7 occasions when a Stride 0.5% isotonic beer hits the spot

Team Talk

Stride’s 0.5% ABV means you can crack the ring pull morning or evening and it won’t impair your athletic performance. Heck, enjoy a can with brunch if you like, we’re not judging. But we’d probably recommend heading out for a run afterwards.

As well as providing all the hop-based, thirst-quenching power of regular beer, Stride leaves your head clear, whether it’s swimming in Coniston Water or cycling up Box Hill. It’s also designed for recovery post-exercise, due to its rehydrating isotonic properties.

You may be wondering what an isotonic beer actually is. In short, Stride contains similar concentrations of salt and sugar levels to your blood, so you absorb the liquid quickly, resulting in rapid hydration.

To get the full benefit of Stride’s boost of isotonic goodness, take a can into the great outdoors where you’ll gain the benefits of the beer’s isotonic properties as the amber liquid courses through your veins.

Here are 7 occasions we’d recommend enjoying an ice-cold Stride.

1. During an Instagram-worthy post-surf sunset

What can beat an afternoon spent catching the waves at one of the UK’s premium surfing spots? After hours in the sea, your adrenaline’s spiked, you’ve caught the sun and you’re well and truly parched. Scamper off the sand, grab a Stride from your van, head for the nearest fish and chips takeaway and find a spot atop the dunes.

2. At a cycling café

A Sunday long ride is the perfect way to socialise with friends and clubmates. The obligatory cake stop provides the ideal opportunity to substitute your Americano for a Stride Pale Ale.

Sip it in the sun, knowing that the isotonic properties will provide a much-needed boost for the return leg home. If you’re craving a caffeine hit, simply follow it with a double espresso and you’re primed to lead the group out, super-powered and super-refreshed.

3. At the end of a 26.2-mile trail run

Running long-distance has its own rewards, but often not during the run itself. You’re usually thinking, “Who convinced me this was a good idea?” For most of us, the main reward is the post-run feeling of having done the run.

But knowing that a can of Stride, with condensation beading on the side (like in a big-budget ad campaign we don’t have the budget for), is chilling patiently for you in the fridge helps to get you through mile 22 onwards when your legs are as weak as wafer-thin ham.

Knowing that first sip not only tastes like a piece of hop-based heaven but also the beer is rehydrating rather than dehydrating you is an added bonus. So don’t reach for that bottle of sickly-sweet energy drink next time you’ve finished a long-distance run – cut through the sweetness and grab a Stride instead. Added bonus: it’s only around 40 calories per 330ml.

4. In the middle of an open-water lake swim

A midday swim in one of the UK’s great lakes is hard to beat. Not only is open-water swimming proven to help with a gradual reduction in the symptoms of depression, but also if you bring a few cans of Stride, you can swim to the shore, rest and re energise while you drink a cold one, then head back in, full of beans and rehydrated.

5. On an all-day mountain bike ride

Sure, you’ll need the essentials: spare tube, puncture kit, pump, multi-tool, jacket, but once they’re packed we recommend ensuring you leave enough room to squeeze in a can of Stride.

Then, when you’ve choked out a lung at the summit of the ride’s highest point, you can kick back at the viewpoint while enjoying your Stride and soaking up the wilderness, knowing that it’s downhill all the way back.

6. After hiking to the highest point in your county

Here’s a Stride-based challenge for you: locate the highest point in your county, then plan a hike up it. Great if you live in Norfolk, perhaps not so good if you live in Cumbria.

The key to this challenge is – yep, you guessed it – bringing a few cans of Stride with you on the journey. A fine way to see somewhere new while enjoying a much-deserved beer.

7. After a tough HIIT session

Whether it’s in your local gym or in your living room, it’s rare not to be aching all over after sweating your way through an all-body HIIT session.

Once you’ve peeled yourself off the floor, bypass the blender and the usual nut butter-oat-milk-based protein smoothie. Instead, open the fridge and bask in the glow of a Stride Pale Lager for hydration and mineral restoration.

Additionally, the hops’ polyphenol properties – boosted by the low-alcohol levels, means it has less diuretic properties – help your muscles actively recover, meaning the DOMS won’t be quite so bad the next day.