CLWB Tropica IPA
Tiny Rebel, based in Newport, Wales, is an interesting brewery. The initial idea for their creation was formed by a couple of guys in 2012 and over the past decade a significant, award-winning brewery has been formed in which CLWB tropica IPA is one of their beers.
This beer is actually a non-alcoholic version of their popular Clwb Tropica (5.5%) which was released over eight years ago. Infusing various tropical fruits (including pineapple, mango and peach) and punchy hops (including Citra and Mosaic), it soon became a Tiny Rebel classic.
The alcohol-free version actually uses the same mixed fruit juices and hop mix as the alcoholic version so expect a fruity and refreshing IPA beer
So, as the only brewery to have won gold, silver and bronze in the Champion Beer of Wales competition is their alcohol-free beer any good? Well, you’ll just need to read my review below to find out.
Is CLWB Tropica IPA any good?
Taste
This was actually a little disappointing. I had in the past enjoyed a glass of alcoholic Tropica so was expecting a fruity, tart, bitter and refreshing drink. You do get hints of fruit flavours with this alcohol-free version but it is nowhere near as bitter and also lacking in malt flavours. Although the carbonation is good this IPA is lacking in body and comes out a bit too limp for my liking. It isn’t terrible but if you’re looking for an alcohol-free IPA you could do a lot better.
Aroma & Appearance
Citrus fruits definitely dominate the aromas when you crack open a can of CLWB Tropica. When poured into the glass you get a reasonably cloudy light amber looking beer with a short frothy head.
Bonus points
Well, it gets a bonus point for the branding, I’ve always liked Tiny Rebel’s gritty, urban street art look. That said this beer is neither vegan friendly nor suitable for gluten-free drinkers. CLWB Tropic alcohol-free is also pretty high in calories compared to other beers I’ve tried. Availability-wise you can find this beer predominantly on alcohol-free specialist sites.
Buy CLWB TROPICA IPA
At the time of writing, you can buy this alcohol-free IPA from a number of online specialists listed below
Wise Bartender is a very well-respected alcohol-free retailer with a great selection of booze-free drinks and an easy-to-use site.
COST (at time of publication) – £2.19
Key information
– per 330ml
Brewery – Tiny Rebel
Country – UK
Alcohol content – 0.5%
Calories – 234
Ingredients – water, barley, wheat, oats, tropical juice, lactose, hops, yeast
Vegan friendly? – no
Gluten-free? – no
Availability – medium
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