Imported Kaliber Non-Alcoholic

I had this a few nights ago with a really nice cut of rare steak, some potatoes, and asparagus.  During this excellent meal, Kaliber tasted almost exactly like a Guinness Stout.  I was in heaven.

Without the meal, drinking it all on its own, is another story.

When you pop the top and take that first sniff, all is well.  It has that familiar and welcoming scent of dark roasted malt and yeast.

Raising it to the lips, taking that first swig, the illusion holds for about 18 seconds.  Maybe.  I think.  Could be that I’m giving it the benefit of the doubt, because the more I think about it, the more it seems like 12 seconds.

There’s a rush of dark toasted malt with strong hints of rye bread.  That part is all good.  Then it fades to a disappointing burnt taste that reminds me of blackened bread crust.  Yeah, you know … been in the toaster too long?  The carbonation is thin and disappears almost instantly, leaving it about as flat as it can be without actually being flat.

All this sounds very negative, and that’s not really fair.  For a non-alcoholic brew, it’s not bad at all.

With a good hearty meal, it’s excellent.