Lowtide DIPA Toe In

Every beer from Lowtide Brewing Co that we’ve reviewed so far (ok, only two at the moment!) has received scores of 4+ out of 5 on our scale. The folks at Lowtide are really shaking up the alcohol-free beer scene with their offerings that look and taste both authentic and fantastic. Forget those insipid lagers, watery IPAs and ales that are pretty much unfermented wort, the beers Lowtide are producing are works of art and are receiving wide acclaim from industry insiders and AF drinkers alike. And yes, as probably evidenced by the last few sentences, I’m a fan too.

Lowtide’s DIPA Toe In was the company’s first release on the nolo beer market back in October 2020. It’s name is a playful way of referencing their entry into the scene, and also mentioning what type of beer it is, a DIPA. Time again for me to explain yet another beer-related acronym folks! DIPA stands for ‘Double India Pale Ale’, and as you may expect is typically an amped-up IPA. An American creation, as the name may suggest double the amount of hops are used in the brewing process, along with more malt to help the ever-difficult flavour balancing act. A standard DIPA tends to clock in rather high in the ABV scales too, 8% – 9% and more are typical. Usually, the higher the alcohol content of a beer, the more difficult it will be to make a non-alcoholic version that keeps a similar flavour profile. But we’ve had plenty of alcohol-free stouts that manage it, including Lowtide’s own offering, so have they worked their magic here again with the DIPA style?

Pouring out from the 440ml can (hooray!) we get a deep golden colour liquid with good clarity. A huge white fluffy head surges up as we pour, so you have to treat it with some care. The head sticks around during the whole drink, giving some nice lacing down the sides of the glass. On the nose we get hoppy orange citrus, tropical passionfruit and mango, apricot, earthy pine, and quite a bit of malty sweetness. It’s similar to beers typical of the US West Coast.

There’s an initial bitterness on tasting, but this mellows out into something more fruity after a moment. Fruity and floral mandarin citrus and tropical mango are discernible, along with roasted grains, and earthy grass and resin. Although DIPAs are famous for their bitterness, I’d say here it is quite restrained, and there is actually a fair bit of sweetness coming from the malt. The body is great, you can feel the presence of the oats, but the carbonation might be a touch too high. We get a bitter finish to the drink.

A very tasty little ale here, maybe a DIPA in name only, but still enough hops crammed in there to keep me happy. It hasn’t wowed me as much as Lowtide’s other beers so far, but I can certainly see these appearing in my future AF beer orders. As long as the brewer continues to innovate I can see them being a firm fixture in the alcohol-free market in years to come.

Buy Lowtide DIPA Toe In

Lowtide Brewing Co’s beers are mainly available online, and frequently sell out. Best to get your orders in quick and buy online from one of the following drinks shops:

Nutritional Information (per 100ml, taken from the side of the can)
ABV	0.5%
Energy	11 kcal
Fat	<0.1g
Carbohydrates	2.2g
Sugar	<0.1g
Protein	<0.1g
Ingredients
Water, Hops, Yeast, Oats, Rye, Barley
Additional Information
Country of Production	United Kingdom
Brewer	Lowtide Brewing Co – https://www.lowtidebrewingco.com/
Gluten Free?	No
Vegan Friendly?	Yes, according to brewer