Brooklyn Special Effects
DRINK SUMMARY
Name – Special Effects
Producer – Brooklyn Brewery
Type – non-alcoholic lager
Alcohol content – 0.4%
MyDryBar Rating – 72/100
Drink review – Brooklyn Special Effects is top drawer. A flavoursome, characterful, and tasty alcohol-free lager that would suit most food types or be great to just drink by itself.
Brooklyn Special Effects lager is an American alcohol-free lager brewed by the Brooklyn Brewery (originally set up Steve and Tom – two advocates of good quality beer). Since its establishment in the late ‘80s Brooklyn Brewery has gone on to produce some great beers including a new alcohol-free lager – Special Effects.
Officially an American amber Lager, Brooklyn Special Effects uses bottom-fermenting lager yeast to produce a malty and tangy beer with a fruity aroma. To produce a beer with an alcohol content of 0.4% Brooklyn have used a ‘lazy’ yeast which doesn’t produce much alcohol, so they don’t need to remove it manually.
So were the special effects Oscar-winning or one for the Razzies? Well, you’ll just need to read my review below.
Is Brooklyn Special Effects any good?
Taste
As expected, this alcohol-free lager was certainly hoppy. It had a crisp, sharp taste to it with a pleasant fruity tang. The beer wasn’t too carbonated and overall made for a refreshing, tasty beverage. My only gripe would be that it was a bit too sweet (likely due to the pale caramel and dark roasted Munich malt blend); a bitter edge would have helped address the sweetness.
Aroma & Appearance
Brooklyn Special Effects certainly had an intense fruity smell to it. It was a bit like opening a jar of marmalade with the sweet smell of orange rind breaking through. In the glass, it had a dark amber look to it and once poured formed a low frothy head.
Bonus points
Well, Brooklyn Brewery has certainly gone full force with the packaging and branding, creating a distinct and unique look to the beer which helps it stand out against others. This beer is vegan friendly but not gluten free. It is also relatively low in calories compared to other AF beers. Finally it is readily available in both supermarkets and online retailers so you shouldn’t have any issue in finding this beer.
Buy Brooklyn Special Effects
At the time of writing, you can find this beer in a number of supermarkets. You can also find this beer from other alcohol-free specialist retailers.
The Alcohol Free Co has one of the best collections of non-alcoholic drinks online. From wine and beer through to spirits, ciders and CBD I am sure you’ll find what you’re looking for here.
COST (at time of publication) – £2.39
Proof No More is a great new alcohol-free retailer that brings all the latest and greatest beers, spirits and more to your door. Check out their extensive collection of non-alcoholic drinks.
COST (at time of publication) – $2.50
Key information
– per 355ml
Type – lager
Brewery – Brooklyn Brewery
Country – USA
Alcohol content – 0.4%
Calories – 102
Ingredients – water, hops, barley malt
Vegan friendly? – yes
Gluten-free? – no
Availability UK/EU – medium
Availability US/CAN – easy
“Drunkenness is nothing but voluntary madness.”
-Seneca, AD 50 BC
