Luke Boase is the founder of Lucky Saint, the UK’s award-winning 0.5% Superior Unfiltered Lager. The brand launched in October 2018, however the story of creating this exceptional alcohol-free beer started much, much, earlier.
Way back in 1842, in the city of Pilsen in the Czech Republic, a revolution happened. Following years of sub-standard beer, a group of residents undertook to brew their own beer. That beer was unlike any beer-style that had been brewed before: golden in colour, crisp, dry and refreshing. Pilsner was born. And it has gone on to influence 80% of the beer we drink today, what we know as lager.
Fast forward to 2016, and the world has a drinking problem. So Luke had a thought: what if all the occasions on which he drank lager, could come with… or without alcohol?
Even in 2016, this was an unlikely idea. While alcohol-free beer was nothing new, it had never gained wide appeal. But against the advice of many, including one particular industry leader who suggested making fizzy sodas would be a better idea, he set out to discover just how hard it would be to brew a great tasting alcohol-free lager. And then build a brand that would empower people to drink it.
He spent the next two years working with six different brewers in three different countries, with this singular mission in mind. Ultimately joining forces with a 400 year old brewery in Bavaria who shared his passion for brewing beer of the highest quality.
Lucky Saint is a 0.5% Superior Unfiltered Lager. It’s brewed in accordance with German Purity Law, Reinheitsgebot, using the four natural ingredients you are supposed to find in a classic pilsner: Bavarian spring water, pilsner malt, Hallertau hops, single use yeast. That’s it, there’s no flavourings, no additives, no adjuncts. It is fermented for two weeks, and cold stored (or ‘lagered’) for a further four weeks, just like that original pilsner in 1842. And then it’s left unfiltered to retain as much flavour and character as possible. They call it heritage brewing for modern drinking.
Lucky Saint launched in October 2018 and has achieved wide success. It is listed leading on-trade accounts including 30 Michelin starred restaurants, some of the best bars in the world and some of the most brilliant local pubs. It is regularly voted the best alcohol-free lager, it was welcomed as the British Beer and Pub Association’s first alcohol free member and is on the journey to be accredited as a B-corporation.
Luke is driven by an entrepreneurial, and sometimes obsessive, curiosity for solving problems. Having worked across a range of industries from advertising, through fund management to oil & gas, solving the world’s drinking problem became that obsession in 2016. He lives in London with his wife and two young daughters.