Alcohol-free Beers Research Articles

Survival of Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella Enteritidis, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium botulinum in non-alcoholic beers

Why was the work done: To (i) determine whether microbial pathogens were present in packaged alcohol-free and low alcohol beers, (ii) to assess whether pathogens can survive or grow in non-alcoholic beers, and (iii) to determine the impact of pH and bitterness on their growth and survival of pathogens in alcohol-free beer. How was the work done: : 50 alcohol-free and low alcohol beers, available in the UK, were screened for pathogens and analysed for ABV, pH and bitterness (IBU). One of the alcohol-free beers (with the lowest IBU) was adjusted to 25 and 50 IBU and pH 3.8, 4.2, 4.6 and 4.9. Challenge testing of these beers was performed with Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella Enteritidis, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium botulinum. In addition, the heat resistance (D60 value) of the pathogens, spoilage bacteria and Saccharomyces cerevisiae ascospores in these beers was determined. What are the main findings: Salmonella, E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae, Bacillus cereus and sulphite reducing clostridia were not found in any of the 50 beers. However, two emerging opportunistic pathogens (Cupriavidus gilardii and Sphingomonas paucimobilis) were found in the low alcohol keg beers. None of the pathogens used in this study could grow in the alcohol-free beer at low pH (pH 3.8). E. coli O157 was unable to grow at pH 4.2 but could grow at pH 4.6 but only with reduced levels of carbon dioxide and increased oxygen. Salmonella Enteritidis was able to grow at pH 4.2 and 4.6 but also with reduced levels of CO2 and increased O2. Although Bacillus cereus and C. botulinum were unable to grow in any of the tested conditions, both pathogens were able to survive. Survival and/or growth of the microorganisms was impacted by pH; bitterness had no effect. Why is the work important: Salmonella Enteritidis and E. coli O157 only grew in alcohol free beer at a higher pH (4.2 and 4.6 for Salmonella and 4.6 for E. coli) together with with reduced levels of CO2 and increased O2. This suggests that packaged beer with appreciable levels of carbon dioxide and negligible levels of oxygen will not support the growth of pathogens. However, draught alcohol free beer may be vulnerable to pathogens.

Application of Non-Saccharomyces Yeast for the Production of Low-Alcohol Beer.

In recent years, demand for low-alcohol and alcohol-free beers has been rising. Of the many methods of producing such beers, many have expensive implementation requirements or drawbacks in terms of beer quality. The exploration of non-Saccharomyces yeast species presents a promising opportunity to overcome these challenges. These yeasts, with their diverse metabolic capabilities and unique flavor profiles, offer the potential to create innovative and flavorful low-alcohol beers. The study investigates the feasibility of using selected non-Saccharomyces yeasts for brewing low-alcohol beers, focusing on fermentation kinetics, physicochemical parameters, and the sensory attributes of the final product. The evaluated yeast species were Kluyveromyces lactis MG971263, Metschnikowia pulcherrima MG971247 and MG971250, Torulaspora delbrueckii MG971248, Wickerhamomyces anomalus MG971261, and W. onychis MG971246. Two strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were used as a control. The results of the study show that selected non-Saccharomyces yeast species might be used to produce low-alcohol beers. The non-Saccharomyces yeast allowed the researchers to obtain beers with an alcohol content in the range of 0.5-1.05%, while the control beer brewed with US-05 had an alcohol content of 3.77%. Among the evaluated strains, the strains M. pulcherrima MG971250 and T. delbrueckii MG971248 were found to be rated better in a sensory evaluation than the brewed and low-alcohol strains of S. cerevisiae.

Quality and quantitative traits of non-alcoholic beer with flavour-improved taste

The non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beer market has grown significantly in recent years and is predicted to continue growing. However, non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beers have organoleptic problems and are not recognized by many consumers. The increasing popularity of alcohol-free beers (AFBs) fosters the industry's interest in delivering the best possible product. Yet, a remaining sensory issue of AFBs is the over-perception of wort flavor, caused by elevated concentrations of small volatile flavor compounds (i.e.aldehydes)still remains. Previously, molecular sieves (hydrophobic ZSM-5 type zeolites) were found as most suitable to remove these flavors by adsorption with high selectivity from the AFBs. In this work, a flavor-improved beer is produced at a pilot-scale using this novel technology, and its chemical composition, sensory profile, and stability are evaluated against a reference. Aldehyde concentrations in the flavor-improved product were found 79–93% lower than in the reference. The distinct difference was confirmed with a trained sensory panel and could be conserved even after three months of ageing at 30ºC. Future work will focus on the process design to scale up this technology. It is established that the release of a new kind of beer is economically profitable, since the expansion of the range contributes to a more complete use of production capacity, and consequently, reduced costs per unit of production, which ultimately leads to an increase in the profit of the enterprise.

Unravelling the potential of non-conventional yeasts and recycled brewers spent grains (BSG) for non-alcoholic and low alcohol beer (NABLAB)

The non-alcoholic beer sector has seen steady growth in recent years and non-conventional yeasts could be a chance to produce this specialty beer. On the other hand, non-alcoholic beer with appreciated aromatic characteristics remains a challenge. In this work, 14 yeast strains belonging to 7 different species were tested to produce low-alcohol or alcohol-free beers using recycled low-sugar wort from brewers spent grains (BSG). The results showed that a strain of Lachancea thermotolerans and a strain of Torulaspora delbrueckii exhibited a fermentation evolution comparable to that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae commercial strain with a reduced ethanol (0.46, 0.57, 1.22 % v/v respectively). L. thermotolerans strains were characterized by lactic acid production and esters formation with the strain DiSVA 322 that exhibited the best aromatic and sensorial performance. T. delbrueckii DiSVA 253 showed an effective analytical profile with a peculiar sensory profile. Although Pichia kluyveri strains did not show significant fermentation evolution, the strains DiSVA 1078 and DiSVA 1079 revealed positive sensorial and analytical traits that significantly distinguished the beers for fruity/esters and sweet notes. The wort from recycled BSG resulted a favourable substrate to produce of non-alcoholic or low alcoholic beers in conjunction with selected non-conventional yeasts.

Effect of the Consumption of Alcohol-Free Beers with Different Carbohydrate Composition on Postprandial Metabolic Response.

Background: We investigated the postprandial effects of an alcohol-free beer with modified carbohydrate (CH) composition compared to regular alcohol-free beer. Methods: Two randomized crossover studies were conducted. In the first study, 10 healthy volunteers received 25 g of CH in four different periods, coming from regular alcohol-free beer (RB), alcohol-free beer enriched with isomaltulose and a resistant maltodextrin (IMB), alcohol-free beer enriched with resistant maltodextrin (MB), and a glucose-based beverage. In the second study, 20 healthy volunteers were provided with 50 g of CH from white bread (WB) plus water, or with 14.3 g of CH coming from RB, IMB, MB, and extra WB. Blood was sampled after ingestion every 15 min for 2 h. Glucose, insulin, incretin hormones, TG, and NEFAs were determined in all samples. Results: The increase in glucose, insulin, and incretin hormones after the consumption of IMB and MB was significantly lower than after RB. The consumption of WB with IMB and MB showed significantly less increase in glucose levels than WB with water or WB with RB. Conclusions: The consumption of an alcohol-free beer with modified CH composition led to a better postprandial response compared to a conventional alcohol-free beer.

Safety and Protective Activities of Manufactured Alcohol-Free Beers

Nowadays, a general interest in improving health in order to achieve better conditions of life is increasing. Diet is a complex factor affecting health conditions. We analysed the biological activities of three types of alcohol-free lager beer (a blond, a pale-blond and a stout beer) as well as epicatechin gallate (ECG) as one of their most abundant phenols with the aim of revealing them as nutraceuticals. For that purpose, we carried out safety and protective assays of the tested substances in the well-known Drosophila melanogaster animal model. Moreover, chemoprevention studies on human leukaemia cells (HL-60) in an in vitro model were carried out to evaluate the viability and genomic damage potential of the studied compounds on the tumour cell line. Results suggest the safety properties of all compounds, although pale-blond and stout beer only showed genotoxic activity at the lowest concentrations assayed. Moreover, alcohol-free beers and phenols were able to protect against H2O2 oxidative damage as well as to induce an increase in longevity with an improvement of the quality of life in the in vivo animal model assayed. Promising results were obtained with the alcohol-free beers and ECG in the in vitro assays with human leukaemia cells as they inhibited the tumour cells’ growth, induced DNA damage and modified the methylation status of such a cancer cell line. To sum up, alcohol-free beers should be of interest not only because of their reduced calories and isotonic properties but because they can be recognised as nutraceutical substances.

Production of non‐alcoholic beer via cold contact fermentation with Torulaspora delbrueckii

Use of non-conventional yeasts are increasingly seen as a option for the production of low and alcohol-free beers. In this study, the application of four non-conventional yeasts - Kazachstania servazzii, Kluyevoromyces marxianus, Pichia fermentans and Torulaspora delbrueckii, originally isolated from sourdough cultures, for cold contact fermentations was assessed by screening their ability to reduce wort aldehydes at a fermentation temperature of 1.0 ± 0.5°C. Of the evaluated yeasts, Torulaspora delbrueckii was found to be most promising, being capable of the removal of wort-derived aldehyde off-flavours, while being sufficiently sensitive to low temperatures to limit the formation of ethanol. Despite the different alcohol by volume (0.07% vs. 0.28%), the beers produced via cold contact fermentation at 10L scale with T. delbrueckii and a reference lager yeast strain were similar, with no major differences found after sensory analysis. The results suggest that T. delbrueckii could be used in cold contact fermentation to produce non-alcoholic beers with alcohol content at, or close to, 0%. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of the Institute of Brewing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Institute of Brewing & Distilling.

Beer Brewing in Namibia and Sensory Profile of Beer on Sale in the Namibian Market

This study presents a brief history of beer in Namibia and explores the Namibian beer market by investigating the sensory characteristics of the beers readily available on the off-premises segment of the drink market. Twenty-two beers were sampled, and their characteristics were quantified using Descriptive Analysis and trained assessors. The results showed that the beers under study included a small range of products in terms of beer styles, most of the beers brewed in or imported to Namibia being bottom-fermented blond lagers of low to moderate alcohol content. These beers were not typically complex and divided into samples brewed in accordance with the Reinheitsgebot standards and into samples brewed in accordance to brewing protocols not compliant with the Germany purity law. Although sameness seemed to be the keyword, subtle significant differences existed among these beers. Some samples, the most flavorsome overall, were perceived as being significantly more alcoholic, bodied, carbonated, bitter, astringent, malty, and richer in solvent-like and vinous impressions. Other samples were perceived as having a thinner mouthfeel and being richer in caramel-like and cooked vegetable notes. Other blond beers included lite beers and were identified as thinner, whereas alcohol-free beers were identified as watery, rich in wort and cooked vegetable-like notes, and low in bitterness and perceived levels of carbonation. IPA and Doppelbock stood out from the others due to maltiness, bitterness, fruitiness, and a full body. Nearly all the samples were free from faults, and this attested to the high-quality standards of Namibian beers. In terms of brewing styles, unfilled gaps in the market exist and offer untapped opportunities for brewers.

Occurrence of (suspected) genotoxic flavoring substances in Belgian alcohol-free beers

The regulatory landscape of flavorings is evolving, thereby putting pressure on control laboratories to develop analytical methods for a wide range of compounds in various types of food and drinks. In order to improve the monitoring of flavoring substances, a versatile and accurate analytical method using the solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) technique coupled to GC–MS(SIM) was developed and validated. Focus was put on authorized flavoring substances requiring specific attention due to a genotoxic concern based on information from European risks assessment reports. Thirty-seven (suspected) genotoxic flavoring substances were analyzed in a selection of ten alcohol-free beers. Five suspected genotoxic compounds (i.e. 1-(2-furyl)-2-propanone, 2-acetylfuran, 2-acetyl-5-methylfuran, 2-acetyl-3,5-dimethylfuran, hex-2-eno-1,4-lactone) as well as two confirmed genotoxic flavoring substances (p-mentha-1,8-dien-7-al, 2,4-pentanedione) were identified and quantified among the selected samples. Low concentrations and natural occurrences of the identified compounds suggested that these were not added as such but rather originated from heat-treatments or from plant-based extracts.

Effect of novel alcohol-free beer recipes enriched with isomaltulose and a resistant dextrin on the metabolic postprandial response in healthy subjects

Background and Aims: We investigated the postprandial effects of alcohol-free beers in which carbohydrate composition have been modified, compared to regular alcohol-free beer.

Effect of Novel Alcohol-Free Beer Recipes Enriched With Isomaltulose and a Resistant Dextrin on the Metabolic Postprandial Response in Healthy Subjects

Abstract Objectives We investigated the postprandial effects of alcohol-free beers in which carbohydrate composition have been modified, compared to regular alcohol-free beer. Methods Two cross-over studies were conducted. Firstly, 10 healthy volunteers received 25 g of carbohydrates coming from: regular alcohol-free beer (RB), alcohol-free beer with almost completely eliminated maltose and enriched with isomaltulose (2.5 g/100 mL) and a resistant maltodextrin (0.8 g/100 mL) (IMB), alcohol-free beer with the same maltose removal enriched with resistant maltodextrin (2.0 g/100 mL) (MB) and glucose solution. In the second study, 20 healthy volunteers were provided with 50 g of carbohydrates from white bread and water and the same meal plus 14.3 g of carbohydrates coming from: RB, IMB, MB and extra white bread. Blood was sampled after ingestion every 15 min for 2 h. Glucose, insulin, GIP and GLP-1 were determined in all samples. Results Clinical and anthropometric characteristics remained constant in all subjects throughout the studies. Importantly, in the first study, the increase of glucose, insulin and GIP after the consumption of IMB and MB was significantly lower than after RB (P = 0.005, P = 0.012 and P < 0.001, respectively). In the second study, the consumption of white bread with IMB and MB showed significantly less increase in glucose levels than just consuming white bread and white bread with RB (P = 0.002). Conclusions The consumption of an alcohol-free beer with modified carbohydrates composition led to a better postprandial response compared to RB and it could attenuate hyperglycemia after ingestion with white bread. Funding Sources This work was supported by grants from Gobierno de Aragón, B14–7R, Spain, and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness PI15/01,983, PI18/01,777 and CIBERCV. These projects are co-financed by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union “A way to make Europe”. CIBERCV is a project of Instituto de Salud Carlos III.

Influence of Alcoholic Strength on Sensory Profile of Lager Beers

Non-alcoholic beer is a product whose demand by consumers is growing worldwide, however, it is not well accepted by consumers due to its organoleptic characteristics. Sensory evaluation reflects the flavor profile of a product and, more specifically, profile methods are considered to offer the best current solution to the problem of describing beer flavor. This research aimed to evaluate several sensory attributes of commercial regular and non-alcoholic beer (low-alcohol and alcohol-free beers) brands. These attributes were carbonation, body, sweetness, bitterness, astringency, flavor persistence, odour and taste. The results obtained by cluster and Principal Components Analysis are in a good consistency. It has been found that non-alcoholic beers have a higher sweetness than regular beers, which may be due to the brewing process. Besides, the study has allowed to determine the organoleptic characteristics of low-alcohol and regular beers. It has also helped to define the sensory profile of low-alcohol beer most valued by consumers in an attempt to improve the sensory properties of this type of beer.

On the conceptual design of the hybrid nanofiltration/distillation process in the production of alcohol-free beers

In this paper, the conceptual design of a hybrid process consisting of a dealcoholization task via nanofiltration followed by a permeate valorization task via distillation is deeply investigated for the case of a lager beer. To this end, we resorted to conceptual models of each task.The conceptual model of the nanofiltration task, which is built from experiments al lab scale with the membrane NF99 HF (Alfa Laval, Sweden), allows the proper modeling of the three consecutive sub-tasks in which the process is divided; namely, pre-concentration, constant volume diafiltration, and re-dilution. Estimation of the overall permeation coefficient and the variation of the osmotic pressure difference throughout the pre-concentration stage are key in the model development. For the scaling-up of the membrane unit, the pressure loss issue is taken into account. The result of this task is a beer with an alcohol content below 0.5% by volume.For the conceptual modeling of the distillation task, a pinch-based method is adopted to allow a proper estimation of the minimum energy demand of the task, with feasible separations constrained by the presence of the azeotrope ethanol-water. This task is divided into two consecutive sub-tasks. In the first stage the alcohol is recovered as an ethanol-water mixture to be used for on-site Gin production by operating the rectifier in constant distillate composition mode (and thus at variable reflux ratio). In the second stage, operated at a constant reflux ratio, both the second cut, which is recycled to the next batch, and the water-rich content in the still at the end of the distillation step, which is recycled to the subsequent nanofiltration stage, are obtained.Economic and environmental performance of the hybrid process is compared with that of a case base with both units operating as standalone processes. In the latter case, the water-rich content in the still at the end of the distillation step is treated in a biological treatment plant on-site.Applied to an annual production of 720000 L of alcohol-free beer, the total cost of the standalone variant was 193600US$/year while the cost of the hybrid process was 205500US$/year; that is, 6.2% higher. On the other hand, and according to the life cycle assessment carried out, the Hybrid process has a lower environmental load. Results analyzed as a whole indicate the appropriateness of the Hybrid process.

Elucidating the Odor-Active Aroma Compounds in Alcohol-Free Beer and Their Contribution to the Worty Flavor.

Alcohol-free beers (AFBs) brewed by cold-contact fermentation exhibit a flavor reminiscent of wort which affects consumer acceptability. The aims of this study were to identify the odor-active compounds in AFB and elucidate the contribution of these to the overall aroma and worty character of the beer. Using a sensomics approach, 27 odor-active aroma compounds were identified and quantitated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The most odor-active compound was methional (boiled potato-like aroma), followed by 3-methylbutanal (cocoa-like), (E)-β-damascenone (apple, jam-like), 5-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone (curry, spicy-like), and phenylacetaldehyde (floral, honey-like). The important contribution of these flavor compounds to the worty and honey aroma of AFB was determined by sensory assessment of the recombinate in a beer-like matrix with omission tests. The role of 5-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone in AFB aroma was reported for the first time. The outcomes from this study are of relevance for the brewing industry to design strategies for the reduction of the wortiness of AFB.

Flavour-improved alcohol-free beer – Quality traits, ageing and sensory perception

The increasing popularity of alcohol-free beers (AFBs) fosters the industry interest in delivering the best possible product. Yet, a remaining sensory defect of AFBs is the over-perception of wort flavour, caused by elevated concentrations of small volatile flavour compounds (i.e. aldehydes). Previously, molecular sieves (hydrophobic ZSM-5 type zeolites) were found most suitable to remove these flavours by adsorption with high selectivity from the AFBs. In this work, a flavour-improved beer is produced at pilot-scale using this novel technology, and its chemical composition, sensory profile and stability are evaluated against a reference. Aldehyde concentrations in the flavour-improved product were found 79–93% lower than in the reference. The distinct difference was confirmed with a trained sensory panel and could be conserved even after three months ageing at 30°C. Future work will focus on the process design to scale up this technology.

Dry-Hopping to Modify the Aroma of Alcohol-Free Beer on a Molecular Level-Loss and Transfer of Odor-Active Compounds.

There are mainly two options for the dealcoholization of beer: evaporation of ethanol by heat treatment, whereby desired aroma-active compounds are also removed, and stopped fermentation that leads to beers still containing high amounts of unfermented sugar in parallel with lower amounts of aroma-active fermentation products. Thus, dry-hopping could be an opportunity to compensate for these aroma deficiencies. Therefore, following the sensomics approach, odorants were characterized in dry-hopped (Hallertauer Mandarina Bavaria, Hallertauer Cascade, or Hallertauer Mittelfrüh) top- and bottom-fermented alcohol-free beers either after thermal dealcoholization or stopped fermentation. Twenty-three odorants were quantitated via stable isotope dilution analysis, and odor activity values (OAVs; ratio of concentration to odor threshold) were calculated. Thermally dealcoholized samples showed high losses (up to 100%) of key odorants like 3-methyl-1-butanol or 3-methylbutyl acetate. During stopped fermentation, aroma compounds like ethyl butanoate or 2-phenylethanol were formed in relevant concentrations, leading to OAVs ≥ 1, but the amounts were significantly lower compared to beers with normal alcohol contents. For hop-derived odorants (linalool, geraniol, myrcene, and esters), transfer rates between 20 and 90% were found, leading to OAVs ≥ 1 in beer. Furthermore, hop addition apparently induced the formation of ethyl esters of hop-derived monocarboxylic acids.

Processes for alcohol-free beer production: a review

Abstract Since the invention of beer by the Sumerian people in 5000 BC, alcohol was the main reason of the interest of consumers on beer. Only in the beginning of the 20th century alcohol-free beer was demanded and since then technology has advanced dramatically in the production of those beverages. The aim on alcohol-free beer production is to have products that taste similarly to their alcoholic equivalents, the sole absence of alcohol and low concentrations of esters and higher alcohols and the higher concentration of aldehydes create a “worty” organoleptic impression of those products. Alcohol-free beers can be obtained by the restriction of alcohol formation during fermentation, the use of special yeast strains that consume or don’t produce alcohol, the thermal removal of alcohol and by the removal of alcohol trough membrane processes. Membrane separated alcohol-free beers preserve more of the natural constituents of beer aroma and those products usually taste better than those obtained through other processes. Pervaporation techniques show a broad spectrum of use and can even be combined with other processes and perform the removal of undesired products or separation and recuperation of aromatic substances.

