Scottish craft brewer BrewDog has opened its first alcohol-free bar in central London. The BrewDog AF Bar offers 15 taps of draft alcohol-free craft beer.
With 24% of beer drinkers choosing more low or no-alcohol options, the brewery is piloting the new concept for its bar division, with a view to rolling it out across the UK and into Europe.
The demand for and popularity of alcohol-free beer is increasing – Mintel has reported 28% of beer drinkers are cutting back on consumption because of health concerns and recent analysis by EeBria Trade has noted sales of low and no-alcohol beers have risen 381% since 2017.
BrewDog pioneered low-alcohol beers in the UK with the release of Nanny State in August 2009, which is the UK’s best-selling alcohol-free craft beer.
The brewery has since followed it up with the alcohol-free version of its flagship Punk IPA, Punk AF, which has also become the #1 NPD product for Total Craft beer in the UK this year.
BrewDog is also expanding its core range of alcohol-free beers with two new additions: Wake Up Call, a Coffee Stout; and Hazy AF, an alcohol-free take on its existing New England IPA.
BrewDog AF alcohol-free bar will be serving all of these beers alongside others, with 15 taps of draft alcohol-free craft beer along with alcohol-free spirits and cider.
James Watt, Captain of BrewDog, said: “Drinkers opting for low or no alcohol are in danger of compromising on quality, taste and experience. And that’s just the beer – forget about places in which to enjoy it. We are going to change that. We exist to be a point of difference, and our first BrewDog AF Bar is just that. It is a beacon for anyone in London after an alcohol-free alternative.
“Alcohol free does not need to be synonymous with taste-free. Whether you have cut alcohol out or are cutting back we want to show that alcohol-free doesn’t mean compromising on quality or taste.”
