Sierra Nevada “Trail Pass” Non-Alcoholic Beer: Tasting All 4 Flavors

Sierra Nevada Brewing, one of America’s most respected craft beer names, has built out a full non-alcoholic lineup under the “Trail Pass” name. We tasted all four beers in the variety pack — HAZY IPA, BREWVEZA, JUICY IPA, and Golden — breaking down each one by appearance, aroma, taste, mouthfeel, and finish. If you’re not sure which one to grab first, here’s a type-by-type guide.

Tasting Notes

① Trail Pass HAZY IPA

A hazy IPA brewed with Mosaic and El Dorado hops. It’s a newer addition to the Trail Pass lineup, and of the four, it’s the one that feels most like “real beer.”

• Appearance: Golden with the characteristic haze of the style.
• Aroma: Juicy, fruit-forward hop character from the Mosaic and El Dorado hops.
• Taste: A nice balance of fruity notes and hop bitterness — genuinely IPA-like, even without the alcohol.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, true to the hazy IPA style.
• Finish: Bitterness lingers just enough to feel satisfying.
• Overall: The one most likely to win over craft beer fans. A great fit for outdoor settings, and our personal favorite of the tasting.

② Trail Pass BREWVEZA

A crisp, clean, easy-drinking style built for laid-back moments — the beach, a bike trail, or just hanging out in the backyard.

• Appearance: Clear and pale.
• Aroma: Bright, lime-forward notes.
• Taste: Light and uncomplicated — nothing to overthink here.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and easy to drink one after another.
• Finish: Crisp and refreshing.
• Overall: The most casual of the four. Perfect for warm-weather drinking or pairing loosely with food.

③ Trail Pass JUICY IPA

A juicy IPA with hop aromatics that lean tropical — think passionfruit — and noticeably lower bitterness.

• Appearance: Bright and vivid, typical of the juicy IPA style.
• Aroma: Tropical fruit and passionfruit-forward hop aroma.
• Taste: Fruit-driven, with bitterness kept well in the background.
• Mouthfeel: Smooth and a touch lighter than the Hazy IPA.
• Finish: Clean, with minimal lingering bitterness.
• Overall: A gentler alternative to the Hazy IPA for anyone who finds IPA bitterness a bit much. Great for a relaxed, sunny afternoon.

④ Trail Pass Golden

The lineup’s classic golden ale — fruity aromatics, floral notes, and a smooth malt sweetness.

• Appearance: Clear, bright gold.
• Aroma: Fruity with floral highlights.
• Taste: Smooth malt sweetness with a light overall profile.
• Mouthfeel: Clean and light — a profile familiar to fans of Japanese-style lagers.
• Finish: Short and crisp.
• Overall: Despite its clean, easy-drinking profile, it keeps the aromatic character you’d expect from a craft beer. A great entry point if you’re new to non-alcoholic beer.

Which One Should You Try? A Quick Guide

Tasting all four side by side made it clear just how different each one is, despite sharing the same Trail Pass name.

If you want…	Try…	Why
A true beer-like body and bitterness	HAZY IPA	Great balance of fruity aroma and hop bitterness
Something light and casual	BREWVEZA	Lime-forward and refreshingly crisp
Big aroma, low bitterness	JUICY IPA	Tropical hop character leads, bitterness stays light
A gentle introduction to NA beer	Golden	Clean, easy-drinking, approachable

Comment

Non-alcoholic beer isn’t just a substitute for the nights you’re not drinking — it’s becoming something worth choosing on its own terms. Lineups like Trail Pass show just how much craft and character can go into a beer with virtually no alcohol.

Whether it’s before driving, after a long day, or simply when you’re in the mood for something different, non-alcoholic beer fits into almost any moment. Don’t think of it as a compromise — pick one the same way you’d pick any other beer, based on what actually sounds good to you.

At ANY HOUR, we’ll keep exploring the world of craft non-alcoholic beer. If anything here caught your eye, we hope you’ll give it a try.