Spain is one of the countries that consumes the most non-alcoholic beer. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, 13% of the beer we consume is alcohol-free (2024 data). One of the most frequently asked questions we receive is whether non-alcoholic beers contain any alcohol. By law, any beverage with less than 1% alcohol by volume is considered “alcohol-free.” In this article, we give you all the details.
At the Blue Dolphin Store, we sell only non-alcoholic drinks, all with 0.0% or less than 1% alcohol. We have all kinds of non-alcoholic beers. If you don’t want any alcohol, discover our selection of 0.0% alcohol drinks and also alcohol-free beverages for pregnant women in our store.
What is considered “non-alcoholic”?
In the case of beer, the Spanish Royal Decree 678/2016 establishes that non-alcoholic beer does not exceed 1% alcohol by volume. A 0.0% alcohol beer does not exceed 0.04%. People who, for health or other reasons, want to avoid any alcohol content should check that the beer bottle indicates it is 0.0%.
The regulations for non-alcoholic wines are like those for beers. Currently, there is no specific Royal Decree in Spain. What rules are the European regulation (Regulation (EU) 2021/2117), which mentions that a non-alcoholic wine is one with less than 1% alcohol by volume. As with beers, a 0.0% alcohol wine is one with less than 0.04%.
This percentage of alcohol below 1% is not dangerous.
The law allows a percentage of alcohol less than 1%, caused by the product’s fermentation process. These tiny traces are not like the alcohol present in a normal beer but rather traces of residual alcohol.
Can you get drunk on a beer with less than 1% alcohol?
The short answer is no.
The long answer is that you’d have to drink a large amount of non-alcoholic beer—about 20 bottles—in a short period of time to feel its effects. It’s also nearly impossible, as the body metabolizes small quantities of alcohol so quickly that you’d expel most of it before it had any effect.
You may not know this, but many foods and beverages naturally contain traces of alcohol, such as vinegar, yogurt (0.05-1% ABV), ripe bananas (0.2-0.4% ABV), bread, or fruit juices. Some kombuchas have 0.5% alcohol, but it’s not required to indicate this on the label.
In conclusion, the law allows this tiny percentage of alcohol traces because it’s safe for consumers and doesn’t have the negative effects of alcohol on the body. These are traces like those found in fruit juice or kombucha. Therefore, by purchasing any product from our non-alcoholic beverage store, you can rest assured that you won’t experience the negative effects of alcohol.
