How is beer made non-alcoholic? This question worries many fans of this drink today. In addition, in recent years, a healthy lifestyle is being advertised more and more actively in society. Therefore, in television advertising, we increasingly see a call to drink beer, then only non-alcoholic. So what is this drink? How does he manage to convey the taste and aroma of a well-known beer, while not having a single gram of alcohol in its composition?
What is non-alcoholic beer?
Before we learn how beer is made non-alcoholic, let's figure out what it is all about. Connoisseurs say that this is a drink that is similar to traditional beer only in taste. At the same time, it can either contain no alcohol at all or contain a small amount of alcohol. The strength of the drink in this case, depending on the country, varies from 0.2 to one degree.
This drink is intended primarily for those who cannot afford alcohol. For example, due to poor health or the need to drive a car. But at the same time he wants to drink beer.
It should be noted that this is a very new invention. Non-alcoholic beer appeared only in the 70s of the XX century. This is due to a sharp increase in the number of cars on the roads and an increase in accidents involving drunk drivers. Especially actively it began to develop in those countries where the use of beer has become one of the traditions.
Production technology non-alcoholic beer quite complicated. Beer with a degree is much easier to get. Therefore, the final product is more expensive.
Production technology
In order to understand how beer is made non-alcoholic, consider the technology of its production. There are two main options. The first is aimed at reducing alcohol in beer by completely eliminating the fermentation process, the second is aimed at removing alcohol from already finished beer.
In order to exclude fermentation, it is necessary to use special yeast. They won't ferment maltose into alcohol. Another effective method- stop the fermentation process by cooling.
It's not the best the best option because the resulting drink contains a large number of sugar, and its taste is not at all like traditional beer.
How to remove alcohol from beer
Another way to make beer non-alcoholic is to remove the alcohol from the already finished product. Most often, thermal methods are used for these purposes. Vacuum distillation and vacuum evaporation are also very common.
This beer has a so-called "boiled" taste because it is exposed to high temperatures.
There is another way to remove alcohol. It is called membrane. In this case, dialysis with the addition of concentrated sulfuric acid or osmosis (one-way diffusion process) is used. This is the only way to remove alcohol from beer without resorting to high temperatures.
Is there really no alcohol in non-alcoholic beer?
This question worries those for whom alcohol is contraindicated on the recommendation of doctors, or lovers foamy drink who will soon be behind the wheel.
An unequivocal answer to the question of whether there is alcohol in non-alcoholic beer cannot be given. It may be absent altogether, or it may be present in small amounts. It all depends on the manufacturer and the brand of beer you choose. At the same time, it should be remembered that in different countries Alcohol is defined as drinks with varying amounts of alcohol in them.
For example, in Russia, only beer with an alcohol content of less than 0.5% is not recognized as alcohol.
And in the UK there are even several categories. Soft drinks are considered to be those in which the alcohol content does not exceed 5 hundredths of a percent. Then comes the category of drinks from which the alcohol has been removed. It's just non-alcoholic beer. The third category - with an alcohol content of not more than 1.2%.
So, whether there is alcohol in non-alcoholic beer, you need to control it yourself, carefully reading everything that is written on the label.
If the beer is non-alcoholic, then it can be drunk by children?
This is another question that appears in everyone who studies this drink. It must be admitted that in Russia there is no special legislation dedicated to non-alcoholic beer: from what age is it allowed to be sold and recommended to be consumed. Russian laws only deal with drinks containing alcohol, so formally there are no violations in the sale of non-alcoholic beer to minors.
But in some countries this moment has decided to be fixed by law. So, in the USA, only drinks containing less than 0.5% alcohol, and by volume, are considered non-alcoholic. In most states, their sale to minors is officially allowed.
Non-alcoholic beer brands
Non-alcoholic beer appeared in the USA for the first time. Among the popular brands that could offer lovers of a foamy drink that does not contain alcohol is, first of all, BUD. It is still considered one of the best on the market today.
