Aldi's Worst Beer Is Missing One Standard Brew Feature

Compared to most major grocery stores with beer selections, Aldi's stock of beers is relatively small. The German-born bargain grocery store does offer a unique, German-centric beer selection at characteristically cheap prices. But does a cheap price and unconventional types of beer make Aldi's beers worth buying? Not always. We tasted and ranked the 9 Aldi beers available and found that the worst option is missing a standard brew feature: effervescence.

We ranked Locken's Tropical Pineapple Kolsch beer last on the list in large part because it lacks effervescence. Kolsch is a type of beer from Germany that is brewed like a lager but tastes like a more complex ale. Kolsch is unique in that it is brewed exclusively in Cologne by brewers who have stated a strict set of characteristics like a light hue, bright flavor profile, and a bitter hoppy finish.

Locken's Tropical Pineapple Kolsch only lived up to a few of these characteristics, namely the bright flavor and color. However, it lacked many of the characteristics that make Kolsch actually taste like a beer. We detected malty, yeasty notes and sweetness with the slightest hint of hops from the brewing ingredients. But the subtlety of the beer's notes were completely overwhelmed by the intensity of the pineapple. Most disappointing of all was a complete absence of bubbles. Kolsh is a summer beer, and there's nothing more refreshing than that crisp, carbonated finish. If you love pineapple, this beer is tolerable. Then again, you might as well buy pineapple juice.

Locken's Tropical Pineapple Kolsch got favorable to mixed reviews on Untappd and Reddit, with most drinkers likening it to a fruity cider or "piña colada beer." A review on Beer Advocate mirrored our sentiments by saying, "The aroma is slightly overshadowed by the fruit, the delicate taste of the beer is similarly dirtied." Others still thought the pineapple Kolsch was drinkable and thirst-quenching on a summer day. But if you want a better beer to drink in the summer, lagers, Mexican lagers, and session IPAs are classic summertime beers that appear on Aldi shelves. We ranked the Hopping Nomad Session IPA as our second favorite Aldi beer. You can pick up some snacks to pair with a summery beer at Aldi while you're at it — we ranked Clancy's Pub-Style seasoned pretzels as the best salty snack you can buy at Aldi.

If you want to take a chance on the Pineapple Kolsch, a tropical beer would pair well with Aldi's plantain chips, tortilla chips, and corn dippers, all of which were among our favorite snacks. The pineapple-forward kolsch would also pair well with grilled fish and light, refreshing summer salads. That said, you should make sure your local Aldi sells beer at all, as not all states allow it.