The German Beer Afraid of Nothing

MODSUB#74

Wotcha!

Have any of you seen The Pathfinder’s new Negroni cans out in the wild?

Let me know.

Have a great week.

Myles

In this week’s edition:

NAN
New NA Drink News

BEER
Wolters - 0.0

APERITIVO
Crodino - Non-Alcoholic Spritz

Read time: 4 minutes 7 seconds

NAN
New NA Drink News

NORTH AMERICA

• WINE: Shout out to Varnum Vintners who have just produced Oregon’s first non-alcoholic Pinot Noir. (Link)

• BEER: January saw the release of the new Classic Pale from Pilot Project’s Years. (Link)

• BEER: Vancouver’s Strange Fellows Brewing announced their new NEVERTHELSS Non-Alcoholic Pilsner this week. (Link)

WORLDWIDE

• BEER: Last month also saw the launch of Juicy AF DDH Pale from Manchester’s Cloudwater Brew Company and Indian street food purveyors, Bundobust. (Link)

• BEER: New-ish brand, Majlis, out of Dubai, has just received Halal certification for their line of non-alcoholic ales, brewed from a 2000-year old recipe. (Link)

• WINE: Here’s a couple of wines to look out for if you are on the other side of the pond: Turn 6 debuted a Sparkling Chardonnay and a Sparkling Merlot late last year. (Link)

BEER

ModSub: Last Saturday morning, I woke up to a text from a friend who was sitting in the Löwenbräu brewery in Munich. He sent me a picture of the beer list. Of the 10 beers featured, half were no and low-alcohol.

This brought to mind two things:

1. We have a long way to go in this country to catch up with others around the world.

2. I have a can of Hofbrauhaus Wolters 0.0 in the fridge and it’s time to crack it open.

The brewery, like many in Germany, has been around for quite a while, producing high-quality and well-regarded beer for nearly 400 years. Bound by their adherence to the 1516 German Purity Law, all their ingredients are sourced within the country, with water coming from the crystal-clear, unpolluted stream flowing off the Harz Mountains. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Wolters 0.0 is another in a long line of quality Pilsner-style non-alcoholic lagers. It pours a warm golden color, topped with an inch of frothy head. The malts are delightfully bready and while Pilsners can characteristically finish with varying degress of bitterness, this one is understated—present but not brash.

Easy to buy online and popping up in all kinds of stores, I’d take a look at this on if I was you. Especially as we head towards the sunnier part of the year. 

As there are no direct sales on the brewery website, I’ve linked the “Buy” button to Proof No More but feel free to shop around.

How does Hoffbrauhaus Wolters describe their 0,0: They don’t unfortunately. There is no description on their website. So you’ll have to take my word for it!

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APERITIVO

ModSub: When I was on my hols in Italy a couple of summers ago, I would inquire at restaurants if they had any non-alcoholic drinks. Some places had them, others didn't. Bottled lagers like Moretti, Peroni and Heineken 0.0 were my initial go-tos. However, as time passed, I craved something different.

It wasn't until the final evening on the balcony of a charming old hotel in Santa Margarita that a waiter, seeing my face wince at the thought of yet another bottled lager asked, “Have you had a Crodino?”

And so began my love affair with the little palm-sized bottle from Crodo, in northwest Italy. First created back in 1965, this rust-orange delight is Italy’s most popular nonalcoholic aperitif. Citrusy, lightly sparkling, and boasting a bold, enduring bitter aftertaste crafted from a secret blend of herbs—rumored to include cardamom, coriander, clove and ginger.

Served in a wine glass with a slice of orange, it’s the perfect alternative to the wildly popular Aperol Spritz. Plus, it's half the price and with none of the booze!

If you're planning a trip to Italy or nearby countries, keep an eye out for Crodino. If you'd rather stay at home, I highly recommend pairing a Crodino with an episode of White Lotus season two. SALUTI!

Crodino is widely available online and at Italian specialty food shops.

How does Crodino describe their Non-Alcoholic Spritz: If you’d like something different, try Crodino, the non-alcoholic Italian aperitif with a refreshingly intriguing taste. It’s been a part of the Italian lifestyle since the sixties, to be sipped at that time when late afternoon melts into evening. Crodino is a rich infusion of high-quality spices, woods, roots and herbs. It’s full of complex flavours, with a lingering, sparkling bittersweetness.

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