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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
Sweetness
- Bottle 1Off-dry
- Bottle 2Medium-sweet
Declared alcohol
- Bottle 1<0.5%
- Bottle 20.3%
Flavor profile
- Bottle 1Malt, Hops
- Bottle 2Malt, 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
2Hitachino NestMedium-sweet
Body
1Athletic BrewingNot assessed
2Hitachino NestMedium body
Look closer
The full comparison
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Blank and undeclared values are missing evidence. They are not treated as the same.
| Field |
2 Hitachino Nest |
|
|---|---|---|
| Taste | ||
| Score Differs | 82/100 |
81/100 |
| Verdict | Athletic ESB is a limited-release nonalcoholic English-style bitter: smooth and balanced at under 0.5% ABV, sold online only. | 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 | Malt, Toasted grain, Hops |
| Sweetness Differs | Off-dry | Medium-sweet |
| Body Differs | — | Medium body |
| Likeness | — | 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. |
| Alcohol & production | ||
| Alcohol level Differs | <0.5% | 0.3% |
| Product facts | ||
| Origin | Milford, Connecticut, United States | Naka, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan |
| Bottle size | 12 oz serving (Athletic ESB product page) | 330 ml bottle |
| Evidence | ||
| Sources | 9 sources | 4 sources |
| Last verified | 2026-10-20 | 2026-10-04 |