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Stiftung Warentest decapitates Störtebeker Foundation.

Germany's beer consumption decreases for alcoholic beer while non-alcoholic beer experiences a surge in popularity, ranging from sweet to bitter, and full-bodied to light options.

SymClub
May 23, 2024
2 min read
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It's not because of the taste that Störtebeker comes off so badly in the test. But ....
It's not because of the taste that Störtebeker comes off so badly in the test. But ....

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Failure of Non-alcoholic Beer - Stiftung Warentest decapitates Störtebeker Foundation.

The testers from Stiftung Warentest (StiWa) sampled twenty non-alcoholic variants of pilsners, lagers, and lager beers. However, they might have actually tasted them or stated, "Maltese beers are mostly commendable, but a handful have unappealing scents with a hint of moldiness, which hinder the overall experience."

The evaluation consists of twelve "good" beers. While others received a satisfactory rating, they were not always compelling taste-wise. However, one particularly failed.

A non-alcoholic beer that falls flat

The Störtebeker, rated "Sufficient," received a score of four - equivalent to a mediocre school grade. StiWa pointed out, "It lacks 'fermentation carbonic acid' from natural fermentation and contains predominantly carbonic acid from fossil sources, conflicting with the German Purity Law."

The German Purity Law forbids beverages, other than water, malt, hops, and yeast; even carbon dioxide from alternative sources. Störtebeker claims to follow this law, but, apparently, it does not.

From "aromatic hops to mustiness"

The tasters were enthusiastic about the aromas and flavors: "Five beers garnered a 2.0 in sensory assessment: Warsteiner, Paulaner, Lidl, Carlsberg, Hacker Pschorr. They exhibit a harmonious combination of hops' aromatic scent or a sweet spicy fragrance."

At the opposite end, less enticing beers were tested: Clausthaler smells musty, whereas Flensburger Pilsner dominantly tastes sweet.

Krombacher earns kudos for its enduring foam, lasting the longest in the test. An upside for all beers: "No unwanted substances were found. Not a single beer contained pesticides." In past tests, this was not the case.

App users may view the beer survey here

And the winner is...

The Warsteiner non-alcoholic pilsner (93 cents per bottle) nabs the top spot in the StiWa ranking. Not far behind is Paulaner Münchner Hell (97 cents a bottle). Discounted options include Lidl Perlbacher (42 cents) and Oettinger (45 cents), both offering significant cost savings.

Despite the chosen non-alcoholic beer, "Avoid drinking beer too cold. 6 to 8 degrees Celsius is the ideal temperature for the perfect balance of refreshment and taste," Stiftung Warentest recommends.

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    Source: symclub.org

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