All the Craft Without the Alcohol - Sober Carpenter

Montreal-based Sober Carpenter has an origin story that starts similar to that of many craft brewers, which is to say it starts with two brothers home brewing in their parents’ basement. Where it led them however, is quite different. After years of exploring and tasting all that craft beer has to offer, they started to look for ways to reduce their alcohol consumption while still being able to enjoy their passion. The discovery that the range of non-alcoholic beers was quite limited, not living up to the quality and flavour of craft beer that they’d grown to love, is what prompted them to create Sober Carpenter, a craft brewery focused entirely on non-alcoholic beer.

Sober Carpenter’s lineup includes an IPA, a Belgian-style White, and an Irish Red. All three contain less than 0.5% alcohol, and 65 calories or less per can.

IPA

The IPA is brewed with a classic combo of Citra, Simcoe and Cascade hops. It pours with some chill haze and a tall fluffy white head. There’s a ton of fresh cut grass on the nose along with some earthiness and sharp citrus aromatics. The palate has notes of lemon zest, giving it a generous zip and a pronounced, pithy bitterness. The earthy notes that were hinted on the nose are reflected on the palate as well, giving it a grassy bite and a slight hint of spice. The carbonation level is high which gives it a tingly body and makes it go down nice and refreshing. It drinks nice and clean throughout with a lingering bitterness. If there was ever a doubt that hop flavour would play at the forefront of a non-alcoholic beer, this IPA would put it to rest. The citrus flavours blending with the grassy and earthy notes make it a very flavourful IPA, and about as light and refreshing as they come.

White

The Belgian style White is brewed with Hallertau Mittlefruh along with bitter orange peel and coriander. The nose is abundant with lemon and orange with phenolic notes of cloves and pepper lingering in the background. The carbonation is expectedly high but manages to drink quite frothy. On the palate, the coriander is very subtle and just adds a nice savoury note. The orange peel gives it a zesty pop. There’s a present bitterness but not nearly as intense as it can sometimes be in low-alcohol beers. The grain bill of toasted wheat, oat flakes and Cara has it drinking nice and clean with a rather smooth mouthfeel which is enhanced by the frothy carbonation.

Irish Red

The Irish Red pours a deep amber with an off-white head. The nose highlights the malt bill with aromatics of sweet caramel alongside black tea and berry candies. The high carbonation gives it quite a light body and makes it drink almost like an Italian soda. The malt character on the palate is delicate and only contributes a nice touch of sweetness with a subtle flavour of caramel. There is a certain earthy, woodsy complexity to it, and there are notes of Rooibos tea around the mid-palate giving it a hint of spice, as well. Mirroring the nose, there is a slight taste of berry candies on the backend. This Irish Red is complex and well-balanced. Since the sweetness is well restrained, I enjoy this more than most red ales.

Lower ABV beers have been on the rise across the craft beer community, with more of a focus on brewing lower alcohol options that don’t compromise on flavour or quality. Sober Carpenter takes it one step further as one of the only non-alcoholic craft breweries in Canada, making non-alcoholic beer that tastes like craft beer.

Healthy drinking habits and attitudes towards alcohol consumption is something we all need to look at and think about more seriously in the craft beer industry. Whatever your reasons for cutting back on your consumption, if you’re looking for a non-alcoholic option that still delivers great craft beer flavour, Sober Carpenter is what you’re looking for.

Article and photography by Nathan Lefebvre.

This is a sponsored post.

Sober Carpenter’s full lineup is available on their online store with free delivery in Canada on orders of 24 cans or more.

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Nathan

Nathan is a craft beer enthusiast from Ottawa, ON. He is the Co-Founder of @TeamLactose, he’s passionate about travelling for beer and he loves talking about beer from Ontario, Quebec and beyond.

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