It is also necessary to highlight the German Clausthaler. The technology of its production at the enterprise is carefully guarded, declaring that this is a trade secret. Many cannot even guess that the beer they were offered does not contain alcohol. The merit in this is the special hop bitterness that manufacturers manage to achieve.
Also common is Buckler. To obtain it, special fermentation and filtration processes have been developed. The result is a first-class lager. At the same time, the drink contains malt, hops and purified drinking water. Manufacturers manage to achieve a soft and balanced taste.
The Belgians entered this market with the Martens brand. True, many people are skeptical about this drink. The aroma is almost completely absent, there is an unpleasant and incomprehensible taste.
IN last years Russian brewing companies are increasingly involved in the production of non-alcoholic beer. They put on the market brands "Zhiguli", "Trekhgornoye", "Baltika bar", "Baltika 0".
Calorie content of non-alcoholic beer
This value also varies, depending on But the averages are about the same. Most often, the calorie content of non-alcoholic beer is 26 kilocalories per 100 milliliters of drink.
At the same time, it does not contain proteins and fats. And carbohydrates are about 4.7 grams per 100 milliliters.
Benefit and harm
If you have chosen non-alcoholic beer, you need to know about the benefits and harms of this drink. We note right away that it can only be safe if you limit the use of one bottle, and not every day, but much less frequently. If you use it regularly, then you will not feel any improvement in health.
The fact is that most of the components in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer coincide. The benefits and harms of these drinks are about the same. The main disadvantage is, of course, high calorie content. Both ordinary beer and non-alcoholic beer promise you serious problems with being overweight.
In addition, non-alcoholic beer is strictly contraindicated for lactating and pregnant women, adolescents and children. Although technically it does not contain alcohol, but its components can have Negative influence on a young and developing organism. Beer, even if it does not contain alcohol, can cause serious harm to people with diseases of the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and gallbladder. It is also carefully worth being a non-drinker and coded alcoholics. Taste can be deceiving, and a person with a weak will can break into a binge even from one free from alcohol.
Be careful if you are taking medications. Most diuretics and antibiotics should not be combined with non-alcoholic beer.
It also has a high level of cobalt, which is used to stabilize the foam. Therefore, such beer has a negative impact on the function of the heart muscle, it can provoke inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract and some other organs.
Therefore, you should not delude yourself with the absence of alcohol in such beer. It can be no less dangerous than usual.
Non-alcoholic beer is a controversial drink. On the one hand, it tastes similar to its traditional counterpart, on the other hand, it practically does not contain an elevated degree, which makes it attractive in the eyes of people who, for whatever reason, do not drink alcohol.
The price in the store for this “ennobled” drink is much higher than for its high-grade counterpart. In addition, many prefer to know what and in what composition they use, so they make intoxicating drink at home. If you are a fan of experimentation or just take care of your health, we will tell you how to brew non-alcoholic beer yourself.
Non-alcoholic beer recipe
The preparation of the original foamy drink cannot do without its main components: hops, water, malt and yeast. However, when brewing soft drinks, the same ingredients are used. So what's the difference how non-alcoholic beer is brewed?
The initial process is the same in both cases, but then the amount of ethanol is reduced using the following methods:
- Decreased fermentation rate. It is known that yeast begins to ferment at a certain temperature, its reduction allows you to stop this process;
- Evaporation at a low boil. This method significantly reduces the ethanol content, but worsens the taste of the finished product;
- Membrane filtration is the most high-quality and taste-preserving method of beer.
Of course, none of these methods can eliminate 100% of alcohol, but its content in the final product should not exceed 0.5 degrees.
How to make non-alcoholic beer at home
It's nice to have a glass or two of your favorite beer at the end of the working week and not be afraid of a hangover or food poisoning from a poor-quality product the next day. It is for such cases that we offer you recipes for non-alcoholic beer at home.
A rich variety of various recipes allows each lover to choose something to his taste. Amber, sweet, dark, honey, mustard, rice and even fruity - it is easy to choose a drink even for the most demanding beer connoisseurs. The most popular options are presented in our article.
Recipe 1 "Sweet"
Preparing a drink according to this recipe at home is quite simple.
