Fruitless Extra Pale

The beer

Gentle bitterness makes Fruitless easy to drink, but it is also the limit of this extra pale ale. The hops supply plenty of fruit character; they give the beer less of the snap that distinguishes the strongest nonalcoholic pale ales. It is a flavorful, convincing glass, with a softer edge than its tropical aroma might suggest.

Mango and pineapple lead the nose, joined by ripe citrus, orange zest and a light resinous note. The beer pours clear golden yellow beneath a modest white head. On drinking, juicy tropical fruit and citrus sit over clean pale malt. There is a touch of sweetness and medium body for the category, enough weight to make the pale-ale shape persuasive. The malt gives the fruit a base, while the restrained bitterness leaves it room. This is an approachable balance, though the hops could bring more bite.

Citrus peel and soft hop bitterness stay briefly after the sip, with a clean, lightly juicy close. That short finish keeps the beer easy-going and gives it little extra complexity at the end. Fruitless delivers its central promise in the glass: plenty of fruit character and a credible pale-ale body. It falls short where the best examples pull ahead, in the sharper bitter edge and more complex finish that would give the next sip a little more interest.