A light straw-gold lager from BrewDog, Lost AF Alcohol-Free is refreshing with a smooth mouthfeel and a bit of fizz. It's a drinkable lager and you could easily imagine enjoying a few in quick succession. Overall, perfectly pleasant, but nothing remarkable.
Our Lost AF Alcohol-Free Lager Review
Lost AF is a 0.5% lager brewed by BrewDog, one of the world’s leading brewers of craft ales and lagers.
BrewDog was founded in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in 2007 and has grown to become an extremely popular and globally recognized – though also somewhat controversial – brewery and pub chain. The company has a strong track record in alcohol-free beers and is responsible for the UK’s best-selling non-alcoholic beer, Nanny State.
BrewDog’s extensive alcohol-free range includes Nanny State, Punk AF, Hazy AF, Elvis AF, and Lost AF, as well as some limited edition specials.
As further evidence of the brewery’s commitment to alcohol-free, BrewDog has even opened an alcohol-free bar in London. Upon opening the bar in 2020, the company said: “At BrewDog, we are on a mission to prove that alcohol-free does not equate to taste-free”.
In this review, we’re going to sample Lost AF, the non-alcoholic version of BrewDog’s Lost Lager.
The brewery’s website describes the lager as “crisp and refreshing” and claims to offer “all of the flavor, none of the alcohol”.
But does the beer live up to that promise? Let’s put Lost AF to the test…
Branding & Packaging
Lost AF lager is served in a stylishly minimal gold and silver can that is consistent with the refreshed BrewDog brand identity revealed in 2021.
Tellingly, the word BrewDog is far larger and more prominent than the name Lost AF, and the design prominently highlights the brewery’s founding location (Ellon in Aberdeenshire, Scotland) and its mantra “United we stand for better beer. Fiercely defiant and independent”. Even at a brief glance, there’s no doubt who brewed Lost AF.
The side of the can bears the words “All attitude. No alcohol” in bold black capital letters, while the letters AF, for alcohol-free, can be seen in a lighter shade of silver behind the Lost AF name.
First impressions of the can’s design – bold, clear and light – are consistent with the promise of a “crisp and refreshing” alcohol-free beer.
Ingredients & Nutritional Information
Lost AF is made from water, malted barley, lactose (milk), malted oats, yeast and Cascade hops. It is therefore suitable for vegetarians, but not suitable for vegans.
BrewDog’s website lists Carapils, Oats, Pilsner and Caramalt as the malts used in making Lost AF.
Lost AF is 0.5% ABV, which is four percentage points lower than the full-strength Lost Lager.
There are only 10kcal per 100ml and it’s fairly low in sugar too, with 3g of carbs (1.8g of which are sugar) per 100ml. If you’re looking for a low-calorie and low sugar lager, Lost AF is a pretty good option.
Opening the Can
Lost AF has a subtle aroma, with floral notes accompanied by the smell of sweet citrus.
The lager is a pale golden straw colour, with plenty of carbonation and a frothy head that dissipates to leave an island of thin foam.
But don’t just take our word for it, see for yourself in our Lost AF Pour video…
Tasting Notes
BrewDog describe Lost AF as “a light lager with zingy citrus and herbal notes, coupled with savoury biscuit malts.”
This is accurate and it’s certainly a light and refreshing lager, with noticeable grapefruit and passionfruit flavours.
The lager is generally smooth, though it also has a rough edge provided by a moderate level of carbonation.
Interestingly, Lost AF is quite different to the full-strength Lost Lager. The two drinks use different malts and hops. Lost Lager is brewed using Saphir and Spalter rather than the Cascade hops used in Lost AF.
The result is that Lost AF is more hoppy and malty, and less bitter, than the 4.5% Lost Lager.
Where to buy Lost AF
Lost AF can be purchased directly from BrewDog, from specialist online retailers like Beer Hunter, and from many supermarkets and even smaller stores and off-licenses.
What did you think?
Have you tried Lost AF? Please leave a comment below to let us know what you thought of the beer.
