Rodeo NA Beer - Shiner Review
Coming into a Dry January, we pray for the best: the courage to stay strong under the weight of the difficult task, and the fortune to find some tasty NA beers when those cravings dare to strike us down. Luckily, for the modern beer drinker, NA beers (good ones) are becoming more common with expert brewers taking on the task.
This Dry January we’re looking at Shiner’s Rodeo Non-alcoholic beer. Shiner is a Texas staple, and known all over for its history and iconic beers like Shiner Bock, but in 2023 they introduced their Rodeo NA, which they describe as a “golden brew [with] the crisp malt taste and subtle hop finish of a classic American Lager.”
Honestly, the lager route is a great way to go for an NA beer, especially if they nail it. Let’s see how they did in our first impressions.
First Impressions:
On the Eyes--Straw-colored and clear as a spring day with little cloud cover, or, rather, little head formation.
On the Nose--Malty with the slightest touch of hop spice. Smells of a lager, without a doubt.
On the Palate--Crisp and malty right off the bat with a pinch of hop spice but almost no bitterness. Medium-bodied and very light in the mouth. It coats the mouth as many Shiner beers do but there is no lingering bitterness beyond the clean finish. After a few sips the hoppiness is lost to the gentle, sweet malt, but the beer remains light and palatable.
Final Thoughts:
Rodeo is reminiscent of many lager-style non-alcoholic beers, but Shiner does a decent job of keeping that ubiquitous NA flavor away. Honestly, I’m curious about their NA brewing process, but I am a total nerd. Anyway, if you’re looking for a light beer to have with a mess of nachos or to cut the fat of a greasy burger, this is your NA beer. If you’re looking for something heavier on the malt and hops, Rodeo is not for you.
Overall, Rodeo’s greatest attribute is its crisp flavor and sessionability. And it’s pretty great to drink an NA beer that was brewed right down the road from us. Rodeo is a great midweek craving buster, or a dedicated Dry January companion.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew