UNLTD IPA Review: Light, Hoppy & Indistinguishable From the Real Thing

Review · September 2026 · by Rich, founder of Unhopped

In short

UNLTD IPA is a light but genuinely hoppy alcohol-free IPA at 0.5% ABV and just 23 calories a pint can — among the lowest of any AF beer in the UK. Not overly frothy, clean and easy-drinking, and honestly indistinguishable in taste from a full-strength IPA. It pairs superbly with Tex-Mex. Like the Lager, it’s brewed alcohol-free from the start — and it shows.

After the Lager impressed us, we put UNLTD’s IPA through the same proper tasting. Could a 23-calorie, 0.5% IPA really pass for the real thing? Short version: yes.

A can of UNLTD alcohol-free IPA (0.5%) on a wooden table — UNLTD IPA — 0.5% ABV, 23 calories a can, and one of the lowest-calorie alcohol-free beers in the UK.

How it’s brewed — and why that matters

This is the bit that makes UNLTD different, and it’s worth understanding before the tasting. Most alcohol-free beer is made by brewing a full-strength beer and then stripping the alcohol out — a process that tends to strip out aroma and body too. UNLTD does the opposite: it brews the beer alcohol-free from the very start. As founder Johnny Johnson told us, “what goes in our can is what came out of the brew” — nothing added back to cover a gap. For a hop-forward style like IPA, where aroma is everything, that method really pays off.

It’s also why the numbers are so striking: UNLTD IPA is just 23 calories per 568ml pint can (4 kcal per 100ml), at 0.5% ABV — vegan, gluten-free and B Corp certified. That makes it one of the lowest-calorie alcohol-free beers you can buy in the UK. You’re not trading flavour for that number, either, which is the clever part.

The back of the UNLTD IPA can showing 23 calories, vegan, B12 and gluten-free badges — Straight from the can: 23 calories, vegan, gluten-free, added B12, 0.5% ABV, 568ml.

The tasting

Poured out, it’s a proper-looking IPA — and the drinking backs it up. It’s light but genuinely hoppy: the hops are present and characterful without being heavy or resinous, so it stays easy and refreshing rather than turning into a chewy, bitter mouthful. It’s not overly frothy either, which makes it very easy to drink — no wrestling with a giant head.

But here’s the real verdict, and it’s the highest compliment we can pay an alcohol-free beer: it is indistinguishable in taste from an alcoholic IPA. If you handed it to someone in a glass without the can, they simply would not know it was 0.5%. That’s rare, and it’s exactly what the brewed-from-scratch method is for.

🌮 What to pair it with: this one’s made for Tex-Mex. The bright hoppiness cuts through spice, smoke and melted cheese beautifully — think tacos, fajitas, nachos, a big burrito. A cold UNLTD IPA alongside a Tex-Mex spread is a genuinely brilliant match.

A can of UNLTD IPA beside a laptop showing the Unhopped website — Reviewing the UNLTD IPA the proper way — can in hand.

The verdict

An excellent alcohol-free IPA. Light, hoppy, clean and easy-drinking, genuinely indistinguishable from full-strength, and all for 23 calories a can with no alcohol. Between this and the Lager, UNLTD has two of the best AF beers we’ve tasted — and the brewed-not-stripped, B Corp story behind them is the real deal. Highly recommended.

Try it yourself: see the full UNLTD IPA page, read the UNLTD brand story and our Lager review, or find the AF version of your usual pint with the Swap Finder.

Frequently asked questions

What does UNLTD IPA taste like?

Light but genuinely hoppy, clean and easy-drinking, and not overly frothy. In our tasting it was indistinguishable in taste from a full-strength IPA — you wouldn’t know it was 0.5% from the glass.

How many calories are in UNLTD IPA?

Just 23 calories per 568ml pint can (4 kcal per 100ml), at 0.5% ABV — one of the lowest-calorie alcohol-free beers available in the UK. It’s also vegan, gluten-free and B Corp certified.

How is UNLTD IPA made?

It’s brewed to be alcohol-free from the start, rather than brewing a full-strength IPA and stripping the alcohol out afterwards. This preserves the hop aroma and body — which is why it tastes so close to a full-strength IPA.

What food goes with UNLTD IPA?

Tex-Mex is a standout pairing — the bright hoppiness cuts through spice, smoke and cheese in tacos, fajitas, nachos and burritos. It works with most spiced or grilled food.

Is UNLTD IPA any good?

In our tasting, yes — an excellent alcohol-free IPA that’s light, hoppy and genuinely indistinguishable from full-strength, at just 23 calories a can. Highly recommended.