:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Best-NA-Beers-FT-MAG-0425-93a9639351ca420398a71e3a61aeb3aa.jpg)
Not long ago, nonalcoholic beer was a punchline. Now it’s part of the mainstream.
But nonalcoholic beer drinkers aren’t always teetotalers. Stats from Nielsen, which tracks shopping habits, reveal that 82 percent of the people who pick up a pint or pack of nonalcoholic beer (legally defined as containing 0.5% alcohol by volume or less) still drink alcohol. They’re simply alternating between beverages, or cutting back.
So despite nonalcoholic beers still accounting for only a tiny slice of overall beer sales (about one percent), one thing is for certain: They’re here to stay, and the quality is only getting better. If you’re taking a break from drinking — for any reason, for any amount of time — here are a few of the best NA beers out there including IPAs, pilsners, lagers, and more.
Food & Wine / Sabrina Tan
Bero Kingston Golden Pils
Food & Wine / BERO
Actor Tom Holland (a.k.a. Spider-Man, among other roles) joined the growing celebrity beverage trend when he launched Bero last year. Holland stopped drinking alcohol in 2022 for Dry January, and, pleased with the how he felt without it, decided to stay sober indefinitely. His Kingston Golden Pils recalls the real deal, with a similar crispness and refreshing finish.
Price: $16 (6-pack)
Athletic Brewing Free Wave Hazy IPA
Food & Wine / Athletic Brewing
Athletic Brewing is by far the largest and most influential producer of nonalcoholic craft beer today. Free Wave, Athletic’s hugely aromatic hazy IPA, manages to capture the citrusy juiciness of Amarillo, Citra, and Mosaic hops with a round mouthfeel that will please even the most dedicated hophead.
Price: $14 (6-pack)
Deschutes Brewery Black Butte Non-Alcoholic
Food & Wine / Deschutes Brewery
This Bend, Oregon-based legacy brewery introduced its first nonalcoholic beer in 2020, and released the nonalcoholic version of its popular Black Butte Porter in 2022. Deschutes patented BrewVo de-alc method helps retain the beer’s medium body, roasty creaminess, and dry, smooth finish. It won gold at the 2024 World Beer Cup in the Non-Alcohol Beer category — a worthy homage to the original.
Price: $14 (6-pack)
Best Day Brewing Electro-Lime
Food & Wine / Best Day Brewing
Through rapid expansion and a growing portfolio, four-year-old Best Day Brewing has quickly made a mark in the nonalcoholic beer world. Its first seasonal release, in summer 2023, was this spin on a light-bodied Mexican-style lager that’s slightly salty with a nice hint of lime. Some natural electrolytes also help you stay refreshed.
Price: $14 (6-pack)
Montauk Brewing Company N.A. IPA
Food & Wine / Montauk Brewing Company
With its orange-and-blue cans giving a hat-tip to the New York Mets, Montauk Brewing Company’s sole nonalcoholic beer is a home run. A blend of Citra, Mosaic, and Cryo hops make this aromatic IPA light, bright, and chock-full of fruit aromas (navel orange, fresh grapefruit).
Price: $18 (6-pack)
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Trail Pass Golden
Food & Wine / Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Sierra Nevada’s Trail Pass Golden is one of six nonalcoholic options made at this groundbreaking craft brewer, and after five years of experimentation to get their process right, they know what they’re doing. Malts, hops, and yeast balance here for a complex, medium-bodied NA beer with lots of bright flavors.
Price: $12 (6-pack)
Firestone Walker Brewing Company 8ZERO5
Food & Wine / Firestone Walker Brewing Company
California-based Firestone Walker 805 blonde ale has been a best-seller since it launched in 2012. 8ZERO5, the NA version that came out in 2024, isn’t quite zero percent alcohol — it’s 0.3% ABV — but it boasts the same easy-drinking quality as the original.
Price: $12 (6-pack)
Brooklyn Brewery Special Effects IPA
Food & Wine / Brooklyn Brewery
Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn’s longtime brewmaster, noted a while back that brewing a nonalcoholic version of a classic West Coast IPA would provide an “alluring technical challenge.” That allure paid off, because his Special Effects IPA is big, bold, and balanced, with that classic West Coast IPA bitterness but without any of the buzz.
Price: $14 (6-pack)
RationAle Brewing Mexican Cerveza
Food & Wine / RationAle Brewing
Fast-growing RationAle jumped on the NA beer train early, and is already the fifth-largest, nonalcoholic, craft-beer company in the United States. Their Mexican Cerveza, a fan favorite, is a little on the sweet side, but remains a refreshing brew, formulated using the patented BrewVo brewing process.
Price: $13 (6-pack)
Guinness 0
Food & Wine / Guinness & Co
Guinness’s ubiquitous stout is loved throughout the world for its smooth, roasty malt flavor and balanced bitterness. The company’s brewers took four years to get the NA version of the iconic brew just right, and the wait was worth it: Guinness 0 maintains the classic foamy head and creamy pour that has kept beer-lovers coming back for generations.
Price: $12 (4-pack)
Bravus Brewing Company Peanut Butter Dark
Food & Wine / Bravus Brewing Company
Hoppy and/or light beers tend to dominate the NA beer market, making Bravus’ Peanut Butter Dark is a welcome alternative for those who prefer a maltier brew. It’s full of rich, chocolatey, nutty flavors, with a velvety mouthfeel that’s as decadent as any full-strength stout out there.
Price: $16 (6-pack)
+ There are no comments
Add yours