Focus on the trend type "non-alcoholic beer" / Best beers come from the brewery Gebr. Maisel and the family brewery M. Ketterer
Non-alcoholic beer is one of the big winners of the last few years (see "Know-how"), the number of available beers on the market is increasing rapidly, and the quality of non-alcoholic beers is climbing to new heights. What used to be an embarrassment has long since become a means of enjoyment.
The jury of Meininger's International Craft Beer Award in April could also see this for themselves when non-alcoholic beers were on the tables. "The range of beer styles within the non-alcoholic category was particularly remarkable," sums up Benjamin Brouër, beer expert at Meininger Verlag and board member of the Craft Beer Award. "From non-alcoholic pale to pilsner, wheat and IPA to Stout, everything was there. It was also remarkable how smaller, creative breweries mastered the technological challenge of a non-alcoholic beer," says Brouër.
The expert jury of beer sommeliers, brewers and other experts from research also set out to find the best bock beers of the spring.
Around 120 beers were put to the critical vote of the experts, and 30 beers ultimately succeeded in winning a medal in the blind tasting. The following beers received special awards as the highest rated representatives of their style:
The title of "Best non-alcoholic beer (bottom-fermented)" goes to the Black Forest, to Hornberg, to the family-owned brewery M. Ketterer, which has been brewing beer since 1877. Their gold medal-winning Ketterer Pils non-alcoholic is characterised by its distinct harmony. A pleasant malt sweetness meets finely tart hop aromas. The tangy freshness ensures a lively, refreshing taste.
The jury awarded a platinum medal and with it the distinction of "Best non-alcoholic beer (top-fermented)" to Maisel's Weisse Alkoholfrei from the brewery Gebr. Maisel, Bayreuth. Once again, the amber-coloured beer was able to convince the professional jury with its spicy-fruity, amazingly aroma-intensive taste. Maisel's Weisse Alkoholfrei had already won a platinum medal in 2019.
Special: The best Bock beers in Spring
“Strong Bock" from the Karlsberg brewery in Homburg, Saarland, also repeated its success. As in 2018 and 2020, the dark bock beer was once again awarded a platinum medal and thus the title of "Bock Beer of the Year". The expert jury particularly liked the harmonious body of caramel and roasted malts, in which fine notes of dried fruits are integrated.
The Privat-Brauerei Zötler from the Allgäu region was awarded the title "Doppelbock of the Year" and a gold medal. Their soft and full-bodied St. Stephansbock convinces with a particularly harmonious combination of dark malt aromas full of coffee and chocolate notes, paired with fine hints of wild berries.
Mareike Hasenbeck, Vorstandsmitglied des Craft Beer Awards und Biersommeliere, und Benjamin Brouer, Redaktion Meiningers Craft - Magazin für Bierkultur, stellen die vier besten Bierspezialitäten der April Verkostung vor:
