Northern Monk Holy Hop Water Review: Sabro-Infused (0.0%)

August 29, 2023
By: Audrey Hickey

About the Author

Audrey is the head writer at One Club Sober and has spent the last few years tasting and reviewing different non-alcoholic drinks. She has been sober since 2021, and her favorite non-alcoholic drinks are really hoppy beers, seltzers, and hop teas. You can reach Audrey at audrey@oneclubsober.com

Non-alcoholic beers, wines, and mocktails are great, but hop water remains one of our favorite non-alcoholic drinks. Not only are they just as tasty as IPAs, but they’ve got no calories, no sugar, and no alcohol. That makes them easy to drink any time of the day or night.

Up to this point, we’ve only seen hop water in North America, so we were pretty psyched to find a can in Europe. The hop water in question? Northern Monk’s Sabro-Infused Holy Hop Water.

Check out this Northern Monk Holy Hop Water review to see what we thought of it! Along with our review, you’ll find buying information and answers to FAQs.

What Is Holy Hop Water?

Holy Hop Water is carbonated water infused with hops. With its prominent hop flavors, it’s reminiscent of a light-bodied IPA. The flavor we tried contains Sabro hops, a plant renowned for its fruity and citrusy flavors.

Given the simple recipe, it comes as no surprise that Holy Hop Water has zero calories and zero sugar. Besides that, it contains 0.0% alcohol by volume (ABV).

Unfortunately, Northern Monk doesn’t provide any specific brewing information about this product. However, if it’s anything like the other hop waters we’ve reviewed, then it’s made by infusing carbonated water with hops, and then using brewer’s yeast to make the hop terpenes tastier.

Northern Monk Holy Hop Water

Northern Monk History 

The idea for Northern Monk came about in 2008, but it wasn’t until 2013 that the idea really got off the ground. At that time, co-founder Russ Bisset teamed up with head brewer Brian Dickson. Both shared the dream of opening a brewery in the Northern UK and it wasn’t long before they started homebrewing in Bradford.

In 2014, the pair moved to a proper brewing facility in Leeds. The next year brought Faith, the brewery’s best-selling pale ale. An IPA and a Hazy IPA came next.

Some years later, Northern Monk branched out to low and no-alcohol beers. At the time of this writing, their low/no range features Striding Edge, a 2.8% ABV hazy IPA, Holy Faith, a 0.5% ABV pale ale, and several hop waters (Citra-infused, Citra with mango, and Sabro-infused).

Northern Monk Holy Hop Water Ingredients 

Northern Monk’s Holy Hop Water contains two ingredients: carbonated water and Sabro hops. Thanks to their fruity, citrusy notes, Sabro hops are a common addition to both hop water and beer. More specifically, Sabro hops are known for giving off notes of tangerine, coconut, and tropical fruit.

Holy Hop Water Calories

There are no calories, no sugar, and no carbs in Holy Hop Water. For that reason, it’s a great non-alcoholic drink option for those living with diabetes.

Northern Monk Holy Hop Water Review 

Looks & Aroma

Holy Hop Water pours a clear, slightly yellow color. The carbonation is lively.

On the nose, there are notes of pineapple and mango, something that made Chrystabelle think of a mango soda. It’s not an overly strong aroma, but that’s pretty standard for hop water.

Northern Monk Holy Hop Water Calories and Ingredients

Taste

Mango comes through most strongly on the palate. There’s also a bit of a sodium flavor, likely from the carbonated water. Overall, the flavor is pretty subtle, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Verdict – Is Northern Monk Holy Hop Water Worth It?

Compared to other hop waters that I’ve tried, Holy Hop Water has a pretty subtle flavor. I didn’t mind that, however.  In fact, I usually drink hop water in place of sparkling water and the intensity is similar.

Given the flavor profile and the drinkability, I give Holy Hop Water 4 stars out of 5. I was surprised I liked it as much as I did, especially given that Sabro-infused hop water isn’t usually my favorite (I prefer Citra).

This was Chrystabelle’s first time tasting hop water and she enjoyed it, so we’ll consider that a win as well.

Where to Buy Holy Hop Water?

We purchased our can of Northern Monk Holy Hop Water from Crafter, a craft beer store in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Customers in the UK can purchase Holy Hop Water from Wise Bartender or Amazon UK. There, you’ll find the Sabro hop-infused variety (the one we tried) and the Citra hop with mango flavor.


Other Holy Hop Water FAQs

Where Is Northern Monk Holy Hop Water Brewed?

Northern Monk brews its hop waters and beers in the Holbeck area of Leeds, UK.

Is Holy Hop Water Gluten-Free?

Holy Hop Water is free of barley, rye, and wheat, making it a great gluten-free non-alcoholic drink option.

Related: Ultimate Guide To Gluten-Free Non-Alcoholic Beer

Is Holy Hop Water Alcohol-Free?

Like all of our other favorite hop waters, Holy Hop Water contains 0.0% ABV, making it completely alcohol-free.

Is Holy Hop Water Vegan?

With just two ingredients (carbonated water and Sabro hops), Northern Monk Holy Hop Water is an acceptable drink for vegans.

Related: 22 Best Vegan Non Alcoholic Drinks That Are Ready-To-Drink

If you enjoyed this Northern Monk Holy Hop review, be sure to check out these other hop water articles:

A refreshing and delicious hop water with a great taste profile and drinkability.

About the Author

Audrey is the head writer at One Club Sober and has spent the last few years tasting and reviewing different non-alcoholic drinks. She has been sober since 2021, and her favorite non-alcoholic drinks are really hoppy beers, seltzers, and hop teas. You can reach Audrey at audrey@oneclubsober.com

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