A Review of the Potential Health Benefits of Low Alcohol and Alcohol-Free Beer: Effects of Ingredients and Craft Brewing Processes on Potentially Bioactive Metabolites

Beer is a beverage of significant historical and cultural importance. Interest in the potential health effects of alcoholic beverages has largely focused on wine; however, there are a number of potentially beneficial bioactives that beer may contain that warrant further investigation. The challenge of considering any potential health benefits of beer are restricted by the negative consequences of its alcohol and energy content. There is potential to enhance the bioactive qualities of beer whilst reducing the alcohol and energy content through novel brewing approaches often used in craft brewing, in terms of ingredients, brewing methods and type of fermentation. Consumer demand to produce a greater variety of beer types, including alcohol-free beers, may also help to increase the number of beers which may have greater potential to improve health, with lower levels of alcohol, while still being tasty products. As low alcohol, prebiotic and bioactive containing beers are developed, it is important that their potential health benefits and risks are fully assessed.

Selective off-flavor reduction by adsorption: A case study in alcohol-free beer

A common sensory deficiency of alcohol-free beers (AFB) is caused by the presence of worty aldehydes. The aim of this study was to develop and proof the concept of a selective adsorption step, facilitating the removal of aldehydes from AFB. Therefore, the performance of 21 adsorbents (amine-functionalized polymers, hydrophobic resins and zeolites) was tested in wort. Among the studied adsorbents, hydrophobic ZSM-5 type zeolites (CBV28014, HiSiv3000 and ZSM-5 P-360) showed the best selectivity due to their 2-dimensional separation characteristics. Consequently, the obtained multicomponent isotherms in unhopped AFB revealed a linear adsorption behavior for all aldehydes, indicating non-competitive adsorption within the design space. The logarithms of the adsorption affinity constants were found to be linearly correlated to the compounds’ hydrophobicity and solubility. The concept was proven at pilot scale of 150L, resulting in a reduction of aldehydes between 43.7–70.2 %, while conserving bitterness, pH and color of the AFB. Future work will focus on the sensory evaluation of the flavor-improved product.

Effect of an alcohol-free beer enriched with isomaltulose and a resistant dextrin on insulin resistance in diabetic patients with overweight or obesity.

Summary Background & aims The quality of carbohydrates has an essential role in nutritional management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) because of its substantial impact on glucose homeostasis. Alcohol-free beer has beneficial bioactive components but it has a relatively high glycemic-index so its consumption is restricted in diabetic subjects. We aimed to explore the effect of an alcohol-free beer with modified carbohydrate composition almost completely eliminating maltose and adding isomaltulose (16.5 g/day) and a resistant maltodextrin (5.28 g/day) in comparison to a regular alcohol-free beer on glycemic control of diabetic subjects with overweight or obesity. Design We randomized 41 subjects into two groups: a) consumption of 66 cL/day of; regular alcohol-free beer for the first 10 weeks and 66 cL/day of alcohol-free beer with modified carbohydrate composition for the next 10 weeks; b) the same described intervention in opposite order. There was a washout period for 6–8 weeks between the two interventions. Participants were counseled to adhere to a healthy diet for cardiovascular health and to increase physical activity. Clinical, biochemical, anthropometric, lifestyle and satiety assessments were performed at the beginning and at the end of each period. Results Subjects showed significantly weight loss after the two ten weeks periods (−1.69 ± 3.21% and −1.77 ± 3.70% after experimental and regular alcohol-free beers, respectively, P = 0.881). Glucose and glycated hemoglobin did not significantly change after any period. Insulin concentrations and HOMA-IR significantly decreased (−11.1 [–21.3−4.64]% and −1.92 ± 32.8% respectively) after the intake of experimental alcohol-free beer but not after regular alcohol-free beer. Reductions remained statistically significant after adjusting for weight loss, energy intake, physical activity and intervention order. Subjects reported higher satiety scores after consuming experimental alcohol-free beer. Conclusions An alcohol-free beer including the substitution of regular carbohydrates for low doses of isomaltulose and the addition of a resistant maltodextrin within meals led to an improvement in insulin resistance in subjects with T2DM and overweight or obesity. Clinical trial registration The clinical trial has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03337828 ).