Heaps Normal Review: Australia's Alcohol-Free Beer Pioneer
Published May 2026 · 7-minute read · by Rich, founder of Unhopped
Heaps Normal is the Australian alcohol-free brewery that proved Australian craft could compete in the global AF conversation. Founded by an Olympic-level surfer, an experienced craft brewer, and a brand strategist, their beers have all the recognisable Australian craft markers — tropical hops, clean drinkability, a fresh and irreverent identity — translated into a range that drinks like proper full-strength craft beer.
Who are Heaps Normal?
Heaps Normal launched in 2020 — quite specifically into a pandemic-affected Australian market that was suddenly more interested in mindful drinking than ever. The founding trio came at it from three different angles: Jordy Smith brought the brand and the lifestyle (he's a serious surfer), Ben Holdstock brought the brewing expertise (years in Australian craft), and Andy Miller brought the strategy (a marketer with a deep craft beer background).
Their thesis was simple: most alcohol-free beer was either watered-down or weirdly sweet. They wanted to make AF beer that drank like proper craft — full-flavoured, hop-forward, properly carbonated. Quiet XPA was the launch product, and it set the template: less than 0.5% ABV (typically 0.05% trace), tropical hop aroma, balanced bitterness, no preservatives, no compromise.
Five years on, Heaps Normal have become Australia's most-recognised alcohol-free brand, expanded into the US (Oakland tour 2025), and built UK distribution through specialist retailers. They've also coined 'National Half Day' (December 9) — an annual moment to take the afternoon off, celebrating small wins.
What makes Heaps Normal different
Genuine Australian craft DNA
Most AF brewers come from outside the alcoholic craft scene. Heaps Normal came from inside it — Ben Holdstock had years of Australian craft brewing experience before launching the AF range. The result is beer that drinks like Australian craft beer with the alcohol absent, rather than AF beer trying to reach for craft credibility.
Pure ingredients, no shortcuts
Heaps Normal beers are brewed with water, malt, hops, and yeast — that's it. No preservatives, no functional ingredients, no flavour-boosting adjuncts. Australian craft beer drinkers tend to be ingredient-conscious, and Heaps Normal lean into that explicitly.
Half Day brand identity
Heaps Normal's branding leans into a relaxed-but-mindful identity — the antithesis of mass-market alcohol-free positioning. National Half Day, the surfer-and-musician sponsorship roster, the Heaps Normal Records music label — it all signals a brand built on real Australian craft culture rather than wellness.
The Heaps Normal range: our top picks
Quiet XPA (0.5%)
The flagship. An Extra Pale Ale at 0.5% — tropical and citrus aroma (typical Australian hop signature), balanced bitterness, subtle malt sweetness, unfiltered with a long beer-y finish. Heaps Normal's most-distributed beer and the one that established the brand.
Bigger Half Day Hazy (0.5%)
A bigger, more intense hazy pale — increased hop loading and full hazy NEIPA character, but still alcohol-free. For drinkers who found Half Day Hazy a touch too restrained.
Half Day Hazy (0.5%)
The hazy pale ale — soft, juicy, tropical fruit hop character, low bitterness. Lighter than Bigger Half Day Hazy but with the same brewing approach. Designed for everyday-drinkable hazy character.
Another Lager (0.5%)
A classic Australian-style lager — clean, crisp, light. Tested at zero detectable gluten by Heaps Normal but not labelled gluten-free since brewed with cereal grains. The everyday lager option in the range.
How Heaps Normal compares to the wider Australian and global alcohol-free category
In Australia, Heaps Normal is the leading craft AF brewery — competing directly with brands like NORT, Sobah, and Sunlit Beer. Globally, Heaps Normal sits in the same conversation as Athletic Brewing (USA) and Big Drop (UK) for alcohol-free craft brewing — though their distribution outside Australia is still growing.
In the UK specifically, Heaps Normal currently make up the entire 'Australian alcohol-free' category in our directory — there are no other Australian AF brewers we've reviewed. So if you're looking for Australian AF beer in the UK, this is where the conversation starts and currently ends.
Beers to explore
Heaps Normal's UK-available range, ordered by Unhopped score:
