Clausthaler Original

Clausthaler Original by Radeberger is being evaluated as per the 2021 BJCP Guidelines as a Category 2A – International Pale Lager, though this is a non-alcoholic version of this famed brew.

Clausthauer Original is one of the old-school examples of a premium segment non-alcoholic beer, having been brewed since 1979. Brewed to a style approximating a pils or international pale lager, it had a more “European” character when compared to the typical NA beers on the market at that time. While this brew does have aspects of those traditional styles, there is an inherent sweet malty quality that is a bit detracting.

The aroma of this brew is very clean, with light sulfur and a mild sweet cereal note along with a whiff of noble hops in the background. Of course since it is presented in a green bottle, it also has the expected light-struck “Continental Lager aroma”. Appearance-wise, it is quite attractive. The beer is a crystal-clear light yellow-straw color with a very impressive stand of small white-bubble head with fantastic retention and lace. Beautiful!

The flavor is quite clean, but a residual malty sweet character is noted up front, which builds to a rather sweet finish. The aftertaste is pretty much all malt sweetness with extremely subtle hop flavor and bitterness noted. Over time, that sweetness does become a bit cloying. The body is medium-thin but becomes a bit thicker in the finish as the sweetness comes to the fore. The carbonation is moderate.

Overall, this is a clean, somewhat sweet brew that serves as an impressive NA international pale lager. A higher level of hop bitterness would help cut some of that cloying sweet perception in the finish and give a more balanced presentation. However, considering that this is a non-alcoholic offering, this brew is still a very good option for those looking for such a thing.