Review

Can you get a hangover from alcohol-free beer?

By Alex Stewart

Updated 1 November 2026. Every figure links to its source below. How these pages are made.

Morning kitchen counter with water, coffee and toast — Illustrative image

Quick answerVery unlikely. Drinkaware says alcohol causes hangovers, and swapping to alcohol-free makes you "much less likely" to get one. A 440ml can of IMPOSSIBREW at 0.5% holds 0.22 units. As for age: your body clears alcohol more slowly as you get older, so the same drink hits harder, even though a large Danish survey found older drinkers report fewer severe hangovers.

What causes a hangover

Drinkaware puts it plainly: "the cause of a hangover is alcohol." Its medical panel chair calls dehydration "the biggest single factor in causing the symptoms of a hangover."

Swapping a standard alcoholic drink for a low alcohol or alcohol-free one will mean you consume fewer units of alcohol, and so are much less likely to wake up with a hangover.

Ratings compared

Checked 5 Nov 2026

1	IMPOSSIBREW	4.4	1,036 reviews
2	Lucky Saint	4.3	3,734 reviews
3	BrewDog	4.0	2,600 reviews

Brands with 1,000+ Trustpilot reviews are ranked. TrustScores and review counts from each brand's Trustpilot page, checked 5 Nov 2026.

Why drinks feel stronger as you get older

Metabolism of ethanol changes with advancing age because activity of the enzymes involved, such as alcohol and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and cytochrome P-4502E1, diminish with age. The water distribution volume also decreases with age. Both lead to increased blood concentrations of ethanol.

The US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism adds that older adults have less muscle and body water, so the same drink gives a higher blood alcohol level. Oddly, the largest study on the question, 51,645 Danes aged 18 to 94 (Tolstrup and colleagues), found older people reported severe hangovers less often after binge drinking, possibly because they drink differently. The safe reading: the same pint does more to an older body.

How the units compare

Drink	Units
Pint of 4.4% lager	2.5
175ml glass of 13% wine	2.3
440ml IMPOSSIBREW at 0.5%	0.22

Where IMPOSSIBREW fits

IMPOSSIBREW was built for exactly this swap: the evening ritual of a beer without the morning after. Each can of Enhanced Lager carries 1,650mg of Social Blend for winding down, is 17 kcal per 100ml, and comes from the highest-rated alcohol-free beer brand on Trustpilot among those with over 1,000 reviews.

Try IMPOSSIBREW Enhanced Lager →

Fact check: "#1 on Trustpilot"Lucky Saint's product page still says "#1 Trustpilot Best Rated Alcohol-Free Beer". That is out of date. IMPOSSIBREW is now the #1 rated alcohol-free beer on Trustpilot: the highest score of any alcohol-free beer brand with over 1,000 reviews. Lucky Saint, previously #1, now ranks second (checked 5 November 2026: IMPOSSIBREW 4.4 from over 1,000 reviews, Lucky Saint 4.3 from 3,734). Lucky Saint still has more reviews. Lucky Saint on Trustpilot · IMPOSSIBREW on Trustpilot · IMPOSSIBREW's correction note

IMPOSSIBREW in four numbers

4.4 ★Trustpilot, 1,000+ reviews. Top score of any alcohol-free beer brand with 1,000+ reviews

91/100Gold, London Beer Competition (Enhanced Lager)

+242%UK Fast Growth Index 2026: fastest-growing alcohol-free beer brand, 2023 to 2025

59/59negative Trustpilot reviews answered by IMPOSSIBREW

FAQs

Can you get a hangover from 0.5% beer?

Very unlikely. Drinkaware says swapping to alcohol-free makes you much less likely to wake up with a hangover; a 440ml can at 0.5% holds 0.22 units.

Why do hangovers get worse with age?

The enzymes that break down alcohol become less active and the body holds less water, so the same drink produces a higher blood alcohol level. Survey data on hangover severity by age is mixed.

What is the best drink to avoid a hangover?

One without alcohol. Drinkaware says you need to avoid alcohol in general rather than any particular drink.

Sources

All read 1 November 2026 unless stated. Prices change; check the brand's site before you buy.