Necessary:
- 500 grams of barley malt;
- 10 liters of pure water;
- 150 grams of hops;
- 1 st. l. salt;
- 200 grams of sugar;
- 1 glass of molasses.
To make non-alcoholic beer:
- Pour the malt with half the water, let it brew all night;
- In the morning, pour salt into the workpiece and send it to the fire. After boiling, boil for 3, and preferably 4 hours;
- Pour the remaining water into a separate pan and add hops, boil on the window for half an hour;
- After that, both liquids must be mixed, filtered and allowed to cool;
- Combine the molasses with sugar, then add the mixture to the liquid;
- We put the beer base on the fire, simmer until the sugar crystals are completely dissolved;
- We take out the container in the cold for a day, then filter it again, bottle it and leave it cool again for 24 hours. It is important not to clog with lids;
- After the time has passed, we close the bottles and insist another week.
Recipe 2 "Amber Homemade"
According to this recipe, beer is brewed as follows:
Necessary:
- pure (filtered) water - 10 liters;
- hops - 0.3 kg;
- sugar - 400 grams;
- malt flour (rye or barley) or dry kvass - 600 grams.
How to weld:
- Add flour or kvass to the hops, mix, add water;
- Bring to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat. When heated, flour should precipitate at the bottom of the pan;
- Add some water to sugar, boil thick syrup(like sour cream) brown. Cool and allow to harden to the state of a candy, crumble and add to the warm beer mass, stir until dissolved;
- We leave the solution for a day in a cool place, after which we must filter it and set it again for 24 hours in a cool place;
- Strain and bottle.
Recipe 3 "Dark"
To make a drink according to this recipe you need:
- Clean water - 10 liters;
- Hops 0.2 kg;
- barley - 2 kg;
- Maltose - 21/3 cups;
- Sugar - 0.4 kg;
- Salt - 1 tbsp.
Cooking:
- We wash the barley, then dry it in a warm oven, and then grind it;
- Pour the resulting coarse flour with water, simmer over low heat for about 60 minutes. Then let cool, strain.
- We prepare a decoction of hops (see recipe 1), after which we combine both liquids and salt, boil for another 2 hours;
- Cool and mix with maltose, then let cool in a dark place;
- While the beer preparation is infused, prepare the caramel mass: heat the sugar in a pan until it melts, thickens and turns dark brown. Let cool, then grind.
- Pour burnt sugar into warmed beer, mix. We send it to the cold again, then pour into containers.
How to brew non-alcoholic beer: photo
Homemade non-alcoholic beer is believed to have various healing effects. It increases the body's resistance to harmful carcinogens, improves digestion and cleanses the skin from inflammation and rashes. Whether this is so is difficult to judge. However, there is no doubt that the reduced content of ethanol in the drink is much more preferable for the body than its amount in strong drink.
Non-alcoholic beer, the very one, at the mention of which for some reason they immediately remember the rubber woman. Have you noticed how much of it has appeared lately? Advertising is understandable. The rulers decided that if a bottle of beer appeared on the TV screen, the nation would immediately fall into drunkenness, fornication and decadence. Beer advertising is prohibited. Therefore, manufacturers began to advertise non-alcoholic, in order to promote the “right” in this way. But it turned out that non-alcoholic beer is still popular and almost all Russian brands have got their own non-alcoholic analogue. And it's not just advertising. With a general decline in the beer market, the growth in sales of the non-alcoholic segment amounted to tens, if not hundreds of percent.
Here, of course, the matter is in the low base (prior to this, non-alcoholic drinks were practically not produced) and in the same advertisement. However, if the bouncy woman stereotype were sustainable, then who would buy and drink this beer? And it is sold in very good volumes.
However, prejudice against non-alcoholic beer is still strong and this is due to the fact that people perceive it as an ersatz, a substitute for alcohol. It is not right! We do not perceive the same kvass as a substitute for beer or strong beer with a more “nutritious” and “effective” version of the usual one. However, there are (and not a few) people who think so. But you and I are not like that and we see the difference in styles, but non-alcoholic beer, this is a separate style to which you need to be like a separate measure.
