BACKGROUND Nowadays, low alcohol and non‐alcohol beer intake has increased due to expanding concerns about healthy diets. However, there are still appreciable differences between non‐alcoholic beer and conventional beer, particularly regarding flavor. Vacuum distillation is commonly used to remove ethanol from the beer in industrial processes and it is used here. RESULTS The presence of n‐propanol, isobutanol, 3‐methylbutanol, 2‐methylbutanol, 2‐phenylethanol, ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, and acetaldehyde, which are key compounds responsible for aroma and flavor of beer, have been analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in commercial beers and also in the corresponding distillates and residual phases after dealcoholization. CONCLUSION The compounds present in each phase were identified by monodimensional and bidimensional NMR spectra. The compounds that are completely removed or that remain in the residue of the conventional beers studied are described in detail. The presence of these compounds in dealcoholized beer would be beneficial in keeping the aroma and flavor in dealcoholized beer. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry