BrewDog Nanny State
By BrewDog · UK
BrewDog’s first Nanny State was a 1.1% ale in 2009, and the 0.5% version followed in 2010. Today it’s dry hopped and at 50 IBU: “a force to be reckoned with”, BrewDog says. We score it 7.2 out of 10, but we couldn’t find it on sale anywhere in October 2026.
At 0.5% ABV, this isn’t alcohol-free under UK guidance, which keeps the term for 0.05% or less. We list it with alcohol-free beers, as UK shops do. How UK labels work
What is Nanny State?
Nanny State began as a provocation. In 2009, after BrewDog was criticised for its 18.2% Tokyo, it released a 1.1% ale called Nanny State, the Morning Advertiser reported at the time. In 2010 BrewDog brought it back at 0.5% ABV, the strength it is today.
BrewDog calls it “a force to be reckoned with”: “packed with loads of Centennial, Chinook, Cascade and Simcoe hops, dry hopped to the brink and back and sitting at 50 IBUS”, with “a backbone of 5 different speciality malts”. The recipe has changed over the years: in 2010 BrewDog listed 45 IBU, eight speciality malts and a different set of five hops. Unlike BrewDog’s AF beers, it contains no lactose.
We couldn’t find it on sale in October 2026: BrewDog’s shop listed it as unavailable, Tesco had it out of stock, and no other shop we checked listed it. It isn’t in BrewDog’s alcohol-free collection or its mixed packs. For pale ales you can buy now, see the best alcohol-free pale ales.
Tasting notes and what to expect
Appearance and aroma: Deep amber-copper, slight haze, off-white head. The aroma is huge for an AF beer — intense citrus, pine resin, light caramel malt underneath. This is what happens when a brewer leans into hops to compensate for missing alcohol body.
Palate and finish: Light-to-medium body, assertive hop bitterness through the middle (noticeably more bitter than most AF beers), finishing dry with lingering hop resin. Closer in shape to a session IPA than a hoppy pale ale — Nanny State doesn't soften its bitterness the way modern hazy AF beers do. If you find AF beer too tame, this is the one to try.
Food pairings: Strong-flavoured foods that match the hop intensity — spicy curries, burgers with sharp cheese, smoked meats, blue cheese. Nanny State holds up to food that would overwhelm lighter AF beers.
How it compares: Hoppier than Punk AF, more bitter than Athletic Run Wild, and much more assertive than soft hazy AF pales like Northern Monk Faith Alcohol Free. The AF beer to recommend for hop-head full-strength craft drinkers transitioning to alcohol-free. See our IPA hub for the wider category, or the BrewDog brewery page.
Flavour Profile
A guide based on the style and our tasting notes and BrewDog’s description (dry hopped, at 50 IBU), to help you compare at a glance — not a definitive tasting.
Nutrition
| Typical values | Per 100ml | Per 330ml can |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 26 kJ / 6 kcal | about 86 kJ / 20 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 1.0g | about 3.3g |
| of which sugars | 0.4g | about 1.3g |
Per-100ml figures from Tesco’s listing, the only figure we found, checked October 2026. Per-pack figures are our own sums from the 100ml figures. BrewDog doesn’t publish nutrition figures. Tesco’s listing is out of stock, and its ingredients (with rye) differ from BrewDog’s current list, so these figures may be for an older recipe.
Key facts
| Official name | Nanny State |
|---|---|
| Brewery | BrewDog, UK |
| Style | Hoppy ale; BrewDog doesn’t give it a style |
| ABV | 0.5% ABV, according to BrewDog |
| Pack | 330ml can |
| Calories | 6 kcal per 100ml; about 20 per 330ml can |
| Carbohydrate | 1.0g per 100ml |
| Sugar | 0.4g per 100ml |
| Ingredients | Water, malted barley, hops, malted wheat, yeast and lactic acid (BrewDog); Tesco’s older listing also has rye |
| Hops | Centennial, Chinook, Cascade and Simcoe, BrewDog’s description says; its brew sheet lists Centennial, Citra and Simcoe |
| Bitterness | 50 IBU, according to BrewDog |
| Allergens | Barley and wheat (gluten) |
| Vegan | Not stated by BrewDog. Its ingredients have no lactose, and Tesco’s older listing says it’s suitable for vegans |
| Gluten | Contains gluten (barley and wheat) |
| How it’s made | Brewed to 0.5% with “special recipes and micro fermentation processes”, BrewDog says, not de-alcoholised |
| Brewed | Not stated on the listings we found; BrewDog’s other alcohol-free beers are brewed in Ellon, Aberdeenshire |
| UK availability | Not on sale anywhere we checked |
Sources: BrewDog’s website and blog, the Morning Advertiser, Tesco, Dry Drinker and Wise Bartender, checked October 2026. The label on the can or bottle is always the final word.
How Nanny State sits in the BrewDog range
| Beer | Style | ABV | Per 100ml | Unhopped score | UK status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazy AF | New England IPA | 0.5% | 14 kcal | 8.0 | In supermarkets and on BrewDog’s shop |
| Punk AF | IPA | 0.5% | 15 kcal | 7.8 | In stock online and in supermarkets |
| Wingman AF | IPA | 0.5% | 13 kcal | 7.5 | On BrewDog’s shop and in its mixed packs |
| Nanny State (this beer) | Hoppy ale; BrewDog doesn’t give it a style | 0.5% | 6 kcal | 7.2 | Not on sale anywhere we checked |
The BrewDog beers in our directory, checked October 2026. Scores are Unhopped ratings out of 10. BrewDog also makes Lost AF and Elvis AF, both 0.5%, and the 0% Mello drinks, which aren’t in our directory.
About BrewDog
BrewDog was founded in Fraserburgh, Scotland, in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie, and brews in Ellon, Aberdeenshire. Since March 2026 it has been owned by Tilray Brands, which bought it out of administration. Its AF beers are all 0.5% and all contain lactose; Nanny State, also 0.5%, has none, and Tesco and Ocado list its 0% Mello drinks as vegan.
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About the hops: Centennial, Chinook, Cascade and Simcoe. Types of hops · What are hops? · What is dry hopping?
