Oops: alcohol-free beer tastes just like the real thing

An alcohol-free beer that tastes just like the real thing?

No such luck. Just a labelling error.

More than 2,500 cases of Steinlager beer were recalled in New Zealand earlier this month after bottles containing alcohol were incorrectly labelled as alcohol free, drinks business reported.

The recall followed a consumer complaint that uncovered a production error at Lion NZ.

Authorities warned consumers avoiding alcohol not to drink the product and to return it for a refund.

Lion NZ issued a recall of Steinlager Ultra Low Carb beer after the bottles containing alcohol were incorrectly labelled as alcohol free.

The affected batch consisted of 2,538 cases. Each case contains 24 bottles of 330ml with a best-before date of October 21, 2026.

In a statement, a Lion NZ spokesperson said: “We have identified through a consumer complaint, an error in a production run resulting in clear bottles containing Steinlager Ultra Low Carb beer ABV 4.2% incorrectly labelled as Steinlager Alcohol Free, being sold in Steinlager Ultra Low Carb 24 packs. 

"Cases may contain a mix of clear bottles with labels for both products.

“Consumer safety is our highest priority, and we want to sincerely apologise to customers and consumers for any distress or concern caused."

New Zealand's Ministry for Primary emphasised the recall did not affect any other Steinlager brand products.

Not an afterthought: Queer Brewing goes nolo

If you are going to be hip, on trend and headline grabbing then you might as well go the whole hog.

Meet out and proud Queer Brewing - a queer- and trans-owned brewery, based in trendy east London, that has launched a new alcohol-free beer.

The team behind Queer Brewing low- and no-alcohol beer options should not be limited to initiatives such as Dry January, industry website drinks business reports

Queer Brewing has added Brighter, Bolder, a 0.5% hazy IPA, to its alcohol-free range, with inspiration drawn from the brewery’s 6% hazy IPA Burst Into Bright and its 0.5% no-alcohol pale ale, Bold.

Head brewer Andy Potter said the idea came after he questioned: “Why shouldn’t these flavours be enjoyed by everyone, including sober folks?”

Although the release coincides with Dry January, Queer Brewing said its commitment to alcohol-free beer extends throughout the year. 

“To us, great alcohol-free beer stands on its own - it’s not an afterthought or a replacement for ‘the real thing’”, said founder Lily Waite-Marsden.

“Many folks in our LGBTQ+ community are sober all the time, so continuing to develop our alcohol-free lineup, and having a consistent, high-quality alcohol-free offering available, is a central part of what we do as a brewery”.

Queer Brewing is the UK’s first queer- and trans-owned brewery, "making queer beers and beer queer since 2019". It began as a collaboration project before expanding into a fully operational brewery.

Based in Leyton, east London, the brewery began producing beer from its own premises in January 2025 and now opens its taproom every weekend.

Last year, the team joined forces with rainbow-inspired comedian Joe Lycett to launch a beer to toast the fourth year of his community Pride project.