Updated on Sep. 01, 2024
Whether it's an IPA or a sour, the best non-alcoholic beer offers crisp or complex flavors, detectable hops and next to no alcohol. Here are our favorite picks, tested and reviewed by a beverage expert.
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Dry January’s recent popularity brought the topic of sobriety to the forefront of the beverage market. For the first time, we’re seeing younger generations eschewing malted beverages altogether in favor of non-alcoholic options like hop water, probiotic sodas and—of course—the best non-alcoholic beer.
Non-alcoholic beer expert and founder of the NA Beer Club Mark Ruf says this is likely due to a higher awareness of their actions and potential consequences. He notes that in 2024, drunken decisions are being captured on camera for all to see, so the younger generations may simply want to avoid the exposure. In addition, the effects of alcohol are now more widely understood than ever before, especially with a recent societal focus on mental health.
“[Young people] may be more aware of when they experience feelings of anxiousness or depression. They may recognize that these feelings appear more often after consuming alcohol and decide to just drink less in order to feel more mentally healthy,” he says. Alternatively, he notes that it’s also possible that some younger folks may just prefer either consuming cannabis or remaining sober rather than the feeling of alcohol. “California sober” is a big trend we’re seeing today.
Whatever the reason for its recent popularity, non-alcoholic beer is no longer a limited section in the corner of the liquor store. Instead, many breweries are experimenting with the beverages, offering craft beer options spanning ales, lites, lagers, sours, and even dark beers like porters. Whereas sober sippers used to have a choice between Heineken 0.0 and O’Doul’s, now there’s a selection of brews nearly indistinguishable from the real deal—but without the hangover.
As someone with a sober partner who has been enjoying NA brews since 2020, I’ve sipped on my fair share of these beverages both good and bad. After years of experimentation, I wanted to find the best non-alcoholic beer for each and every occasion, from beach days to gatherings to tailgates and beyond. After all, nothing is more disappointing than a bad sip!
I tried 28 flavors from eight brands in a non-alcoholic Hunger Games-type evaluation to find the top non-alcoholic beer brands. In the end, the heartburn was worth it. I eliminated all the underwhelming performers, leaving only the best of the best on this list. No matter your favorite type of brewski, there’s something on this list for every sober sipper!
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Accessibility doesn’t always mean poor quality, especially for non-alcoholic beer brand Athletic Brewing Company. Available in over 17 different flavors—including Mexican-style coppers, darks, sours and IPAs among many other options—you’ve probably run into Athletic on at least one occasion in the grocery aisle. In fact, this overall best-tasting non-alcoholic beer is the first non-alcoholic brew I tried. Even after years spent tipping back other options, I keep returning to the bright and cheery Athletic cans on my local supermarket’s shelves.
Founded in sunny California and with operations in Connecticut, the US-based brand is tight-lipped about its proprietary brewing process. They’re also one of the largest dedicated non-alcoholic breweries that exist, period. My favorite flavors are the Run Wild and Free Wave Hazy IPAs, though they also offer fruity options and dark beers as well. Run Wild is a light and bubbly brew that tastes nearly indistinguishable from the real deal thanks to a pervasive underlying hoppiness and pleasantly bitter finish.
My partner best summarizes my thoughts on the brand: “Quality, consistency and ambition. They endeavor to make a genuinely good beer that won’t give you a hangover.” Whether you’re giving up alcohol for personal or health reasons, Athletic’s non-alcoholic drinks never cease to impress. That said, expect to place an online order for limited flavors like Hoppy Helles Trailblazer and Tropical Reset sour, which are only available on their website.
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Dark beers have a reputation for deep, complex flavors—something not usually synonymous with non-alcoholic brews. But Bravus Brewing Company begs to differ, offering eight different flavors including lights, IPAs and even rich, dark stouts. Despite a rather small catalog of options, each offers bold flavors thanks to a proprietary distillation process that doesn’t filter out flavor.
I secured a variety pack containing six of their offerings, including a raspberry gose, oatmeal stout, peanut butter dark, golden light, blood orange IPA and west coast IPA. The raspberry gose impressed with its tart, almost cider-like sourness and herbal undercurrent that works well as a non-alcoholic cocktail substitute. However, by far my favorite flavors were the oatmeal stout and peanut butter dark. Boasting a little hit of sweetness and a lot of peanut buttery goodness, the dark beer isn’t as bitter as I expected given the super hoppy smell. In fact, it’s very sippable—and the roasted, chocolatey rich flavor feels true to a traditional dark beer.
