Malta India

Very sweet. Shockingly sweet for a non-alcoholic malt beverage! I go back and forth on whether to call non-alcoholic malt based beverages like this "malt sodas" or "near beers". While brands like Athletic definitely have me side with the "near beer" side of things, this is a prime example of the complete opposite end of that spectrum. A distinct grain flavor profile is definintely present but strongly overwhelmed by the sugar. The finish is all grain and surprisingly long but benefits from a good sweetener choice. The best contintenal US cultural comparison I can come up with would be to soak Cheerios in simple syrup and then strain away all the solids. If that sounds interesting, you should give this is a try. If that idea repulses you (and I imagine it will repulse many, if not most) you can probably give this one a miss. Ok.

Purchased at Tim and Tom's Speedy Market.