Big Drop Brewing Co. Galactic Milk Stout

So what do we look for in a stout? Richness, body, depth, weightiness? Typically all of the things that are most difficult to achieve in low-alcohol format.

Big Drop Brewing Co. is one of the more established NoLo-only brewers in the UK, offering a range of <0.5% craft beers ranging from IPAs and Ambers through to Brown Ale and Porter. Rather than brewing using traditional techniques then retrospectively removing the alcohol, Big Drop focuses on blending dozens of speciality gains, including barley, oats and rye, and using low-alcohol fermenting techniques to make drinks which pack the flavour and body of their alcoholic equivalents without alcohol being produced as part of the process.

Galactic Milk Stout is Big Drop's award winning stout. It pours well, with a foamy pale brown head and has enough consistency to leave strong lacing on the glass — both things not often seen in NoLo beers. The colour is rich and near-black. On the nose it's tangy and ferrous with real maltiness and hints of chocolate and cocoa (courtesy of added cocoa nibs).

Whilst a low-alcohol stout is never going to quite match the body of a traditional stout, Galactic does a thoroughly worthy job. It is rich to taste, with a good mouth-feel and lingers long on palate as a good sturdy stout should. It may be lighter than its alcoholic ancestors but it's a well flavoured and highly drinkable alternative. Definitely one to repeat.