Heineken 0.0 Review 2026 — Taste, Ingredients & Honest Verdict
Heineken 0. This review covers both versions: ingredients, taste, nutrition, real customer feedback, and an honest look at where Heineken 0.0 fits in the UK's crowded alcohol-free beer market.
Quick Facts
| Heineken | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Heineken |
| Product Reviewed | Heineken 0.0 |
| ABV | 0.0% |
| Calories | 69 per 330ml (21 per 100ml) |
| Sugar | 1.3g per 100ml |
| Gluten Free | ✗ (contains barley) |
| Vegan | ✓ |
| Price (approx) | £1.00–£1.50 per 330ml can/bottle |
| Available | Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose, most off-licences |
| Trustpilot | No dedicated profile (supermarket product, not DTC) |
What Is Heineken 0.0?
Heineken 0.0 is the alcohol-free version of one of the world's most recognisable lager brands. Launched in 2017, it was among the first major brewery AF products to achieve genuine mainstream distribution. You can find it in virtually every UK supermarket, corner shop, and increasingly in pubs and restaurants.
Heineken's advantage is reach. It is probably the most accessible non-alcoholic beer in the world. The question is whether accessibility comes at the cost of quality.
Ingredients & Brewing Process
Heineken 0.0 uses the same core ingredients as regular Heineken:
- Malted Barley - the grain base
- Hop Extract - for bitterness and aroma (note: hop extract, not whole hops)
- Water - standard brewing water
- Yeast - Heineken's proprietary A-yeast strain
The brewing process uses vacuum distillation: the beer is fully brewed and fermented, then alcohol is removed at low pressure and temperature. This is a more expensive method than arrested fermentation (which produces the sweet, worty taste common in cheaper AF beers) and preserves more aroma compounds.
The use of hop extract rather than whole hops is worth noting. It provides bitterness efficiently but with less aromatic complexity than whole-hop brewing.
Taste & Drinking Experience
Heineken 0.0 tastes like Heineken. Whether that appeals to you depends on how you feel about Heineken.
What we noticed:
- Light, clean, slightly sweet flavour
- Soft fruity notes from Heineken's A-yeast fermentation
- Mild malty body - present but thin
- Very little hop bitterness - smooth and inoffensive
- Served cold, it is refreshing enough
- At room temperature, the thinness and sweetness become more noticeable
The standard 0.0 is a serviceable mass-market lager without alcohol. It will not surprise you, challenge you, or stay with you. It is functional.
Heineken 0.0 does not have a dedicated Trustpilot profile since it is a supermarket product rather than a DTC brand. Consumer feedback is scattered across Reddit, Amazon reviews, and roundup articles. The general consensus: "fine for what it is."
Nutrition Breakdown
| Per 100ml | Heineken 0.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 21 kcal | 0 kcal |
| Sugar | 1.3g | 0g |
| Carbohydrates | 4.8g | 0g |
| Protein | 0.3g | ~0g |
| Fat | 0g | 0g |
| ABV | 0.0% | 0.0% |
The standard 0.0 has notably more sugar than many competitors - 1.3g per 100ml versus 0.1g for Lucky Saint. At 69 calories per 330ml, it is mid-range.
What Customers Say
Without a dedicated Trustpilot page, Heineken 0.0 reviews come from general retail platforms and forums:
Positive
"The closest thing to a normal lager I've found without alcohol."
- Amazon review
"Perfect for a BBQ when you're driving. Cold from the fridge, you'd barely know the difference."
Mixed
"It's fine. Not exciting, but fine. Which is probably the point."
- Consumer forum
"Tastes a bit sweet and watery compared to craft options."
The overall picture: Heineken 0.0 does not inspire strong feelings in either direction. People who like it tend to value the familiarity and availability. People who are lukewarm cite the sweetness and lack of depth.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Available virtually everywhere - the most accessible AF beer in the UK
- True 0.0% ABV - suitable for those needing strictly zero alcohol
- Vacuum distillation is a higher-quality dealcoholisation method
- Affordable - typically the cheapest branded AF option
- Familiar brand - easy to order without explaining yourself
Cons
- Thin mouthfeel compared to craft and unfiltered AF lagers
- Higher sugar content than many competitors (1.3g vs <0.1g in the standard version)
- Uses hop extract rather than whole hops - less aromatic complexity
- No functional ingredients - purely an alcohol replacement
- Taste is bland for anyone used to craft AF beers
Who Is Heineken 0.0 Best For?
Heineken 0.0 makes sense when convenience and price matter most:
- Pub and restaurant orders - almost always on the menu
- Supermarket shoppers wanting the cheapest branded AF option
- Price-sensitive buyers - usually under £1.50 per can
- Strict 0.0% requirement - genuinely zero, unlike many craft AF beers at 0.5%
- Fitness-focused drinkers
How Does Heineken 0.0 Compare?
Heineken 0.0 is the mass-market baseline. It is the beer other AF brands are measured against - not because it is the best, but because it is the most common.
- Lucky Saint offers a fuller mouthfeel with its unfiltered approach and has more character. More expensive and slightly less available, but a step up in taste for most people.
- Days Brewing is a true 0.0% craft option with B-Corp certification. More interesting flavour, but polarising reviews and limited availability.
- IMPOSSIBREW is in a different category entirely. Beyond removing alcohol, IMPOSSIBREW Enhanced Lager contains 375mg of the Social Blend - L-Theanine, Ashwagandha, Vitamin B1, and Magnesium - designed to promote genuine relaxation. 84% of customers report feeling calm after drinking. Heineken 0.0 removes the alcohol. IMPOSSIBREW replaces the feeling. → See our full IMPOSSIBREW vs Heineken 0.0 comparison
Heineken has the edge on availability and price. On taste, body, and especially on replicating the experience of having a drink, it falls behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Heineken 0.0 completely alcohol free?
How many calories are in Heineken 0.0?
Is Heineken 0.0 gluten free?
Where can I buy Heineken 0.0?
What does Heineken 0.0 taste like?
How does Heineken 0.0 compare to IMPOSSIBREW?
Verdict
Heineken 0.0 is the default. It is everywhere, it is affordable, and it is inoffensive. For many situations - a pub round, a BBQ, a quick supermarket grab - that is all you need.
But "inoffensive" is not a compliment. Heineken 0.0 removes the alcohol and stops there. It does not replace the taste depth of a good beer, and it does not replace the feeling of having a real drink.
If your criteria is "an AF beer I can find anywhere for under two quid," Heineken 0.0 is hard to beat. If your criteria is anything more than that, there are better options.
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Award-winning Taste
Rated "UK's Best Non-Alcoholic Beer" by the prestigious World Beer Awards.
From 16 Calories / 100ml
Low Calorie. Low Carb. Vegan-friendly. <0.5% ABV. Gluten-Free (Lager)
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