Saturday, June 06, 2015

Dry-hopped Clausthaler, or Hopster from Shelton Brothers?

I wasn't expecting this Clausthaler tasting to be a success.

HAS DRY-HOPPING SAVED NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER? AN EXPERT WEIGHS IN, by Mike Pomranz (Food and Wine)

Over the past couple decades, craft beer has undergone a creative renaissance. But its ugly cousin, non-alcoholic beer, refused to keep pace. Even though NA beer is actually growing in popularity—its sales are up 80 percent from five years ago—it's rare that anyone tries to revolutionize brewing techniques or flavors. Occasionally, though, someone will come along and say they have achieved the impossible: a NA beer that actually resembles beer. The latest group to make that claim is Radeberger, claiming most people can’t distinguish its Clausthaler Amber Dry Hopped from regular beer at blind tastings. I wanted to put that claim to the test.

Just moments after reading the preceding, I received the periodic Shelton Brothers e-newsletter, and was intrigued to see this thing called Hopster.


Here's the promo from Belchertown.

Lastly, we have a truly momentous announcement -- our first non-alcoholic offering!

We never planned to go into the soda business, but Hopster was just too good to pass up. This concoction -- is it a sparkling water? a tonic? a soda? -- is produced in Bavaria at the Kondrauer Mineral-und Heilbrunnen, which blends its award-winning mineral water with tea and lemon essence and a distillation of essential Hallertauer Traditional, Taurus, Perle, and Cascade hop oils. Its strikingly spritzy, fruity, and gently bitter aroma is followed by a dry, clean, lemony palate. Refreshing by itself, it's also the perfect mixer, and an excellent non-sugary, non-alcoholic option for the hop-loving teetotaler or designated driver! Our first shipment of 865 cases sold out in two days.You'll want this.

Hopster is available in 250mL bottles.

It makes sense. I may be compelled to mix some with gin and see what happens.

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