The South African Breweries (SAB) and AB InBev Africa are giving consumers more choice and a smarter drinking option with the introduction of the first alcohol-free beer to be brewed in South Africa.

Castle Free is South Africa’s first homegrown 0.0% alcohol beer. It is an extension of Castle Lager and offers consumers a real beer taste without the alcohol.

Then no-alcohol beer is brewed with the same local ingredients as the ‘mother brand’ Castle Lager and with the same high standards. It stays true to Castle Lager’s inherent real beer credentials – a well-balanced lager without sweetness, balanced with bitterness and astringency to make it a thirst quenching beer.

Castle Free complies with South African Legislation on labelling regulations to be called an alcohol-free beer because it contains less than 0.05% alcohol by volume (ABV) of liquid (<0.05g/100ml).

The launch of Castle Free delivers on SAB and AB InBev’s public interest commitments made to the government during the business combination process at the end of 2016 to introduce initiatives that reduce the harmful use of alcohol in South Africa. The breweries committed to introduce and promote new no- and lower-alcohol products to the market to encourage consumers to make lower-alcohol choices, including by brewing these products in South Africa.

SAB and AB InBev have made a substantial investment of more than R30 million to develop and brew Castle Free.