The short answer
Plan on two drinks for each guest drinking alcohol-free in the first hour, and one an hour after that. Eight guests at a four-hour party need 40, so buy one case of 24, one case of 12 and one case of 6 (42 drinks). Among the cases we picked at Dry Drinker on 13 October 2026, a case of 24 cost from £45.19 (Heineken 0.0, £1.88 each) to £70.24 (Lucky Saint Unfiltered Lager, £2.93). The best value among the beers we rate most highly is Heaps Normal Half Day Hazy, scored 8.4, at £2.06 a can.
Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which beers we pick. How we make money.
Every host has done it: bought a crate of beer, two bottles of wine and a token four-pack of something alcohol-free, which was gone by nine o’clock. Guests who aren’t drinking alcohol still want a drink in their hand all evening.
This guide works out how much to buy, which beers please a crowd and what they cost by the case. It’s part of our December series: if you’re buying presents too, see our guide to alcohol-free advent calendars and our stocking fillers under £20.
How much alcohol-free beer do you need for a party?
Our rule: two drinks for each guest drinking alcohol-free in the first hour, when everyone arrives thirsty, then one an hour after that. Round up to whole cases. Unopened cans keep, and January is coming.
The hard part is guessing how many guests will want alcohol-free. If you don’t know, ask on the invitation, or count the people who chose alcohol-free last time. It’s a planning rule, not a law: a long dinner needs less, a party that peaks at midnight needs more.
| Guests drinking alcohol-free | 3 hours | 4 hours | 5 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 16 | 20 | 24 |
| 6 | 24 | 30 | 36 |
| 8 | 32 | 40 | 48 |
| 10 | 40 | 50 | 60 |
| 12 | 48 | 60 | 72 |
| 20 | 80 | 100 | 120 |
Party drinks calculator
Buy one case of 24, one case of 12 and one case of 6 (42 drinks).
Which alcohol-free beers are best for a party?
Three styles cover almost every guest: a lager for most people, a hoppy pale ale for the craft beer drinkers, and a stout for anyone who wants something darker in December. Buy them by the case of 24, where the price per can drops furthest. These are the cases we’d pick:
The lager
Lucky Saint Unfiltered Lager
Lager · 0.5% · scored 8.7 · £2.93 a bottle by the case
Our highest-scoring lager, and a name many guests will already know. For a cheaper case, Drop Bear New World scores 7.9 at £2.19 a can.
The hoppy one
Heaps Normal Half Day Hazy
Hazy IPA · <0.5% · scored 8.4 · £2.06 a 375ml can by the case
The best value among the beers that score 8.4 or more with us, and the cans are a little bigger than most. If they like a classic IPA, Athletic Run Wild scores 8.8 at £2.52 a can.
The dark one
Guinness 0.0
Stout · 0.0% · scored 8.1 · £2.86 a pint can by the case
The stout everyone recognises, in pint cans, and 0.0% for guests who want that. Drop Bear Bonfire is the cheaper, smokier alternative at £2.19 a can.
Rather have a mix in every case? Our guide to alcohol-free assortment boxes compares the ready-made mixed cases.
What does a case of alcohol-free beer cost?
Between £45.19 and £70.24 for 24, across the cases we picked below. The big-brand 0.0% lagers are cheapest per bottle; the craft beers cost more but score higher in our reviews. The highlighted row is the best value among beers scoring 8.4 or more.
