There is always that moment, before kick-off, when someone says: "Who's bringing the beers?" — and the question of drinks for non-drinkers gets forgotten entirely. Result: a glass of still water for 90 minutes.
A successful watch party is 2 to 3 hours of match, friends turning up, snacks on the table, and drinks that need to keep pace for everyone. Alcohol-free has a very serious answer to that. And not only for those who do not drink.
Here is how to organise a watch party where nobody has a disappointing drink.
Alcohol-free watch party — in brief 3 to 4 drinks per person over a 2h match. Lager before the match · IPA during · Amber at half-time · Ginger beer in extra time. Always plan for more ice than you think you need — it is the first thing to run out.
How much to plan?
The rule of 3 to 4 drinks per person
For 5 people watching a 2h match, allow 15 to 20 bottles or cans. That sounds like a lot — it never is. The heat, the excitement, the pre-match discussions: people drink more than they think.
💡 The wine merchant's tip: the can format is the most practical for a match night — no glass to hold, easy to pick back up between plays. The 33cl bottle format works better for a laid table. Plan a mix of both.
Which style for which moment?
Before the match — Light lager
People arrive, get settled, discuss the line-ups. It is the moment for an approachable, fresh, smooth beer. A 0% lager fills that role perfectly — thirst-quenching, easy to drink, it puts everyone at ease, including those who do not usually drink alcohol.
🌿 The perfect pairing: crisps, peanuts, olives. The lightness of the lager does not compete with salty snacks.
During the match — IPA
The match kicks off. The intensity rises. An alcohol-free IPA has the bitterness and character that suit this moment — notes of citrus, hops, and tropical fruits. A beer that asserts itself as much as the game.
💡 The wine merchant's tip: the bitterness of the IPA cuts perfectly through the fat of crisps, pizza and nachos. It is the most logical snack pairing there is for a match.
🌿 The perfect pairing: pizza, nachos, burger. The IPA stands up to bold flavours without getting lost.
Half-time — Amber or dark beer
The conversation picks back up, the match gets dissected, predictions are made. An alcohol-free amber or dark beer brings caramelised, malty notes — rounder and more rounded. It is the evening's natural change of register — more relaxed, more indulgent.
🌿 The perfect pairing: cheese board, bread, charcuterie. The malty notes of the amber echo the umami flavours.
→ Our alcohol-free amber and dark beers
Extra time (or after the match) — Alternative soft drink
If it goes on, or if you move into the evening, a ginger beer or a kombucha takes over without weighing things down. Fewer bubbles than beer, more character than water — perfect for seeing out the final hour.
💡 The wine merchant's tip: the natural spice of ginger in a ginger beer revives the senses towards the end of the evening better than any industrial energy drink — without the spike or the crash.
🌿 The perfect pairing: guacamole, hummus, dips. The acidity and spice cleanse the palate between each bite.
The concrete advantage of alcohol-free on match night
A World Cup spans several weeks of back-to-back matches. Alcohol-free lets you enjoy the first match as much as the last — without the accumulated fatigue, without the morning after that wipes out a working day.
It is not deprivation. It is strategy.
→ See our full craft beer selection · Our gift sets for entertaining
Your watch party checklist
- 3 to 4 drinks per person — always more than expected
- A style for every moment — lager before · IPA during · amber at half-time · soft in extra time
- Can format for the evening — practical, easy to pick back up, no glass to hold
- Plenty of ice — it is always the first thing to run out
- One bucket per table — with beers and soft drinks mixed together, nobody feels left out
- Snack pairings — IPA with pizza and nachos, amber with cheese, ginger beer with dips
Further reading
- Hosting 12 people this summer: the inclusive host's guide
- Top 3 alcohol-free cocktails of the summer: Hugo, Paloma, Negroni
- All our alcohol-free craft beers
Frequently asked questions
Does an alcohol-free beer really have flavour during a match?
Yes — and this is actually where the gap with industrial soft drinks is most striking. An alcohol-free IPA has the bitterness, hop aromas and body of a real beer. Some IPAs from our selection have fooled traditional beer enthusiasts in blind tastings. The secret: the choice of malts, hops and yeasts — not the alcohol content.
Are all your beers 0.0%?
Not all of them. Under the legal framework, any drink below 1.2° is considered alcohol-free. At Gueule de Joie, we favour references between 0 and 0.5%. If you need a strict 0.0% — for driving, or during pregnancy — check the label or the product page: we indicate the exact percentage for each reference.
How much to plan if the group is a mix of drinkers and non-drinkers?
Plan the same quantity of alcohol-free as alcoholic — and often a little more. Experience shows that drinkers readily dip into the alcohol-free beers as the evening goes on, especially from half-time onwards. A shared bucket with both is the best way to never run short.
Can you order a discovery selection of beers?
Yes, it is entirely possible to order bespoke gift sets from our website — in sets of 6, 12 or 18 bottles — selected according to your tastes, your drinking occasions, your profile and your pairings. Discover our bespoke packs.
Gueule de Joie — France's first alcohol-free wine merchant since 2019. Over 450 references selected for taste, available with 72h delivery anywhere in France.
