This true alcohol-free lager has most of the hallmarks of its alcoholic original, but can it match it for flavor?
We’ve been on the hunt for the best low-calorie beers and non-alcoholic replacements to take the place of a traditional pub pint. Ultimately, we want to see if there’s anything out there at the moment which can emulate the experience of drinking beer, without involving the fitness-busting calorie count that we’d like to leave in the past. Let’s see if San Miguel 0.0 is up to the task.
Men’s Fitness verdict
For now, it’s pretty difficult to remove alcohol from a drink and still get the same taste. However, San Miguel 0.0 does a commendable job despite the uphill battle.- A ‘true’ 0.0% beer
- Light and easy to drink
- Refreshing on a hot day
- Not as tasty as the alcoholic version
How we test low-calorie beers
On the face of it, testing low-calorie or non-alcoholic beers is pretty simple: our team of testers just have to pick up a can or bottle and put it through the palette test. Of course, taste is subjective, so while we aim to offer a quality description of what you can expect, we understand that everyone has different preferences. Moreover, if there is a regular alcoholic equivalent, our testers sample that too in order to get a sense of how the alternative compares to the original.
Straight out the gate, it’s immediately worth noting that San Miguel 0.0 is a perfectly tasty alcohol-free lager. Drink it chilled on a hot summer’s day and the crisp, clean taste will go down nicely. But, while that’s exactly what many people will be looking for in their lager, beer connoisseurs will be left feeling wanting by the lack of any real flavor. That becomes more understandable though, once you learn what goes into making it.
What ingredients are included in San Miguel 0.0?
San Miguel 0.0 is the product of fermentable sugars – from which alcohol is formed – being reduced in the brewing process. The rest of the brewing process involves all the typical beer ingredients – water, barley and hops – used to make the original San Miguel lager.
The result, perhaps unsurprisingly, is that this tastes a bit like the alcoholic version, but there’s a definite sense of something missing.
Of course, that’s not a problem if you’ve never tried the original, and shouldn’t detract from the fact that this is a perfectly palatable alcohol-free option.
Is San Miguel 0.0 really a healthier option?
Each 330ml bottle of San Miguel 0.0 contains just 79 calories – that’s 69.5 calories less than you’ll find in a San Miguel – so it can be enjoyed as part of any calorie-controlled diet plan. Speaking of which, be sure to check out our summary of the best healthy meal delivery services to make sure you’re eating well too.
Anyway, unlike other alcohol-free beers that actually contain up to 0.5% alcohol, this is a ‘true’ 0.0% option.
What other drinks should I consider?
The outright lack of alcohol won’t bother everyone, but some people will certainly miss the taste. If that’s true of you, then perhaps consider opting for a case of Brisk lager instead. Brisk is rated at 3.3% ABV, but impressively manages to do so while containing even less calories than San Miguel 0.0 (9kcal less, to be precise).
| Capacity per bottle | 330ml |
| Notable ingredients | Water, Barley Malt, Carbon Dioxide, Hops, Flavorings |
| Calories | 79kcal |
