Going the distance: Athletic Brewing Doesn’t Compromise On Taste
/Award-winning U.S. n/a craft beer Athletic Brewing now widely available in Loblaws, Superstores and other major grocery chains
photo credit: athleticbrewingcompany.ca
One fateful night Bill Shufelt ordered a flavourless, watery, metallic-tasting non-alc beer. That sent Bill on a mission to create delicious non-alc craft beer, tapping head brewer John Walker to help reach that goal.
Together, they co-founded award-winning Athletic Brewing Company with a desire to brew “great beer, period”. With more than 100 test batches under their belt and their proprietary brewing method in hand they have managed to do just that.
“We looked at the way non-alcoholic beer was being brewed and turned it on its head,” said John of their innovative, proprietary method of brewing beer without alcohol.
The Stratford, CT company’s mission is quite inspiring, and if you click around the website, you’ll be inspired by their dedication to quality, inclusion, innovation, integrity and community.
From the moment they decided to brew non-alc beer John and Bill have “brewed without compromise.” They want to impact their customers’ health, fitness and happiness while also impacting their communities and the environment.
They went all-in and created a line-up of non-alc craft beers that “doesn’t compromise on taste.” This seems like a lofty goal … so let’s get down to it and taste what they’ve brewed. The three beers enjoyed for this review gradually increase in flavour profile and hoppy intensity.
Now that Athletic Brewing Company is available in Loblaws and it’s family of stores, it’s easier than ever for Canadians looking for a great tasting non-alcoholic craft beer to find ABC. Here’s a run down of three classic ABC styles.
Upside Dawn
A classic Golden Ale, its clean, light-bodied and extremely refreshing. As the style denotes, it pours golden accompanied by subtle floral notes and a grounding earthiness. There’s a sweet malty backbone with a mild hoppiness making for a very balanced and enjoyable experience. A definite thirst-quencher waiting to be enjoyed during a hot Canadian summer. Like pickled ginger, Upside Down refreshed the palate between each bite of sushi and maki rolls. Also a delicious choice with roasted chicken and veggies, mild cheeses, and citrusy desserts.
Run Wild IPA
Raising the hops a notch, Run Wild session IPA was the hands-down favourite across the tastebuds of four willing participants. Run Wild pours a light amber with a welcoming bitterness and a hint of sweet. The citrusy hops provide just the right about of puckering, while the spritely body makes it extremely refreshing. You can’t beat some potato chips for snacking (the Haggis & cracked black pepper chips were great), followed by sharper even venturing into blue cheeses, and curry dishes. You can close the deal with a carrot cake for dessert.
Free Wave Hazy IPA
Definitely highest on the hop profile it brings significant mouth-watering goodness. Pouring burnt orange Free Wave is definitely not opaque; it’s hazy with nice head that disappears quickly leaving lots of lace on the glass. Balanced with a nice bitter punch and a hint of sweetness, you get notes of pine and grapefruit both on the nose and palate. A great mouthfeel, it’s perfect with fries, onion rings and chicken wings, as well as … wait for it … milk chocolate.
It’s easy to agree with Athletic Brewing when they say their beers are proof that a well-crafted non-alc beer can offer up great flavours just like their alc brethren. So grab a few cans of the above beers, which are thankfully available in Canadian grocery stores.
Antoine Tedesco, Contributor, Alcohol-free Beer & Cider
Antoine brings his love of food and life to Some Good Clean Fun’s beer and cider reviews. From journalism to government to charities and non-profits, Antoine’s passion is telling compelling and impactful stories. He loves anything that makes his taste buds smile and his ears dance.
