Brew Review: Mateveza Organic Black Lager

Why haven’t natural “energy + alcohol” products received more attention?

One of the trends that has bothered me most over the last few years is the massive profusion of outrageously-flavored artificial-ingredient-packed energy drinks — even among responsible, generally-sustainability-aware young adults.

The best alternative I’ve found is MateVeza, which is great organic beer, brewed with Yerba Mate, a naturally caffeinated coffee-alternative. Although it’s finally becoming available in some Whole Foods and other “greenie” grocery stores, MateVeza is still mostly a California/west coast phenomenon. But based on the product itself, I can’t see why.

Although I’ve tried other types of MateVeza, I have to say the Black Lager is my favorite. I’m generally a fan of anything dark, with rich overtones — a good porter is right in my wheelhouse, and this one doesn’t disappoint. It was lighter in my stomach than I expected, but still pleasantly rich and complex to the taste buds. However, I’m not much of a beer quality expert; for that, head over to their site and look at other, more professional reviews.