Partake Brewing Oktoberfest

Partake Brewing Oktoberfest Review

Once again we spotlight Partake Brewing, brewers of non-alcoholic beers using only Reinheitsgebot-approved ingredients like wheat, barley and yeast. As we did before in our review of Partake Hefeweizen and friends, we bring you a dealcoholized option that aims to tickle the craft fan’s palate.

Partake Hefeweizen: Leader of the Pack

Of course, to achieve low ABV, something has to be sacrificed. In order to review this product fairly, we have to factor in what you lose in order to gain (well, actually to lose) what you (don’t) want. Clear? (Yes, the beer is clear, but that’s not what we mean).

THE RESULT

On the initial pour, this ale comes across as a passable weizen in appearance. The colour is only a bit darker than most. There is significantly less head and retention than in an actual German wheat beer, but that’s to be expected.

For those who focus on aroma, this may not be the best experience. Some esters make themselves present on the nose; there is definite orange peel, as well as faint lemon, but this is mostly offset by a creamed corn aroma that is somewhat typical of non-alcoholic brews. Overall on the nose, it’s like a fermented Malta beverage, and much like a malted seltzer.

However, this is where we have to remember that we can’t have everything when we’re deliberately trying to have less. Alcohol, that is, and calories. So the compromise will be worth it to many a beer fan, given that Partake is providing flavours like Oktoberfest and many others in an accessible manner that just wasn’t available back in the pre-craft days of “near beer”.