One of the newer segments to the beverage scene is hop water. Basically, these are sparkling beverages infused with hops and other flavorings in various ways. Generally, hop waters are very low or zero calories, often unsweetened, and have a wide range of flavors, but in most, the flavor of hops is dominant. They can be a refreshing alternative to soda, being that the dominant flavor isn’t sweetness from sugar, corn syrup or other artificial sweeteners, and as they are non-alcoholic, they don’t have the “near beer” deficiency because they don’t attempt to impersonate beer in any form. Most are gluten-free as well.
I had tried a couple while dining out recently, but wanted to see what else is out there. Most grocery stores don’t carry a large selection – my local higher-end market, which carries a great variety of local, national and imported beers, only had one hop water, and only available by the single bottle. So I ventured to Total Wine, a big-box beverage retailer, and found a dozen or more varieties. For starters, I picked up four types, two from Michigan and two national brands, and decided to hold a taste test with my son, who happens to be a brewer and beverage hobbyist. It was a blind test for him, but I knew what they were. Here are the results of our informal sampling. All were served at refrigerator temperature.
The taste test
- Thirst Mutilator (Short’s Brewing, Bellaire and Elk Rapids, Mich.) – Hop flavor is there but so is the lemon-lime, which is branded on the can. It tasted like a weak, hoppy Sprite, but we both found it refreshing, and the lemon-lime added interest and some natural sweetness. The variety of hops used in this one isn’t specified on the website, but it’s most likely one that’s abundant in northern Michigan. Thirst Mutilator is also available in a grape variety, which we didn’t try.
- Hop Splash (Sierra Nevada Brewing, Chico, Calif.) – This one had a dominant hop flavor, derived from the Citra and Amarillo hops used in production. The taste was bitter, and we both found it very strong. Brewed with the same water as their beers, it is best enjoyed by someone who savors the raw hop flavor without the elements that compose a traditional beer.
- Hop Drink (Oddside Ales, Grand Haven, Mich.) – “This tastes like newspaper” was my son’s first remark. I thought it had a definite paper taste. We both thought it carried the flavor of beverages aged in wood barrels. The Citra hops are dominant in a slightly sweet sparkle as it is sweetened with Stevia, a zero-calorie naturally-derived sweetener. (Also produced in a blueberry variant, which we did not sample.)
- Hop Refresher (Lagunitas Brewing, Petaluma, Calif.) – We both liked this one best. It’s crisp and clean, very slightly sweet, but without added sweeteners. Dry-hopped with Citra, Centennial and Equinox hops along with a bit of brewer’s yeast, which the brewer says brings out flavors of bubblegum, lemon, lime, tangerine and pine. In addition to the plain variety, Lagunitas makes this one flavored with blood orange and berry-lemon, which we also sampled and found true to their claimed flavors, though very light and not overbearing. Lagunitas also makes a non-alcoholic IPA that’s quite good and which I’ll review in another article.
The Results
Our rankings, of the four sampled, bearing in mind that there are many more we didn’t try:
- Hop Refresher (Lagunitas)
- Thirst Mutilator (Short’s)
- Hop Drink (Oddside)
- Hop Splash (Sierra Nevada)
I’d be interested to try Oddside’s blueberry variant to see if the newspaper taste is still prevalent, but would otherwise not purchase this one again. And Hop Splash is off the list, as I’m looking for something refreshing and not bitter.
If you’ve tried these, or others, leave a comment or contact me and let me know what your preferences are. I’m always looking for new ones to try and I’d like to try your favorite too.