Personally, I perceive it exactly as a separate style, a separate drink, and I buy and drink "non-alcoholic" not to try to deceive my receptors, my body, but because of the taste. Yes, imagine, I like the taste of non-alcoholic beer! With one caveat, not everyone. But I don't like regular beer either. I drink non-alcoholic just to quench my thirst in the middle of the day (and maybe in the evening), not because someone forbids me to drink alcohol, but because at the moment I don’t feel like it. We not only drink beer, but also tea, and kefir, and lemonade, and just water. Is this a substitute for beer? No. So with its non-alcoholic version, you just need to consider it as a separate drink, and not as a replacement. Moreover, now there are many varieties and there is plenty to choose from.
Quite often the question is asked, how is non-alcoholic beer produced, brewed? There are several ways.
The first method, the most "racially true", the correct one is dialysis.
The finished, alcoholic beer is "filtered" through a special dialysis machine (like a blood purifier) that separates the alcohol. At the same time, the taste of beer is preserved as much as possible, although, of course, it changes with the departure of alcohol. Alcohol in beer also gives taste and when it is removed, the wort, malt tones of course become brighter, more noticeable, which most people do not like in non-alcoholic beer.
This method is very good, but very expensive. such equipment is not cheap. And since, until recently, the volume of production of non-alcoholic beer was very, very small, few people wanted to spend money on it. There are dialysis units near Baltika and at the Klin plant. It is by the dialysis method that Baltika No. 0 is produced, until recently, non-alcoholic Russian-made beer is better.
Method number two, the most common is interrupted fermentation.
Currently, the most common way to produce non-alcoholic beer is the so-called interrupted fermentation. The wort is only allowed to start fermenting and the fermentation is immediately interrupted by lowering the temperature, and then additionally carbonating, pasteurizing and filtering the beer. It is clear that the output is a sweetish, strongly reeking beer. In principle, you can not start fermentation at all, but carbonate the unfermented wort, which I think some people do, judging by the taste.
However, even with this method, you can get a decent result. Having played with mashing, you can make the wort less sweet, and a good fraction of hops for boiling and, most importantly, for cold hopping, may well hide this sweetness that we do not like, and simply give the beer taste and aroma. This is how “Zhiguli Barnoe Non-Alcoholic” and the Czech “Bakalar Nealko” are made. Non-alcoholic Zhiguli is currently my favorite in this style. It is just about what I said above - just delicious. There is much more hops in it than in "natural" Zhiguli. Apparently, I'm not alone in my preferences. In the nearest Pyaterochka, boxes with these beers run out quickly and often, because of this, I can’t buy it there.
Method number three, rare - evaporation.
As the name implies, alcohol is removed by evaporation. This is not necessarily the boiling of the finished beer. At low pressure, not even at the boiling point, alcohol evaporates from the finished beer the fastest. I don't even know who uses it now? In general, I know little about this method, I just heard that they did it in Europe in the 70-80s of the last century. You understand that this method not only rids the beer of alcohol, but also causes significant damage to its taste. In addition, some additional equipment is probably needed. After all, it’s not a cooker to do this ?!
Beer is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in Russia. According to the Center for Research on Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets, the average Russian drinks 50 liters of this drink per year. At the same time, many people fell in love with non-alcoholic beer. Most people who drink non-alcoholic beer justify this by saying that, unlike alcoholic beverages, it does not harmful effects on the body. Is this really true or is it just an advertising campaign to attract customers?
It is believed that non-alcoholic beer appeared as an invention of the technologists of the Anheuser-Busch brewing company. It happened in the twenties of the last century. That is, just in the period of the introduction of American Prohibition.
