Low Carb, No Alcohol....Not Sleeman's

I must be crazy to initiate my beer blog with a review of a light beer. Light beers usually have no taste and even less alcohol. The only time I ever enjoy a light beer is on a hot, summer day, after some strenuous activity, like a rugby match or a hard session of lawn mowing. The most enjoyable part of these mass produced, watered down oddities is that you can quaff the whole 12oz in two refreshing gulps and then pick a hardier beer from the fridge. The trend to even further water down the beer reached an all time low-point with the "low carb" version of light beer. Isn't all beer really low carb? I mean, come on, who is going to quibble over 10-15 carbs. That sounds pretty low to me. So, I was surprised to see a low carb, light beer, microbrew offering from Canada, Sleeman's Clear. 95 calories, 2.5 grams of carbohydrates, but get this, 4.0% alcohol. Not the standard 2.8% we see in low carb beers, or even the 3.2% we see in light beers. I purchased a six pack and thought I would give it a try with a couple of slices of South Jersey pizza. First taste, damn, it tastes like water. Second taste, no it doesn't, there is something there. Third taste, is that alcohol I taste? Finished bottle. Is that alcohol I feel in my brain? Yes, Sleeman's Clear was surprisingly good and won me over after the first one. My next test was to give a few to my tasteless, low carb beer friends. Guess what? They loved it. But since they are only used to drinking 2.8% alcohol beer, the session became dangerous. Be careful on the uninitiated. If you would like to try a light beer that is low in calorie, but not in taste or alcohol, give Sleeman's Clear a try. You won't be disappointed. For more information visit the Sleeman website at www.sleeman.com or e-mail them at info@sleeman.com .