When I got a call that I would be flown out to New York to appear in an upcoming documentary (the subject of which will remain under an NDA I signed), I was very excited. Under the excitement, though, and sometimes humming at a higher volume, was anxiety. New York is intimidating. I have visited before, and I lived in Los Angeles for a while, but NYC is a different beast. It’s crazy to think about, but even though L.A.’s population is over a million more people, NYC has over 28,000 people per square mile, compared to L.A.’s 2,300. That many people and that many potential outcomes for interactions will give anyone anxiety. The nice thing is that with that many people, NYC is also home to many niche products, and NA beverages have certainly found a few homes here. I knew about bottle shops and distributors from all my years of reviewing NA beers, but I was unprepared for the surprise I had when I visited the local brewery down the block from my hotel in Brooklyn.
It was early afternoon, and I was hungry for lunch. The weird thing about the city that never sleeps is that they do sleep, but during the day. Your options for food in NYC are cut down dramatically if it’s before 4:00 p.m. on a weekday. Looking at the few nearby options, I saw a brewery with a decent food menu. Knowing that I may end up with sparkling water as my best beverage option, I was hopeful of an NA offering and headed down.
In a nondescript location (like most locations in NYC, especially Brooklyn), a small brewery sat empty, staffed in the front of house only by a bartender named…Travis? I swear I wrote it down, but dammit, I don’t remember. I sat at the bar and remained the only customer in there for the duration of my meal, aside from DoorDash drivers stopping in to pick up lunch orders. When I looked at the menu, I was thrilled to see that they not only did their own NA beer but also had it on tap! This was at the end of February, so this NA Wit Bier was perfect for the cold weather. When I inquired about it, Travis also informed me that they had two others in cans, also house brews. This was perfect! I ordered my fried chicken sandwich with pickled jalapenos and saddled up for a triple threat beer review.
Miswit
First up from Keg & Lantern Brewing was Miswit (like misfit, but with a Wit Bier). The expectation here with any wheat beer, especially a Belgian-style one, is a heavy presence of coriander and maybe some citrus peel. Typically pale in color with a little roasted malty bite. With these expectations in place, the beer was poured from the tap, and with a perfect head, it was set in front of me.
Right off the bat, Miswit from Keg & Lantern is checking many boxes. The color is pale, but cloudy with a stark white head. As the glass is brought to my nasal cathedral, the coriander hits first and hits hard. I’m almost hesitant, as I don’t want anything too overpowering, but the scent profile and look are telling me the flavor of tradition is about to enter my face drain.
The flavor is spot on for the most part. Keg & Lantern hit the mouthfeel right with Miswit as the medium-bodied beer holds a crisp refreshment as it is swallowed. To my surprise, from the aroma, there is no overpowering flavor. In fact, everything is pretty subtle, but more importantly, it’s also pretty balanced.
A Wit Bier is never my first choice for style, but Miswit from Keg & Lantern does a nice job matching this NA version to the original. There’s no Untappd rating for this gem, but I would happily throw a 4.1 out of 5 on this little beauty.
Pocho
Up next is Pocho, Keg & Lantern’s answer to the question: It’s Cinco de Mayo and I’m sober, what do you got? This Mexican Lager is something I am always curbing my expectations on. In the high-octane world of alcoholic beers, you can get anything from Corona and Pacifico to some crazy craft beer with Tajin and ghost peppers. I’m fine with either one, really, but I have learned to withhold expectations until the beverage arrives.
This one came from a can, but with the tear of the tab and the pour from the core, I filled the glass with a surprisingly pale brew. Keg & Lantern must have loved their witbier so much that they kept the color scheme for Pocho. Even with the pale yellow color, the aroma still matches the style with hints of roasted malt and spices.
Pocho is crushable, crisp, and light in the mouth. The flavor profile of a spiced pale ale with a hint of fresh-squeezed lime is fun and balanced. The presence of this Mexican lager’s foundational pale ale is very surprising and leaves you wanting more, but perhaps for the wrong reasons, considering the style.
Overall, I would give Pocho from Keg & Lantern a 3.6 out of 5. Untappd does have a rating for this beer, and we are falling in line together as they also sit at a 3.6. It’s nice to see an NA beer that’s not an IPA, but if I’m being honest with myself, there is a bit too much pale ale in this flavor profile for a Mexican Lager.
Beyond the Haze
Where would any brewery be if it didn’t have an IPA in its NA lineup? Keg & Lantern is no exception to this rule, and the name says it all with Beyond the Haze, a hazy New England-style IPA that is definitely closer to New England in its Williamsburg location than many of the other breweries I have had an NEIPA from. Regarding expectations, I’m looking for a cloudy pale orange color with strong hop notes off the aroma, combined with different fruity scents, depending on the recipe and region.
As the can cracks, Beyond the Haze comes into the glass with the perfect cloudy golden orange color. The aromas hit the air, and my scent glands are sent fans of citrus, but the hops are presenting a little more on the subtle side of things. I hope this is a scent-only issue and that Keg & Lantern delivers on the beast of hops I seek from the monster of Haze in front of my face.
When I finally take this hazy treat into my tummy tube, I am met with a nice, light, and airy mouthfeel. There are heavy notes of grapefruit, as expected, but then a rush of sweetness that nearly drowns out the hoppy IPA flavors. Thankfully, Beyond the Haze goes beyond the tongue and lets the hops linger in the back of my throat, which is a thankful respite from the initial fruit-forward flavor.
Untappd has no rating for the NA version of Beyond the Haze by Keg & Lantern. Their standard alcoholic version boasts a 3.8 out of 5, though, and I think I am going to shoot slightly lower at 3.5. It’s a tasty beer, but this touch of traditional may require a bit more balance of the sweetness and hops.
With the beers drank and the empty plate, I was off to be on what is sure to be the best docuseries of the year! Look for it this Fall on [streamer not available due to conditions of NDA].
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