Freestar Prime Time Lager

One of the more unusually flavoured lagers out there – think sweet pils with a subnote of tropical bubblegum – Free State is wheat-free, gluten-free and fully alcohol-free (at 0.0%) and suitable for vegans. Free State also takes the not-unusual craft beer-makers’ concern with ethical and eco business practices to a whole new level with a brewing process that produces 90% less CO2, uses 80% less energy and water, and creates 70% less waste than the industry average (or so they claim on the label). We found the strongly tropical nose a mite off-putting when we popped the ring pull but, urged on by the knowledge that this lager was a UK winner at the World Beer Awards, we continued to pour and discovered a drink of some considerable complexity that actually gets better the better you get to know it – the tropical flavours play nicely on the tongue with a drier, biscuity base and a sharpness in the cheeks that’s both unusual and completely refreshing. It won’t be to every taste, but for those with whom it strikes the right note, it could easily be unbeatable.