Paulaner
Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei
The alcohol-free version of the brewery’s wheat beer, and an example of the style that de-alcoholises best.
- Strength
- 0–0.5% ABV
- Brewery
- Paulaner
Also called Paulaner alcohol free wheat beer, Paulaner Weissbier 0.0.
Wheat beer is the easiest style to make convincingly alcohol-free, and the reason is that its identity sits in yeast-derived aroma compounds and in the body the wheat protein provides, neither of which depends on the alcohol. A weissbier that has lost its alcohol still has its esters, its head and most of its mouthfeel; a pale ale that has lost its alcohol has lost the thing that was carrying the hop oil.
That is why the alcohol-free shelf in a German supermarket is disproportionately wheat beer, and why this is a fairer test of the category than an alcohol-free IPA is.
What it tastes like
Inherited from Alcohol-free wheat beer, because this beer sits within the normal range for it. BeerHQ’s comparative scale, not a measurement.
Why BeerHQ carries this beer
| Reason | Carried because it is where many people start |
|---|---|
| Strength | 0–0.5% ABV — checked 2026-08-19. Strengths differ by market and change without announcement, so this is dated rather than absolute. |
| Record stability | Volatile — production, strength or availability are actively changing. Treat specifics as needing verification. |
BeerHQ records no recipe, hop bill, malt bill, yeast strain, IBU or calorie figure for any commercial beer unless it is sourced. Nothing on this page is inferred from what the beer tastes like.
What is distinctive about it
- Wheat beer keeps its yeast-derived aroma and its body when the alcohol goes, which is why the style dominates the category in Germany
- A direct counterpart to the brewery’s full-strength weissbier, which makes the two drinkable side by side
The alcohol-free counterpart of Paulaner Hefe-Weißbier Naturtrüb
This is sold as the alcohol-free counterpart of Paulaner Hefe-Weißbier Naturtrüb, at 0–0.5% ABV against 5.5% ABV. That records a lineage and a brand relationship. It does not mean the same recipe, the same ingredients or the same beer with one thing taken out, and BeerHQ does not assert any of those.
How it reaches this strength — alcohol removed after fermentation, or never made in the first place — is not something BeerHQ has established. The two routes produce different beers, so it is worth knowing that this one is unconfirmed rather than assuming either.
What survives depends on the style rather than on the brand. Roast and dry-hopped aroma come through comparatively well; the weight alcohol itself contributes does not, and that is usually what a drinker notices first.
If you like Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei
Worked out from what this beer actually tastes like rather than from what its style typically does. Three kinds of move, because “what should I try next” is three different questions.
Closest to it
Very similar in structure and flavour. Safe ground rather than discovery.
Alcohol-free pale lager — try Lucky Saint Unfiltered Lager or Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5%
A close structural match for Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: noticeably less yeast fruitiness (esters) (moderate → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less yeast fruitiness (esters) than Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei.
A close structural match for Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: noticeably less carbonation (high–very high → trace–low).
May not suit: Noticeably less carbonation than Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei.
Alcohol-free IPA — try BrewDog Punk AF or Athletic Run Wild IPA
A close structural match for Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: noticeably more bitterness (trace → moderate).
May not suit: Noticeably more bitterness than Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei.
Similar, but different
Keeps what you probably like about it and changes one or two things. Usually the most useful answer.
Alcohol-free stout — try Guinness 0.0 or Big Drop Galactic Milk Stout
Keeps most of what Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei does and shifts bitterness.
Different: noticeably more bitterness (trace → moderate).
May not suit: Noticeably more bitterness than Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei.
Kristallweizen — try Erdinger Kristall
Keeps most of what Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei does and shifts dryness.
Different: noticeably more dryness (none–trace → moderate).
May not suit: Noticeably more dryness than Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei.
Weissbier — try Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier or Schneider Weisse Original
Keeps most of what Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei does and shifts dryness.
Different: slightly more dryness (none–trace → low–moderate).
May not suit: Very close to Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
A bigger jump
Genuinely different, but connected by something specific — the shared trait is named so you can judge whether the bridge holds.
Both carry real yeast fruitiness (esters), which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei.
Different: slightly more body (low → moderate).
May not suit: Very close to Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Dunkelweizen — try Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel
Both carry real yeast fruitiness (esters), which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei.
Different: slightly more body (low → moderate).
May not suit: Very close to Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Both carry real yeast fruitiness (esters), which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei.
Different: much more hop aroma (none–trace → high).
May not suit: Noticeably more hop aroma than Paulaner Weißbier Alkoholfrei.
Likely fits rather than promises. Taste varies, and a recommendation engine that claims certainty is claiming something it cannot know.
What to eat with it
Inherited from Alcohol-free wheat beer. BeerHQ does not duplicate pairings onto individual products unless the product genuinely differs from its style.
- Spicy food
Gentle sweetness and modest strength take the edge off the chilli rather than sharpening it.
- Apple pie
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
- Samosa
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
- Vindaloo
Gentle sweetness and modest strength take the edge off the chilli rather than sharpening it.
Keeping it
Alcohol-free wheat beer shows best within 3–6 months of packaging. After that it declines in quality rather than becoming unsafe.
Drink fresh. Buy it as young as you can and drink it soon. What makes this beer worth drinking is the first thing to leave it.
Derived from Alcohol-free wheat beer. See storage and freshness for the full model.
BeerHQ carries a small set of reference beers to anchor styles, not a catalogue. There is no rating here and there will not be one. Last reviewed 2026-08-19.