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Ghost Ship Alcohol-Free Pale Ale 0.5% ABV is set to go live this month (October) and the group has stated “it gives customers choosing low & no options a new way to enjoy the traditional pub experience”.
Adnams said the beer is the result of four years of research and development to perfect the pour and added the new format will build on the success of Ghost Ship Alcohol Free, “which holds 2% of the UK low & no market and has recorded 30% year-on-year growth in value sales” (source: NIQ data for total GB on trade 52 weeks ending 11/07/2026).
The kegged ale will be available at managed properties in the Adnams portfolio and will “give pubs a timely opportunity to welcome moderating drinkers as Sober October puts alcohol-free choices in the spotlight”.
Allows a broader range
Adnams said as moderation becomes an increasingly established part of UK drinking culture, the new handpull format allows operators to broaden their alcohol-free range beyond packaged alternatives without compromising on the familiar experience of a freshly pulled pint and the traditional theatre of the handpull.
The company’s internal sales data indicates alcohol-free on draught delivers four times the rate of sale of packaged formats, highlighting clear commercial potential beyond October.
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Adnams operations director Fergus Fitzgerald said: “When launching the original keg version of Ghost Ship Alcohol Free, Adnams not only invested in the best technology to produce alcohol-free beer but also invested in proving it can be served successfully in the pub environment.
“Years of research into the microbiological stability of low & no alcohol-free beer have led to Adnams delivering the same confidence and consistency expected of traditional beer. Ghost Ship Alcohol Free handpull keg is the result of that work, giving pubs a distinctive and reliable way to meet growing consumer demand for alcohol-free options.”
Familiar favourite
Describing the beer, Adnams said it is “full of the citrusy, hoppy character synonymous with Ghost Ship and delivers a familiar favourite in a new serve, with the theatre of the handpull and the satisfaction of a freshly pulled pint”.
Adnams marketing director Dom South added: “Moderating shouldn’t mean missing out on your local. We’ve spent four years bringing Ghost Ship Alcohol-Free to the handpull because the experience matters – your favourite pub, your friends and a freshly pulled pint.
“For publicans, this puts the UK’s No.1 alcohol-free ale front and centre of the bar. Alcohol-free beer is growing at 30% and is now twice the size of the premium ale sector. Now is the perfect time to range it alongside other ales on the bar.” (source: NIQ data for total GB on trade 52 weeks ending 11/07/2026)
Ghost Ship Alcohol-Free will also be available at a number of successful trial sites in Suffolk.
