It's time to write down my own story. I'm regularly asked if I still drink alcohol. Since January 1, 2025, I haven't. And I'm very happy about it. Do I not have a problem with that? Of course I do. That's precisely why I'm writing this. This blog has two goals. Firstly, sharing my story helps me better cope with moments when I have a craving for a beer or something else. Secondly, I want to help others in a similar situation. I'll start with the title. There are roughly three types of people who quit drinking. The first group has little trouble with it. They never had a drinking problem in the first place and can easily say no. The second group is physically dependent: the heavy drinkers who describe themselves as alcoholics and remain so even if they haven't had a drink in a long time. David Bowie is often cited as an example. The third group lies somewhere in between. These are people who drink regularly, even heavily, but still function normally. No visible problems, no immediate damage. They almost always say, "I don't have a drinking problem." In her book "Since I Stopped Drinking," Evi Hansen writes, "I was absolutely not an alcoholic." I can understand that. I also belong to this third group. I drank regularly and was always on the lookout for delicious drinks. Craft beer was my hobby. Friday was the perfect time to treat myself and wind down after the work week. Did I drink too much back then? After all, I was functioning perfectly fine. Nobody seemed to mind. On the contrary, after a few drinks, I was often more sociable. Nevertheless, I think now that I drank more than was good for me. Sometimes I'd be sitting at home alone on Friday evenings—my wife was at work, the kids were out—and there I was with a craft beer. At some point, it just felt... empty. Alcohol can foster sociability; it can bring people together. But if you need it for that, maybe something's wrong. Why not simply reduce it then? I've tried it often enough. No drinking during the week, only on weekends. But this "weekend" already started on Thursday. And if there was a reason to drink on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, I took advantage of it. That doesn't work for me. The only solution is to not drink any alcohol at all. This is nothing new. For about twenty years, I've abstained from alcohol every year during Lent. But afterwards, I always fall back into my old habits. In 2024, I started "Dry January" and extended it to include Lent. Three months without alcohol. It went surprisingly well. In fact, I was annoyed that I started again afterward. So, in 2025, I decided to stick with it for a whole year. And I'm still doing it. Nevertheless, it's sometimes difficult. I've already mentioned Fridays, but especially the Friday before a long weekend, for example at Easter, feels like a weekend twice as long. Then I take the dog for another walk or cook an elaborate meal, simply to distract myself. Of course I drink non-alcoholic beer then. And I enjoy it immensely. I feel like a kid in a candy store when I pick out a beer in our local shop. It feels good to write my story down like this. And if it also helps you to enjoy life without alcohol more, that's a nice bonus. If you would also like to share your story, we would be happy to provide you with our blog for that purpose.

We have an update regarding the NVWA (Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) fine we wrote about earlier. Last year, we received a fine of €1,565 because we had given too much of a discount on a beer with 0.8% alcohol . According to the rules, anything above 0.5% alcohol falls under alcohol legislation, and restrictions apply to discount promotions. You can read the whole story in our previous blog . In objection Naturally, we lodged an objection against the fine. Together with a lawyer, we drafted and submitted an objection. While preparing our objection, we also found relevant case law. In a case that began in 2021, a wine seller accidentally applied too much of a discount. A bottle of wine was offered for €11.99, while the normal price was €16.80; a discount of 28.63% . The fine: €1,360 . After years of legal proceedings, it was eventually reduced to €340 . You can find the official ruling here . You can find a more readable summary here . Hearing A hearing subsequently took place during which I could explain our objection and answer questions from the NVWA. Normally, the NVWA must make a decision within six weeks after that. However, they requested a little more time for their assessment. Eventually, we received an 11-page letter containing the decision. The core: Decision I declare your objection regarding the amount of the fine well-founded. I revoke the contested decision and reduce the fine amount by 50% to €782.50. For the remainder, I declare your objection unfounded and uphold the contested decision. If you have already paid the fine, you will receive the overpaid amount back with statutory interest. The fine has therefore been halved to €782.50 . And now? After careful consideration, we have decided not to pursue legal action . We maintain that a warning for a first offense would have been more appropriate. Furthermore, we still consider €782.50 to be a disproportionate fine for such a minor mistake. But at some point, you simply have to move on with your business. Another legal procedure costs time, energy, and money, while the outcome remains uncertain. So we are leaving it at this. Case closed.

