My new project for 2022 is to document the various no or low alcohol (NOLO) beers I drink as part of my attempt to keep weight down so I can perform as a reasonably good Masters athlete. I will record ales and lagers, as that is what I choose to consume rather than wines and spirits; the odd cider might appear in the summer!
Beer No 17
TITLE Kopparberg Pear Cider
STORE Sainsburys
VOLUME 500ml
ALCOHOL 0.0%PRICE £1.80 (12/3/22)
PRICE PER PINT £2.04CALORIES 145kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 165 kcal
one_half]NOSE hops and yeast[/one_half]COLOUR nutty brown
HEAD creamy white, good foamy persistence
SERVING INSTRUCTIONS None given, served straight from garage
FLAVOUR Dominated by yeastiness like good homebrew bottled just too early
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Good mouthfeel
SCORE 2/5 Such a disappointment. Looks good, feels right but just too much yeast
Beer No 16
TITLE Thatchers Zero
STORE Tesco
VOLUME 500ml
ALCOHOL 0.0%PRICE £1.80 (12/3/22)
PRICE PER PINT £2.04CALORIES 145kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 165 kcal
NOSE hops and yeast
COLOUR nutty brown
HEAD creamy white, good foamy persistenceSERVING INSTRUCTIONS None given, served straight from garage
FLAVOUR Dominated by yeastiness like good homebrew bottled just too early
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Good mouthfeel
SCORE 2/5 Such a disappointment. Looks good, feels right but just too much yeast
Beer No 15
TITLE Old Mout Berries & Cherries Cider
STORE Sainsburys
VOLUME 500ml
ALCOHOL 0.0%PRICE £1.80 (12/3/22)
PRICE PER PINT £2.04CALORIES 145kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 165 kcal
NOSE hops and yeast
COLOUR nutty brown
HEAD creamy white, good foamy persistenceSERVING INSTRUCTIONS None given, served straight from garage
FLAVOUR Dominated by yeastiness like good homebrew bottled just too early
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Good mouthfeel
SCORE 2/5 Such a disappointment. Looks good, feels right but just too much yeast
Beer No 14
TITLE Infinite Session
STORE Sainsburys
VOLUME 330ml
ALCOHOL 0.0%PRICE £1.80 (12/3/22)
PRICE PER PINT £2.04CALORIES 145kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 165 kcal
one_half]NOSE hops and yeast[/one_half]COLOUR nutty brown
HEAD creamy white, good foamy persistence
SERVING INSTRUCTIONS None given, served straight from garage
FLAVOUR Dominated by yeastiness like good homebrew bottled just too early
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Good mouthfeel
SCORE 2/5 Such a disappointment. Looks good, feels right but just too much yeast
Beer No 13
TITLE Brewdog Nanny State
STORE Sainsburys
VOLUME 330ml
ALCOHOL 0.0%PRICE £1.80 (12/3/22)
PRICE PER PINT £2.04CALORIES 145kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 165 kcal
NOSE hops and yeast
COLOUR nutty brown
HEAD creamy white, good foamy persistenceSERVING INSTRUCTIONS None given, served straight from garage
FLAVOUR Dominated by yeastiness like good homebrew bottled just too early
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Good mouthfeel
SCORE 2/5 Such a disappointment. Looks good, feels right but just too much yeast
Beer No 12
TITLE St Peter’s Without
STORE Tesco
VOLUME 330ml
ALCOHOL 0.0%PRICE £1.80 (12/3/22)
PRICE PER PINT £2.04CALORIES 145kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 165 kcal
NOSE hops and yeast
COLOUR nutty brown
HEAD creamy white, good foamy persistenceSERVING INSTRUCTIONS None given, served straight from garage
FLAVOUR Dominated by yeastiness like good homebrew bottled just too early
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Good mouthfeel
SCORE 2/5 Such a disappointment. Looks good, feels right but just too much yeast
Beer No 11
TITLE Paulaner Weissbier
STORE Tesco
VOLUME 500ml
ALCOHOL 0.0%PRICE £1.80 (12/3/22)
PRICE PER PINT £2.04CALORIES 110kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 125 kcal
NOSE hint of malt & hops
COLOUR golden brown
HEAD white, good persistenceSERVING INSTRUCTIONS None given, served straight from fridge
FLAVOUR Complex mix of hops and malt
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Slight medicinal finish.
SCORE 4/5 Enjoyable to drink just that odd finish lets it down
Beer No 10
TITLE Free Star
STORE Sainsburys
VOLUME 330ml
ALCOHOL 0.0%PRICE £1.80 (4/3/22)
PRICE PER PINT £3.10CALORIES 63kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 108 kcal
NOSE hint of malt & hops
COLOUR golden brown
HEAD frothy white, good persistenceSERVING INSTRUCTIONS None given, served straight from fridge
FLAVOUR Slightly hoppy but overpowered by yeasty flavour (despite no yeast used) and ‘fake lime’ bitterness
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste.
