near beer

near beer (countable and uncountable, plural near beers)

1. Any of a class of malt liquors that contain so little alcohol (usually less than 0.5%) that they will not produce intoxication.
   • 1924, “Proposed Modification of the Prohibition Law to Permit the Manufacture, Sale and Use of 2.75 Per Cent Beverages: Hearing Before the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Sixty-eighth Congress, First Session”, in Barrel and Box and Packages, volume 21:

     That which we now have, and called near beer, with less than a half per cent of alcohol, is not drinkable, it is not palatable, it is not good, it is no part of a meal, nor can it be made a part of a meal.

   • 1932, Albert DeMond, Boo:

     Maybe that near beer was nearer than he thought.

   • 2016, "Lawmakers wade into debate over grocery store beer," Kristen Wyatt, Associated Press

     A bill moving through the state Legislature would allow more grocery stores to sell beer stronger than 3.2 percent alcohol, or “near beer.”

• small beer