| Beer | Style | Score | Pack | Case of 24 | Each |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heineken 0.0 | Lager | 7.0 | 330ml bottles | £45.19 | £1.88 |
| Krombacher Pilsner | Lager | 7.3 | 330ml bottles | £45.19 | £1.88 |
| Heaps Normal Half Day Hazy | Hazy IPA | 8.4 | 375ml cans | £49.40 | £2.06 |
| Drop Bear Yuzu Pale Ale | Pale Ale | 8.5 | 330ml cans | £52.63 | £2.19 |
| Drop Bear New World Lager | Lager | 7.9 | 330ml cans | £52.63 | £2.19 |
| Drop Bear Bonfire Stout | Stout | 8.3 | 330ml cans | £52.63 | £2.19 |
| Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% | Lager | 7.3 | 330ml bottles | £53.27 | £2.22 |
| Paulaner Weissbier | Wheat Beer | 8.0 | 500ml bottles | £56.62 | £2.36 |
| Lervig No Worries Grapefruit IPA | IPA | 8.5 | 330ml cans | £58.27 | £2.43 |
| Athletic Brewing Run Wild IPA | IPA | 8.8 | 355ml cans | £60.36 | £2.52 |
| Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn | Pale Ale | 8.5 | 355ml cans | £60.36 | £2.52 |
| Guinness 0.0 | Stout | 8.1 | pint cans | £68.58 | £2.86 |
| Lucky Saint Unfiltered Lager | Lager | 8.7 | 330ml bottles | £70.24 | £2.93 |
The 0.0% options in that table are Heineken 0.0, Krombacher Pilsner, Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% and Guinness 0.0. The rest are 0.5% or below.
Hosting tips
- Give it its own bucket. Put the alcohol-free beer somewhere obvious, not at the back of the fridge, so nobody has to ask.
- Chill it properly. A bucket of ice and cold water cools cans faster than ice alone. Start an hour before guests arrive.
- Put out glasses. A proper beer glass makes an alcohol-free beer feel like a drink, not a compromise.
- Label the 0.0%. If you’ve bought both, a note on the bucket saves guests reading the small print.
- Feed them. Our guide to snacks with alcohol-free beer and our Christmas dinner pairings help with the food.
Anything left over? Our Dry January beer guide says what to do with it.
Questions people ask
How much alcohol-free beer do I need for a party?
Plan on two drinks for each guest drinking alcohol-free in the first hour and one an hour after that, then round up to whole cases. Eight guests at a four-hour party need 40 drinks: one case of 24, one case of 12 and one case of 6 (42 drinks).
What is the cheapest good alcohol-free beer for a party?
By the case of 24 at Dry Drinker on 13 October 2026, Heaps Normal Half Day Hazy was the best value among the beers Unhopped scores 8.4 or more, at £2.06 a can (£49.40 for 24). The cheapest per bottle among the cases we picked was Heineken 0.0 at £1.88.
Which alcohol-free beers are 0.0%?
Of the party beers Unhopped priced, Heineken 0.0, Krombacher Pilsner, Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% and Guinness 0.0 are 0.0%. Most of the 227 beers in Unhopped’s directory are 0.5% or just below; 47 are 0.0%.
How do you chill beer quickly for a party?
Put the cans in a bucket of ice topped up with cold water. The water surrounds every can, so they cool faster than in ice alone. Start an hour before guests arrive.
More for an alcohol-free December
- Alcohol-free advent calendars 2026Every calendar on sale this year, with prices, dispatch dates and the cost of each door.Compare the calendars
- Make your own beer advent calendarFour line-ups priced up from real shop prices, plus door tags to print.Read the guide
- Alcohol-free Christmas beerThe festive releases on sale this year, and the winter beers to drink instead.Read the guide
- Alcohol-free beer with Christmas dinnerWhat to pour with every course, from smoked salmon to the cheeseboard.Read the guide
- Stocking fillers under £20Glasses, snacks, small packs and gift cards, every one priced.Read the guide
- Alcohol-free beer for a Christmas partyHow much to buy, which beers to pick and what a case costs.You’re reading this one
How we put this guide together. Case prices and stock were read from Dry Drinker’s own listings on 13 October 2026; pack sizes come from Dry Drinker’s product names. Scores are from Unhopped’s own beer reviews. The quantity rule is our own planning rule of thumb. Prices change often, especially in December. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.