Drop Bear Yuzu Pale Ale

ABV: less than 0.5%
Calories per bottle: 28 (7½ per 100ml)

There are lots of things to love about this beer. Firstly, it’s the work of two young entrepreneurs, making their first move into the world of brewing. Secondly, anyone living west of Offa’s Dyke will be glad to know that this is the first Welsh alcohol-free beer. Well, almost. The brewers are Swansea-based. The beers are currently being brewed in Yorkshire (which was Welsh, but in the sixth century). Still, we are told that production will be moving back across the border soon.

They’ve got brilliant packaging – a really modern look, with lots of handy information very clearly laid out. (There’s a lesson here for a lot of other brewers about how to let customers know what they’re drinking!)

As for the beer itself, this is a golden ale, loaded with hops, and with just a hint of caramel. And for the initiated, the yuzu is a type of lemon from the Far East. So, now you know.

And then there’s the Drop Bear – an urban legend told by Australians to worry gullible tourists. Or is it? This marvellous animal is real enough to have its own page on the Australian Museum website. You’ll find a very realistic portrayal of the Drop Bear on every bottle.