FREEDL

FREEDL is a non-alcoholic craft brewery in the Italian Alps, founded in 2019 by Maria-Elisabeth Laimer and her brother Max Laimer in Lana, South Tyrol. It is positioned as Italy's first handcrafted alcohol-free beer. The brewery operates out of a space converted from a garage at the Pfefferlechner Buschenschank in Lana, where the family had been brewing craft beer exclusively for in-house service since 2005. The company was built up initially in Italy before launching in Germany.^[1]

According to SWZ, the name 'Freedl' is derived from Fred (short for Alfred), with the doubled 'e' incorporating the English word 'free'. The brand intentionally chose a male name to counter the perception that alcohol-free beer is only for pregnant women.^[1]

Maria-Elisabeth Laimer — Founder. Maria-Elisabeth Laimer founded FREEDL, named in sources as both founder and co-founder alongside her brother Max Laimer. She grew up in an entrepreneurial, gastronomic family that ran a hotel, restaurant, and in-house brewery, and experienced all roles from dishwashing to service. After periods abroad she worked in the start-up industry before co-founding FREEDL. She is described as one of few women in the beer industry, with a focus on non-alcoholic beer. At her first Sommelière examination she presented a non-alcoholic beer to her examiners.

Götz Spieth — Brewmaster. FREEDL's brewmaster is Götz Spieth.^[1]

FREEDL describes its approach as rethinking the entire beverage category from the ground up, rather than merely imitating traditional alcoholic products. The producer makes all-natural, handmade craft beverages. FREEDL has also created a curated non-alcoholic bar guide for South Tyrol, positioning the region as one of Europe's hubs for high-quality culinary experiences and mindful drinking.^[2]

FREEDL focuses on non-alcoholic craft beer made in South Tyrol, exporting worldwide. The craft beer lineup includes FREEDL Classic, FREEDL Calma, FREEDL Citrino, FREEDL Carica, and a mixed box called FREEDL Tutto Misto. Three of these are described as core non-alcoholic beers referred to as 'Casual Biere'. The producer's earliest beer, Freedl Classic, was brewed in 2019 at the Pfefferlechner family brewery and is described as the first non-alcoholic beer from South Tyrol.^[3],[4]

Beyond the beers, FREEDL developed a Sparkling Tea intended to fill the role of a celebratory 'pop' moment drink, distinct from its beers, which the producer introduced as its newest product innovation. The brand also extends beyond beverages through a merchandise line called 'Dolce Club'.^[4]

FREEDL builds its beers around a brewing approach in which alcohol never forms, rather than being removed at the end, and around alpine-sourced water and grain. The beers are produced in a specially developed process using innovative recipes in the small family-owned brewery in Lana, South Tyrol.^[5]

Functional Brewing. FREEDL uses what it calls a Functional Brewing approach, in which alcohol never forms during the brewing process, said to preserve the beer's aroma and flavor. The process relies on special yeast organisms that, per SWZ, had previously been used by only a handful of breweries in Europe, developed with technical support from the Technische Universität Berlin.^[1]

Alpine spring water. The beers are made with water sourced directly from a nearby spring, naturally filtered through the Calcareous Alps. FREEDL Classic is brewed as a Pale Ale with this alpine spring water, malt, and different hop types.^[5]

Foraged botanicals. FREEDL incorporates foraged and provenance-driven botanicals into its beers, alpine basil being its signature.

• FREEDL Calma — mountain basil (Bergbasilikum), handpicked at 1,500 metres altitude in the Stelvio National Park (Stilfserjoch) by a local herb farm; the producer's website names the source as a local herbal farm, while Mein Geld names the farm 'Kräuterrebellen'. The producer credits the alpine basil with contributing body to the mid-palate to compensate for the absence of alcohol, complexity in nose and palate, and anti-stress adaptogenic properties.
• FREEDL Citrino — lemon zest, alongside malt and different hop types, with no added sugar and no artificial flavors.

Grain sourcing & standards. FREEDL sources its grain together with other South Tyrolean craft breweries — totalling about a dozen — from South Tyrolean farmers, and is permitted to use the South Tyrolean quality seal. Production remains at a low volume compared with industrial breweries; the company tripled its brewing capacity in the winter preceding early 2024. Demand once outpaced supply, with the beer sold out for three months because all tanks had been pre-sold, after which larger tanks were purchased.^[1]

FREEDL Classic, a Pale Ale, has a slightly malty and fresh aroma described as bringing a certain lightness; Der Bierprediger described it as having a blue label, a sweet aroma, a very drinkable character, and a slightly bitter finish. It is suggested for light lunches and can be enjoyed as an aperitivo. FREEDL Citrino, brewed with lemon zest, is described as yellow in color, evoking Italian limes, and is suggested for summer barbecue, tacos, and slightly spicy dishes.

FREEDL Calma is brewed as a pale ale to bring citrus and freshness, with its mountain basil aroma present but, per Der Bierprediger, subtle and not dominant. The producer markets it as an 'AperoBeer', a category it claims as the first of its kind, and explains the name as a reference to the calming properties of basil, the occasion of enjoying a beer, and the phrase 'Calma ti [chill] & get a beer'. The Süddeutsche Zeitung tasting panel noted an aroma of alpine herbs and mountain basil as a top note, a hint of pepper, fine foam, and a golden yellow liquid, with a tangy and refreshing main drink, brief malt sweetness, slightly ethereal basil, and a delicate sweetness with a pleasant honey note in the aftertaste. It is suggested for light Mediterranean dishes on hot summer days, and for dishes that traditionally use basil, particularly pizza and pasta.

FREEDL produces small upcycled bags made from discarded malt sacks, created in collaboration with the Berufstrainingszentrum (BZG), a vocational training center in Bolzano. The brewery also incorporates beer waste into a vegetable garden as compost as part of a local circular economy initiative.^[6]

FREEDL was selected as one of the top 10 highlights at Taste 2024 in Florence, as featured in Forbes Italia.^[7]

FREEDL Calma received a score of 10/10 points in the alcohol-free beer test conducted by Süddeutsche Zeitung, placing first in the category of non-alcoholic beers. It was also awarded Platinum at the International Craft Beer Award by Meininger.