Partake Brewing Hefeweizen (less than 0.5%)

I make no secret of the fact that I am not a fan of non-alcohol beers, despite having tried by my best estimate in excess of 100 of them. Which is why you shall not see a lot of n/a reviews here, unless it’s something that stands out for some reason, like the Partake Hefeweizen.

Hefeweizen is a style that perhaps lends itself to the non-alcohol treatment more than any other, given its uniquely mild fruit-spicy character. And with just 15 calories and 2 grams of carbohydrates, you can be sure that the flavour and body of this is not bolstered by lactose, as are some ultra-low- and no-alcohol offerings.

The beer pours like any normal hefeweizen, cloudy with a light gold countenance, and offers an aroma that certainly hints at the banana-clove of a traditional example of the style, even if it doesn’t quite get there. On the palate, there is more of that hinting, with a touch of lemony fruit up front and a suggestion of clove and black pepper on the mid-palate, all soft and thin, but refreshing in the unique fashion of a true hefeweizen. The finish grows a bit grainy, but that’s a minor quibble overall.

As with other beers of the non-alcohol variety, I think this is best thought of not as a beer, but as something beer-adjacent. In that context, it may be approached as a drink that looks and acts like a beer in the glass, but has an aroma and flavour that suggests a family resemblance to beer, rather than promising, and not delivering, true beer flavours.

82 (as a non-alcohol beer); 62 (if judged alongside alcohol-containing hefeweizens)

($30/12 pack of 355 ml cans)