Review: Doom Bar Zero, by Sharp’s
Review: Doom Bar Zero, by Sharp’s
By Rosie Alderson
The upshot:
A 0.0% alcohol amber ale from Cornish brewers, Sharp’s.
Although lacking real complexity or body, it overflows with roasted malt-yness.
Potentially a decent pairing with roasted or barbecued meats.
The rather ominously named, ‘Doom Bar’ amber ale is named after the treacherous sandbank, found in Rock, Cornwall, which is also the home of its maker, Sharp’s Brewery.
Founded in 1994, Doom Bar amber ale is Sharp’s most famous offering, and (according to their website) is the no.1 cask ale in the UK.
The alcohol-free version, Doom Bar Zero, was launched back in the summer of 2020.
Beer style: Doom Bar Zero
Doom Bar Zero (and its alcoholic equivalent, Doom Bar) are classed as ‘amber ales’.
Sounds charming. But what makes an ale ‘amber’, or indeed, an ‘ale’ in the first place?
An ‘ale’ is a type of beer that’s been brewed with a type of yeast that does its magic higher up in the fermenting container (aka ‘top fermenting yeast’). Ales are also distinguished from other beer styles (such as lager) by their relatively warm fermentation temperature.
‘Amber’ ales are one member of the wider ‘pale ale family’, which is a beer style characterised by the use of pale malt and hops. Pale ales are often referred to as ‘bitters’, so you might’ve heard both terms used before now.
Much of the bitterness in an ale comes from the use of hops. ‘Hops’ are the flowers from the hop plant, Humulus lupulus and their distinctive flavours can either be the main feature of a beer or can be used to balance out other features, such as sweetness from the use of malt.
Not quite as pungent as their pale ale siblings the IPAs (Indian Pale Ales), but with more herbal bitterness than fellow family members the ‘light bitters’, amber ales occupy a pleasing position on the ‘hoppy-ness’ scale. Amber ale brewers also use specific types of malts to give them their distinctive and inviting bunt-caramel colour.
Tasting the beer
Now we’ve explored where our ‘amber ale’ fits into the beer universe, let’s take a swig of a freshly chilled bottle of Doom Bar Zero and see what it tastes like.
My husband, James, decided he’d like to come along for the ride too (no surprises there).
Appearance
Dark amber, almost brown. Very clear, good amount of carbonation and, with the right pour, a pretty nice head. All in all, what you’d expect from a decent amber ale.
Smell and taste
The smell of this amber ale surprised me. When taking my first sniff, I was hit with a strange ‘sweet metallic’ aroma. I wasn’t a fan. For context, this sharp (and unwelcome) scent isn’t in league with the soft iron undertones of a good Irish stout and is not as detectable in the alcoholic version of Doom Bar.
James, my husband, seemed less offended by these metallic overtones but still agreed it had had a definite ‘sharp’ aroma.
Pungent sharpness aside, we could both smell a huge hit of roasted malt sweetness and (although it takes a bit of searching) some of the advertised ‘spicy resinous hop’.
Upon tasting, the flavours of sweet malt completely dominated, and unfortunately, drowned out any hints of bitter, aromatic hops. Doom Bar Zero seemed a lot less balanced than its alcoholic counterpart which, although sweet, has enough citrusy hoppiness to create a more well-rounded experience.
Mouthfeel and aftertaste
The level of carbonation is a plus—it adds a refreshing note to this ale and helps soften the overall biscuity sweetness.
Despite this, James and I agreed that the overall texture of Doom Bar Zero is disappointing—thin and watery and lacking in any real body. I’ve heard others talk about a less than pleasant ‘organic’ aftertaste from this beer and have to agree—it makes for an underwhelming finish.
Doom Bar Zero: The Verdict
We didn’t really enjoy this one, and both felt it was a rather disappointing imitation of its alcoholic counterpart.
However, this beer certainly packs a punch when it comes to malty aroma and has pretty good carbonation. So if you have a sweet tooth, or are looking for something to go with a hearty roast dinner, it might just be worth a try.