Dry January Doesn’t Mean Dull Drinks

Dry January sounds simple until you are actually in it.

You get home, you want to switch off, and the thing you miss is not always the alcohol. It is the ritual. The pour. The first sip. That little moment where the day finally stops.

If you are cutting back this month, you do not have to swap flavour for something that feels like an afterthought. Low alcohol craft beer can still feel like a proper beer, especially when it is brewed with balance and character in mind.

At Windmill Hill Brewing Company (WH Brewery), we are a proudly independent craft brewery based under the railway arches in Royal Leamington Spa.

Our motto is: Think local. Drink local.

Dry January, but still a proper beer moment

Dry January does not have to be a month of skipping the good bits. For a lot of people, it is not the alcohol that they miss. It is the taste, the atmosphere, and the feeling of a drink that marks the end of the working day.
A low alcohol IPA gives you a way to keep that ritual, without making January feel like a write-off. You still get a cold can in the fridge. You still get hop aroma as you pour. You still get something that pairs properly with food.

If you love IPAs: Low Alcohol IPA 0.5% ABV

If you love IPAs, you will know the quickest route to disappointment is a beer that tastes thin, sweet, or flat. Low alcohol does not have to mean low flavour.

Our Low Alcohol IPA 0.5% ABV is described as a crisp and refreshing pale ale. It is light straw coloured, with a balanced mix of citrus and floral hops, plus light hints of caramel from the malt. The finish is crisp with a slight chilli zing.

We describe the aroma as citrus and malty, the flavour as malty with a hoppy kick, and the palate as zingy. Each order is a 12-pack of 330ml cans.

How to make low alcohol craft beer feel special

Here is the small thing that makes a big difference: treat it like a proper beer.

Pour it into a glass so the aroma has room to open up. Slow it down. Make it part of your evening, not just something you grab. Then add food. The crisp finish and hop character work brilliantly with salty snacks, spicy dishes, and anything crispy. Even a simple midweek tea feels more like a plan when you have a decent beer alongside it.

Food pairings that make January feel less like January

If you want an easy way to pair your low alcohol IPA, think about the kind of night you are having. For comfort, go for pizza, chips, burgers, or roast chicken. The crisp finish helps keep the palate fresh. If you like heat, spicy food is a great match. A hop-forward beer can hold its own and keep the sip interesting. If you are keeping things lighter in January, keep the flavours punchy. Citrus, herbs, and chargrilled veg still feel like a treat, and the beer stays refreshing.

Dry January can be social too.

Our Taproom is part of the brewery, so you can drink where the magic happens.

You will find us at Victoria Business Centre, Neilston Street, Leamington Spa. We have been in our home there for a good while now, and the Taproom is our new and improved space for meeting friends, unwinding after a hard day’s work, and stocking up for a get-together.

Opening hours are Thursdays 18:00 to 23:00, Fridays 17:00 to 23:00, Saturdays 13:00 to 23:00, and Sundays 13:00 to 20:00.

We are fully kitted out to offer our full range of craft beers, as well as seasonal offerings, in an industrial setting that is still a working brewery.

Visit the Taproom in Leamington Spa

Book a brewery tour and beer tasting

If you fancy seeing how the beer is made, we also run a brewery tour and beer tasting. On the last Saturday of the month, you can join us in the Taproom for a tour and tasting session, where you learn about the brewing process from start to finish while tasting a selection of beers brewed on site.

A little more about WH Brewery

• Windmill Hill Brewing Company was founded by Gavin Leach and Robert Singleton in 2017. In 2024, the brewery was also converted into a Taproom and event space, managed by Ben Cowan.
• Our logo is derived from one of Leamington’s most striking landmarks, Chesterton Windmill.
• We have a range of four core beers and regularly introduce seasonal offerings. In the Taproom, we have 6 kegs to 8 taps as well as an ever-changing 10 keg, cask line, along with bottled beers.
• We are multi-award-winning and have been recognised with awards from SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) and CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale). We also received a business award for Resilience in 2024 from Ladies First Professional Development and Networking.

Build a case, mix it up, or send a gift

If you are doing Dry January with a household that is not all on the same plan, a mixed box makes life easier.

Our “Build your perfect 12 pack of beers” crate gives you the freedom to choose your own combination from our range.

If you are buying for someone else, the Gift Pack of 4 Beers lets you choose a combination of four beers, or three beers and a branded glass.

How we brew, and why the details matter

On our About Us page, we share how we brew, from the mash stage through to boiling and hop additions, fermentation and dry hopping, and conditioning.
We chill and dry-hop beers during conditioning and use vegan finings to help clear unwanted particles. Then we carbonate for mouthfeel before packaging.

FAQs

What is the ABV of your Low Alcohol IPA?

Our Low Alcohol IPA is 0.5% ABV and is sold as a 12-pack of 330ml cans.

What does the Low Alcohol IPA taste like?

It is described as a crisp and refreshing pale ale, light straw coloured, with citrus and floral hops, light hints of caramel, and a crisp finish with a slight chilli zing.

Where is WH Brewery based?

We are based under the railway arches in Royal Leamington Spa, and the Taproom is at Victoria Business Centre, Neilston Street, Leamington Spa.

When is the brewery tour and tasting?

The brewery tour and beer tasting take place on the last Saturday of the month, hosted in the Taproom.

What are your Taproom opening hours?

Thursdays 18:00 to 23:00, Fridays 17:00 to 23:00, Saturdays 13:00 to 23:00, and Sundays 13:00 to 20:00.

Ready for a Dry January that still tastes like craft beer?

If you want to keep things lighter without losing the beer moment, start with our Low Alcohol IPA 0.5% ABV, or browse the shop for the full range.

Questions about an order or visiting? Head to Contact Us.