This is what the independent blind test carried out by the jury of five beer experts – with and without alcohol – underlined
The consumption of non-alcoholic beer is a trend that has changed the beverage segment, leading major brands to create zero or low alcohol versions. This recent success stems from several reasons, one of the main ones being the quality of the options on offer. And in this fierce competition, the best is Bud Zero.
This was stated by an independent test carried out by Paladar, in the month of August, with a jury composed of five specialists in beers – alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
They tested seven of the brands in a market that sold 390 million liters last year, according to a survey by Euromonitor International, in a study commissioned by the National Union of the Brewing Industry (Sindicerv), which represented an increase in the 37.6% in relation to 2021.
At the end of the evaluation, which took into account aspects such as appearance, foam, aroma, carbonation, flavour, aftertaste and drinkability of the samples, the judges decreed Bud Zero as the best non-alcoholic or low-alcohol Lager-style beer on the national market.
In the end it was the confirmation of the success of a creation that reached shops and bars about a year ago. In March 2022, aware of this growing consumer demand, Budweiser launched Bud Zero into the Brazilian market as an enabler product – which can fulfill a consumer truth, that people often stop going for a ride because they don’t want to drink.
For this reason, he has tried to offer a tasty non-alcoholic beer, which delights the palate and demystifies the perception that the drink cannot be as tasty as the traditional ones. And, in this work, he relied on the work of professionals from the Ambev Beer Innovation and Technology Center (CIT), which is located within the UFRJ Technology Park, in Rio de Janeiro.
When designing Bud Zero, the specialists of the Ambev research and development center have bet on another trend in the beer market – the presentation of low-calorie options. The soft drink has 69 calories in its 350ml canned version and 65 calories in the 330ml long neck option, making it one of the least calorie options on the Brazilian market.
One of the international brands that make up Ambev’s extensive beer portfolio in the country, Budweiser also has, in its zero version, characteristics similar to those of the famous American Lager in the United States. The ingredients, by the way, are the same as for regular Budweiser, only without the alcohol content.
Also, to get as close to the taste of traditional Budweiser as possible, Bud Zero undergoes an alcohol removal process, called decolation, following the authentic American lager recipe with all international standards and Budweiser flavor. All to present to the consumer the fruity aromatic notes, the light malt note and the moderate body present in its alcoholic version.
The idea is to follow the assumption that guides the best non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beers in existence. “A good non-alcoholic beer is one that, despite having this peculiarity, restores the sensory profile of the style, that is, it is similar to the same alcoholic product found on the market”, comments the brewer and sommelière Julia Reis, one of the Taste jurors who listed Bud Zero as the best non-alcoholic beer in Brazil.
According to the experts who evaluated Bud Zero, the promise of maintaining the flavor and freshness of the original version of Budweiser in a zero-alcohol version has been fulfilled. “It doesn’t even look like beer without alcohol,” nailed one of the jurors during the test held in August 2022.
With the intention of achieving this goal, there was no shortage of testing and adjustments in the process of defining the recipe and production of Bud Zero. Before its launch in Brazil, the taste of the non-alcoholic beer was tested and approved by more than a thousand consumers. They evaluated the product in different aspects, such as flavor, body, color, intensity, bitterness, among other aspects.
Subsequently, this approval came from Paladar’s hand-picked team of specialists. In the blind tasting, Bud Zero secured first place for good carbonation, persistent foam, fruity aroma, surprising bitterness and dry finish.
Thinking that many people stop going out because they can’t (or don’t want to) consume alcoholic beverages, Bud Zero beer is actually a tasty alternative!
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
