 Why Focus on Alcohol-Free Beer?04:20 - 08:53 Why Alcohol-Free Beer Is Growing So Fast08:54 - 10:36 Bringing Craft Beer to Alcohol-Free Brewing10:37 - 15:59 How the Alcohol-Free Market Has Changed16:00 - 20:31 How Alcohol-Free Beer Is Brewed & Why It Costs More20:32 - 23:53 Ingredients, Hop Products & Building Flavour23:54 - 26:05 Could 1% Beer Be the Next Big Thing?26:06 - 28:22 The Hardest Beer Styles to Brew Alcohol-Free28:23 - 34:02 Brewery Collaborations & Surviving the Beer Industry34:03 - 39:56 The Future of Alcohol-Free Beer39:57 - 42:03 What's Next for We Can Be Friends?42:04 - Where To Find We Can Be Friends and Wrap UpSee more at beerrepchats.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.