When it comes to our motto, we like to compare ourselves to other companies. We're similar to Jamin in terms of product range, Hornbach in terms of pricing, and Coolblue in terms of customer service. All these companies have something we want to emulate. And when you combine all these things, you get our motto: Alcohol-free beer. Seriously good. I'd be happy to tell you how we got there. Our motto and values When it comes to our product range, we're very aware of our position. We're a small player compared to the major supermarkets and liquor stores. And we don't want to compete with them. We deliberately continue to specialize in non-alcoholic craft beers, just like Jamin does with candy. We're essentially a niche within a niche. That's why we're always looking for special editions and unique beers. And as soon as a brand becomes big and hits the supermarket shelves, it becomes less interesting for our shop. Although, of course, our international customers can't just get these beers in the supermarket. So that's why you'll still find them regularly in our shop. As an example, I can mention Guinness 0.0 . We were the first in the Netherlands to sell it in our shop. And it's still one of our best-selling beers, despite being available in a few supermarkets. Why? We ship most of the cans abroad, where it's very hard to find, or not available at all. We also offer a competitive price with a 24+2 offer . But of course, our gems are the beers you can find (almost) nowhere else. They're often only sold regionally or are made just once. Because we also import some of our beers ourselves, you'll also find beers you won't find anywhere else in the Netherlands. We're always looking for beers that can enrich our selection and that you, as a customer, will be pleasantly surprised to find. We have all the non-alcoholic beers in our shop. And if we don't have one, we know why not. When it comes to price, we're the Hornbach of non-alcoholic beers. We never discount. We're always very competitive on our prices, year-round, and we'll never rip you off. And if we have beers with a best-before date of less than three months, we put them on sale. You can get them for 50% off. We're doing you a favor and guarantee you'll always have a good best-before date. When we talk about customer service, we often cite Zappos . It's an online shoe store that launched in 1999. Their customer service extends to the point where you can return items within 365 days of purchase, and you don't pay any return or shipping costs. No questions asked. But perhaps Coolblue is a good example. We, too, are a bit quirky and incredibly flexible when it comes to service. We like to treat our customers like friends. We also like to compare ourselves to Apple . We sometimes say that we don't sell beers, but a story or an experience. Nothing beats knowing your beer was made in a special way or with special ingredients. And the story behind the brewery only makes the beer more special. Just like Apple always sells "the story": design, vision, rebellion, simplicity. The product is the means. The experience is the goal. So, a lot of comparisons with other companies. And that means that, all things considered, we have our own identity that stands for something. Our core values are: Specialization: Our market is a niche within a niche. We're focused and not a one-size-fits-all store. Fair pricing: This is always competitive and we don't have a discount circus. Unconditional service: We treat everyone as a regular customer. Experience & craftsmanship: We sell a story, the origin of our beers is important and quality always comes before volume. Our motto is: Alcohol-free beer. Seriously good.

Mindful Drinking betekent bewust omgaan met je alcoholconsumptie . Je drinkt misschien een biertje omdat het gebruikelijk is of omdat je het interessant vindt. Mindful Drinking betekent niet automatisch meedoen of zonder nadenken inschenken, maar bewust beslissen wanneer en wat je drinkt. Soms is dat een biertje met alcohol, soms niet. We zien het laatste steeds vaker. Voor veel van onze klanten gaat het niet om "nooit meer alcohol drinken". Het draait om controle . Zij beslissen. Mindful Drinking verschilt van nuchter zijn (onthouding), waarbij je helemaal geen alcohol drinkt. Vooral als je je alcoholconsumptie niet kunt beheersen of het moeilijk vindt om af en toe te drinken, is volledige onthouding een heel goede optie. Waar komt de term “Mindful Drinking” vandaan? De beweging is ontstaan in de VS en Groot-Brittannië. Bekende initiatieven zoals Dry January, Tournee Minerale en Sober October hebben veel succes geboekt. Wat begon als een maand zonder alcohol is nu uitgegroeid tot een bredere levensstijl: Ze drinken minder alcohol. Ze kiezen bewuster. Ze nemen alcoholvrije alternatieven serieus. Mensen zeggen niet meer automatisch "ja". Het past bij de trend van bewuste voeding, beweging en voldoende slaap. Wat betekent dat concreet? Mindful Drinking draait om drie dingen: 1. Kies bewust Stel jezelf de vragen: Wil ik dit echt? Hoe beïnvloedt dit mijn energieniveau morgen? Is er een (betere) alternatieve keuze? Deze alternatieve keuze is geen bleke imitatie meer. Alcoholvrij bier is technisch en smaaktechnisch verfijnd en smaakt vaak zelfs beter dan bier met alcohol. 