- Messages
- 15,872
- Location
- Halifax, Republic of Yorkshire
Who's tried it?
I have ...
I've enjoyed alcohol for many years and thankfully have a good taste memory, particularly for fine wines and good single malts, as I've also had a good number of years where I simply have not enjoyed alcohol yet still "had" to drink.
I don't drink now and have not done for a few years, but I do still enjoy a beer and the zero (and very low) alcohol market is getting better and better. Hot day? Cold, frosty Becks 4% would have been my go to, now a refreshing tin of Bavaria 0.0%. I had the pleasure of trying Leffe 0% recently and that really is very good. Hoegaarden, likewise, sweeter than the alcoholic version as it's infused with coridander and orange. But, my drink of choice (when I did) was always a Guinness. Guinness, Guinness, Guinness ... and I was really pleased to find a really good stout from Big Drop called Galactic Milk Stout, which is right up my street palate-wise.
... but I missed Guinness.
Overjoyed to hear they were finally bringing a zero version to the market and last year, they did ... to pull it after two weeks. We've heard nothing since until just a couple of weeks ago when they released it again.
I got a crate in from DryDrinker, properly chilled a few for a the right number of hours and with some trepidation poured one out into the one sole genuine Guinness glass that I still have (purloined from a pub, naturally) ...
It looks like Guinness, it does the cloudy swelling thing (cue: Leftfield Phat Planet and flashbacks of Rutger Hauer) and settles to that lovely black glass of beer with just short of an inch of creamy white head. Sampled properly by drinking off the top half pint in one and settling back with a frothy moustache and a satisfying "ahhhh ..."
... it tastes like Guinness!
My goodness, that ... is ... good! Very good!
If I had one put in front of me I would most likely have drunk it and would not have known the difference. Side by side, I'd be hard pushed. Yes, you can spot a difference if you know and if you were looking for it, but if you pour it out, drink it and enjoy it then it's a Guinness.
... sans alcohol, meaning you can have one for breakfast (as we all know, Guinness and Cornflakes are all you need to live a full and healthy life) and jump in the car without being irresponsible. Those rugby days when folks run out of steam from over-enthusiastically hitting the Guinness too hard early on can take a rest and drop onto the zero for a few pints. It's not just for non-drinkers.
I am very impressed.
Early indication was that it would be stocked in Morrisons and Waitrose (I think), although I spotted a shelf space in Sainsbury yesterday with an introductory price of £4 a pack ... and an empty shelf. I also gather it will be stocked in pubs. I think the intention is a surger can type delivery for pubs.
Who's tried it? How do you find it?
I have ...
I've enjoyed alcohol for many years and thankfully have a good taste memory, particularly for fine wines and good single malts, as I've also had a good number of years where I simply have not enjoyed alcohol yet still "had" to drink.
I don't drink now and have not done for a few years, but I do still enjoy a beer and the zero (and very low) alcohol market is getting better and better. Hot day? Cold, frosty Becks 4% would have been my go to, now a refreshing tin of Bavaria 0.0%. I had the pleasure of trying Leffe 0% recently and that really is very good. Hoegaarden, likewise, sweeter than the alcoholic version as it's infused with coridander and orange. But, my drink of choice (when I did) was always a Guinness. Guinness, Guinness, Guinness ... and I was really pleased to find a really good stout from Big Drop called Galactic Milk Stout, which is right up my street palate-wise.
... but I missed Guinness.
Overjoyed to hear they were finally bringing a zero version to the market and last year, they did ... to pull it after two weeks. We've heard nothing since until just a couple of weeks ago when they released it again.
I got a crate in from DryDrinker, properly chilled a few for a the right number of hours and with some trepidation poured one out into the one sole genuine Guinness glass that I still have (purloined from a pub, naturally) ...
It looks like Guinness, it does the cloudy swelling thing (cue: Leftfield Phat Planet and flashbacks of Rutger Hauer) and settles to that lovely black glass of beer with just short of an inch of creamy white head. Sampled properly by drinking off the top half pint in one and settling back with a frothy moustache and a satisfying "ahhhh ..."
... it tastes like Guinness!
My goodness, that ... is ... good! Very good!
If I had one put in front of me I would most likely have drunk it and would not have known the difference. Side by side, I'd be hard pushed. Yes, you can spot a difference if you know and if you were looking for it, but if you pour it out, drink it and enjoy it then it's a Guinness.
... sans alcohol, meaning you can have one for breakfast (as we all know, Guinness and Cornflakes are all you need to live a full and healthy life) and jump in the car without being irresponsible. Those rugby days when folks run out of steam from over-enthusiastically hitting the Guinness too hard early on can take a rest and drop onto the zero for a few pints. It's not just for non-drinkers.
I am very impressed.
Early indication was that it would be stocked in Morrisons and Waitrose (I think), although I spotted a shelf space in Sainsbury yesterday with an introductory price of £4 a pack ... and an empty shelf. I also gather it will be stocked in pubs. I think the intention is a surger can type delivery for pubs.
Who's tried it? How do you find it?
