UNLTD Lager Review: We Poured It Properly
Review · September 2026 · by Rich, founder of Unhopped
We put UNLTD Lager through a proper tasting — poured, not swigged from the can — to see whether a beer brewed alcohol-free from the start can really deliver. Here’s how it looked, smelled and tasted.
Appearance
Pale golden and very clear — it looks fresh and inviting, with plenty of visible carbonation rising through the glass. A word of warning: our can was a little excited on opening and bubbled over, so pour it gently. It throws a light head when poured, though it doesn’t hang around for long — typical of the style.
Aroma & taste
This is where it wins you over. There’s a lovely, proper-lager flavour — nice malt-forward, gently bitter notes that genuinely quench your thirst, and an intriguing, slightly unexpected hint of oolong tea lurking underneath that gives it a bit of character. It drinks clean and crisp, exactly as a good lager should, with none of the thin or watery quality that lets down lesser alcohol-free beers. It tastes like it was brewed to be enjoyed, not endured.
Why it tastes this good
It’s not an accident. UNLTD brews the alcohol out from the start rather than stripping it from a finished beer — the method that, as founder Johnny Johnson explains, keeps the aroma and body intact instead of having to add things back to fill the gap. It’s also why this is such a low-calorie pint: 40 calories a can, at 0.5% ABV, vegan, gluten-free and B Corp certified. For the full story on the brand, see our UNLTD overview.
The verdict
A really enjoyable alcohol-free lager — clean, crisp, characterful, and moreish in exactly the way a lager should be. The oolong-tea note is a lovely touch, the malt-bitter balance is spot on, and it’s low enough in calories to feel like no compromise at all. We’ll definitely be getting more.
Because that’s the real test of a good alcohol-free beer: it’s the one you actually reach for on a night in, feet up, remote in hand. It seems we’re not the only fans — a certain well-known monster of children’s literature appears to be rather partial to it too. We couldn’t possibly say who.
Fancy trying it? See the full UNLTD Lager page, read the brand story, try our UNLTD IPA review, or find the AF version of your usual pint with our Swap Finder.