SCORE 1/5 Poor value, near undrinkable struggled to finish the glass
Beer No 9
TITLE Bavaria
STORE Tesco
VOLUME 330ml
ALCOHOL 0.0%PRICE £2.24 for 4 (18/2/22)
PRICE PER PINT £0.96CALORIES 79kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 136 kcal
NOSE hint of malt & hops
COLOUR golden straw
HEAD white, poor persistenceSERVING INSTRUCTIONS None given, served straight from fridge
FLAVOUR Slightly hoppy with hints of malt
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Doesn’t feel like a ‘proper’ beer
SCORE 3/5 Good value, not undrinkable but not rushing to finish the pack
Beer No 8
TITLE Shipyard Low Tide
STORE Tesco
VOLUME 500ml
ALCOHOL 0.5%PRICE £1.30 (18/2/22)
PRICE PER PINT £1.48CALORIES 85kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 97 kcal
NOSE exotic fruits
COLOUR golden straw
HEAD white, good persistenceSERVING INSTRUCTIONS None given, served straight from fridge, flavour improved with warmth
FLAVOUR Bright hoppy flavour with fruity (mango?) finish
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Drinks well
SCORE 4/5 Enjoyable drink, just lacks a little weight
Beer No 7
TITLE Mikkeller Drink’in the Sun
STORE Sainsburys
VOLUME 330ml
ALCOHOL 0.3%PRICE £1.30 (4/2/22)
PRICE PER PINT £1.48CALORIES 73kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 125 kcal
NOSE citrus & hops
COLOUR hazy straw
HEAD white, good persistenceSERVING INSTRUCTIONS None given, served straight from fridge
FLAVOUR Citrus flavour followed by hoppy finish
NOTES Slight metallic edge to flavour as with many canned beers
SCORE 3/5 Meh. Looks okay, tastes alright but a bit thin
Beer No 6
TITLE Erdinger
STORE Sainsburys
VOLUME 500ml
ALCOHOL <0.5%PRICE £1.30 (4/2/22)
PRICE PER PINT £1.48CALORIES 125kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 142 kcal
NOSE citrus & yeast
COLOUR golden brown
HEAD bubbly white, good persistenceSERVING INSTRUCTIONS None given, served straight from fridge
FLAVOUR Citrus (grapefruit) flavour followed by hoppy finish with a sweet accent
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Slight soapy feel and over-carbonated
SCORE 3/5 Meh. Looks okay, tastes alright, I don’t mind the extra goodies they’ve put in it but I’d rather it was just a more enjoyable drink.
Beer No 5
TITLE Doom Bar
STORE Sainsburys
VOLUME 500ml
ALCOHOL 0.0%PRICE £1.30 (29/1/22)
PRICE PER PINT £1.48CALORIES 65kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 74kcal
NOSE burnt toffee
COLOUR dark brown
HEAD creamy white, reasonable persistenceSERVING INSTRUCTIONS Best served cold, served straight from fridge
FLAVOUR Burnt toffee followed by a hoppy finish
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Good mouth feel
SCORE 5/5 Very enjoyable drink. Everything feels like a real beer.
Beer No 4
TITLE Clausthaler
STORE Waitrose
VOLUME 330ml
ALCOHOL 0.4%PRICE £1.00 (on offer 20/1/22)
PRICE PER PINT £1.72CALORIES 86kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 148kcal
NOSE citrus (grapefruity)
COLOUR cloudy, mid brown (hint of green)
HEAD white, good persistenceSERVING INSTRUCTIONS None on bottle, served straight from fridge
FLAVOUR Citrus notes followed by lots of hops, sort of lager-ery without being convincing
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Doesn’t feel like a ‘proper’ beer in the mouth
SCORE 2/5 Found it rather unsatisfying. Didn’t look, feel or taste right.
Beer No 3
TITLE Ghost Ship
STORE Sainsburys
VOLUME 500ml
ALCOHOL 0.5%PRICE £1.30 (15/1/22)
PRICE PER PINT £1.48CALORIES 115kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 131kcal
NOSE hops and citrus
COLOUR dark golden brown
HEAD creamy-white good persistenceSERVING INSTRUCTIONS None on bottle, served straight from garage
FLAVOUR Full hoppy ale flavour with malt and citrus notes and good bitter aftertaste
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Feels like a ‘proper’ beer in the mouth
SCORE 5/5 Drinks just like an real ale but without the alcohol or calories; what’s not to like!
Beer No 2
TITLE Lucky Saint
STORE Sainsburys
VOLUME 330ml
ALCOHOL 0.5%PRICE £1.30 (8/1/22)
PRICE PER PINT £2.24CALORIES 53kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 91kcal
NOSE hints of wheat
COLOUR golden slightly hazy
HEAD white and lingersSERVING INSTRUCTIONS Serve at 4°C
FLAVOUR Crisp light lager taste with notes of honey and hop
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Comes across like a light craft beer
SCORE 3/5 Drinkable but not memorable; less value in 1/3L bottle
Beer No 1
TITLE Pilsner Zero
STORE Sainsburys (own brand)
VOLUME 500ml
ALCOHOL 0%PRICE £1.30 (1/1/22)
PRICE PER PINT £1.48CALORIES 120kcal
CALORIES PER PINT 136kcal
NOSE floral hints of citrus
COLOUR clear and golden
HEAD white but dissipates quicklySERVING INSTRUCTIONS None on bottle, drunk straight from the fridge
FLAVOUR Crisp medium strength lager taste with notes of citrus and hop
NOTES No metallic edge to either smell or taste. Drinks like a medium strength Pilsner
SCORE 4/5 Eminently drinkable but could pack a bit more of a punch and head doesn’t last