Warsteiner

The brewery has remained in Cramer family hands for nine generations, with Catharina Cramer now leading the business. Warsteiner entered the alcohol-free category in 1991, placing it among the earlier mainstream European brewers to commit to an AF range at a time when sober-curious drinkers had very few choices in the category. Both the full-strength pilsner and the AF products draw on water from the Kaiserquelle, a natural soft-water spring discovered on site in 1927, which the brewery identifies as central to the character of all its beers.

The AF lager is brewed to full maturity under the German Purity Law before the alcohol is removed through vacuum distillation, a process carried out at reduced pressure, which lowers the boiling point and protects the beer's aromatics rather than stripping them away with heat. The AF lineup also covers a Radler 0,0%, a fifty-fifty blend of alcohol-free beer and lemonade, offering a lighter, more refreshing style alongside the core lager.

Both products sit within a wider portfolio sold in more than 60 countries. The AF range is available through specialist alcohol-free retailers and sits in the mid-range price bracket consistent with the wider Warsteiner portfolio.