Nada IPA - Community Beer Co. Review

It seems strange to admit, but non-alcoholic beers are becoming a staple in the craft beer scene. So many companies offer NA options nowadays from non-alcoholic beers to hop waters. But craft beer is a fast moving industry, and those caught behind the times get left standing. NA offerings have a lot of potential and only seem to be growing in demand and quality as time progresses.

This week, as we discover more NA options, we bring you Community Beer Company’s Nada IPA. This IPA from the team out of Dallas, Texas, won Bronze at the 2022 Great American Beer Festival in the Non-alcoholic category, which is a good place to start for anyone timidly approaching the world of non-alcoholic beers.

Community achieved this award by brewing this beer with modern techniques to reduce the alcohol and pounding it with Mosaic, Sabro, and Simcoe hops to give it an IPA punch. One thing that’s also worth noting about this beer is that it’s only 25 Calories and 5 grams of carbs. That’s really low, even for an NA beer, so it’s ideal for those not only looking to cut the booze, but the calories as well.

Let’s give it a try in our…

First Impressions:

• On the Eyes--Golden and hazy with an unfiltered swirl of hop goodness. Topped with a loose, cream-colored head that diminished quickly.

• On the Nose--Passion fruit with a touch of citrus from the Simcoe and Mosaic hops. The Simcoe is especially prevalent, with the promise of something complex and fruity with a hint of earthy pine. Let’s drink!

• On the Palate--Nada IPA offers a light mouthfeel with a nice effervescence. The tang of the passion fruit in the aroma transfers to the flavor with the accompanying flavors of citrus and pine from the Simcoe and Mosaic together. The Sabro hops come through with some minty and woody flavors that blend well with the fruit and citrus notes. I get some stone fruit (apricot) that could come from any of the hops, and it adds a balancing sweetness to the passion fruit, pine, and citrus. Nada coats the mouth on the way down and finishes quite dry.

Final Thoughts:

The search for an NA beer that is actually good can be a tricky and risky thing. We always like to select something that offers a little hoppiness to combat the flavor prevalent in most NA beers. The blend of Mosaic, Sabro, and Simcoe in this beer offers that. This IPA is quite complex in aroma and flavor and it is very light in the mouth making it an easy drinker anytime of day. It offers little in the way of maltiness, as expected with so few calories, but the hops are on full display in this beer. The passion fruit is expressive and blends well with the citrus, pine, and mint from the rest of the gang.

This beer is great for active people, and those looking to keep the calories in check alongside the alcohol. Community Beer Co. offers many NA options in their Nada lineup, including a Hazy IPA, a Pilsner, and a Bock, and they also have a hop water.

If you’re looking to cut back or slow down, consider giving Community Beer Company’s Nada IPA a try.

Cheers!

Mr. Brew