Beer Drinking Day: The Search for Beer That Doesn't Taste Like Beer

Yesterday was National Drink Beer Day, a great holiday for all of those beer-loving folks. Not so great for those of us who can't stand the taste of the stuff. However, today seemed to be a good day to continue my quest to find beer that doesn't taste like beer. So, I gathered up my group of friends and we went to our favorite local pub, Jackie O's. Fortunately for us, Jackie O's has platter so you can sample several things without spending a fortune. We looked through their ample offerings, and choose the ones that sounded most appealing. 

1. C.S.A.ISON
This wasn't very bitter and I found it relatively drinkable, though it definitely tasted like beer. I probably wouldn't want an entire glass of the stuff, but there are worse things yet to come. 

2. Razz Wheat
I didn't hate this, but it makes the mistake so many drinks do. It mixes fruit and beer and tastes much more like beer than the fruit. So, what you get is the taste of fruit diluted by beer. Not my first choice, but it wasn't bad. However, unlike many other beers that claim to have the taste of fruit and don't (I'm talking about you paw paw beer) this did at least live up to its claim. 

3. Mystic Mama
Oh, Mystic Mama, she is a harsh mistress. If you don't like beer, DO NOT DRINK THIS. I REPEAT, DO NOT DRINK THIS. This beer tries to lure you in with it's oh so sweet, succulent smell. Unfortunately, it tastes nothing like it smells. It is very bitter and reeks of all that I hate in beer. 

4. Imperial Razz
This beer was okay, but a bit bitter. It did have more of a rasberry flavor that the Razz Wheat, but the bitterness distracted from this. I ended up liking the Razz Wheat a bit more. 

5. Chomolungma
Despite it being the darkest of the bunch, this wasn't as bad as I expected. It does have the typical beer taste one would expect, but it wasn't very bitter. I don't think I could drink an entire glass of it, but I also didn't think it was the worst tasting thing out there. 

6. Waka Waka Waka
This must be Mystic Mama's older sister. It packs even more of a bitter punch with hints of a decent flavor. It plays a cruel trick as you sip it. First you are hit with the same awful taste of Mystic Mama, then for a mere half-second it is delicious, and then it comes back for the kill. The faint hint of something sweet, makes it so much more bitter. I do not recommend this. 

7. Southern Tier Plum Noir
I wasn't a fan of this, but I think other beer-hating people may like it. It did actually taste more like plum than beer, I just didn't like the plum taste either. Nonetheless, I would recommend trying it. 

8. B. Nektar Necromangocon
We managed to save the best for last. This tasted nothing like beer and was absolutely delicious. If you like wine, you will like this. It was fairly sweet and fruity. This was the only one I wanted to finish and I will definitely be buying it again. 

After our sampling session, we stopped at few other places and I tried a few more (and I am glad I did!)

9. Redds Apple Ale

Unlike many of the ciders I have tried that still tend to taste of beer, this tasted like sweet apple juice. It was delicious and I may have lost track of how many of these I had last night. If you are like me and hate beer, go drink this!

10. Blue Moon

This was...eh. I may have liked this even less if I hadn't already had several of the Redds Apple at this point. It tastes like your typical light beer. 

11. Redds Strawberry Ale

Despite my newfound love of Redds Apple Ale, I was hesitant to try this. Strawberry beer just doesn't make sense. Boy was I wrong. While I still prefer apple, this could be a good stand in. Like the apple, it also has no hint of beer and is very drinkable. I would recommend trying either of them. 

Well, that rounds up my taste test. I hope you find something new to try and if you only go for one, definitely go with the Necromangocon.