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Find the differences that matter to your glass. Compare flavor, structure, alcohol, and how each bottle was made.
1 Athletic Brewing
ESB (Extra Special Bitter)
82/100
Tasted
Remove Athletic Brewing ESB (Extra Special Bitter)
The short version
Where they differ
Declared alcohol
- Bottle 1<0.5%
- Bottle 2<0.5%
- Bottle 30.3%
Flavor profile
- Bottle 1Malt, Hops
- Bottle 2Fruit, Hops
- Bottle 3Malt, Toasted grain, Hops
Structure, side by side
From our tastings. Each mark shows an assessed level, with the same scale for every bottle.
Sweetness
1Athletic BrewingOff-dry
2Go BrewingNot assessed
3Hitachino NestMedium-sweet
Body
1Athletic BrewingNot assessed
2Go BrewingNot assessed
3Hitachino NestMedium body
Look closer
The full comparison
5 fields match. Differences are marked.
Blank and undeclared values are missing evidence. They are not treated as the same.
| Field |
2 Go Brewing |
3 Hitachino Nest |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Taste | |||
| Record | Tasted | Tasted | Tasted |
| Score Differs | 82/100 |
81/100 |
81/100 |
| Verdict | Athletic ESB is a limited-release nonalcoholic English-style bitter: smooth and balanced at under 0.5% ABV, sold online only. | Muted fruit and hop character leave this hazy IPA short on definition and depth. Drinkable, but the flavor fades without making much of an impression. | Kiuchi brews Hitachino Nest Non Ale from malt and hops to 0.3% ABV. Toasty malt, floral hops, fuller than a supermarket 0.0% lager. |
| Flavor Differs | Malt, Hops | Fruit, Hops | Malt, Toasted grain, Hops |
| Sweetness Differs | Off-dry | — | Medium-sweet |
| Body Differs | — | — | Medium body |
| Likeness | — | The hazy IPA appearance is there, but fruit and hop expression fall short of a complete example of the style. | Clearly beer — malt, hops, and bitterness do the work. Not as hop-loud as a modern nonalcoholic IPA, and it will not replace full-strength Hitachino White Ale. |
| Category | Beer | Beer | Beer |
| Style | — | IPA | — |
| Alcohol & production | |||
| Alcohol level Differs | <0.5% | <0.5% | 0.3% |
| Production | Naturally low alcohol | Naturally low alcohol | Naturally low alcohol |
| Method | Undeclared | Undeclared | Undeclared |
| Product facts | |||
| Origin | Milford, Connecticut, United States | Naperville, Illinois, United States | Naka, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan |
| Price | Under $20 | Under $20 | Under $20 |
| Bottle size | 12 oz serving (Athletic ESB product page) | 12 fl oz can | 330 ml bottle |
| Evidence | |||
| Verification | Producer documented | Producer documented | Producer documented |
| Sources | 9 sources | 4 sources | 4 sources |
| Last verified | 2026-10-20 | 2026-10-13 | 2026-10-04 |