2. Balans in plaats van alles-of-niets Het is geen verbod. Het gaat om gematigdheid. Bijvoorbeeld: Alcoholvrij tijdens de week. En bewust kiezen voor speciale gelegenheden. Of afwisselend gedurende een avond. Als je bijvoorbeeld uitgaat, begin je met een of twee rondes alcoholvrije drankjes, dan een glas alcohol, en daarna weer alcoholvrije drankjes. 3. Sociaal zonder concessies Vroeger betekende niet drinken water of cola. Vandaag de dag zijn er talloze alternatieven: alcoholvrije cocktails, verfrissende frisdranken en natuurlijk geweldige bieren zoals IPA, stout, zuur bier, blond bier, pilsner, bruin bier, tripel en nog veel meer. Zo kun je nog steeds feesten met anderen – zonder een kater. Waarom wint Mindful Drinking zo snel aan belang? De redenen zijn duidelijk. 🔹 Het is goed voor je gezondheid Betere slaap. Minder calorieën. Verminderde belasting van de lever. Verbeterde sportprestaties en snellere herstel. 🔹 Verbeterde concentratie & productiviteit Overslapen in de ochtend is verleden tijd, en je ervaart geen energiedip meer. 🔹 Het imago is aanzienlijk verbeterd. Het stigma rond onthouding van alcohol is verdwenen. Alcoholvrij is niet saai; integendeel, het is zeer effectief. Bijvoorbeeld, (top)atleten en ondernemers kiezen steeds vaker voor dranken met 0.0 of 0.5% alcohol. Wat is het verschil tussen dit en "nuchter" (geen alcoholconsumptie)? Er is een belangrijk verschil tussen deze twee. We hebben het hieronder voor je op een rijtje gezet. | Nuchter (geen alcohol meer drinken) | Mindful Drinking | |--------------------------------------|------------------| | absoluut | flexibel | | vaak uit noodzaak | uit de keuze | | alles of niets | balans | | focus op onthouding | focus op de richting | Mindful Drinking neemt een positievere benadering. Het gaat niet om wat je achterlaat, maar om wat je wint. Welke rol speelt alcoholvrij bier hierin? Alcoholvrij bier is de drijvende kracht achter de beweging voor mindful alcoholconsumptie. De smaak is enorm verbeterd. Er is een breed scala aan smaken beschikbaar (IPA, Blond, Tarwe, Stout, enzovoort), en het bevat minder calorieën dan zijn alcoholische tegenhanger. Bovendien houdt het je mentaal scherp. We horen van klanten dat ze alcoholvrij bier gebruiken als: Regelmatige keuze doordeweeks. Sportherstel drankje. Drinkoptie voor zakenmensen. Of als alternatief tijdens lange avonden. Deze trend is de afgelopen 5 tot 10 jaar enorm versneld omdat de smaak voortdurend is verbeterd. Daarom hoef je er niet zonder te doen. Wie zou Mindful Drinking interessant kunnen vinden? Dat klopt: voor bijna iedereen. Maar vooral voor: Atleten. Drukke professionals. Ouders die 's ochtends fris willen zijn. Mensen die minder willen drinken zonder sociaal uitgesloten te worden. Mensen boven de 40 die merken dat herstel langer duurt. Het is niet alleen een hype onder studenten, maar een volwaardige beweging. Hoe begin je? Dat is een valide vraag. Hier zijn een paar ideeën: Begin met vaste alcoholvrije dagen (bijvoorbeeld van maandag tot donderdag). Wissel af tussen alcoholvrije en alcoholische periodes op feesten of uitjes. Zorg ervoor dat je goede alternatieven thuis hebt. Probeer verschillende alcoholvrije dranken. Maak het de norm in je gemeenschap. Het werkt alleen als het eenvoudig is, en daarom is een goed alternatief cruciaal. Wat is de omvang? Als je verantwoordelijk wilt drinken: Beperk jezelf tot maximaal vier glazen alcohol per week en neem twee alcoholvrije maanden per jaar. Op deze manier kun je er zeker van zijn dat je je alcoholconsumptie onder controle hebt. Als dat niet werkt, kan volledige onthouding een goede optie zijn. Dus... Mindful Drinking betekent: Bewuste omgang met alcohol. Bewust kiezen om te drinken, in plaats van automatisch. Balans in plaats van extremen. Neem alcoholvrij serieus. Het is geen verbod. Het is controle. En goede alternatieven maken het makkelijker. Wil je zelf ervaren hoe goed alcoholvrije dranken tegenwoordig smaken? Blader door onze selectie en ontdek wat het beste bij jou past.