Reference: non-alcoholic beer is beer with low content alcohol. On average, it contains from 0.2 to 1.5% ethyl alcohol, regular beer contains from 4% to 15%. Otherwise, non-alcoholic beer is no different from regular beer. It is prepared according to the same recipe - by fermenting the wort with yeast. And to remove alcohol from it is used special technologies– membrane filtration, which allows you to separate alcohol from beer, and fast fermentation at low temperatures. (Special yeasts are used that do not ferment maltose into alcohol, or fermentation is stopped by cooling. The resulting beer contains a large amount of sugar, and its taste is far from traditional. The removal of alcohol is possible by thermal means using the low boiling point of alcohol. The most commonly used vacuum distillation and vacuum evaporation.) Therefore, in non-alcoholic beer, all the components of regular beer remain, with the exception of high content ethyl alcohol. As well as an alcoholic counterpart, non-alcoholic beer contains cobalt, fermentation products that are harmful to the body, among which may be fusel oils and cadaverine.
The drink is intended primarily for those who, for some reason, cannot drink ordinary beer, to which they already have a habit. These reasons may be a medical condition, treatment for alcoholism, or a situation incompatible with the intoxicating effects of alcohol, such as driving, or legal prohibitions on drinking, for example, due to insufficient age.
Manufacturers are positioning non-alcoholic beer as a safe and healthy alternative to regular beer, which can be consumed by drivers behind the wheel, pregnant women, people undergoing antibiotic treatment and addicted to alcohol. This drink really has advantages: it reduces the load on the liver and other organs, does not cause a hangover and withdrawal symptoms. However, these statements are valid only with moderate consumption - up to 2 bottles per week. When abused, even the so-called soft drink may lead to complications.
Consumption of non-alcoholic beer by drivers:
A driver who drinks "harmless" non-alcoholic beer while driving is wrong. Although the percentage of alcohol is really not large, but it is available. This means that the risk of accidents due to alcohol increases. You can suffer from non-alcoholic beer if it is found by a patrol at the driver. The more such beer is drunk, the higher the chance of exceeding the alcohol limit during the test. The characteristic smell from the driver's mouth will also cause the inspector to appoint an examination in a medical institution, and with a detailed blood test, the alcohol content in the blood will become clear.
Non-alcoholic beer and hormones
This type of drink is prepared using a similar technology from the same components as regular beer. In non-alcoholic beer, all the compounds that are found in a traditional beer drink are found. To speed up the fermentation process and release alcohol, brewers add special yeast to the suspension. Fermentation products have an adverse effect on the hormonal system. Stronger sex it is worth fearing the loss of the male component, expressed by testosterone, while the representatives fair half humanity needs to know about the opposite consequences - the appearance of antennae, coarsening of the voice. Most often, men have problems with a change in the shape and size of the chest, an increase in the abdomen.
Drinking non-alcoholic beer during pregnancy and breastfeeding
It is quite difficult for a girl who, before pregnancy, from time to time allowed herself to relax with the help of alcohol, to refuse such pleasure for as long as 9 months. There is a popular belief that if alcohol is contraindicated for expectant mothers, then non-alcoholic beer during pregnancy is definitely possible, there will be no harm from half a glass of a foaming drink. Do not flatter yourself, non-alcoholic beer is only called such. Typically, such beer contains at least 0.5% alcohol. Doctors are unanimous in their opinion - alcohol is contraindicated for pregnant women, even in small doses. Possibly for health future mother such a small amount will have no effect. But on the development of a child whose systems and organs are just being formed, even a small amount of alcohol can have a negative impact. It has been proven that in pregnant women who regularly consume alcohol in small quantities, the level of hormones in the amniotic fluid is reduced, as a result of which the child's weight may be insufficient.
Non-alcoholic beer, like regular beer, is obtained by fermenting the wort with brewer's yeast. But then the drink goes through double filtration, so that the percentage of alcohol can be reduced. They also use fermentation suppression technology, which also reduces the alcohol content. However, as a result of applying any of these technologies, the taste of beer changes. And in order to give the drink a traditional beer taste, artificial flavors are used. In addition, any beer contains preservatives, biological additives, bitter substances and hops, which are known to be phytoestrogen. These components are not only unsafe for the health of a pregnant woman, but also contribute to weight gain.
