NA Black Ale
Hairless Dog Brewing Company
- From:
- Hairless Dog Brewing Company
- Minnesota, United States
- Style:
- Low-Alcohol Beer
- ABV:
- Not listed
- Score:
- 73
- Avg:
- 2.53 | pDev: 17%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 8
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Apr 26, 2023
- Added:
- Feb 16, 2020
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
73
Okay
73
Okay
Behold the richness of our darkest ale. Specifically brewed for those who crave a roasted malt flavor and ultra-smooth finish, without an overly bitter bite. And with 0.0% ABV, it’s your new anytime brew.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by dbrauneis from North Carolina
2.85/5 rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
2.85/5 rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
A: Pours an opaque yet still clear very dark cola brown approaching black in color with moderate amounts of active visible carbonation rising along the edges of the glass and moderate dark amber + dark ruby red + dark chestnut brown colored highlights. The beer has a finger tall sudsy foamy tan head that quickly reduces to a medium to large sized patch of medium thick film covering approximately 35% of the surface of the beer and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.
S: Slightly stronger than moderate aromas of wort-like roasted + toasted + dark malts with moderate amounts of grainy sweetness. Moderate aromas of unfermented grains/malts. No perceptible hop presence.
T: Upfront there are slightly stronger than moderate flavors of unfermented wort-like roasted + toasted + dark malts with moderate amounts of grainy sweetness. No perceptible hop presence. Light amounts of lingering roasty bitterness.
M: Light to medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly crisp initially and slightly thin/watery in the finish.
O: Drinks fairly easily though not sure I would be interested in having anymore of these - slightly thin/watery in the mouthfeel and overall way too unfermented wort-like aromas and flavors.
Apr 26, 2023S: Slightly stronger than moderate aromas of wort-like roasted + toasted + dark malts with moderate amounts of grainy sweetness. Moderate aromas of unfermented grains/malts. No perceptible hop presence.
T: Upfront there are slightly stronger than moderate flavors of unfermented wort-like roasted + toasted + dark malts with moderate amounts of grainy sweetness. No perceptible hop presence. Light amounts of lingering roasty bitterness.
M: Light to medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly crisp initially and slightly thin/watery in the finish.
O: Drinks fairly easily though not sure I would be interested in having anymore of these - slightly thin/watery in the mouthfeel and overall way too unfermented wort-like aromas and flavors.
Reviewed by Spearce85
2.38/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
2.38/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
I recently started trying out N/A beers due to some health issues. I’m a big fan of dark lagers so was excited to see this. I drank one can and tossed the rest. It smelled and tasted like unfermented grain or wart and tasted similarly. No other flavor character of dark lager was present. Was also flat.
Jan 09, 2023
Reviewed by cyclonece09 from Wisconsin
2.84/5 rDev +12.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
2.84/5 rDev +12.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Poured from a can into a pint glass. Pours pitch black with a light brown head. Smells of roasted grain. Tastes of roasted grain, not much else. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, an average NA beer.
Dec 25, 2022
Reviewed by flagmantho from Washington
2.81/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
2.81/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Poured from 12oz can into a dimpled mug. "Enjoy by" date of 10/4/22.
Appearance: dark brown with perhaps a bit of haze and brown highlights around the edges when held up to the light. Head is a thick finger of pillowy tan foam; it looks rather like a brown ale or porter.
Smell: there's an aroma of unfermented malt here, so it's very sweet. There's a tad bit of roasty character along with a vegetal element and some brown sugar. Kind of reminds me of a hoppy brown ale, but, like, unfermented. I see where they were going with this, but it smells a lot more like wort than beer.
Taste: sweet malt like in the aroma, with plenty of whoppers and brown sugar, but with the added character of super lemony hops (Hairless Dog's citra lager was also super lemony). It's interesting enough, but it falls a little short of the mark for "beer".
Mouthfeel: medium body with a decent carbonation and creaminess, especially for NA.
