Heaps Normal – Quiet XPA (0.5% ABV)

A new year has begun, so as is tradition, we are turning their attention to a category that continues to evolve and improve: low ABV beer.

This year we’ll be taking a considered look at a selection of beers from Brulo, Heaps Normal, and a couple of others too.

As always, we’ll be approaching each beer on its own merits, applying the same standards we use across all our reviews; lets keep our fingers crossed as these ones are a little more mainstream than those we usually cover at this time of year.

Name: Quiet XPA (0.5% ABV)

1. Brewery:  Heaps Normal
2. Aroma :Strong tropical tones with a sweet hop undertone.
3. Appearance :  Clear golden in colour, with a thick open white head when poured.
4. Body : Quite thin in the mouth, very high carbonation with okay head retention, which I would expect from this level of carbonation.
5. Taste : Very Sweet to taste, hop forward with a wash of tropical flavours, very clean and refreshing but not incredibly intense in flavours.

This one leans noticeably sweet and hop-forward, with tropical fruit flavours coming through clearly. It drinks more like a fruit-led juice than a traditional beer, although that is not uncommon within the low ABV category. It is clean, refreshing, and easy to enjoy, even if it doesn’t quite reach the same heights as some of the more accomplished low alcohol beers we’ve featured previously.

Our overall rating: 2.8/ 5.0