Feeling dehydrated and fatigued from the night before isn't fun for anyone - particularly when the weather starts to warm up. So, the big question is: how to avoid a hangover while still enjoying a beer? Luckily for you, it just so happens that we believe we brew the best hangover free beer going.
HOW DOES SMALL BEER HELP YOU AVOID DEHYDRATION?
We’re proud to be named after the historic category of small beer. Reaching the height of its popularity as far back as the 1700s, small beer was a staple throughout daily British life and was always brewed at a lower strength. Inspired by this chapter of drinking culture, our founders James Grundy and Felix James wanted to revive the long-forgotten category (defined as being between 0.5-2.8% ABV), so that you can enjoy beer that’s full of flavour without any of the slowdown the next day,
In the eighteenth century, drinking water was often unsafe. However, the heat given off as part of the brewing process killed the harmful bacteria found in water, making beer a better alternative for many with the hops acting as a form of natural preservatives, protecting it during storage. The fact that small beer was consumed as a source of hydration and nutrition, by school children all the way up to high society, meant that by nature, the strength of the beer was lower in alcohol.
WHY IS SMALL BEER THE BEST BEER FOR NO HANGOVER?
With the natural diuretic limit around 3% ABV, drinking anything under this alcohol content is more hydrating than dehydrating for the body. Our Small Beer stays true to the origins of the category, with our range showcasing four very different styles of beer below 2.8% ABV, a strength that is far more likely to leave you with no hangover the following day.
Aside from it’s hydrating properties, the beauty of Small Beer lies in the fact that it still contains some alcohol content, giving you that gentle buzz associated with drinking. We’ve also reworked the brewing process to focus on flavour maximisation over alcohol creation. Through long lagering periods and the use of twice the typical amount of ingredients per percentage point brewed, we’re able to produce beer that’s full of flavour at our signature lower strength.
WHAT ABOUT NON-ALCOHOLIC BEERS?
While you won't feel hungover after drinking non-alcoholic beers, it may contain 'hidden' additives like glucose, lactose and dextrins, which some brewers of non-alcoholic beers use to build body and mouthfeel. At Small Beer, we don’t do this. Instead, we prioritise using the best quality brewing ingredients to provide that big beer experience without any unnecessary additives.
We believe that the future of drinking lies in lower alcohol beer, as it bridges the gap between the extremes of ‘drinking’ and ‘not drinking’. Utlimately, we don’t think that moderation should mean compromise.
That’s why we’re the world’s first brewery to specialise in the sole creation of small beer, reviving a category that’s rooted in history, but made for today.
