ABV: 0.0%
Calories per bottle: 90 (18 per 100ml)
Nirvana has to be one of the most interesting breweries to emerge onto the scene recently. Based in east London, they boast of being Britain’s only brewery dedicated to producing only alcohol-free craft ales and nothing else. That certainly sets them apart from the big brewers who make alcohol-free beers alongside their usual fare; it also places them in a slightly different category to the host of 0.5% beers available in the supermarkets. If you’re in search of zero-alcohol purity, you’re in the right place.
There’s a certain spiritual vibe to the company and its beers – from their advice to drinkers to “break free from entangled roots”, to the swirly pattern of leaves and flowers, to the names of the beer themselves. The other thing the bottle design makes says is quality. This beer is clearly aimed at drinkers who are picky about what they drink.
As for the beer itself, we liked it but we weren’t bowled over. It’s got a great amber colour a light taste with just a hint of fruit, maybe lemon or orange. It’s a nice beer but the flavour is maybe a bit too simple compared with the complexity we’ve come to expect from craft beers. If you’re looking for something with a bit more depth, we’d go for the Nirvana Kosmic Stout.
And just so you know, both the stout and the pale ale are suitable for vegetarians.