Cobalt is also used as a foam stabilizer in the production of non-alcoholic beer, which, if accumulated in the body, can lead to heart problems and cause inflammation in the stomach and esophagus. Non-alcoholic beer during pregnancy is strictly prohibited for women who have certain kidney problems. True, this restriction applies not only to expectant mothers.
Nursing mothers are also not recommended to drink non-alcoholic beer. When breastfeeding, everything that a nursing mother eats and drinks gets into breast milk. All contents from non-alcoholic beer also immediately pass into breast milk if a woman drank it.
Non-alcoholic beer and sports training
After training, all body systems are exhausted, they need recovery. Drinking beer greatly complicates these processes. Cobalt contained in non-alcoholic beer adversely affects cardiovascular system. After a workout, the body actively produces hormones that promote growth. muscle mass. The phytoestrogens contained in beer lead to hormonal imbalance. They lower the testosterone produced, which is why the positive results from training are reduced. Beer has a diuretic effect, due to which water is washed out of the body. useful trace elements, for example, potassium salts, so necessary for the heart. Fusel oils can cause blindness, liver disease, and impotence. Fusel oils are the reason hangover syndrome. In non-alcoholic beer, they are in a small amount And severe hangover will not be called. But these oils tend to accumulate in the body.
Drinking beer after training can negate all efforts. It is better to replace non-alcoholic beer with a glass mineral water, which perfectly quenches thirst, replenishes trace elements lost during training and will not cause any harm.
For what diseases is it forbidden to drink non-alcoholic beer
With pancreatitis, non-alcoholic beer is not allowed. This disease of the pancreas is very sensitive to beer components and especially to alcohol. If you do not need irritation of the affected pancreas, do not allow yourself beer products.
The symbolic use of alcohol with prostatitis is highly undesirable. The alcohol contained in the beer will be enough, even if, according to the manufacturer, it is non-alcoholic. Strictly abstain from beer while taking medication for prostatitis.
The use of the drink in question for hemorrhoids can cause complications. The reasons are its negative effect on the mucous membrane. The harm is aggravated by both ethanol and carbon dioxide of the beer product.
Non-alcoholic beer in diabetes is a rather risky pleasure. The reduced alcohol content of the product often means that there is even more barley sugar - maltose. For a diabetic, this is a big risk.
The use of non-alcoholic beer in epilepsy is best avoided. The diuretic properties of the drink can play a bad joke. And the increased load on the kidneys provokes an increase in pressure in the vessels. In general, the likelihood of a seizure increases.
Any beer drinks for gout are strictly prohibited by doctors. When processed in the body, their components increase the level uric acid. And it is extremely harmful for diseased joints.
Beer "zero" with gastritis is excluded unconditionally. It's all about the presence of by-products that enhance fermentation. And it irritates the walls of the unfortunate diseased area of \u200b\u200bthe stomach.
Doctors with cystitis are advised to limit the use of beer. Although diuretic properties in this case could show some benefit, but irritating properties will negate it. This fluid irritates an inflamed bladder. When treating a disease with antibiotics, there is no room for discussion at all.
As in regular beer, the level of cobalt, a foam stabilizer, goes off scale in non-alcoholic beer. This metal accumulates in the myocardium, the walls of the heart thicken, and its cavity expands. As a result, the functionality of the organ decreases, its insufficiency develops.
In addition, non-alcoholic beer, like regular beer, has a diuretic effect. Vital potassium begins to be washed out of the body along with urine, which leads to the development of diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
Compatibility of antibiotics and non-alcoholic beer
In most cases, a soft drink contains a small percentage of alcohol in the composition, and therefore the use of antibiotics or diuretics during the course is highly undesirable! Otherwise, be prepared to negate the results achieved or even aggravate the situation. A diuretic supplemented with beer puts a lot of stress on the kidneys. Not listening to the recommendations, the consumer risks getting allergic reactions, side effects. Intoxication of the body is possible due to the fact that alcohol is excreted much worse. Pay attention to the decrease in digestibility medicines the human body, which is facilitated by "zero".
