Honestly, I don’t think I’d notice that Nanny State was an alcohol-free beer if no one told me. If you usually enjoy a full-strength British bitter or an IPA, the hoppiness of this beer is sure to appeal to you. Some might even say that partnering with multinational supermarkets and Wetherspoon pubs goes against the punk ethos. Then again, it’s not like the Ramones and the Sex Pistols only sell their music in independent record stores. Initially a 1.1% beer in 2009, the latest version of Nanny State comes in at just 0.5% ABV, the same as a ripe banana. This makes it alcohol-free by most definitions.

It’s the malts that come to the fore in the taste assisted by herby, grassy and mango flavours. There’s a dash of bitterness, which is all it needs.Nanny State is an ale with the flavour of an IPA. It probably started out as a ‘joke’ beer, but BrewDog have refined it into something that is drinkable, though I can think of at least a few people who would turn their noses up at it. I find it refreshing, and at about 20 calories per can I don’t feel guilty for downing a few of these in an evening. Buy BrewDog Nanny State Whether you’re a fan of the brand or not, it’s hard to deny that Brewdog produces great beers. So how would its alcohol-free offering measure up? Please note: BrewDog recommends that you only drink this beer whilst wearing the necessary personal protective equipment and in a premises that has passed a full health and safety risk assessment for optimum enjoyment. You can buy some and make your own little protest against the bueorocracy and regulation epidemic that is apparently all that stands between us and the slow and gradual downfall of Western civilisation here.

Lemon Aspen Pilsner from @SobahBeverages . Citrus on the nose, orange marmalade, malts. Citrus when we taste too, but it's more earthy and floral than your traditional citrus fruit. Works well in the lager free-beer.co.uk/sobah-lemon-… @FreeBeer_UK - Nov 10Obviously, drink this chilled, as you would any beer. I am always hesitant to compare low or no alcohol beers to their alcohol equivalents, they are different drinks and should be viewed as such. However, on this occasion, what I will say is this: if you lined up 5 or 6 different beers, and included Nanny State, I don’t think your average beer drinker would be able to tell you which one was the one without alcohol with any certainty. It really is a very good, and authentic, craft beer – no matter what the alcohol content.

Plenty of work went into making this beer – a lot of tinkering and experimentation to get it to what it is today. While it worked perfectly as such, they do not see Nanny State as simply a publicity stunt – they care about offering people low or no alcohol alternatives. They have even opened an alcohol free bar in Old Street. Nanny State Taste Test You’ve probably guessed that this is going to taste hoppy, and it is, almost excessively so. I say ‘almost’ because BrewDog have done a great job of blending the flavours they’ve used. It’s still very bitter, and I know will not be to everyone’s taste. Rather sharp pine seems to dominate the taste, with malt not really making an appearance, except for a slight teasing of coffee/chocolate. You may have noticed that I have often referred to ‘low or no alcohol beers’ in this article – that is because Nanny State has the official rating of 0.5% abv. While this, obviously, isn’t alcohol free, it should be viewed in context. A ripe banana contains around the same amount of alcohol. One of the problems with Scottish brewery Brewdog’s “punk” ethos is it keeps doing stuff that’s, well, just not really very punky.The taste of the beer doesn’t quite live up to the smell, though. Taking a sip, I get a burst of intense bitterness – and not too much else. I was expecting more of a citrus flavour from the hops, but it seems like the bitterness has swamped it. The contrast between the light and sweet fruity notes, with the harsher bitter and malty aftertaste really balances perfectly. You end up with a wonderfully refreshing drink, but a sophisticated one – it is made for people that love ‘craft’ beers, and I think it would satisfy even the most fussy of craft beer drinkers. Svart/Hvit from @nogneo . Treacle, coffee, roasted malts and vanilla on the nose, restrained bitterness with more roasted grains, coffee and a slight caramel sweetness as we taste. Lovely hefty body. Could easily pass for a full-fat stout free-beer.co.uk/nogne-o-svar… #alcoholfree @FreeBeer_UK - Sep 5