Lyre’s American malt
Summary
Drink – Lyre’s American Malt
Type – non-alcoholic bourbon
Alcohol content – 0.0%
Rating– 42/100
Review – Oh dear! This was not a score I expected to give a Lyre’s product as they’ve been so tasty in the past. Then again the previous ones I reviewed were realistic alternatives to their alcoholic equivalents. Bourbon is always going to be a tricky drink to impress given I’ve enjoyed the fiery kick of a whisky neat with some ice or paired with a Coke so when comparing previous memories with American Malt – it just didn’t stack up!
So far I’ve tested out two of Lyre’s alcohol-free spirits, Coffee Originale and Italian Spritz. Both of whom were great alcohol-free spirits, So it was with high anticipation that I tried out Lyre’s American Malt – an alternative to a classic bourbon.
It’s quite interesting to see that alcohol-free whiskies (compared to, for example, a light spirit like a gin) are few and far between, argaubky this is due to the fact that it is extremely challenging to recreate that firery, warm feeling you get from an alcoholic whisky.
So was Lyre’s American Malt a good bourbon alternative or a watered-down whisky? Well, you’ll need to read my review below to find out.
Is Lyre’s American Malt any good?
Taste
To be brutally honest I didn’t enjoy this at all. As mentioned I had pretty high expectations when I opened up this bottle given the previous experience. When I tried it neat, it was like someone had diluted a traditional whisky to an inch of its life. I could tell what Lyre’s were trying to do but I think they have fallen far off the mark. There is simply not enough ‘body’ to this malt drink, especially when compared to their other drinks. When I poured two shots of Malt into a glass with the Coke along with a large pinch of imagination I could almost believe I was drinking a classic whisky and Coke mix but it was still very weak. To be honest I preferred it most when I added it to my black coffee as it made for a weak faux-Irish coffee.
Aroma & Appearance
The aroma given off by Lyre’s Malt had a faint whiff of bourbon but like its taste, it was nowhere near the classic whisky smell. To be honest it didn’t particularly look like a bourbon either.
Bonus points
Similar to other Lyre’s drinks this alcohol-free whisky is suitable for vegans and gluten-free drinkers. It also contains a very low calories count so it’s certainly the healthier (but less peasant) way to enjoy a whisky. Again I like the packaging they have used with a large confederate bear sheriff dominating the label. Availability wise you can find this at a number of supermarkets and online specialists.
Buy Lyre’s American Malt
Lyre’s Malt can be found from a number of supermarkets but is most prevalent from online specialists as well as on Lyre’s own site.
The Dry Drinker is a great allrounder when it comes to alcohol-free drinks with a great range of wines, beers and spirits.
COST (at time of publication) – £17
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) – $36
Key information
– per 30ml
Type – Spirit
Creators – Lyre’s
Country – UK
Alcohol content – 0%
Calories –11
Ingredients –
Water, Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Natural Flavouring, Acidity Regulator (Phosphoric Acid), Preservative: Potassium Sorbate, Stabiliser: Cellulose Gum (E466), Steviol Glycosides.
Vegan friendly? – yes
Gluten-free? – yes
Availability UK / EU – medium
Availability US / CAN – hard
HOW TO MAKE AN ALCOHOL-FREE Old Fashioned
(mocktail recipe found on Lyres.co.uk)
Ingredients
60mL Lyre’s American Malt
5mL white sugar syrup (1:1)
2 dashes aromatic bitters
Method
Stir above ingredients over fresh ice
Add orange peel as garnish
… enjoy 🙂