Even better, there’s no tradeoff between health benefits and flavor. Each serving has approximately 100 calories and reduced gluten content compared to other brands. This includes seasonal flavors like Bravus’ double dry hop and strawberry blonde as well.
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Seeking a sippable brew that’s not loaded with extra calories? You’re not alone—that’s a big reason why many folks now consider themselves alcohol-free. While some non-alcoholic beers contain a cluster of unhealthy calories, BrewDog boats just 20 calories per can in all five of their core flavors. This includes dark flavors too, like their coffee stout. Additionally, each can only contains around 2.3 carbs per serving. Sweet!
I’m very familiar with BrewDog, having enjoyed their bespoke brews next to my favorite non-alcoholic wines on multiple camping trips throughout the years. My favorite flavor is Hazy AF, a partially translucent New England-style IPA. I appreciate the piney, hoppy flavor and pleasant effervescence that makes it feel like I am enjoying an actual full-bodied pale ale.
Like Athletic, these colorful cans are found at most supermarkets, making them another locally accessible brand for most beer enthusiasts. With fun names like Easy Street Golden, Elvis AF, Punk AF, Hazy AF and Wake Up Call (their coffee stout), BrewDog beers are a worthy inclusion at parties and tailgates alike.
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While all the brands on this list carry their own IPAs, the offerings from Go Brewing stand out against the crowd. Among sours that feature a kombucha-like tartness and a German-style pilsner with only 50 calories is a generous assortment of Indian pale ales. Their catalog spans several flavor profiles and styles. In fact, five of their 16 flavors fall into this category, each one as distinct and enjoyable as the last.
Out of the variety pack I tried, the Sunshine State tropical IPA is a clear standout. Despite prevalent juiciness stemming from the mango and peach flavors, it still offers a full-bodied, refreshing and invigorating bitterness. At the end of the day, that’s what I look for in a good IPA—whether it contains alcohol or not.
Surprisingly, most of the options from Go Brewing are super affordable and fall under 100 calories, making them an excellent pick for those seeking a lighter sip. There are also a few bespoke gluten-free options that make them an inclusive pick for those with dietary restrictions. Honestly, despite being a bit more difficult to find, the overall quality makes them well worth the shipping wait.
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Nothing beats cracking open a cold craft beer after doing some yard work or during a relaxing camping trip. Unlike a mocktail that usually contains tons of sugar, non-alcoholic beers lean a bit less saccharine and a bit more refreshing, making them appealing to those who prefer a bolder flavor. Sober Carpenter is a microbrewery dedicated solely to non-alcoholic brews. Their lineup of eight different offerings includes ciders, ales, IPAs, whites and sours, all available in tall 16-ounce cans.
Like traditional craft beer, the Ontario-based company brews in small batches, using a membrane filtering process to remove trace alcohol content. This leaves most of the flavor intact while cutting the calories to an average of only 60 per serving. It’s the only brewery I encountered that prints all hop varieties directly on the can alongside a list of malts and spices. Beer enthusiasts who love to geek out about hops, this is the brand for you.
I love that the beers come in tall cans, reminiscent of the local Michigan-based breweries I frequent. And don’t even get me started on the white ale, which tastes light and citrusy thanks to the inclusion of orange. Coriander and wheat add a wonderful complexity to the flavor — it’s almost better than a traditional beer! That said, the price reflects the quality, which is why this is one of the least budget-friendly picks on the list.
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For some folks, cutting out carbs is a big reason behind their new sober lifestyle. Unfortunately, many options still contain tons of carbs. Enter: Partake. With nine flavors that span pilsners, pales, IPAs and even a Dunkel option, Partake feels like the non-alcoholic champagne of beers with its elegant, minimalistic branding and splurge-worthy price tag.
In line with the fancy look and feel, Partake contains fewer fillers, including added sugars. With only five grams of carbs or under in most flavors, it’s the perfect fit for those seeking a healthier pick. Some flavors, like their pale ale, contain zero carbs in total. Even a few gluten-free options exist, including the blonde, pale and IPA varieties.
The IPA’s amber color and rich, hoppy aroma channel summery vibes, and I love that it doesn’t shy away from the intense, refreshing bitterness I look for in an IPA. In fact, Partake’s version is so close to a traditional IPA that I think most beer drinkers wouldn’t know it was alcohol-free! Despite being one of the priciest brands I tested, the flavor and variety make this well worth the higher price point for fellow beer enthusiasts.
