Alcohol Change UK kicked off Dry January in 2013 with 4,000 people. It’s come a long way since, and next year it’s predicted that over 130,000 people will give it a go.

From the first year, studies found that six months after taking part, seven out of ten people continued to drink less than before. There’s plenty of other short-term benefits too, like better quality of sleep, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and more.

Plus, think of all that productivity you can fit in without the hangovers…

But we understand. A beer is a real treat, and if you’re drinking responsibly, can be remarkably relaxing after a long week.

And let’s be honest, in the dark depths of January, going without a usual weekend treat can get a little tricky once you’re feeling less guilty about December’s indulgence.

So we’ve put together a short list of our favourite alcohol-free beers to savour through an enjoyable Dry January.

Lucky Saint

The long-standing elephant in the room has been that alcohol-free beer just doesn’t give you the same satisfaction. Yes, it smells, tastes and looks like beer – but there’s that *something* missing from the refreshment factor. 

Lucky Saint’s founder, Luke Boase, was on a hunt for the low-alcohol 0.5% beer that would satisfy just as much as its 5% counterparts. Several years and 60,000 litres of beer later, he found the answer. 

It has biscuity malts, a smooth, fresh finish and that German-lager character that wouldn’t taste out of place at Oktoberfest.

Yes, this is 0.5% alcohol. But that’s about the same amount of alcohol in 100g of ripe banana.

Pact rating - 8/10. It’s absolutely delicious and every bit as refreshing as many of the big-name lagers you’ll find in the local pub. But the .5% does feel a bit at odds with a truly Dry January.

Days Lager

Days lager was founded in the second lockdown by founders Duncan and Mike in their home in Scotland. They use softer water from the Lammermuir hills and ingredients local to their Edinburgh brewery to create a crisp style of 0% beer.

Their brewing process is specifically designed to never produce alcohol, so it’s a bit different from the de-alcoholised beers you’ll find elsewhere. They have two styles so far, a lager and a pale ale, and both are delicious, but we’re leaning to the lager.

Best of all, they give 2% of all sales to organisations that empower fresh thinking to mental health.

Pact rating - 9/10. If you tasted the 0% beers made just five years ago, you’d refuse to believe that they’d get this good in a matter of years.

Beavertown Lazer Crush

Beavertown’s 0.3% IPA is made differently. Interestingly, rather than limiting the malt or dealcoholising the beer after fermentation (two techniques usually used in creating alcohol-free beer), they use a strain of yeast which ferments malt without producing alcohol and adds peachy hints.

Pact rating - 7/10. There’s plenty of pleasant tropical fruit flavours here along with a balancing bitterness. But if you’re looking for fizzy refreshment, you might find that this is a bit more like a cask beer.

If you’re thinking of giving up alcohol for a month and are in any way concerned about your current intake, the NHS recommends that you first consult your GP.