A chemical and sensory comparison between commercial regular and alcohol-free beers from the Italian market

This study presents a comprehensive chemical and sensory comparison between commercial regular beers and their alcohol-free beer (NAB) counterparts available in the Italian market. Eight paired samples were characterised using physicochemical analyses, volatile aroma profiling via bidimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCxGC-MS), and sensory evaluation by a trained expert panel. The findings revealed that NABs exhibited significantly elevated total extract and pH values but reduced net extract relative to RBs. Volatile compound analysis demonstrated a marked reduction in fermentative esters, higher alcohols, and sesquiterpenes in NABs, with exceptions in specific terpene concentrations attributable to late or dry hopping techniques. Sensory profiling indicated that RBs possessed a fuller body and pronounced maltiness and alcoholic notes, whereas NABs were characterised by enhanced sweetness, fruitiness, and distinctive worty and honey-like flavours. Principal component analysis effectively differentiated the two beer categories, underscoring the disparities in residual sugars and aroma compounds as the principal discriminators. Despite advancements in brewing technologies, NABs continue to manifest sensory limitations, notably excessive sweetness and wortiness, diverging substantially from their alcoholic counterparts. These results underscore the persistent challenges in mimicking the sensory complexity of conventional beers in NAB production and highlight the critical role of brewing methodologies in shaping the final product quality.