Hoppy Alternative Drinks
I love IPA beers mainly just for the incredible hop aroma. But one downside (sometimes) to IPAs is that they tend to be high in alcohol. Sometimes you just want some delicious hops!
This table relates my experiences exploring non-alcoholic hoppy drinks. I purchase the beverages (no sponsors!), pour them into a pint glass (to get the max aroma), and drink them (to probe their tastiness). Drinks are rated 1 - 5 on these highly scientific qualities:
- hoppyness - overall hop quality and quantity.
- aroma - does it smell wonderfully hoppy?
- body - does the beverage have mouth-feel and body?
- beeriness - does it taste like or stand in for a beer? This isn’t necessary for deliciousness, but sometimes you want a beer-like substance.
- deliciousness - just how delicious is it overall as a hoppy alternative beverage?
Hoppy Drink List
Sort by Rating:
Calm One HopTea,
Hoplark
2
2
0
4
This is probably the most delicious HopTea, the sweet smoothness of chamomile suits the flavors very well. Citra hops.
Really Hoppy One HopTea,
Hoplark
3
4
0
2
The flavors of this aren't very balanced, I find it overly hoppy but not delicious.
Green Tea One HopTea,
Hoplark
2
4
0
3
Pretty good balance of very light beverage and good hop aroma. Mosaic hops.
Mile-High-Biscus One HopTea,
Hoplark
2
4
0
3
Surprisingly delicious, I didn't expect to like the hibiscus, but it adds nicely to the aroma.
Hop Water,
Sockeye
2
2
0
4
Very simple hoppy sparkling water, light aroma, good taste, refreshing. Grapefruit-y? Idaho grown hops.
Hop Splash,
Sierra Nevada
2
1
0
2
A tasty sparkling water, less citrus-y or sweetness, crisp and refreshing. The aroma is light, and the favor isn't totally balanced. Citra and Amarillo hops.
Trail Pass IPA,
Sierra Nevada
3
2
3
3
Good flavor, but light aroma and light lager-like taste. This is the first NA IPA I have come across in 12 packs!
Brewveza,
Sierra Nevada
2
1
3
2
Reasonable light lager-like drink.
Hoppy Refresher,
Lagunitas
1
0
0
2
Very citrus-y more than hoppy, definitely refreshing and tasty as a sparkling water--but not really hop forward.
IPNA,
Lagunitas
2
1
2
3
Light, crisp, has good bitterness but weak on the aroma which brings down the feeling of hoppyness--however, much more tasty than an average non-alcoholic beer.
Juicy IPA,
Grüvi
3
4
3
3
Marketed as non-alcoholic craft brew, this goes for beeriness and does a good job. Interestingly, the taste and aroma in the first few minutes is GREAT, but then it seems to gradually get sweeter and less delicious as it warms.
Stout,
Grüvi
1
1
4
4
Really tasty rich stout.
Non-Alcoholic IPA,
Fremont
3
2
3
2
Pretty solid as a basic very light IPA substitute. Tasty, but almost more like a lager in favor.
Run Wild IPA,
Athletic Brewing Co.
3
4
3
4
This is pretty delicious as an light IPA.
Free Wave Hazy IPA,
Athletic Brewing Co.
3
3
3
4
Refreshing, tasty light beer-like light IPA. Crushable.
Lime,
HOP WTR
1
1
0
1
Billed as sparkling hop water with adaptogens and nootropics, this is the most expensive drink I have tried. I found it not good. Tasted exactly like a cheap lime bubble water, but slightly nasty.
Classic,
HOP WTR
0
0
0
0
Like the Lime version, I got this on 50% off sale (otherwise far too expensive) and found it nasty. It is very acidic and mineral-water-like, with very faint if any hop related favor. The main ingredient is ascorbic acid (120% of your vitamin C, rather than hops...), which I guess must contribute significantly. I didn't even finish drinking a single can--however, I must admit that for some reason my partner loved it--so maybe its just me?
Hop Water,
Trail Magic
2
3
2
4
This is a delicious beverage, with 3mg THC (in Minnesota). It has a nice aroma and some body, not trying to be an beer exactly, but something delicious with hops in it.
Organic Session IPA,
Sober Carpenter
4
4
4
4
A very tasty IPA substitute, basically just like a session IPA. Available in Canada.
0.0% Premium Pils,
Bitburger
1
1
3
1
One of classic popular german beers as an NA. Pretty traditional sort of NA, meaning pretty terrible--but I guess better than really old school ones from the 2000s.
Original NA,
Clausthaler
1
1
2
1
Really not a tasty beverage from my point of view. Something pretty bad about these old school NA beers.
Fresh Squeezed Non-Alcoholic IPA,
Deschutes
4
4
3
5
Very hoppy, yet balanced good flavor. To me it seems not quite as beer-like as the Athletic Brewing offerings, but in a good way, as a slightly different genre of deliciously hoppy drink (that is similar, but not quite like beer).