Award Re-Affirms Big Drop as Vanguard of Alcohol-Free

Big Drop is celebrating success in this year’s World Beer Awards, having achieved the ultimate accolade of a ‘World’s Best’ medal for its 0.5% ABV Brown Ale.

The Brown Ale was entered into the Low Alcohol Dark Beer category and was one of four alcohol-free beers from around the world to feature in this year’s World Best list of 88 beers. Big Drop was also among just four UK brewers to satisfy the judges and make the top grade for 2019 – alongside Sharps, Wadworth and Glen Affic.*

It doesn’t get better than a World’s Best, whichever style of beer you’re producing

The medal sits proudly alongside another World’s Best medal that Big Drop won for its Pale Ale at the 2017 World Beer Awards.

Big Drop received a total of four World Beer Awards for its 0.5% ABV beers this year – including a Session IPA bronze for its Citra IPA which was judged against full-strength competitors – it’s second World Beer Award in a full-strength category.

Rob Fink, Founder and CEO of Big Drop, commented: “It doesn’t get better than a World’s Best, whichever style of beer you’re producing. We have always been entirely focussed on alcohol-free but take great care to fully ferment our beers to a maximum of 0.5%. This full fermentation and lack of artificial extraction processes mean we retain all the flavour that our 23 varieties of grain can deliver. That’s something that the judges clearly appreciate and winning not just in low-alcohol but full-strength categories makes it all the more special.”

* http://www.worldbeerawards.com/shares/World-Beer-Awards-2019-Style-Winners.pdf

Further information

Big Drop’s Awards & Accolades

Big Drop’s Pale Ale was named World’s Best Pale Beer (low strength) at the World Beer Awards 2017.

Its Stout won a Gold Medal at the International Beer Challenge and a UK Silver Medal at the World Beer Awards when judged against full-strength stouts and porters. It also won a Gold medal at the US Open Beer Championship.

Its Citra IPA was crowned ‘King of Craft’ at the 2019 Casual Dining show, which was dominated by full-strength beers. It also won the overall Champion’s trophy for ‘Non and Low Alcohol Beer’ at The International Brewing and Cider Awards and a Silver medal at the US Open Beer Championship.

Big Drop was also one of three ‘Best Drinks Producers’ in the 2018 BBC Food & Farming Awards.

“Big Drop specialises in alcohol-free beer and it’s all good. I tried the pale ale and the lager, too, and both are excellent, but the stout really is the business.” — Adrian Chiles, The Guardian

“The most impressive no/low alcohol beer I have ever tried; no argument, it just is.” — Melissa Cole, British Guild of Beer Writers

“In my view, by far the best of the low-alcohol brigade is Big Drop Brewing Co. All its beers come in at just 0.5%, and all of them are excellent – the stout in particular is a jaw-dropper. Superb flavour without compromise.” — Olly Smith, Mail on Sunday

About Big Drop

Big Drop was launched in 2016 as the world’s first brewer dedicated to alcohol-free beer by the-then City lawyer, Rob Fink and long-time friend James Kindred.

Both had recently become fathers and were looking to cut back on the booze but could not find any decent alternatives to their favourite craft beers.

Along with experimental brewer, Johnny Clayton, they perfected techniques to make a range of 0.5% abv beer styles – but crucially without the need for alcohol extraction – resulting in a fuller-flavour.

Big Drop has won over 40 major international beer titles including four times being judged ‘World’s Best’ at the World Beer Awards and beating full-strength beers in blind tastings.

Big Drop contract brews in batches through a network of brewing partners worldwide, meaning it can produce fresh beer – locally and ethically – with a minimal carbon footprint.

Recognised as the market leader in the rapidly growing AF craft beer sector, Big Drop can now be found in over 10,000 locations – including throughout Europe, Australia, Canada and – soon to be – the US. In the UK, Big Drop has listings with major pub groups (eg Mitchells & Butlers), restaurant chains (eg Nando’s) and retailers (eg Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Morrisons and Ocado) as well as on the High Street with Holland & Barrett and on doorsteps with Milk & More.

Its range of beers, which are all <0.5% abv, currently consists of: Stout, Lager, Pale Ale, Citra IPA, Brown Ale, Golden Ale, Hazelnut Porter and a Sour as well as special editions and collaborations with other leading brewers.

Further information: [email protected]