And Why We’ll Never Be “Just Another Webshop" How It Started For years, I stopped drinking alcohol for a fixed period every year. In the beginning, I was extremely strict. Not a drop. Not even a chocolate with liqueur. Nothing that contained even a trace of alcohol. Until one day I “accidentally” drank a Palm 0.5. I was a bit annoyed and felt cheated. But honestly? I liked it. Slowly, my view on alcohol-free beer changed. That 0.5% wasn’t a problem for me. And I started appreciating more and more good alcohol-free beers. Outside those alcohol-free months, I drank everything the craft beer world had to offer. US IPAs, barrel-aged stouts, extreme sours, you name it. I was, and still am, a beer geek . And that’s exactly why it started to bother me. During my alcohol-free months, I also wanted to drink great beer. But back then, it was hard to find. In supermarkets: limited. Online: fragmented. Abroad: complicated. I searched all over Europe. Ordered from obscure webshops. Had boxes shipped from every corner of the world. I managed. But it wasn’t easy. What Frustrated Me About the Market What bothered me most? There was no place where everything came together. No shop where you simply knew: this is where you find truly good alcohol-free beer. That had to be possible. I thought: if I have this problem, others must have it too. With some encouragement from friends and family, I decided: let’s do it ourselves. That was in 2020. Right at the start of COVID. Coincidence or trigger? No idea. But I pushed through. What I Wanted to Do Differently I wanted to create one place: Where all great alcohol-free beers come together. Where “I’ll just have a cola” is no longer an excuse. Where you always find something that fits you. Not a small corner. Not a side project. But a serious selection. That’s also why we consciously chose online. Our customers are everywhere, mainly in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, but far beyond that too. ONP5 isn’t a local hobby. It’s a platform. What I Believe About Drinking I don’t believe in preaching. We don’t point fingers. We don’t shout that alcohol is bad. We leave that to others. We prefer to show how good alcohol-free can be. Everyone is different. Some people can easily enjoy a beer now and then. Others struggle. Some benefit from alternating. Others from quitting completely. And in between are fifty shades of grey. Personally, I’m now in my 14th month without alcohol. I’m not saying I’ll never drink again. But I do know that moderation isn’t really my strength. So let’s say I’m on the darker side of grey. What You Might Recognize in This What I hope customers feel is that they can be themselves with us. That we never judge. And that we discover together how good alcohol-free beer can be. One of our 250+ five-star reviews says: “ONP5 is a lifesaver for me. They make quitting alcohol anything but boring with just tea, water, or soda.” Another: “A candy store for real beer lovers. Surprising beers without missing the alcohol. Huge selection, and every delivery feels like a little celebration.” That makes us very happy. How We Work We’re constantly searching. For new brewers. New flavors. New styles. From across the border. From just around the corner. We taste everything ourselves. We select strictly. Only then does it enter the shop. Where We’re Going In five years, we want to be a household name. When someone thinks, “I want great alcohol-free beer,”  ONP5 should be the first thing that comes to mind. Right now, we offer around 400 beers. We want to double that. If it’s good, we want to carry it. We also want to expand in B2B. More cafés. More restaurants. More places where alcohol-free is taken seriously. Think: – special Italian beers in Italian restaurants – rotating beers at beach bars – draft taps with alcohol-free craft beer But that’s still future music. For now, our focus is on making sure that every order gives you a perfect experience — and that you feel part of something special. In Short ONP5 is not just a webshop with an alcohol filter. It’s a place for people who choose consciously. For taste. For freedom. For quality. Without compromise. And that’s not going to change.

