Athletic Brewing comes to us from Connecticut, but even though they hail from a small state, they pack a large flavor. In the non-alcoholic beer world, Athletic Brewing is still in its infancy at only three years old, but what they lack in age, they make up for in flavor, variety, and many of the standards you would normally associate with an alcoholic brewery.
What’s in a Name?
As the name implies, Athletic Brewing is all about getting out there and being active, while still enjoying the finest flavors available in craft non-alcoholic beer. They pride themselves on making quality non-alcoholic beers that you can enjoy on the lake, after a ride, or to refresh some of those electrolytes after a good workout with friends. Athletic Brewing makes a handful of staples, their flagship beers, like Upside Dawn, All Out Stout, and Run Wild, their flagship IPA, but their most recent year-round beer is Free Wave.
Free Wave, formerly marketed as a Double Hop IPA, is now referred to as a Hazy IPA, though I don’t believe they changed the recipe. As someone who was classified as a “hop head” in the craft beer world before getting sober, I have a certain appreciation for the kind of hop flavor that gets into your mouth, treats you nicely, fills in all the crevices with hoppiness, and then punches you in the face and leaves you smiling. I want an IPA that makes me really understand what hops taste like, regardless of the variety. If you are interested in variety, the hops that make this can possible are Amarillo, Citra, and Mosaic.
How Does it Pour?
Athlete Brewing’s Free Wave Hazy IPA pours out aroma into the air as you watch the liquid fill the glass with a cream-colored head. The beer, itself, is a perfect copper color, reminiscent of most flagship IPAs at traditional breweries. The hop aroma is a bouquet of perfection making your mouth water and your pants tighten.
How Does it Taste?
The flavor hits your tongue hard, like a long-lost friend running up to you to give you a hug. The hoppy perfection wraps around your tongue and makes love to your taste buds, from the tips pf your tongue to the back of your throat. The hops sit on your tongue afterwards and leave you wanting more in the best way possible.
Untappd has Athletic Brewing’s Free Wave Hazy IPA as a 3.65 out of 5, but in the non-alcoholic beer category, I would rate this one a 5/5. Full throttle, five stars, come and get it, supper is ready, baby! I have tried dozens and dozens of craft non-alcoholic beers and nothing beats this IPA. I would even hold this up in a competition to many traditional brewery’s IPAs, whether it be Lagunitas, Stone, or any other one that wants to throw down (Bell’s excluded). Bottom line is if you want an IPA worth its weight in flavor, taste, and perfection, you want Athletic Brewing Free Wave Hazy IPA, formerly Double Hop IPA. In fact, if you buy it and don’t like it, you can send all of your remaining cans to me. I won’t buy them off you, but I’ll drink ‘em!
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