Decent nonalcoholic beers?

[AmyinMotown]

(this is my first post ever, so please forgive and gently guide me if I make mistakes)

So here I am, eight weeks pregnant, and two of my hometown teams are in playoff mode right now, which likely means some evenings with the sports-fan spouse at our local watering holes to watch both games. Fine with me, but I get tired of drinking water at the bar and wonder if you have suggestions for good nonalcoholic beers? Or, more accurately, ones that don't taste like gym socks. I have tried:

Haake Beck

St. Pauli NA (both not bad)

O Doul's (eh)

Coors Cutter (so bad the memory of it is triggering nausea...must eat some saltines)

None of these are decent enough to have more than one, and most are pretty foul. Also, I would love to hear either fact or opinion on this: why do more micro/craft breweries not set to making a decent nonalcoholic beer? Is it just too difficult to dealcoholize decent beer, or do they figure there's not enough of a market? I went to several wonderful micros while I was in Colorado a few weeks ago and most looked at me like I was crazy for even asking if there was anything they made that I could drink.

[Hest88]

My husband drinks Gerstel--which he gets at Trader Joe's.

[Okbrewer]

Clausthaler isn't too bad.

[Alex]

Welcome to eGullet, Amy. Glad to have another Michigander on board.

The best N.A. beer in general distribution, imho, is Thomasbräu (made by Paulaner). Clausthaler is acceptable, too.

edited for content

Edited April 21, 2004 by Alex (log)

[sylunt1]

Kaliber from what I hear is very good - it is made by Guinness.

[Hest88]

Actually, one of my husband's favorite things about Canada is the abundance of different kinds of good NA beer. That and the Cuban cigars.

Also, Erdinger makes an NA wheat beer that my husband claims is great. Unfortunately, we've never found it sold retail.

Edited April 21, 2004 by Hest88 (log)

[fatmat]

Sadly they don't exist. If you are looking for a malt drink without alcohol, go for Dunns River Supermalt. Tastes great and is good for you.

Bets wishes for you and your little one

[Jason Perlow]

When I lived in Israel in 1990, I used to drink "Malt Star" which is the non-alcoholic version of Gold Star beer produced by Tempo Industries who is a Heineken licensee. I'm not sure if it is easy to find in the US though.

http://www.tempo.co.il/outer/?iid=11

[sparrowgrass]

I second the Kalibur, from Guinness. I bought it by accident (teach me to go to the liquor store without my glasses) and drank a bottle before my son came home and asked me why I was drinking NA beer.

It tasted very good. Also makes a mean pot roast.

[Rich Pawlak]

Klausthaler is decently drinkable when I have tried it.