Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn

ABV: less than 0.5%
Calories per can: 47 (14 per 100ml)

This is a guest review by NoLo Beverage, who are on a mission to review as many non-alcoholic drinks as possible!

Athletic Brewing Co are one of the main players in the alcohol-free craft brewing scene, and not only do they brew alcohol-free beers, they brew good alcohol-free beers! Since 2017 they’ve been brewing a fantastic range of alcohol free beers without compromise. As you may have guessed from the name, Athletic Brewing position themselves as a drinks company that positively impacts their customers’ fitness, health and happiness. In this review we’re going to have a look at their gluten-free, vegan, alcohol-free golden ale Upside Dawn.

In this age of craft beers, finding an alcohol-free IPA is easy – almost too easy – but to find an alcohol-free golden ale is a bit of a treat! Once poured into the glass, Upside Dawn is a hazy brew with a dark straw colour and a thin and foamy head. It looks proper! Where this alcohol-free brew really surprises, though, is with its aroma. It looks like it could be an unfiltered lager, but it has a unique aroma: sharp, spicy, fruity, and hoppy. Very interesting! And it has a fantastic taste, with a hoppy bite similar to Brewdog’s Nanny State, but much better and without any bitter aftertaste.

Overall, Athletic Brewing have produced a really nice beer here. In a market somewhat saturated with IPAs, they’ve produced a hoppy golden ale that is a real contender. Upside Dawn has a strong taste profile but is still refreshing and clean. Crucially though, it has no alcohol, and it doesn’t need it!

Athletic Brewing have opted for the packaging style of many craft brewers: a plain aluminium can with a wraparound label. I like this style: it adds to the “craft” feel. The label design is clean, clear, distinctive and reflects the golden ale within.