We are meeting someone new today; a visitor, if you will. Visitor is from Potosi, Wisconsin, and brings with it high expectations, as we have been blown away a lot in the past by NA brews out of Wisconsin. We enter into this week with high hopes and a bit of confusion.
This week we are drinking Visitor beer. Is it a lager? Is it an IPA? Nobody knows. This nondescript can is plain old aluminum with a couple of stickers. There is no description except for the words “crisp and clean.” The puke green sticker on the front is a green circle that reads “Visitor,” in which the ‘o’ is a smiley face, and the other is a nutrition label and barcode sticker. Not knowing what to expect, I only bought one of these cans.
How Does It Pour?
When you crack the can, you get a familiar smell to anyone who has ever experimented with NA beer and thought that O’Doul’s might be their only option. The skunky, overheated tinge of a stale old beer will begin to fill your nostrils. The smell is compounded when you start to pour the crystal-clear brew into the glass and let the stark white head settle at the top. This beer is very clearly a lager by sight, and further research online confirms this.
How Does It Taste?
When you drink this mysterious visitor, the only flavor you can expect from the can is ‘crisp and clean, so the poor balance of ingredients is a bit of a surprise. As far as crispness goes, it is a crisp taste, though it leaves little to be desired. The clean taste is only because it has been so filtered and boiled down. The beer’s good flavors and balance were clearly lost in the de-alcoholization process.
Untappd gives Visitor a nothing rating. There have only been a few reviews, so no rating has been calculated, but I would not recommend it. It’s just not very good and with the wide variety of NA brews available, it should be a cautionary tale to anyone trying to crack into the business that you gotta come with you’re A-game. I would say that Visitor is an unwanted guest.
HAPPY EVERY HOUR 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.
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:
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
Resources are available
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.