South Indian craft brewer Ironhill has launched one of India’s first non-alcoholic wheat beers.

Ironhill India, one of India’s largest microbrewery chains, has launched ‘Zero Gravity AF’, its first non-alcoholic wheat beer.

The release marks the company’s entry into the alcohol-free category at a time when demand for low- and no-alcohol beverages is rising, both in India and internationally.

The beer has been developed to resemble the profile of a traditional wheat beer, combining malt character with citrus and tropical notes from Citra hops and a balanced bitterness from Magnum hops.

It is brewed with a specialised yeast strain and fermentation is stopped early to limit alcohol production, which is kept at 0.5% ABV, which also helps to retain more flavour, aroma and body.

According to Ironhill, this differs from methods used by some commercial brewers that typically dilute beer brewed at higher strength to achieve a lower alcohol version.

The name ‘Zero Gravity AF’ was chosen through an online poll conducted on the brewery’s Instagram channel, giving consumers a role in the branding of the product.

While India’s market for non-alcoholic beer remains small compared with Europe or North America, it has grown rapidly in recent years with products introduced by global brewers such as Heineken 0.0 and Budweiser 0.0 and encouraging regulatory changes around taxation.

Craft breweries have only recently begun entering the segment.

Ironhill operates multiple microbreweries across southern and western India, including in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Vijayawada.

The introduction of a non-alcoholic option broadens its portfolio and aligns with wider industry moves to cater to consumers seeking alternatives to conventional beer.