By Joe Ricchio
From our November 2023 issue
I’ve never been much of a beer geek. Cool, crisp, and refreshing is really all I need. And in an effort to cheat the dreaded hangover, I’ve tried out some non-alcoholic beers over the years: O’Douls, Becks N-A, Coors Cutter. But beers that taste the simplest often require the deftest touch, and these wannabe clean, classic lagers were pale imitations of the real deal, packing off-putting tastes that ranged from nutty to metallic. Fortunately, times are changing, and in the past several years, three Maine breweries have introduced non-alcoholic beers that are right up my alley (in addition to some hoppier, roastier, bolder offerings too). These beers taste like beer, and that’s high praise coming from me.
Kit NA Brewing: On Your Mark American Blonde
Portland. No tasting room .
The epitome of refreshing, this is one very crushable beer (which has also had gluten removed via the addition of certain enzymes to the brewing process, for anyone avoiding not just alcohol but gluten as well). A citrusy nose and a lightly fruity palate make it an excellent choice for a breakfast beer. I can vouch, from experience, that it’s a good match for eggs and bacon. Other Kit offerings lean hoppier, with both a hazy and a traditional IPA.
Eighteen Twenty Brewing Co.: Vienna Suite Golden Ale
Portland. No tasting room.
The current owners of Geary’s, Maine’s oldest brewery, spun off this non-alcoholic endeavor and quickly produced a ton of variety, from raspberry sours to IPAs to stouts. They hit a home run with their traditional Munich-style lager. Maybe home runs aren’t the most apt metaphor for German-inspired beer, but any Bavarian would catch my drift after trying a sip. This beer is pure easy-drinking. Poured into a decorative stein, it goes quite well with a mountain of bratwurst, sauerkraut, and spicy mustard.
Woodland Farms Brewery: Witty
306 Rte. 1, Kittery. 207-994-3911.
Everything you want in a classic Belgian-style wheat beer, the notes of coriander and sweet citrus and a full, creamy body that utterly belies the fact that a 16-ounce contains merely 90 calories. (Thank you, yes, I think I could have another.) Woodland Farms was the first Maine brewery to commit to non-alcoholic beers, and Witty was just the second offering in a lineup that now comprises half a dozen other pours. It’s a nice reminder that the brewers really hit the ground running.
