FREEDL

FREEDL was founded in 2019 by Maria-Elisabeth Laimer and her brother Max Laimer in Lana, South Tyrol, presented as Italy's first handcrafted alcohol-free beer. The company was built up initially in Italy before launching in Germany. It is a craft brewery in the Italian Alps, focused on non-alcoholic beer from South Tyrol.^[1]

The brewery occupies a space converted from a garage at the Pfefferlechner Buschenschank in Lana, where the Laimer family had been brewing craft beer exclusively for in-house service since 2005. FREEDL Classic, brewed in 2019 at the Pfefferlechner family brewery, is described as the first non-alcoholic beer from South Tyrol.^[1]

The name is derived from Fred (short for Alfred), with the double 'e' incorporating the English word 'free'; a male name was intentionally chosen to counter the perception that alcohol-free beer is only for pregnant women.^[1]

Maria-Elisabeth Laimer — Founder. Maria-Elisabeth Laimer is a founder and co-founder of FREEDL, described as its creative force. She grew up in an entrepreneurial gastronomic family that ran a hotel, a restaurant, and an in-house brewery, and experienced all roles from dishwashing to service. She studied communication and economics in both Germany and Italy, worked in the start-up industry after periods abroad, and had experience at Best Nights VC prior to founding FREEDL. As of April 2024 she was training to become a Sommelière, and at her first exam she surprised her examiners with a non-alcoholic beer presentation. As of July 2024 she was noted as one of few women in the beer industry, with a focus on non-alcoholic beer.

Max Laimer — Co-founder. Max Laimer co-founded FREEDL alongside his sister Maria-Elisabeth Laimer in 2019.^[1]

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

FREEDL describes its approach as rethinking the entire beverage category from the ground up, rather than merely imitating traditional alcoholic products. It produces all-natural, handmade craft beverages.^[2],[3]

Beyond beverages, FREEDL operates a merchandise line called 'Dolce Club' that extends the brand, and it has 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.^[4]

FREEDL focuses on non-alcoholic craft beer produced in South Tyrol. Its craft beer lineup includes FREEDL Classic, FREEDL Calma, FREEDL Citrino, FREEDL Carica, and a mixed box called FREEDL Tutto Misto. FREEDL describes three core beers as 'Casual Biere'.^[5],[6],[7]

FREEDL Classic is brewed as a Pale Ale. FREEDL Calma is a pale-ale-style basil beer that the producer classifies as an 'AperoBeer', a category it claims as the first of its kind. FREEDL Citrino is brewed with lemon zest. The company has also developed a Sparkling Tea, introduced as its newest product innovation and intended to fill the role of a celebratory 'pop' moment drink, distinct from its beers.^[5]

FREEDL builds its beers around a brewing method in which alcohol never forms, using specialized yeast, alpine spring water, South Tyrolean grain, and hop and herb additions to preserve aroma and body without fermentation to alcohol.^[8]

Functional Brewing. FREEDL uses a Functional Brewing approach in which alcohol never forms during the brewing process, rather than being removed at the end, which the producer states preserves the beer's aroma and flavor. The beers are made in a specially developed brewing process using what the producer calls innovative recipes at the small family-owned brewery in Lana, South Tyrol.^[8]

Special yeast organisms. FREEDL uses special yeast organisms that had previously been used by only a handful of breweries in Europe, developed with technical support from the Technische Universität Berlin.^[1]

Herb incorporation into beer. FREEDL incorporates herbs into its beers at the Pfefferlechner manufactory, where FREEDL Calma is produced. Alpine basil is the signature botanical, appearing across several beers.^[9]

• FREEDL Calma — brewed with mountain basil as its defining herb, contributing body to the mid-palate, complexity in nose and palate, and what the producer describes as anti-stress adaptogenic properties
• FREEDL Citrino — contains basil as an ingredient alongside lemon zest
• FREEDL Classic — features a sharp and grassy basil character

Water & grain sourcing. FREEDL sources water directly from a nearby spring naturally filtered through the Calcareous Alps; FREEDL Classic is brewed with this alpine spring water. Grain is sourced together with about a dozen other South Tyrolean craft breweries from South Tyrolean farmers, and the brewery is permitted to use the South Tyrolean quality seal.^[1]

Foraged botanicals — mountain basil. FREEDL sources basil it describes as the highest-sourced basil in Italy. The mountain basil in FREEDL Calma comes from the Stelvio National Park in South Tyrol, handpicked by a local herbal farm at 1,500 metres altitude, identified in one account as the herb farm 'Kräuterrebellen' at Stilfserjoch. Alpine basil is considered an adaptogen and anti-stress agent for its stimulation of neurotransmitters, and was historically called the 'brain-herb' for its reputed ability to aid concentration.^[3]

• FREEDL Calma — mountain basil (Bergbasilikum) from Stelvio National Park / Stilfserjoch at 1,500 m, handpicked by 'Kräuterrebellen'
• FREEDL Citrino — lemon zest plus basil

Additives policy. FREEDL Citrino contains no added sugar and no artificial flavors.

Production scale & circular economy. FREEDL tripled its brewing capacity in the winter preceding early 2024, while remaining at a low production volume compared to industrial breweries. As of April 2024, its beer had been sold out for three months because all tanks were pre-sold, after which larger tanks were purchased. Beer waste is incorporated into a vegetable garden as compost as part of a local circular economy initiative.^[1],[5]

FREEDL Classic. A Pale Ale with a slightly malty and fresh aroma that brings a certain lightness; one tasting account describes a blue label, a sweet aroma, a very drinkable character, and a slightly bitter finish. It pairs well with light lunches and can also be enjoyed as an aperitivo.

FREEDL Calma. A pale-ale-style basil beer named in reference to the phrase 'Calma ti [chill] & get a beer' and to the calming properties of basil. Süddeutsche Zeitung tasters described 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. In another account the basil aroma is present but subtle and not dominant. It pairs well with light, Mediterranean dishes on hot summer days and with dishes that traditionally use basil, particularly pizza and pasta.

FREEDL Citrino. Brewed with lemon zest, malt, and different hop types, described as yellow in color and evoking Italian limes. It pairs well with summer barbecue, tacos, and slightly spicy dishes.

FREEDL produces small upcycled bags made from discarded malt sacks in collaboration with the Berufstrainingszentrum (BZG), a vocational training center in Bolzano. The BZG empowers individuals with mental health challenges to reenter the workforce and produces the FREEDL Bags through its Textile Department.^[10]

FREEDL was selected as one of the top 10 highlights at Taste 2024 in Florence.^[11]

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 nonalcoholic beers. It was also awarded Platinum at the International Craft Beer Award by Meininger.