The review for the latest beer here at NoLo – the Erdinger Alkoholfrei 0.5% beer – comes hot off the heels of our last review – the Paulaner Weissbier 0,0%.
There are a few differences and similarities to note with the previous beer to begin with.
Firstly, both are brewed to Bavarian Purity Law. This means they have a fairly standard set of ingredients, without any additional or filler ingredients sometimes seen with non-alcoholic beers.
However, this Erdinger retains 0.5% alcohol, yet still retains the ‘alcohol-free’ classification. It seems as though removing alcohol from the beer is via the traditional routes, rather than having a similar ‘top-secret’ processing method that Paulaner claim to have.
Finally, the last point of note, is that Erdinger make a big deal about this beer being isotonic, containing vitamins and reduced calories – not something that is popular on the front of a beer!
Erdinger Alkoholfrei 0.5% Initial Review
For this review, I had a chilled 500ml glass bottle of Erdinger Alkoholfrei, that I purchased from a local Tesco supermarket, priced around £1.50 a bottle.
The bottle has a very European design, distinguishable from the some-what old school logo and colour scheme. You can see the exact bottle below:
First impressions of the beer are determined by the aroma. As expected, there is a strong wheaty smell, but less intense than the Paulaner, yet also sweeter.
Pouring into a bottle It is dark straw coloured and slightly opaque. The beers look rather flat, with just a thin head present.
What does it taste like?
Taste wise, the wheat aroma is matched with its taste. After a few sips, the dominating flavour dies down and you notice the smooth and citrusy flavours of the beer.
As mentioned with the sweet aroma, the taste is also sweet, unlike the malty taste, the sweetness continues until the end of the bottle.
Drinking the beer was entirely pleasurable, but I can’t help but think it is inferior to its competitor I drank the other night.
I drank this whilst watching England play Hungary in a World Cup qualifier. And after watching the average, yet effective outcome of that match, it feels like an apt metaphor for this beer. Does the job, but without too much excitement!
Where Can I Buy Erdinger Alkoholfrei 0.5%?
Erdinger Alkoholfrei is a popular non-alcoholic beer, so it is available at a range of places.
If you are looking to pick up a bottle or two in your weekly shop, you can try the following major retailers:
- Tesco
- Morrissons
- Ocado
- Waitrose
- Sainsburys
- Asda
But if you are happy to purchase online, or add a bottle to your beer subscription box, try the following retailers:
Erdinger Alkoholfrei 0.5% Ingredients, Nutritional Information and Calories
Because Erdinger’s Alkoholfrei beer is produced according to Bavarian Purity Law, the ingredient list is pretty simple:
Water, Wheat Malt, Barley Melt, Hops, Yeast, Carbon Dioxide
As with all wheat beers, Erdinger Alkoholfrei is not suitable for people with wheat or barley intolerances.
The nutritional information is as follows:
| Nutritional Information | Per 100mL |
|---|---|
| Energy (KJ / KCal) | 25 / 107 |
| Fat (g) | n/a |
| Of Which Saturates (g) | n/a |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 5.3 |
| Of Which Sugars (g) | 3.6 |
| Protein (g) | n/a |
| Salt (g) | n/a |
| Folic Acid (B9) (µg) | 20 |
| Vitamin B12 (µg) | 0.13 |
| Polyphenols (mg) | 30 |
The Overall Verdict?
German wheat beers have a very distinguished taste, which can often be masked by the presence of alcohol. However, with the alcohol-free beers, having a wheat beer that tastes good on its own merit is important.
After trying the Erdinger alkoholfrei, I can tolerate drinking it, but I don’t love it. It has that distinctive German beer flavour, but it is far too sweet and tastes too dissimilar from the real thing.
Additionally, with the last review of the Paulaner Weissbier 0,0% fresh in my mind, I would much rather pick that over this beer.
Maybe I am coming across as too harsh, but it is definitely a drink I would consider ordering in future. But not a drink I can see myself regularly drinking.
However, I have come across information that a grapefruit variant of the Erdinger alkoholfrei exists. I am both terrified and intrigued at the thought of that, but as soon as I get my hands on it, it will be reviewed here!
