Hoegaarden Non-Alcoholic Beers, How Do They Really Taste?

Original, Rose, and Pear

The era of low food and zero-alcohol beer has arrived. In the food industry, sugar and calories are being reduced, while in the alcohol industry, alcohol content is being lowered. Keeping pace with this trend, the Belgian wheat beer brand Hoegaarden has also launched zero-alcohol beers. There are three types: Hoegaarden Zero, Hoegaarden Fruitbrew Ros?, and Hoegaarden Fruitbrew Pear. These are not completely alcohol-free but are non-alcoholic beers with an alcohol content reduced to less than 1%. Minors cannot purchase these products, and pregnant women should exercise caution when consuming them. The Drinkit editors have tried Hoegaarden’s non-alcoholic beers.

Hoegaarden Zero

Hoegaarden Zero is Hoegaarden Original with reduced alcohol. When poured into a glass, the foam formed abundantly but quickly subsided. The color is similar to Hoegaarden Original. Before tasting, the aroma was checked first, revealing notes of tangerine or orange. The taste was much sweeter than expected. It seemed to have removed the bitterness of Hoegaarden Original, leaving only the flavors of orange pulp and peel. It is closer to a lightly carbonated orange juice than beer. The carbonation is not strong, making it smooth. Although a bit sweet, the distinctive Hoegaarden aroma is still noticeable.

Editor rating ★★★★☆

Hoegaarden Fruitbrew Ros?

The beloved sweet and aromatic Hoegaarden Ros? has also been released as a non-alcoholic product. The volume is smaller than Hoegaarden Zero at 270ml. The color and aroma are exactly the same as Hoegaarden Ros?. The taste was a bit milder than the alcoholic Hoegaarden Ros? but was filled with the fresh and sweet flavors of berries. The sweetness was not excessive, finishing slightly bitter like grapefruit juice, making it clean. It tastes like a fragrant raspberry soda with a balanced sweet and slightly bitter flavor.

Editor rating ★★★★☆

Hoegaarden Fruitbrew Pear

Hoegaarden Fruitbrew Pear is a non-alcoholic beer made with Western pear. Like the Ros?, the volume is 270ml. Expecting a sweet, lively, and refreshing pear-flavored beer, the taste surprisingly had a strong sourness. The light texture typical of non-alcoholic beer was pleasant, but the sourness and metallic taste were more prominent than the pear’s sweetness. It was disappointing as it tasted neither like pear juice nor beer. One editor commented, “The first two beers exceeded expectations, so I had high hopes for the pear beer as well. It’s disappointing because it tastes sour and even bitter.”

Editor rating ★★☆☆☆

Photo by Kim Bomi