Sometimes endings can be bittersweet and therefore the tendency is to draw them out, delay the inevitable moment where the good thing you were getting so much pleasure from must end. Sometimes endings are very welcome indeed as they offer a relief from a continued torment. Bringing an end to our joint foray into non-alcoholic beers is one of these sorts of endings, which one... I'll leave that up to you.
Pohjala - Tundra
0.5% ABV
21 Cal per 100ml
There is a really good amber colour to this one, even if it is thin on the body. There is a massive hit of pine on the old conk which translates into a really good resinous flavour, however, this dissipates really quickly and given that there isn't a whole load of heft to the mouthfeel, this is more like a beer and pine scented soda water than a beer. The addition of spruce tips though is clever, shame that's really the only clever thing about this one.
Score - 3.25
Coast Beer Co - DDH IPA
0.0% ABV
33 Cal per 100ml
Hops - Simcoe, Citra, Mosaic
This is about as chewy as you'd expect from a 0.0% "beer". However, what we get here is a load of flavour. It actually drinks and tastes more like a light pale ale than an IPA which is ok. I definitely get a touch of hop bitterness, a bit of floral intrigue and even the merest hint of dank. By far the best non-alc of the bunch so far.
Score - 4.0
Jopen - Nonnetje IPA
0.3% ABV
28 Cal per 100ml
Well now, that's a bit bloody more like! Jopen have managed to give this low alcohol IPA some real body, ok it's not the hefty sort of body we all expect from our IPAs these days, but it certainly didn't have that disappointing thin feel on the tongue that so many low alcohol beers have. There were really rich notes coming from the malt and a slightly orangey/citrussy buzz coming through from the hops. I reckon that this is a bit of a winner and one I will keep an eye out for when I may be in need of a low alcohol alternative (not that that is very often).
Score - 4.5
First Chop - Yes Anytime IPA
Cal - ??
0.5% ABV
I was excited to try this offering from the Mancunian First Chop, what with Dan's hometown being something of a Mecca for beer lovers in the UK. However, this low alcohol IPA was probably not the best introduction. The marketing for this one says that it doesn't hold back on the bitter hoppy flavours, well then, I'd hate to taste their idea of restraint on the hop bill. I didn't get much in the way of distinct flavours on this, it was ok to drink but, to be honest, it doesn't hold a candle to the other beers on this list and I would have preferred a glass of water.
Score - 3.00
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