Lidl doesn’t get talked about as a beer destination the way a specialist bottle shop does, but its own-label range has picked up genuine international awards, and its rotating stock of licensed craft brands means there’s usually at least one interesting can worth grabbing alongside the weekly shop. It’s also worth remembering Lidl carries plenty of familiar global brands, not just its own labels. We’ve picked the Lidl beers worth buying, own-label and stocked, with our take on where each one actually lands.
The best own-label and craft picks at Lidl
| 1. Perlenbacher Premium Pils | 3.7/5, World Beer Awards gold, German pilsner, GBP 1.29 |
| 2. Steam Brew The Spark Imperial IPA | 4.0/5, 7.8% cult craft find, GBP 1.49 |
| 3. Perlenbacher Pils Alcohol-Free | 3.5/5, Which? Best Buy alcohol-free lager |
| 4. BrewDog Punk IPA | 3.8/5, decent craft brand, not to everyone’s taste |
| 5. Grafenwalder Pils | 2.7/5, Perlenbacher’s cheaper, plainer sibling |
1. Perlenbacher Premium Pils
Lidl’s flagship own-label pilsner and a repeat World Beer Awards gold medalist, including the outright title of World’s Best Classic Pilsener in 2024. Clean, malt-forward and easy to drink at just GBP 1.29-1.49 a bottle. We’ve reviewed it in full, including why some bottles turn up with a screw cap instead of the usual crown cap.
Read the full Perlenbacher Premium Pils review →
2. Steam Brew The Spark Imperial IPA
3. Perlenbacher Pils Alcohol-Free
4. BrewDog Punk IPA
5. Grafenwalder Pils
Lidl’s Perlenbacher Premium Pilsner has been officially awarded the World’s Best Classic Pilsner at the World Beer Awards.
Global brands you’ll also find at Lidl
Lidl’s beer aisle isn’t only own-label. You’ll regularly find familiar international names stocked alongside the German own-brand range, often at a sharper price than the big four supermarkets. We’ve reviewed each of these in full, with our usual buy link.
Best Lidl Beers FAQs
Does Lidl sell good beer?
Yes, more than its discount-supermarket reputation suggests. Perlenbacher Premium Pils has won gold at the World Beer Awards, and Lidl also carries licensed craft brands like BrewDog and a rotating Steam Brew craft range, a Which? Best Buy alcohol-free lager, and familiar global brands including Corona, Budweiser, Miller Lite and Carlsberg.
Who brews Lidl’s own-label beers?
Most of Lidl’s German-style own-label beers, including Perlenbacher and Grafenwalder, are brewed under contract by Frankfurter Brauhaus in Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany. The Steam Brew craft range is brewed by Privatbrauerei Eichbaum.
Is Lidl’s beer range the same in every country?
No. Ranges and exact recipes vary by market, since Lidl sources from different breweries within its supplier group depending on the country.
Does Lidl sell brands like Corona, Budweiser and Carlsberg?
Yes, alongside its own-label range Lidl regularly stocks well-known global brands, often at competitive pricing versus other major supermarkets.
The verdict
If you only try one thing from this list, make it Perlenbacher Premium Pils, it has the awards and the everyday drinkability to back it up. If you want something with more of a story, keep an eye out for Steam Brew’s The Spark; it’s inconsistent stock, but worth grabbing when you find it. And if you’d rather stick with a name you already trust, Lidl’s shelf of global brands is worth a look too.
