A few years back, I decided to embark on a complete personal and professional reset after quitting a soul-draining corporate job. Part of the reset included clearing my head and pressing pause on my alcohol intake for a year, which was difficult because I have always enjoyed (and been pretty good at) social drinking.
Non-alcoholic beverage options were dismal at the time. Your only options were a sugary mocktail that costs as much as a fully loaded cocktail or a non-alcoholic beer, which was an O’Douls by default. The latter will forever remind me of a neighbor who rode around drinking O’Douls on a rusty ten speed after stacking up a collection of DUIs and misdemeanors.
Times have changed in the absolute best way for the sober and sober-curious crowd. You no longer earn a scarlet letter in social settings for partaking in something like Dry January—NA beer in particular has become a hot commodity. As of August 2022, NA beer accounted for 85.3% of non-alcoholic beverage sales with a market worth $328.6 million, up almost 20% from the year before.
With this shift in attitude toward the alcohol-free lifestyle, beer has gone all-in on the NA game. Macro and craft breweries alike have stepped into the game, so finding a tasty option is no longer like finding a needle in a haystack. These are some of the breweries making top-notch NA beers across the country.
Location: Wisconsin
The first time I had an Untitled Art Italian Pils was after a winter beer fest, and this beer was a welcome respite from all of the thick, heavy, boozy stouts I’d been sampling. It’s tasty, with a great body and crisp mouthfeel, and it has the head retention of a solid pilsner. If you would have told me it wasn’t NA, I would have believed you. Untitled Art has various creative NA offerings and styles, straying from the usual NA IPA.
Location: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia
BrewDog is all-in on NA. Besides a robust selection of creative and tasty beers, BrewDog also has an impressive monthly NA beer subscription program. The company has even launched a Dry January Survival Kit, which is a next-level commitment to the NA beer segment.
Location: Connecticut, California
Athletic is the NA beer powerhouse. Founded by a day trader and avid athlete-turned-brewery-owner, Athletic boasts one of the largest selection of NA beers with the widest variety of styles.
Location: New York
Brooklyn Brewing’s NA division offers an IPA, an amber ale, and a pils. The beer is nationally distributed, making it fairly easy to find, and Brooklyn offers a mixed case that also includes an NA Hazy IPA. Bottom line: It’s from Brooklyn Brewery, so you know it’s good beer.
Location: Germany
Weihenstephaner has been officially making beer since 1040. That’s a long history of brewing, so it should go without saying that even its single NA offering, a wheat beer, is most excellent. Those old-school German breweries certainly do not mess around.
Location: California
Golden Road has taken its ever popular and successful Mango Cart beer and removed the alcohol to offer a crowd-pleasing NA option. Mango Cart is a refreshing beer that was inspired by the fruit cart vendors in Los Angeles. Pro tip: this is the perfect beer for an NA michelada.
Location: Texas
Free & Easy is Karbach’s first foray into the NA category, and if the success of this beer is any indicator, more non-alcoholic styles might be coming down the pipeline soon.
Location: Connecticut
Non-Alcoholic Juicy IPA from Two Roads is light yet full-bodied, while the NA American IPA offers a clean, crisp bitterness and a piney hop aroma for those who still want the taste of a bold IPA.
Location: California
Bravus has been brewing NA beers since 2015, making them one of the OGs on the block. Besides being among the first to the party, Bravus is putting out some impressive beer. The NA Oatmeal Dark won a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2019.
Location: Maryland
Deepfake is an NA IPA from iconic brewery Flying Dog. Its beer is distributed in over 25 states and is also available through Drizly, so be on the lookout for Deepfake in your area.
Location: Maine
1820 Brewery has 5 NA beers in its lineup, and they each follow a very admirable set of values. The website states that, “From either a personal or communal perspective, we are conscious to our core. From healthier lifestyle choices to sustainability, we strive to make a positive impact on our world.”
Location: Georgia
Mother-turned-founder Emree Woods started Rightside when she was pregnant with her daughter and found herself craving a beer. “There was such a focus on everything [Woods] shouldn’t have, and aside from water and soda, there really weren’t any beverages she could order,” reads the brewery’s About page. “That experience heightened her awareness of the limitations drinks can put on social situations.” Well, now that cool mom is now selling an NA IPA and a Citrus Wheat so others don’t feel so limited.
Location: California
RationAle doesn’t want you to quit drinking, or at least, it’s not designed exclusively for sober people. The company says about itself, “Moderation and inclusion is at the core of who we are as everyone will have their rationale behind choosing to consume..or not at all!” RationAle offers a variety of IPAs and a Mexican lager.
Location: Oregon
Omission was created by Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. in Oregon. It started making and selling gluten-free beers nationwide in 2012 and has since jumped into the NA beer game, offering an IPA and a Golden Ale.
Location: Colorado
Hoplark is a hop tea maker that has two “beer” offerings. These “beers” are made without malts, so they’re not a true beer by definition. Nevertheless, the hops in the drink make it a perfect option for those seeking out an NA beverage with the hop character of beer.
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