Mikkeller Passion Pool Shallow

ABV: 0.2%
Calories per can: 167 (38 per 100ml)

This is a guest review by Tim Jenkins of the Alcohol-Free Explorers blog. Tim can be found on Twitter @afbeerexplorer

Passion Pool Shallow is from Danish brewery Mikkeller and is an alcohol-free version of their Passion Pool Gose.

Mikkeller have a large range of non-alcoholic beers including the very popular Drink In the Sun, their Limbo series of alcohol-free fruit beers, and their “Flemish Primitive” beer Henry & His Science. As with the rest of their alcohol-free range, Passion Pool Shallow is brewed at De Prouef Brouwerji in Belgium. Just as they do with their full-strength beers, Mikkeller like to experiment with their alcohol-free range and showcase what can be done with different styles of beer.

The minute you open the can you get a very strong fruity aroma from the passion fruit. Pouring into the glass, you get a bright orange drink. It looks quite a thick drink. In fact, the looks and aromas are just like a fruit juice. Taking the first sip of this – as expected from the look and aroma – there is once again a strong passion fruit taste. It’s a very sharp taste but then there’s that slightly salty finish that is common in the gose style. The mouthfeel is quite thick and smooth but you are left with a dryness on the lips.

This is a very enjoyable drink and would be great in the sun. But for me, it’s not really beer and I think you would get the same flavours (minus the saltiness) for a fraction of the price by just having fruit Juice. That said, I love the art on the can with scenes of the instantly recognisable character of Henry enjoying himself swimming with fruit!