If you have ever wondered who decides to brew alcohol-free beer and why, wonder no more. Just like you, Luke had enough of being judged for not drinking. Wanting to cut back on alcohol and to have options that aren’t soft drinks and tea, should not be something we have to explain. He went one step further, though, and worked tirelessly for years at developing an alcohol-free beer that left you wanting for nothing else.
Give us some background on yourself
Before launching Lucky Saint in 2018 I had worked in a number of industries and I became increasingly obsessed with the start-up world and building a business that could leave a legacy. The idea itself came about from my personal frustration with having to apologise for not drinking - why should I have to do that? And why wasn’t there a brand and a beer that people could feel proud to drink? So I thought how hard can it be? As it turns out, quite hard… I spent the next two years, working with six different brewers in three different countries, figuring out how to brew great-tasting alcohol free lager.
Why have you decided to move to alcohol-free beers?
Even if you’re a lover of beer, there are times when you don’t want to drink, or for certain reasons can’t. I felt there wasn’t an alcohol-free beer that acted as a credible alternative. I wanted to create something which unapologetically celebrated the decision to drink alcohol-free beer by creating one people would actually enjoy and look forward to drinking.
What were the benefits you gained from lowering your alcohol intake?
There are plenty of benefits, especially when life and work are busy and full-on, from better sleep through to more energy and better concentration.
Do you still drink alcohol sometimes?
I rarely drink, but I don’t consider myself teetotal or sober. That sounds so final. Actually one of my favourite Lucky Saint serves is with a shot of Aperol and a load of ice. Most of our customers are simply moderating, they’re people who love beer and want to drink it all the time, but don’t always want the alcohol.
How have people reacted when you decided to drink alcohol-free beer?
With the rise of the no and low alcohol category, and more alcohol-free options becoming available, people are more open-minded and understanding of it than you might expect. It’ll soon be the case that all restaurants and bars have great quality alcohol free options - in 2020, one in four pub visits were alcohol free, so the hospitality industry needs to be able to offer grown-up, quality alcohol free drinks to cater to these occasions.
What is your favourite alcohol-free beer?
Perhaps unsurprisingly you’ll most often find me enjoying a Lucky Saint! A pilsner-style lager was my go-to style of beer, so having created an alcohol-free version this is now what I drink most of the time. However, if I’m fancying a stout, I enjoy Big Drop’s Galactic Milk Stout.
Where do you usually enjoy your alcohol-free beers?
Either at home or out at bars and restaurants - anywhere you’d enjoy an alcoholic beer!
Finally, to whom would you recommend making the choice to drink Lucky Saint?
Lucky Saint is a really high-quality lager - so it’s fundamentally very accessible in terms of flavour, but because of the ingredients we use, and the time it takes to brew (6 weeks) it’s of superior quality. As a result, it has a wide appeal both in terms of who and when you can drink it.
Thank you Luke for brewing such a rewarding alcohol-free beer. If you haven’t tried it yet, hurry up and grab your first Lucky Saint Unfiltered Lager. Craftzero is currently the sole importer in Australia of this top-notch unfiltered lager, don’t miss out, it’s perfect for summer!
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Alcohol-Free beer on the rise, read our blog post THE TOP 10 REASONS WHY NON ALCOHOLIC BEER IS HERE TO STAY to know why.