We often hear, "I don't like IPAs." But usually, that means: I've tasted one type of IPA and think they're all the same. That's a shame, because IPA isn't a flavor, but a collective term . And within that category, the differences are significant. The most well-known distinction is between West Coast IPA and East Coast IPA . And later, another style was added: New England IPA . Time to clarify that distinction. Back in time To understand the difference between the various IPA styles, we need to go back to the rise of craft beer in the United States . In the 1980s, the first craft brewers began to rebel against industrial beer. Initially, they primarily brewed pale ales , but soon began exploring forgotten and classic beer styles. Porter and stout returned, and wheat beers , inspired by the German Weissbier, also appeared . The IPA also emerged during this period . Not yet as an extreme hop bomb, but primarily as an extra-hoppy Pale Ale : recognizable, dry, and easy to drink. Because the craft beer revolution began on the West Coast of the US (California, Oregon, Washington), this automatically became the basis for what we later came to call the West Coast IPA . Early breweries included Anchor Brewing and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. The difference between IPA types explained In those early years, brewers primarily used the so-called C-hops . It started with Cascade (considered by many brewers to be the hop that defined the American beer style), followed by Chinook and Centennial . Key detail: the difference between the various types of IPAs wasn't so much which hops were used, but how they were used. West Coast IPA: bitter and tight Over the course of the 1990s, West Coast IPAs became increasingly dry, bitter, and sharper . IBU values rose from roughly 40–60 to 60–80, and sometimes even higher . Features: Dry fermentation Higher perceived bitterness Hop as the main character This became the classic West Coast IPA : clear, distinct and uncompromising. East Coast IPA: response and balance East Coast breweries responded to this development, creating IPAs that offered more balance : More malt body Slightly lower in bitterness Rounder mouthfeel They often used the same hop varieties , but in a different way: Fewer late hop doses More focus on structure than on aggression Sometimes supplemented with European hop varieties This is what we call the East Coast IPA . Clear, classic, and balanced. A style that was especially popular around 2000–2008 . New England IPA: a style break Only after 2010 did something completely different emerge: the New England IPA (NEIPA) . This isn't a further development of the East Coast IPA , but it does build on that style culturally and geographically. It's a conscious break from everything IPA has ever been. Features: Hazy Soft mouthfeel (due to oats and wheat) Low bitterness Explosive hop aroma New American hop varieties play a major role here, such as Simcoe, Amarillo, Citra, and Mosaic . These hops provide the familiar juicy and fruity character . IPA today: anything goes IPA has become a playing field. There are countless variations, such as: Black IPA Red IPA White IPA Session IPA Double and Triple IPA Sour IPA Not all of them are permanent, but all are part of the IPA evolution. How can you tell what kind it is when it only says “IPA”? If the label of the can or bottle only says IPA, you need to read between the lines. Pay attention to the description, the terms used, the hop varieties and the appearance of the beer. Words like bitter , dry  or juicy  often say more than the name. As mentioned before, IPA is not a single flavour but a collection of styles. And the label usually tells you more than the name. IPA and alcohol-free Among non-alcoholic beers, IPA is the most common style. This makes sense: hops add flavor, structure, and tension, exactly what alcohol normally does. But here too, one IPA is not the same as another. Is it a jaw-dropping West Coast IPA or a smooth, juicy New England IPA ? Both are delicious, as long as you know what you're drinking.

Dry January is becoming more popular every year. More and more people are deciding not to drink alcohol in January. Sometimes out of curiosity, sometimes for their health, sometimes to critically examine their relationship with alcohol. Last week, a friend told me he wanted to participate in Dry January for the first time. He quickly added: he'll definitely make an exception for that one New Year's get-together. That was the moment for me to share my experiences. I've temporarily quit drinking several times myself and learned what works and what doesn't. Below are my key insights and tips for sticking to Dry January, even when things get tough. Many people look for tips on how to maintain Dry January , because quitting alcohol in practice turns out to be more difficult than they initially thought. My experience with quitting alcohol Quitting alcohol for the first time is difficult. Not because you consciously want to drink every day, but because alcohol is often deeply ingrained in your routine. A drink after work, a weekend get-together, a glass of wine with dinner. These are times when saying "no" doesn't feel natural. It's precisely those predictable moments that make Dry January difficult. And you can prepare for them. Tip 1: Identify your difficult moments in advance Think ahead about when it's going to be hard not to drink. For me, that was always Friday night. After a long work week, cracking open a craft beer was part of the experience. Just like drinks and parties. Make a plan in advance. For example: At drinks I drink non-alcoholic champagne At parties I drink non-alcoholic beer At home I always make sure that alternatives are available This way you don't have to have an argument with yourself at that moment. Tip 2: Be prepared for withdrawal symptoms Especially the first time you quit drinking alcohol, you may experience withdrawal symptoms. This sounds difficult, but it's actually quite confronting. Common symptoms