As part of a trip to Krakow, Poland in November 2021, it was only right I went on the hunt for non-alcoholic beers.
After finding that the range of non-alcoholic drinks is readily available, this was put on my list after trying the somewhat disappointing Karmi Classic 0.0%. Just like that beer, I didn’t really know what I was buying into, except that I was aware of the brand – Żywiec – from full-strength beers.
Ahead of opening the bottle, I did some research into the drink, to find out exactly what I was going to drink and anything else I could find out about the brand and individual beer.
Żywiec Białe 0.0% is the alcohol free version of Żywiec Białe, and is a white, wheat beer. I should expected a naturally turbid beer that is light and delicate. Very interestingly, coriander is listed as an ingredient.
Let’s get into it!
Żywiec Białe Initial Review
Prior to researching this beer online before I drank it, I really didn’t know what style of beer I was getting – mainly due to the thick brown bottle.
However, pouring into a glass, it is amber / light gold in colour – a typical lager. The aroma is flat; strong wheat aromas only in the absence of alcohol. Once poured into the glass, it is indeed slightly hazy with a very thin head.
As for the taste, wheat flavours match the aroma. However, there are generic fruity flavours, with an overall light flavour.
There is no body to this beer and a complete absence of mouth feel. Pair that with the generic ‘beer’ flavouring from ‘natural extracts’ and ‘hop extract’, there really is nothing to get excited about.
At best, it’s average. Tolerable but lacking any identity.
Where Can I Buy Żywiec Białe?
We purchased a single bottle of Żywiec Białe from a chain local supermarket called Zubka, at a converted price of about 90p.
At the time of writing, we couldn’t find any UK stockists that sell this to UK buyers.
Żywiec Białe Ingredients, Nutritional Information and Calories
The ingredients list (in Polish) is as follows:
Woda, słód pszeniczny, słód jęczmienny, aromat naturalny, chmiel i ekstrakt z chmielu, kolendra
Which translates to:
Water, wheat malt, barley malt, natural flavor, hops and hop extract, coriander.
| Nutritional Information | Per 100mL |
|---|---|
| ABV | 0.0% |
| Energy (KJ / KCal) | 85 / 20 |
| Fat (g) | 0 |
| Of Which Saturates (g) | 0 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 5 |
| Of Which Sugars (g) | 2.6 |
| Protein (g) | <0.3 |
| Salt (g) | <0.01 |
The Verdict
Considering I knew very little about what I was getting here, the beer turned out to be distinctly average.
It was easy to drink, has some sort of character about it, but it ultimately tastes like the mass produced beer you expect from one of the big players.
However, due to its accessibility and low price, it cannot be completely dismissed; there are equally as many bad alcoholic beers to this. If you’re in Poland, you may want to give it a go, but otherwise, I would not go out of your way to source it.
Glad I tried it, but wouldn’t consider purchasing it again.