When looking for a non-alcoholic beer, it’s important to know why you’re subbing out alcohol. Are you seeking a drink with fewer carbs or calories, or are you sensitive to gluten? Maybe you’re trying to cut out hangovers or have personal reasons for eschewing alcoholic drinks. Before buying a case of NA beer, consider the traits most important to you.
If you’re looking for something that’s almost indistinguishable from traditional beer, opt for a brand with a solid reputation and years of experience in brewing NA beers. For those seeking something more exotic, a craft brewery with experience in traditional alcoholic brews may be best. In my experience, these brands are often more experimental and have an excellent grasp on what makes a tasty beverage.
According to Ruf, “non-alcoholic beer is not what it used to be. Even just compared to 5 years ago, the quality and options have grown tremendously.” He’s right—nowadays, there are NA IPAs, NA stouts, NA pilsners, NA sours, NA ambers and more. “If you try one and don’t like it, there may be others that suit you better. You will be very surprised how good NA beers are today and how alike they are to leaded beer,” he says.
“Also, just like leaded beer, there are large macro-breweries and smaller, craft breweries that produce at a much smaller volume. NA beers from larger brands like Heineken and Budweiser are easy to find in your local grocery store, but there is an entire world out there of craft NA beers from smaller breweries that are well worth trying.”
His best advice is to sample various styles and breweries to find a few you like.
Aside from being the Taste of Home shopping team’s resident food and beverage expert, I’m also no stranger to non-alcoholic brews. My sober partner has been sipping on NA brewskis for over two years, and I’ve been enjoying them alongside. I’m also a craft beer fan and brewery frequenter, so I know what makes a good beer (alcoholic or otherwise). I also have ample experience testing products, along with the rest of the shopping team at Taste of Home.
While I’m no beer sommelier, I enjoy a cold IPA while camping or celebrating a watered-down Oktoberfest as much as the next gal. I’ve tried dozens of non-alcoholic beer brands over the last few years, spanning grocery store picks to bespoke breweries and everything in between.
For this piece, I also connected with beer expert Mark Ruf, Founder and CEO of NA Beer Club, a non-alcoholic beer-of-the-month subscription service that helps you discover your new favorite NA beer. Mark started NA Beer Club after his father was diagnosed with a genetic heart disease and switched to drinking non-alcoholic beer. They had fun discovering what new craft NA beers were available and which were their favorites. Mark wanted to sign his father up for an NA beer-of-the-month club so that he could try different NAs from around the world, but he couldn’t find one. He decided to start his own to help people like his father discover the great-tasting, new, and unique non-alcoholic beers available to them.
To find the best non-alcoholic beer brands, I began by looking at the non-alcoholic beers I’ve tried in the past. I purchased any favorites that stuck out to me and skipped the brands I know are duds. I aimed to try at least two flavors from each brand, opting for more where possible. We compiled a whopping total of 28 flavors from eight different brands to determine which is truly worth the spend. After evaluating pilsners, IPAs, sours, stouts and every beer type in between, I’m positive these are truly the best non-alcoholic beer options available.
Non-alcoholic beer is just regular beer with a lower ABV (alcohol by volume). It is considered “non-alcoholic” if its ABV is below 0.5%. Most beers have an ABV of about 3% or higher. According to Ruf, NA beer is brewed the same way and with the same ingredients as a regular or “leaded” beer of the same style (IPA, pilsner, stout, etc.) would be brewed. However, the challenge with NA beer is to get the beer below the 0.5% ABV requirement. He notes there are four main ways brewers will do this depending on preference and the tools available to them, which he describes on his website.
Does NA beer have any alcohol?
According to Ruf, this is a bit of a complicated answer. “NA beer can contain a little bit of alcohol as long as it’s under 0.5% ABV,” he says. “Some beers like Heineken 0.0 and Bud 0.0 market their beers as having 0.0% ABV, while many others have up to 0.5% ABV. That being said, 0.5% is still a negligent amount of alcohol. You won’t feel any effects and chances are you won’t see any negative side effects. In fact, many foods we eat have similar amounts of alcohol in them as NA beer. For example, bread, bananas, and orange juice all have an ABV of about, or sometimes above, 0.5%.”