include: Headache Sleep worse Sweating Unrest or gloom Shaking hands How long this takes varies from person to person. Don't see this as failure, but as information. If your body reacts this way to not drinking, it also says something about the structural effects of alcohol on you. Tip 3: Provide good non-alcoholic alternatives When I first quit drinking, I actively sought alternatives. First, fruit juices and soda, then increasingly non-alcoholic beers. This search eventually became so relentless that it led to my webshop, ONP5. The lesson is simple: make sure you have alternatives on hand. When you'd normally reach for a beer or wine, you don't want to miss out. Non-alcoholic beer, mocktails, or anything else you're really craving will make Dry January a lot easier. Tip 4: Don't do Dry January alone Quitting alcohol works better when you share it. Find someone who's also participating in Dry January and share experiences. Tell people around you that you're not drinking. Not because they find it interesting, but because it helps you. You can also register with IkPas.nl . They support people who are temporarily quitting alcohol and offer, among other things, an app and practical guidance. Tip 5: Accept that it's boring sometimes Not drinking can feel boring. That's partly true. People who do drink loosen up, talk more easily, and stay around longer. You stay sober. Literally. That says more about their alcohol consumption, not about you. Be okay with leaving early. Before conversations get repetitive and everyone slurs their words. It's also educational: you see how you likely come across when you're tipsy. Tip 6: Don't make exceptions This is perhaps the most important tip. If you agree with yourself to abstain from alcohol for a period, one exception isn't really an option. Of course, some people can manage that. But for the vast majority, one exception quickly leads to another. After that, you lose faith in yourself and fall back into your old habits. No means no. That's what makes Dry January so clear and achievable. Finally Dry January isn't a competition or a moral statement. It's an experiment. With yourself. With your habits. With your relationship with alcohol. Hopefully my experiences and tips will help you get through a month, or any other alcohol-free period, more consciously and easily. Good luck with Dry January.

Non-alcoholic IPAs are more popular than ever. And that's no surprise: with an IPA, extra hops help compensate for the lack of alcohol. Hops provide bitterness, aroma, and that distinct beer-like character IPA lovers crave. This top 10 includes both West Coast IPAs (drier and more bitter) and East Coast/NEIPAs (fruity, aromatic, and often a bit milder). The difference lies primarily in the hop varieties and how they're used: bittering hops, aroma hops, or a combination of both. The balance between these hops ultimately determines the beer's character. In our opinion, these are the tastiest alcohol-free IPAs of the moment . 10. Spanner – Wrench 0.5 Just released, but an instant hit. Moersleutel drew on his experience with robust IPAs for this alcohol-free version. Full-bodied, intense, and surprisingly complete. On our internal Playground scale (see 3rd place), it scores remarkably high, perhaps even higher, to be honest. 9. Omnipollo – Hatt It's as if the amount of hops for a 44cl can has been crammed into a small can. Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, and Citra burst forth the moment you open it. Based on the alcoholic Swedish version, which is among the absolute best there. The alcohol-free version is just as good. 8. Lervig – No Worries IPA Lervig proves that alcohol-free can also be elegant. Not overly hopped, but thanks to a special yeast still beautifully rounded, smooth, and with a distinct hoppy bitterness. Subtle, yet very thoughtfully brewed. 7. Brulo – Lust for Life During a blind tasting with several beer sommeliers, no one could believe this was alcohol-free, and rightly so. It's brewed with Citra, Simcoe, and Mosaic, and double dry hopped for added aroma and depth. A textbook example of how good a non-alcoholic IPA can be. 6. Funky Fluid – Free Foggy A New England IPA bursting with tropical fruit, even with a hint of piña colada. Funky Fluid works as a contract brewery with top brewers, but the recipes and ingredients are entirely their own. The result: smooth, aromatic, and dangerously drinkable. 5. GOD – Good Old Days This Belgian beer sits perfectly between a hoppy blond and an IPA. It's reminiscent of Duvel, but alcohol-free. The hop varieties used remain a secret, but the balance is perfect. A characterful beer with a distinct style. 4. Tartarus – Spright The best alcohol-free IPA from the UK. And that's saying something, because England is leading the way in alcohol-free beer. Citra, Idaho 7, and Simcoe create recognizable IPA aromas, while wheat and oat flakes make the beer complex, smooth, and fruity. 3. vandeStreek – Playground The GOAT among alcohol-free IPAs. The benchmark since 2017, both nationally and internationally. Every new IPA we receive is measured against this standard. It's no coincidence that we call it the Playground scale . 2. FrauGruber – Lucky Liver FrauGruber's first alcohol-free beer was an instant hit. Citra, Centennial, and Mosaic create a creamy, hazy IPA with plenty of body and aroma. Visually and sensibly compelling. 1. Funky Fluid – Free California Love The winner. A classic West Coast IPA that's practically incomparable to a full-bodied version. Mosaic, Citra, Simcoe, and Columbus combine to create a crisp, bitter, and perfectly balanced beer. It's no wonder it scores almost 4 stars on Untappd. Honorable mentions It was difficult to choose. Ten is actually too few. Just off the list were: Nøgne Ø – Himla Humla To Øl – Implosion Pronck – NEIPA Hoop Brewery – Hula Hula But know The quality of non-alcoholic IPAs has exploded. Whichever you choose, you can't go wrong with an IPA from our shop. Browse our full selection and discover your favorite.

