Free & Easy NA IPA - Karbach Brewing Co. Review
Well, well, well, one of our favorite Texas breweries surprises us once again. Between the heavy and badass beers we love like Hopadillo and Rodeo Clown, and the light and sessionable beers like Love Street and Light Circus, Karbach has squeezed in another mainstay, and it’s not what you might expect.
Free & Easy IPA is filled with Citra, Mosaic, Herkules, Simcoe, and Jester hops, and is balanced with 2-row pale and medium and dark crystal malts. It clocks in at 35 IBUs and only contains 64 calories (Karbachbrewing.com). But its hop and malt line-up are not the surprising parts about it, nor its low calories. What is surprising about this beer is that it is full of flavor and aroma, but no alcohol.This is quite a step away from some of the other brews on Karbach’s line-up, but it is a welcome addition in the ever-changing world of craft brewing.
Let’s sip a little deeper into our first impressions of this NA beer.
First Impressions:
On the Eyes– Deep golden color, clear, with little to no head formation.
On the Nose– The aroma is full of zesty citrus, with some ripe fruit and woody characteristics, likely from the Herkules hops. It has the look and smell of a classic IPA, so let’s see how it tastes.
On the Palate– I get an initial hit of grapefruit, followed by some earthier flavors, maybe from the Herkules hops, of which I also get the slightest touch of menthol, which is quite surprising, but it melds well with the citrus. After the starting rush I get a bit of spice and fruit, which could come from any of the selected hops. It is quite balanced with a medium body. It is effervescent and an easy-drinker that is inviting to all. The hops choices are interesting, but they play together nicely, with a lot of citrus, some earthy characteristics, and just the right amount of fruit sweetness.
Food Pairings: Karbach suggests pairing Free and Easy with roasted chicken, pork chops (we can attest to this!), blackened fish, and afternoon meetings.
Another great NA beer! Free & Easy NA IPA has some classic aroma and flavor with some unique characteristics. It is balanced and smooth and worth a try for those out there that are ‘sober curious.’
Cheers!
Mr. Brew