The Big Drop Pale Ale is one of the very first non-alcoholic beers I tried and it is my go-to beer that I “accidentally on purpose” leave behind when visiting friends for them to drink when nobody is watching! Spoiler alert, they all love it.
The Big Drop Pale Ale earns an 8.5/10 with a hop led profile built around resin-based freshness and a bold bitter finish that is indicative of a traditional English Pale Ale. The hop-forward profile sits atop of a light malty base that brings balance to the beer and adds weight to an otherwise mid-level of body.
Key Takeaways
| ABV: | <0.5% |
| Style | Pale Ale |
| Calories: | 61 calories per can |
| Colour: | Orange & Golden |
| Main Notes: | Resin-based Freshness. |
| Cost: | $12 – $15 |
| Rating: | 8.5 / 10 |
READ THE FULL REVIEW BELOW
Big Drop Pale Ale Taste & Aroma
If you’re anything like me, as soon as you open a can of the Pale Ale from Big Drop Brewing, you’re going to get an ear-to-ear smile as a fresh Pale Ale aroma rockets up and out of the can, when that lands you know you’re in business.
The taste profile of the Big Drop Pale Ale picks up where the aroma profile leaves off and each glass will treat your tastebuds to:
- lightly sweet malty backbone
- lots of resin-based hops that are fresh and clean
- bold and prominent lingering bitterness
- mid-level of carbonation that will see lots of small bubbles in your glass.
Once poured in a glass you’re going to find the Pale Ale variant from Big Drop Brewing has a loose netted head that dissipates within a couple of minutes of pouring. Additionally, it is gold in colour with a lightly hazy orange tinge.
|
What I Like |
Things to Consider |
| The bitterness is something I really enjoyed in this beer, as it added to the ‘enjoy it slowly’ factor. | The body may be a little lighter than what you are used to, particularly if this is your first foray into non-alcoholic beer. |
| Resin-based freshness is a winner for me, it is prominent and clean. |
Big Drop Pale Ale Stockists.
The Big Drop Pale Ale has a wide distribution across Australia, the UK and the US just to name a few locations. If you’re in Australia you will be able to find this in Dan Murphy’s, BWS, Liquorland and almost anywhere else you turn.
If you are looking online, your Australian based options will lead you to:
If you are part of the UK or USA team, I have you covered too! In the UK Amazon store serves the market well with a great range available online, alternatively your supermarkets like Morrisons and Sainsbury’s to help you pick it up on the run.
If you are USA based, the power of Amazon’s distribution coupled with its range makes it an easy place to pick up a 4-pack. Check the price now over in the US store!
Who Would Enjoy the Big Drop Pale Ale?
Are you a beer drinker who enjoys a hop based and fresh profiled beer? What about a bitter finish that lingers between mouthfuls? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you’re in the right spot!
Before writing this Big Drop Pale Ale review, I spoke to Rob Fink the CEO and Co-Founder of Big Drop Brewing on the Non-Alcoholic Drinks Podcast, and we spoke about the whole Big Drop Range, take a listen to get an idea of exactly what the man behind the beer has to say about the range.
If you’re looking to drink this alongside some alternatives to compare flavour profiles, I’ve dropped a couple down below for you to read through my reviews.
Big Drop Pale Ale Calories
Each can of Big Drop Pale Ale has only 61 Calories per can and 7.8 grams of sugar. This equals out at 18.5 calories and less than 2.1 grams of sugar per 100ml. This sees the Big Drop come in right on the average I found when I reviewed almost 40 non-alcoholic beers for sugar and calorie levels.
If you want to look into the full calorie and nutrition information the complete table is down below – all in all, the numbers mean happy days where you can drink can-after-can-after can!
|
Avg Quantity |
Avg Quantity |
|
| Energy | 295kJ 69.3 Cal |
79.8 kJ |
| Protein |
0.8 g |
0.2 g |
| Fat, total |
0.1 g |
0.1 g |
| — saturated |
0.1 g |
0.1 g |
| Carbs |
13.5 g |
3.7 g |
| — sugars |
8.2 g |
< 2.2 g |
| Sodium |
0.2 mg |
< 0.1 mg |
When To Drink The Big Drop Pale Ale
I’ve been drinking the zero alcohol beer range from Big Drop for quite a while and if we’re looking at the Pale Ale, well over a year at the time I’m giving you an update on this beer.
Over the course of a year, I have enjoyed the Big Drop Pale Ale in almost every situation you can think of:
- Release from COVID lockdown beers in the park;
- Watching cricket, football, F1 racing;
- Spicy winter dinners;
- Friday night takeaway fish and chips or pho; and
- Rich roast dinners
The list above shows how versatile this beer is and it will do well anywhere you’re looking for a sessionable beer.
While this beer is good out of the can, it is really elevated to the next level when it is dropped into some great glassware. If you have read my content or watched any of it over on YouTube you’ll know that I am a big fan of, well priced and great quality glassware as it really takes non-alcoholic beer to flavour levels that rival and often exceeds traditional alcoholic beer.
The glassware that ticks all the boxes for me is the Spiegelau Craft Tasting Kit that I picked up in early 2020 and have been using ever since! I’ll make a video about how these glasses operate so you can see them in the flesh.
However if you’re interested in getting your hands on a pack or helping your non-alcoholic beer reach its full potential, check out the price of the kit over on Amazon AU (UK Links here and USA Links here).
The Wrap Up: Final Thoughts
The fact this beer is still selling as prominently today as it did back when it launched (although the Paradiso Citra IPA from Big Drop is hot on its heels) is a true testament to the skill, care and development that has gone into the flavour development.
The result is going to be a beer that you’re going to enjoy in any situation, and it will give you great flavour and depth that will leave your friends asking whether it has alcohol in it. For all the reasons mentioned above, it lands itself an 8.5/10 and is really a great option to add to your regular rotation of non-alcoholic beers.
If you’re looking to get a hold of a 4-pack, take a look at the links below and get your hands on a few today.
Australia:
UK & USA:
