64% of operators would install a non-alcoholic draught beer

A recent snap poll by The Morning Advertiser (MA)​ showed 64% of the 116 respondents would install a non-alcoholic draught beer at their pub while 16% of participants said they already have one installed. However, 20% of those surveyed were against the idea.

One firm to recently embrace alcohol-free beer on draught is Upham Inns, which has 14 pubs across Hampshire, Berkshire, Sussex and Wiltshire.

The Berkshire-headquartered multiple-operator recently introduced alcohol-free brewery Big Drop on tap at a number of its sites.

One such venue was the Thomas Lord in West Meon, Hampshire, a country pub named after the village’s most famous resident who also gave his name to Lord’s Cricket Ground.

The Thomas Lord put Big Drop’s Paradiso IPA front and centre of its draught fonts and the pubs’ systems operations & drinks margin manager, Dave Livingstone, has been pleased with the results.

He said: “Sales are in line with expectation because we already had a number of customers asking for it on draught.

Steadily improving 

“We’re now seeing it steadily improving across all pubs and it’s bringing people in as the fan base grows.”

However, Livingstone advised visibility was key to success when introducing an alcohol-free beer line.

“Visibility is key and, launching across a group, you need to give proper consideration to the bigger picture: pump clips, glassware, bar runners, drinks menus etc.

“As the hoppiest beer we have, we try to make it be seen just as much a draught option as it is a no/low option”, he continued.

This comes as Big Drop founder, Rob Fink, recently told The MA​​ getting its award-winning alcohol-free products into pubs on draught has been one of the brewers biggest challenges.

However, keg sales now make up almost a fifth of Big Drop’s mix, and the number is on the rise.

Big Drop, which is brewed under license by In Good Company, stated initial findings from a nine-month study by the University of York across three pubs/bars in North Yorkshire suggested alcohol-free beer can be introduced in pubs without financial risk.

Decent pint 

According to the research, which was conducted by Professor Victoria Wells, Dr Nadine Waehning and Dr Franziska Sohns, adding an alcohol-free beer line is “risk-neutral” in terms of revenue as it can” diversify” your offerings without “negatively impacting your bottom line” and could potentially attract new customers.

Livingstone echoed the University of York research by pointing out the Upham staff naturally enthuse about the beer with customers, adding they will often “have one themselves after work themselves and then drive home without concern.”

Earlier this month, figures from the CGA Business Leaders Survey 2024​ revealed 67% of sector bosses believed low & no alcohol drinks would become a key trend during the rest of this year.

Moreover, adding a low or no alcohol draught beer line to the bar could help double sales​​ within the segment for pubs, Greene King senior category manager Andrew Carpenter said earlier this year.

The Devonshire in Soho, London, became the second site in the UK​​ to stock Guinness 0.0 on draught, after the George in Fitzrovia, London, and Diageo has since announced plans to expand​​ the trial.

Devonshire owner Oisin Rogers told The MA​ ​​having a no and low range that is comparable in “flavour, taste, texture and look” to popular full-strength serves was “very important”.

He added: “People do ask what they can enjoy when they're not drinking and there's a lot of people who do need to have something that feels and looks right for the pub. It makes them feel good to hold a decent pint that looks the same as the real thing and tastes almost as good.”