We hear it more and more often: non-alcoholic beer simply tastes better than regular beer. That might sound bold, but there's more truth to it than you might think. Brewing without alcohol forces brewers to take greater care, select better ingredients, and be more creative. You can taste the result immediately: clear aromas, greater complexity, and a surprising amount of character. Foto: vandeStreek Alcohol as a flavor enhancer and why that's important In conventional beer, alcohol does most of the work. It carries aromas, intensifies bitterness, and rounds out the flavor. This makes things relatively easy for brewers: minor impurities are less noticeable because the alcohol masks some of them. With non-alcoholic beer, this safety net disappears completely. Every flavor component stands out clearly. No alcohol means no more leeway to conceal flaws. This demands the utmost care. More attention to the recipe and procedure Breweries have to go a step further to produce non-alcoholic beer, not only in recipe development but also in the brewing process itself. They often use special yeasts that produce very little alcohol or processes that remove the alcohol afterward. Both methods require precision. Furthermore, non-alcoholic beer almost always needs to be pasteurized to ensure shelf life and stability. This affects the taste, which is why the recipe must be adjusted accordingly. You can taste this extra care, and that's precisely why many non-alcoholic beers taste surprisingly full-bodied and complex. The preparation in the brew kettle is crucial: the ingredients determine everything. Since alcohol no longer contributes any flavor of its own, it all comes down to the ingredients. Brewers are selecting their ingredients with ever greater care: better malt, aromatic hops, pure water, special yeast. Everything has to be perfect, because you can taste every detail. This often gives non-alcoholic beer a remarkably clear and direct flavor. Foto: vandeStreek Often there's a little more: hops, fruit, and more creativity. Many brewers deliberately enhance their non-alcoholic beers with additional ingredients. Think more intense hop aromas, subtle fruit notes, or a different malt base for more body. Compared to a traditional beer that's been converted to a non-alcoholic version, it often tastes flatter. That's because simply removing the alcohol isn't enough. You have to reimagine the beer. And brewers who do this create truly delicious non-alcoholic beers. So Fancy a flavorful beer? Then you should definitely try non-alcoholic beers. The quality has improved significantly in recent years, and many brewers now brew their non-alcoholic versions with more care and creativity than their regular beers. Chances are you'll be pleasantly surprised.

We saw an introduction of Ben Gibbs on Instagram – the ambassador for alcohol-free beer from the UK. This is his story: Hi I’m Ben and I’m an alcoholic. I set up the sober boozers club in 2022 after I decided to get sober. I say I decided to get sober, I was forced to because in active addiction I more or less hit rock bottom, hurting people close to me, hurting myself and being generally unpleasant to be around. When I took to sober Instagram I couldn’t help but feel a little out of place. I didn’t feel the pink cloud, I didn’t feel like I could go out and run a marathon, I missed beer and pub visits. Then I found alcohol free beer. It gave me back a bit of what I thought I’d lost — the flavour, the ritual, the community. It helped me reconnect with something I loved, just without the chaos that used to come with it. Fast forward to now. I’ve tried almost 1000 alcohol free beers, worked with incredible breweries, made lifelong friends, visited parliament on behalf of Alcohol Change UK, won a British Guild Of Beer Writers award and lived some truly unforgettable moments. All because of alcohol free beer. This page is a celebration of alcohol free beer, but it’s also about sobriety and the accountability that comes with addiction. It’s not about perfection or preachiness, it’s about honesty, curiosity and the idea that being sober doesn’t have to be boring. It’s also about realising that life doesn’t have to end with addiction. Would I delete those years from my life if I could? Yes I would, but that’s not how time works (yet). Whether you’re in recovery, sober-curious, or just trying to drink a bit less, you’re welcome here.

