MUNICH — Tobias Zollo, head brewmaster at Weihenstephan, the world’s oldest brewery, has a surprising preference: he enjoys alcohol-free beer. While he admits he has a fondness for traditional beer, Zollo finds himself reaching for non-alcoholic options during work and lunchtime, noting that they offer a similar taste with fewer calories than soft drinks, thanks to the brewery’s unique alcohol-evaporation process.
“You can’t drink beer every day — unfortunately,” he quipped last week at the Bavarian state brewery in Freising, located about 30 kilometers north of Munich.
Zollo’s sentiment reflects a broader trend; alcohol-free beer has been increasingly embraced as beer consumption declines. Since introducing non-alcoholic options in the 1990s, Weihenstephan has seen non-alcoholic wheat beer and lager account for 10% of its total volume, mirroring the trend within Germany’s beer industry.
“The people are unfortunately — I have to say that as a brewer — drinking less beer,” Zollo remarked on the eve of Oktoberfest. “If there’s an alternative to enjoy the crisp and fresh taste of Weihenstephan beer in a non-alcoholic version, we want to provide that.”
Even at Oktoberfest, renowned for its alcoholic beverages, alcohol-free beer is prominently featured. Of the festival’s 18 large tents, 16 will offer the option over its 16-day duration. Prices for the non-alcoholic drinks will be comparable to their alcoholic counterparts, ranging from 13.60 to 15.30 euros ($15.12 to $17.01) for a 1-liter mug, allowing drinkers to enjoy the festivities without the risk of a hangover.
“For those who prefer not to drink alcohol but still want to enjoy Oktoberfest, it’s a great option,” said Mikael Caselitz, 24, of Munich, while inside one of the tents. He added that some people mistakenly believe they need alcohol to have a good time. “If you choose to drink alcohol-free beer, nobody will judge you.”
This year also saw the debut of Munich’s first alcohol-free beer garden, “Die Null” (The Zero), which served a variety of non-alcoholic beers and mocktails near the main train station during the summer before its closure just days before Oktoberfest.
Walter König, managing director of the Society of Hop Research near Munich, noted that the production of alcohol-free beer has prompted the breeding of special hop varieties, as traditional hops lose their distinctive aroma when the alcohol is removed during brewing. However, König emphasized that customers care primarily about the taste. “They only want to know that what they are tasting is as good as traditional beers with alcohol,” he stated as preparations for Oktoberfest continued.
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