Cobra Zero Per Cent €4.99 for 4x330ml, €3.78 per litre Highs:This award-winning beer has a familiar feel to it, although the gold label to be found on the more traditional Cobra has been replaced with one of a greenish hue, perhaps in celebration of our national holiday (okay, probably not).

There seems to be little or no discernible difference between this and its alcoholic cousin. It has a nice clean and crisp flavour which lingers long on the palate.

Lows: Despite some careful pouring, there was a distinct lack of fizz from the off and after just a couple of minutes in the glass it was flirting dangerously with flatness. While some of the beers we tried were a little too sharp, this veered in the other direction and was just a little too sweet.

Verdict: Lacks fizz

Star Rating: ***

Bavaria 0.0%

€5.49 for 6x330ml, €2.78 per litre

Highs:This has enough fizz to keep you burping like Homer Simpson for hours, although whether that is a good thing or not, probably depends on the company you keep. It has a nice simple ingredient list, even if the manufacturer's claim that it was made with the "purest mineral water" might be something of an exaggeration. It's brewed without any alcohol, as opposed to having the alcohol removed at the end of the process.

Lows: While we warmed to its strong beery flavour after a few mouthfuls, the first impression it created wasn't that good. It tasted a little too like a cheap low-alcohol lager for our taste. There is also a question mark about sourcing it and why a beer called Bavaria is produced in Holland.

Verdict: Cheap tasting

Star Rating: ***

Becks Alcohol Free Beer

€5.49 for 6x275ml, €3.32 per litre

Highs: For most people, this is the most instantly recognisable low- (or no-) alcohol beer and it is the one which is most likely to be found in pubs, nightclubs and off-licences in the country. It has a mild, if entirely forgettable, flavour and when served very cold is perfectly pleasant.

Lows: If memory serves us correctly, there was a time not so long ago that Becks understated the non-alcoholic nature of this beer on the label which made it easier to drink in a pub without drawing attention to your abstemiousness. Not any more, thanks to the large "Alcohol-Free" stamped on the front of the bottle. For many that might be completely irrelevant, of course, but the somewhat insipid taste might be more of a problem.

Verdict: Just a bit dull

Star Rating: **

Bitburger Drive

€1.49 for 330ml, €4.51 per litre

Highs: This actually tastes like a real beer with its strong hoppy flavour and pleasingly sharp bite. It kept its decent head for more than a couple of sips and retained a decent amount of fizz for longer than any of the competition. It has a lovely dark colour and an unfamiliarity that lends it a faint exoticism - well, in so far as a non-alcoholic German beer can be called exotic.

Lows: It is however, strangely heavy, and you may struggle to drink more than a couple of bottles in a single sitting. Like at least one of the options we tried, availability might be something of a problem.

Verdict: Strong and heavy tasting

Star Rating: ***

Erdinger Weissbier

€1.99 for 500ml, €3.98 per litre

Highs: This was a real find, an alcohol-free beer from a well-known, well-respected brand that has a real bite to it. It is a wonderfully refreshing, full-bodied wheat beer stripped of most of - but not all - its alcohol. It is full of flavour and fizz and really was hard to top. We also liked the fact that it fitted perfectly into a pint glass.

Lows: When it is poured properly that is. We poured with just a little too much exuberance and were left with a huge head that took an age to settle - not the beer's fault admittedly, but still a bit of a low. It's also quite a bit dearer than some of the other options and some might be put off by its cloudy nature, while others may have concerns that it has an alcohol volume of 0.4 per cent.

Verdict: Top class

Star Rating: *****