Overall: this is just weird stuff. It's not the worst thing in the world, but it's not very convincing as beer and there are much better NA options out there, even in the dark-ale space.
Dec 30, 2021Appearance: dark brown with perhaps a bit of haze and brown highlights around the edges when held up to the light. Head is a thick finger of pillowy tan foam; it looks rather like a brown ale or porter.
Smell: there's an aroma of unfermented malt here, so it's very sweet. There's a tad bit of roasty character along with a vegetal element and some brown sugar. Kind of reminds me of a hoppy brown ale, but, like, unfermented. I see where they were going with this, but it smells a lot more like wort than beer.
Taste: sweet malt like in the aroma, with plenty of whoppers and brown sugar, but with the added character of super lemony hops (Hairless Dog's citra lager was also super lemony). It's interesting enough, but it falls a little short of the mark for "beer".
Mouthfeel: medium body with a decent carbonation and creaminess, especially for NA.
Overall: this is just weird stuff. It's not the worst thing in the world, but it's not very convincing as beer and there are much better NA options out there, even in the dark-ale space.
Reviewed by tzbel013 from Tennessee
2.17/5 rDev -14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.75
2.17/5 rDev -14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.75
Wanted this to be that craft beer lovers love but it was very disappointing. Had the dark murky brown of a porter but the smell and taste was worry as others have noted. Had some bite but couldn't get past that aftertaste.
Oct 23, 2021
Reviewed by tigg924 from Massachusetts
2.1/5 rDev -17%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2
2.1/5 rDev -17%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2
Pours murky, dark brown in color with one quarter inch head. Taste is flat cola, citronella, and earthy hops. Medium body and carbonation, slightly bitter. Drinkable but barely. There are so many better beers out there. This is destined to be one of those I use to marinade meat with, so long as there is some other spice in it to counteract the slight bitterness. A huge pass.
Sep 17, 2021
Reviewed by CanConPhilly from Pennsylvania
3.27/5 rDev +29.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.27/5 rDev +29.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
L - 1/2 finger hazelnut head fizzles out quickly, leaving a small, persistent ring of lacing. Body is cola black.
S - toffee, cheese, mushroom?, earthy, perhaps a hint of smokiness.
T - at first some chocolate and toffee, but that is quickly replaced with sour cheese, dirt, and mushroom. Finish is hella vegetal, with some smoke trying to creep through the garden. Low bitterness.
F - medium-light body with lower carb.
O - the execution here is flawed, but there are some redeeming qualities. I can taste the porter/stout flavors they were going for, but those flavors are quickly washed over by that veggie cheese malt taste that persists through all of their beers. I like this more than their other beers that I’ve tried, since the smokiness is keeping me interested. But it’s not in the upper half of na’s.
Feb 13, 2021S - toffee, cheese, mushroom?, earthy, perhaps a hint of smokiness.
T - at first some chocolate and toffee, but that is quickly replaced with sour cheese, dirt, and mushroom. Finish is hella vegetal, with some smoke trying to creep through the garden. Low bitterness.
F - medium-light body with lower carb.
O - the execution here is flawed, but there are some redeeming qualities. I can taste the porter/stout flavors they were going for, but those flavors are quickly washed over by that veggie cheese malt taste that persists through all of their beers. I like this more than their other beers that I’ve tried, since the smokiness is keeping me interested. But it’s not in the upper half of na’s.
Reviewed by ZAP from Minnesota
2.86/5 rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
2.86/5 rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
Pours a clean reddish brown....aroma is worty...taste is worty.....a bit of roastiness but a real strong wort flavor. Pretty jazzed up carbonation and astringent on the finish.
It's not bad. Not watery like a lot of NA beers but I couldn't see kicking back more than one or two of these at a time.
Ratings per style
Feb 16, 2020It's not bad. Not watery like a lot of NA beers but I couldn't see kicking back more than one or two of these at a time.
Ratings per style
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