I just got my monthly order from Tavour and they had a 4 pack of NA beers I thought I'd try just to see if it was possible to have a good NA beer. Pack includes -
Cerveza Athletic Light Copper - Athletic Brewing
No Mo Hazy IPA - Crux Fermentation Project
Orange Wit - Fremont
NA Black Butte Porter - Deschutes
I haven't cracked one yet but when I do I'll report back.
I used to be in the camp of others that said what is the point of drinking NA beer. Idk if it's age or what the issue is but alcohol seems to hit me harder these days as far as not sleeping well, hungover etc. I still love the taste of a good ipa so if there was an option that maintained the taste but was NA I'd buy it. I wouldn't move all of my beer drinking to that style but some.
Reporting back.
Cerveza Athletic Light Copper - Athletic Brewing
This one was straight ass. I finished it but barely. Looked amazing, great copper color and nice foamy head (I've heard this is an issue with NA beers). The taste of a good malty amber was there but it was covered up by a weird off flavor. I can't really place what it tasted like (and I'm pretty decent at picking out beer flavors). If this was a home brew I made I would have assumed it got infected and dumped it. 12oz was all I could take.
No Mo Hazy IPA - Crux Fermentation Project
This was decent. Poured really light colored with almost no head. Good citrus aroma. First taste a astringent tang hits you pretty hard, but there was good citrus hop flavor there too. The astringent/bubbly part was almost like a seltzer and really strong and contributed to being a watery low body beer. Other than that it was a decent beer. Not sure I'd identify it was a Hazy IPA without the label. I haven't had this in years so probably not a fair comparison but reminded me a bit of Dog Fish Head Sea Quench Ale but more bubbly. I could drink a few at a hot tailgate or other hot day outdoor event.
Orange Wit - Fremont
I'm not a big wit guy and not a big add fruit to a beer guy but this was probably the best of the three. Poured very light like a Wit, not much head. Aroma is basically all orange. The orange flavor is really strong. There's a spice/bitterness there, but the orange almost covers it. I feel like there is a bit of an odd flavor in there similar to the Cerveza Athletic but they just upped the orange flavor to cover it. Basically think a Blue Moon with extra orange flavor. Again I could have a couple at a tailgate or similar.
NA Black Butte Porter - Deschutes
Haven't tried this one yet. I haven't had a Black Butte in a while and was going to try to find it as a good comparison. I'm hopeful on this one since I wouldn't think Deschutes would put the Black Butte name on it without it being at least decent.
Overall a couple drinkable ones. In the right spot I might have a few, but no where close to making me think about giving up real beer.