If you’re on the hunt for non-alcoholic (NA) beer on draft, you’re likely already familiar with the frustration of coming up empty. While the non-alcoholic beer market is booming, with shelves increasingly stocked with impressive options, finding an NA beer on tap remains a rarity. At the time of writing, the availability of draft non-alcoholic beer is low—and when you do find it, the selection is often limited to just one option.
So, why is NA draft beer so hard to find? And how can you increase your chances of tracking it down? Let’s explore the challenges and share some practical tips for finding that elusive non-alcoholic pint.
How Can You Find Non-Alcoholic Beer on Draft?
While non-alcoholic draft beer is rare, finding it isn’t impossible – especially if you know where to look. Since only a few brands currently offer NA beer on tap, focusing your search on those specific breweries and using targeted tools can significantly improve your chances. Here are the most effective strategies:
1. Use Brand Online Venue Finders
Given how few non-alcoholic beers are available on draft, brand-specific venue finders can be surprisingly effective. Lucky Saint and Guinness 0.0 are two of the leading brands offering their beers on tap, and both provide online tools to help you locate venues serving their products.
These finders allow you to search by location, making it easy to discover pubs, bars, or restaurants where you’re most likely to enjoy a freshly poured non-alcoholic pint. If draft NA beer is your goal, starting with these brand locators offers an easy why to find their offerings.
2. Check Online Menus
Some venues list their draft options on their websites, or third-party platforms like Untappd. Checking menus in advance can help you identify whether a bar offers non-alcoholic beer on tap before making a trip.
For best results, focus on establishments known for their craft beer selection or those that highlight inclusive offerings, as they’re more likely to accommodate alcohol-free drinkers. While it’s not the most reliable method, it can occasionally help you uncover hidden gems.
3. Use the Lodown App
The Lodown app is designed to make finding non-alcoholic beer on draft easy, thanks to its community-driven approach. Unlike brand-specific finders, Lodown allows users to share and discover venues serving any non-alcoholic brands on tap.
What sets Lodown apart is its ability to highlight not just draft options but a wide variety of NA choices available at each venue. Plus, you can save your favourite locations, making it easier to return to spots that cater to your preferences. If you’re serious about finding non-alcoholic beer on tap – and discovering other exciting alcohol-free options – this is the most versatile tool at your disposal.
Why Is Non-Alcoholic Draft Beer So Rare?
Despite the growing demand for non-alcoholic options, draft beer presents unique challenges for both breweries and venues. Here’s why you won’t find NA beer flowing from taps as often as you might hope:
1. Lower Consumer Demand (For Now)
While non-alcoholic beer is growing in popularity, draft demand hasn’t caught up to the momentum seen in cans and bottles. Most consumers looking for NA options are still purchasing packaged beer, making it harder for bars to justify dedicating a tap to something that may only appeal to a small segment of their customers.
2. Limited Space for Taps
Bars and pubs typically have a finite number of taps—often reserved for popular, high-margin products. With only so many slots available, most establishments prioritize traditional beers that guarantee strong sales. Even if a venue is open to offering non-alcoholic options, committing a tap to a product that isn’t yet in high demand can be a tough sell.
3. Keg Availability and Distribution Challenges
Draft beer requires specialized storage and handling, and that applies to non-alcoholic beers as well. Some breweries aren’t yet producing their NA offerings in kegs, focusing instead on bottles and cans to meet retail demand. Until more brewers start offering their non-alcoholic selections in keg form, availability will remain scarce.
What Can You Expect When You Find It?
When you do come across non-alcoholic beer on draft, be prepared for a limited selection. Most venues offering NA beer on tap will likely feature just one brand. Brands like Lucky Saint and Guinness 0.0 have started making headway into the draft market, but the variety is still nowhere near what’s available in cans or bottles.
However, the experience of enjoying a freshly poured pint of non-alcoholic beer is worth seeking out. Draft beer often offers better carbonation, a smoother mouthfeel, and a fresher taste compared to packaged alternatives. Plus, drinking NA beers the same size as your company drinking regular beer is not insignificant to your enjoyment of the occasion.
Will Non-Alcoholic Draft Beer Become More Common?
The future looks promising for NA beer on tap. As the demand for alcohol-free options continues to rise, breweries and venues are beginning to recognise the value of offering more inclusive choices. With growing consumer interest and advancements in non-alcoholic brewing, we’re likely to see more draft options emerge in the coming years.
Final Thoughts
While non-alcoholic beer on draft is still a rarity, it’s slowly becoming available more widely as demand grows and breweries expand their offerings. In the meantime, tools like brand venue finders, checking online menus, and using the Lodown app can help you track down those hard-to-find taps.
Until more bars catch up, cracking open a chilled can or bottle might remain the easiest way to enjoy a non-alcoholic beer – but keep an eye out. That perfect pint of NA draft beer could be closer than you think. Cheers to the hunt!