Why You Can Trust CNET A Phone Company Made a Beer and It's Actually Good
Phone manufacturer Nothing brewed a lager, so I got a couple of crates to try. Because journalism.
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The tagline for Nothing's beer is "technically refreshing."
Why has a phone company launched its own branded beer? Good question. Mobile phone maker Nothing, the company that makes the Android Nothing Phone 2 with its flashing lights, partnered with UK brewery Freetime to produce a rice lager. Staying true to the company's minimalist aesthetic, the beer is simply called "beer (5.1%)" and comes in pure white cans with Nothing's dot-matrix style font.
So what's it taste like? It's good. Full flavored, malty and very drinkable. I'm glad I ordered several packs. My favorite thing about it? If someone asks me what I was drinking last night, I can honestly reply "Nothing." It's available only in the UK and in limited quantities, and whether it gets a wider release remains to be seen.
Nothing beer is limited to the UK, but might become available to more countries.
The beer did make me wonder what drinks represent other tech firms. I think Apple could be a vodka that it insists on serving neat, but in time might allow customers to add a slice of lime -- a decision that will get a round of applause at the unveiling. Google, meanwhile, could be a punch bowl, taking ingredient input from all comers. Samsung could be a range of shots -- cheap fruity ones for weekend clubbers and fancier spirits for wealthier adults.
Tie-in drinks aren't new in the tech space. I sort of remember when I taste-tested every single promotional beverage made for the then-upcoming game Cyberpunk 2077.
