I picked this up without knowing anything about it other than it was pretty expensive.
Most of the N/A IPAs I have tried tasted pretty watery, but this one is really good. It actually tastes less watery than some real “session IPAs” I’ve had.
It leans more towards the NEIPA style, as have they all. Maybe a West Coast style IPA would just be too bitter without alcohol? I don’t know. This has more calories than most N/A beer and 4 grams of sugar (compared to the usual 0 grams), but it’s worth it.
It’s got an impressive hop aroma and a great, citrus, “juicy” flavor to it. Do they still make Five Alive? That’s what it reminds me of. Definitely the best N/A IPA I have come across to date. If you like Sierra Nevada’s Hazy Little Thing, I think you would enjoy the flavor of this one.
There’s a very good point you make that’s easy to forget: though we think of it as neutral, alcohol provides both sweetness and body/mouthfeel. Definitely would present a challenge in making a balanced N/A version of a style with any strong flavor elements needing a sweet or full counterbalancing element. Maybe why the bulk have thus far been mild lagers and blondes, but NEIPA isn’t the only style I can think of that substitutes its own sources of body and sweetness. How about stouts and porters as a base for N/A, pastry or otherwise?
I felt the same way a few months ago. Now, I really look forward to having a few in the evenings when all the chores are done. It’s been a huge help during my hiatus.
