Non-alcoholic (NA) beer often gets a bad wrap, most likely due to its history and association with bland and flavorless beverages. The first non-alcoholic brews were developed, well before the craft beer industry got its legs going, in the time of prohibition. Often called near beer generically, though Goetz actually produces Near Beer, some survived the test of time and are still in production today. The reputation was, at best, disappointing to most regular beer drinkers. But times are changing and the craft beer industry is coming to the table with some new options. See the post on Dry January 2020 to see some strategies for the month and the list of non-alcoholic beer options for additional ideas.
As an adjunct to the post on Dry January 2021, I tested two non-alcoholic beers. I started with Athletic Brewing Co. This brewery is entirely dedicated to non-alcoholic beer. I was impressed by the variety of beers they produce. I tried the Run Wild IPA, which is available year round.
Run Wild IPA
This beer tested negative for >5ppm. There are lines over the “C” and the “O” and none over the “T”. See the Testing Kit page for more information on the test kits and how they work. Note that on the can it states that the beer is processed in a facility that processes wheat. This is a first I have seen that disclosure on a can of beer.
I drank the Run Wild IPA and was surprised at a very different tasting non-alcoholic beer: high bitterness, but I can taste sweet mango. It is refreshing and at <0.5% ABV and 70 calories per 12 oz can, I would try another beer from this line.
Becks’s Blue Non-Alcoholic Beer
I also wanted to try a fairly well distributed beer that you can easily find in your local grocery. I chose Beck’s Blue from my nearby store. Beck’s Blue has been an option for many years now and is distributed globally.
The test results were <5ppm, so negative. I tried this beer and it’s definitely light. It would be good to drink at a very cold temperature in summer months. It earns 2 and a quarter stars on average in Untappd; for additional review see Untappd for Beck’s Blue.
Dry January
I was inspired to research non-alcoholic beer, as I plan to take on the Dry January challenge. If you are not familiar with the challenge, take a moment to review these two short posts: Dry January 2021 and Strategies for Dry January. And whether you plan on a Dry January or other or none, it would be great to get some feedback on the non-alcoholic beers you have tried, so please use the comments section for your input.
Cheers!
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