A beer arrives by DHL and we crack it open on mic: Lucky Saint Lime and Sea Salt Lager, zesty, lightly saline, and weirdly moreish in a way that makes you think about hydration as much as hops. From there, we go wide. I’m joined by award-winning beer commentator Martin Dixon, the man behind Alcohol Free World, who has tried well over 2,000 alcohol-free beers and helped shape how the UK talks about non-alcoholic beer.

We get into Martin’s story, starting with a 2009 Dry January that simply never ended, and the years where living in France meant “Red Bull and San Pellegrino” because decent alcohol-free beer was hard to find. That contrast makes today’s craft alcohol-free boom feel even bigger: more breweries, more releases, more experimentation, and more reasons to get excited about flavour rather than settling for a compromise.

We also talk about the community side of alcohol-free living, from group chats to real-world events like the King’s Cross alcohol-free weekender, where multiple alcohol-free beers on draught create the kind of choice that used to belong only to full-strength craft. Along the way we debate macro trends like fruited 0.0 lagers, the messy public understanding of 0.5% beer, and why some “0.0” options can feel like a brand trying too hard.

If you care about alcohol-free beer, low alcohol beer, craft brewing, tasting notes, and where the UK alcohol-free scene is heading next, this one is for you. Subscribe for more, share it with a mate who’s curious, and leave us a review, then tell us: what’s the best alcohol-free beer you’ve had this year?

For all of Martins reviews head over to Alcohol Free World on Instagram.

To find out more about the wonderful world of alcohol free beer and to check in with me head to www.instagram.com/sober_boozers_club

This episode is Sponsored by Chance Clean Cider.