We received that question last week. And that's good idea for a new blog post. We're always searching for the latest non-alcoholic beers. For gems you won't find in the supermarket. Because what's more fun than discovering something new every time? Many of our customers feel the same way. You love to taste, look for new surprises, and often check in these beers on Untappd. We sometimes say we're the Jamin of non-alcoholic beer . What they do with candy, we do with non-alcoholic beer . Always searching for something new and special. Read more about how Jamin works here . We are the Jamin among alcohol-free beers From the very beginning in 2020, we saw the need for innovation. That's why we quickly launched the New Beer Subscription: every month (or every other month ) you receive 10 to 12 new non-alcoholic beers at home. This makes a lot of people happy, and we even ship them all over, from Portugal to Sweden. But how do we find all these new beers? We do this in several ways. We follow countless breweries on social media and keep a close eye on new releases. We also get a lot of tips from you, especially after vacations. For instance when someone in Spain or Austria has discovered a unique non-alcoholic beer, they report that to us. And brewers themselves regularly contact us with their latest creations. And if the beer is delicious, we certainly won't say no. In the early years, we drove across the country ourselves to pick up new beers. This even resulted in our own book: Craft Beer . These days, thankfully, breweries usually supply us themselves. And we import foreign non-alcoholic beers together with regular partners. We often get tips about new brews through them as well. We buy the more common beers from wholesalers, primarily for our international customers, who can't find these brands in their own countries. It's always a quest to find something new, but that's precisely what makes it fun. Especially the tasting 😉. And as long as breweries keep innovating, we'll keep surprising you with the tastiest and most unique non-alcoholic beers you can buy. And tips are always welcome. Email them to: info@ondernulpuntvijf.com

Everyone's familiar with Dry January by now, but did you know that October has its own alcohol-free month? Sober October began as an Australian initiative and grew into a campaign in the United Kingdom to raise money for cancer research. It's now become a global moment to be mindful of alcohol consumption. No lists or finger-wagging, just a refreshing reset at a time when the days are getting shorter and your body could use some extra energy. From Ocsober to a global movement The first time Sober October emerged, it was still called Ocsober . It was organized in Australia to show young people that you can have fun without alcohol. Shortly after, Macmillan Cancer Support in the United Kingdom adopted the idea, under the name Go Sober for October . Participants give up drinking for a month and raise money for people with cancer. This social and community aspect gives the movement extra momentum. These days, Sober October also focuses on personal goals: healthier living, better sleep, or simply reflecting on your relationship with alcohol. Why a month without alcohol is worth it Those who participate often quickly notice a difference. Without alcohol, your sleep pattern improves and you wake up feeling more refreshed. Your skin looks healthier, and by skipping the empty calories of alcohol, you'll lose weight. Many people also experience greater mental peace. You don't have to fight off hangovers, and you have more energy to exercise, read, or simply enjoy your day. These aren't promises that work out exactly the same for everyone, but almost everyone who participates sees benefits that motivate them to stick with it for longer. The social aspect What makes Sober October so much more fun is when you do it together. Friends or colleagues challenging each other, communities sharing experiences, or campaigns connecting participants with a good cause. This not only makes it easier to persevere but also creates a sense of community. While October is normally filled with drinks and dinners, a different kind of conversation suddenly arises: what does it actually feel like to not drink for a while? Alcohol-free is no longer boring One of the reasons Sober October is becoming increasingly popular is the enormous selection of non-alcoholic alternatives. Where you used to have to settle for a standard non-alcoholic pilsner, you can now choose from IPAs, stouts, wheat beers, and even non-alcoholic sours. At ONP5 , that's what it's all about: showing that non-alcoholic beer can be flavorful and surprising. This makes participating in Sober October less of a chore and more of an opportunity to discover something new. Reflection afterwards The beauty of a month without alcohol is that you'll have a better understanding of its effects afterward. You might feel so good that you decide to stay alcohol-free more often. Or perhaps you'll find yourself drinking more mindfully: not automatically, but only when it truly benefits you. In that sense, Sober October isn't just a temporary challenge, but also an opportunity to permanently change your habits. The rise of Sober Curious in the Netherlands In the Netherlands, Sober October is gaining ground, thanks in part to the rise of the so-called Sober Curious movement. More and more people are consciously choosing to abstain from alcohol (temporarily), not because they have to, but because they're curious about the benefits. How do you sleep without alcohol? How do you feel after a few weeks without a drink or glass of wine? It's this curiosity that's driving Sober October's growth in the Netherlands, even though it's not yet as widely organized as in the United Kingdom.