We are joined again by a leader in the non-alcoholic beer industry, Athletic Brewing. Athletic is known for its wide variety, limited batches, and huge distribution. This week, though, we focus on a beer style that has been missing from many NA craft breweries, and one that has been around in the macro-brew world for ages: Light Beer.
This week, we are drinking Athletic Lite from Athletic Brewing. This is one of the first light beers available from a craft brewery in the non-alcoholic space. Based on Athletic Brewing’s track record, I would anticipate that this would be on par with Bud Light, Coors Light, and Miller Lite, though in the beer world, that’s not necessarily saying much. There is a void, though, for that everyday lawnmower beer that we sober folks seek out a replacement for. Athletic Brewing is here to fill that void.
When you pop the basic-looking white can, you may get that crisp white head peeking out at you as Athletic Brewing spits its first try at a light beer into your face. Pour it into the glass and release a nice balance of malt and barley into the air. The beer fills the glass as yellow, bright, and clear as you would hope a light beer would look. The white head tops a beer that is about as clear as water, minus the yellow tint.
When it comes to taste, it was hard for me to initially put my finger on what it was Athletic Brewing was trying to do. I wasn’t blown away like so many other NA bloggers, but it was specific to something. I went around in circles, letting the balanced light beer fill my orifices, and then it hit me. It was light and balanced, but also filling. I know this light beer well. This is the same taste and feeling I had towards Miller Lite. I was always a Coors Light or Bud Light guy in my drinking days and I despised Miller Lite, even though the general public seemed to prefer it. Athletic Brewing duplicated that balance and filling flavor perfectly.
Untappd gives Athletic Lite by Athletic Brewing a 3.2 out of 5. I would say okay, that’s fine. I don’t disagree with that rating. I get why people seem to like this so much more than me. I was a Bud Light guy and this is a Miller Lite. To each their own. If you want to recapture that high school keg light beer flavor, Athletic Brewing has done it and you can go buy it almost anywhere now!
NA BEERS & 90s: Sober Curator Justin Lamb is dedicated to tasting great (and sometimes not so great) NA beers and showcasing his amazing collection of memorabilia from the ’90s.
TRIGGER WARNING: People in early sobriety may want to proceed with caution. Always read labels. Please hydrate responsibly … because drunk never looks good.
RECOVERY PODCASTLAND: Want more Justin in your life? We don’t blame you! Check out his podcast Friend Request Justin has in-depth interviews with people he follows on social media, as well as his own social media followers. Friend Request dives deeper than the likes and comments. With each episode, Justin tries to create a more meaningful conversation about each individual he’s connected with. Justin ties each interview together with the commonalities and struggles that not only are extremely relatable but also fall across the entire spectrum of the human experience.
Check Out This Episode from Friend Request:
