The low/no alcohol beer sector is flourishing, driven by changing consumer habits, but fuelled by the quality of the increasing number of lagers, beers, stouts and IPAs that are virtually indistinguishable from their full strength counterparts.
Since launching the magazine we have reviewed a wide range of alcohol-free beers, so when we were contacted by Big Drop Brewing, a company that has been brewing alcohol-free beers since 2016, to see if we would like to receive samples we answered with an unequivocal ‘yes’.
The inspiration to start brewing their own alcohol-free range was the founders’ frustration with the quality of zero alcohol beers, but they wanted to retain the drinking experience of the full alcohol counterparts.
Working with renowned experimental brewer, Johnny Clayton (formerly of Wild Beer Co), they’ve perfected the technique to produce alcohol-free craft beer without the need for artificial removal of the alcohol. The result, as we can testify, is a range of beers where this is no compromise on taste from beers that are no more than 0.5% ABV.
Of the samples that we received, there were four stand-out beers, including Paradiso Citra IPA.
The citrus notes came to the fore delivering a satisfying IPA experience; it was well balanced and smooth, with a slight bitter finish that perfectly complemented the anticipated citrus flavour.
Reef Point Craft Lager, combines the citrus hit of an IPA, balanced with a smooth maltiness, with notes of honey that tame the gentle hoppy bitterness. This was sampled having been chilled for several hours and delivered a refreshing, thirst-quenching, guilt-free authentic lager experience.
Giving certain stouts a run for their money was Big Drop’s Galactic Milk Stout, which was out of this world. Over the last few years more and more breweries have been experimenting with dark, moody stouts, delivering a confident and highly enjoyable experience.
Even with almost zero alcohol this Galactic Milk Stout was no lightweight, with hints of dark chocolate and a well-rounded bitterness that has the team wanting more.
Our next stand-out beer was Pine Trail Pale Ale, again that we sampled chilled. A clean, light and easy drinking, this pale ale delivered inviting floral notes and fine bubbles for a very satisfying mouthfeel. The slightly hoppy bitterness was balanced with hints of lime, producing a memorable finish.
Whilst the low/no alcohol sector continuing to grow, consumers have become increasingly discerning. The calibre of alcohol-free beers produced over 20 years ago wouldn’t acceptable for today’s consumers who may not want the alcohol, but they do want authenticity.
With Big Drop Brewing it seems that you can have your cake and eat it.
For more information visit their website