Love, Sweat, and Beers

So much to say, so little time!  I was actually going to write about pregnancy acne today, but I totally scrapped the idea… at least for now.  (1) I don’t want to overload you all on preggo problems. (2) It’s pretty emotional for me, and I’m not so sure I’m ready to share yet.  Trust me, I’ll share at least a little something in the coming days/weeks/months, but I’m not there just now.

Of course that didn’t leave me thoughtless.  Today’s Thursday thoughts turned to beer.  Hmmm… haven’t done a Thirsty Thursday post in a while, eh?

Don’t worry, I’m not reaching for hoppy IPAs, hearty porters, or even light lagers.  Nope, today I’m highlighting three non-alcoholic brews.  These three are the only ones I’ve tried so far, and I haven’t had very many of them.  Nevertheless, sometimes a girl just needs a beer.

1. Kaliber, by Guinness Ltd. – This beer is brewed by the folks at Guinness, but as you can see from the photo, it’s nothing like it’s dark cousin.  Though I’d heard good things about this beer, I was NOT a fan.  It has a sickeningly sweet taste to it, which sort of reminds me of that Bud Light aftertaste I hate so much – except Kaliber’s worse.  I assume it’s just a bit heavy on caramalt, but for whatever reason, it just seems a bit artificial. I’m not surprised this one has poor reviews on Beer Advocate.

2. Gerstel Non Alcoholic, by Privatbrauerei Eichbaum GmbH & Co. KG – I had much better luck with this beer.  I picked it up at Trader Joe’s, and I might even buy it again some time.  The flavor is incredibly mild, but it still taste like… gasp… beer!  This German brew is perfect in its simplicity. The brewers made it in compliance with the German Purity Laws, and that’s apparent. Don’t get me wrong; it’s not Weihenstephaner, Paulaner, or other “real” German beer.  However, it is what it is, and I say it’s good on a porch on a hot day.

3. Buckler, by Heineken Nederland BV – This is my favorite so far.  In fact, I would buy this pre-pregnancy when I saw the designated driver for the night. Kevin once pulled one out of the fridge and asked what I thought. I told him it tasted like a Heineken (side note: I’m not a fan of Heineken, but even “meh” beer is often better than no beer).  He proceeded to read the bottle and told me it was made by the folks at Heineken.  Yeah… I guess I’m just awesome like that. I’ve been lucky enough to find this one at a few restaurants, so I expect I’ll be having this again.

Old pic of me n’ my Buckler

So what’s next?  I still want to try St. Pauli Girl NA, O’Douls, and Becks NA, so check back for those.

I have to admit though, I really haven’t wanted much beer.  Of course, when you feel hungover for your first trimester, you really don’t miss booze.  Even now that I’m feeling better, I usually just go for water or a natural sparkling flavored water.  Nevertheless, sometimes you’re porch sittin’, and porch sittin’ often calls for a brewski!

• Ever tried an NA beer?  How about NA wine?
• I may continue these NA Thirsty Thursday posts with mocktails and such, interested?