Will South Africans raise a toast to alcohol-free beer?

Saying cheers to Charles will be very different this festive season after the launch this week of Castle Free, the first alcohol-free beer to be brewed in South Africa.

A Castle without the buzz? Or the battle with the breathalyser?

For South African Breweries (SAB) and AB InBev Africa, the ambitious launch of their no-alcohol beer this week aims to give consumers more choice and a smarter drinking option, while still providing “a real beer taste without the alcohol”.

For a company that has literally made its business selling billions of litres of beer to South African consumers over many years, the launch of an alcohol-free beer is quite a culture shock.

However, with drinking and driving still a major problem in South Africa, a country with one of the world’s highest road mortality rates with over 14 000 road deaths recorded last year, it’s a smart, responsible move from one of South Africa’s most influential and important companies.

The launch of Castle Free also delivers on SAB and AB InBev’s public interest commitments to the government to introduce initiatives that reduce alcohol harm in South Africa.

SAB and AB InBev committed to introduce and promote new no- and lower-alcohol products to the South African market to encourage consumers to make lower-alcohol choices, including through 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 in South Africa.

“At SAB we believe that smart drinking choices affect everyone every day and want every experience with beer to be a positive one. We are fostering a culture of smart drinking globally to reduce the harmful use of alcohol.

“To ensure a long-term and sustainable reduction in harmful drinking, we believe that consumer behaviours need to shift. SAB and AB InBev have a key role to play in contributing to this change,” said Ricardo Tadeu, zone president for SAB and AB InBev Africa.

Castle Free is a 0.0% alcohol beer, brewed with home-grown ingredients and the same high standards as its mother brand – Castle Lager. It remains to be seen just how South Africans will react to an alcohol-free Castle and how animated the conversations around the braai will be with more lucid beer consumers.

The brand is a beer targeted at men and women who are existing beer drinkers and who want more freedom and choice while enjoying beer without the alcohol. Castle Free, however, remains a product that is not for sale to under 18s.

Castle Free will officially hit shelves in trade in mid-November 2017 and will be available in a limited edition 250ml sampling can, a limited edition 12-pack, a 340ml non-returnable bottle and a 500ml can.

It will be distributed to more than 4 800 taverns and 554 counter-serve outlets.

In addition, around 800 taverns across South Africa will be upgraded with Castle Free branding.