New year means new me! And the new me doesn’t wanna be left out of the fun this year which is why I have concocted a list of some of the best non-alcoholic brews you need to try this 2023 season.
Non-alcoholic beer is having a major moment. With the sober-conscious movement on the rise, imbibing mocktails is more popular now than ever, and new technology has provided us with better quality booze-free spirits, wine and yes, even beer! Long thought of as sweet and syrupy, new no-ABV (and ultra-low ABV) beer options are able to give hops lovers the sudsy flavor they enjoy, but with alcohol levels of .5% or lower. Whether you choose not to drink as a lifestyle choice or are just abstaining temporarily, these non-alcoholic beers won’t leave you feeling left out of the party.
It wasn’t too long ago that the only available non-alcoholic beers on the market were seen as a sad afterthought of the big breweries. But, today, non-alcoholic beer is experiencing an unprecedented boom on the craft side of the market.
“Non-alcoholic” and “craft beer” are two words we love to hear at the Mellow Mushroom and the Athletic Brewing Co. is here to exhibit the full-bodied flavors from their staples like the Upside Dawn Pale Ale. This beer hits you with the aroma of toasted barley before coating the palate with light notes of floral and earthy hops concluded by a clean dry finish. Does any of this goodness sound familiar? I also have to shout out Round of Cheers, a Brut IPA with a celebration of flavors that make it the ideal brew for, well, celebrating. With fruity and woody aromas and a sweet, crisp finish, it’s full of flavor and ready to party. Pairing well with friends, clinking glasses and generally good times. Perfect for celebrating without all the bad stuff. Athletic Brewing Company is experimenting and pushing boundaries and rules in the name of flavor.
When creating delicious non-alcoholic brews, there are a myriad of “tricks” that can deploy from less flocculant yeast strains to different filtration or centrifugation techniques to hops and malts that can impart a more familiar taste. It’s like designing a drink backwards, thinking about the mouthfeel, the aroma and the body – using all that to guide the brewmaster in selecting the best ingredients and processes for the job.
No one is better at this than our friends at Heaps. Heaps Normal started with the aim of encouraging conversation around mindful drinking. Fast forward a few years and the brand has become the most popular non-alcoholic beer in restaurants around the world. I personally love the Quiet XPA for its full-flavored citrus and tropical ale flavor profile. I’d also highly recommend the Heaps Normal’s Half Day Hazy Pale Ale. This is one of the Aussie brewer’s most ambitious drinks. The Hazy Pale Ale is a super drinkable, juicy beer, jam-packed with fragrant hop flavor. These are just two examples from this fantastic brewing company offering all the aspects of craft beer without alcohol. It’s a win-win!
Wanting to take a break from alcohol doesn’t mean you have to stop drinking beer. Non-alcoholic beer exists for a reason, and it has many benefits. Besides being delicious! There’s a lot of evidence supporting the health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, from cardiovascular health to stress and anxiety reduction. There are plenty of reasons to indulge now and again.
Our goal today is to begin normalizing mindful drinking by offering a selection of beer that tastes so good you won’t miss the alcohol. I am not here to discuss being sober or hold that up as the end goal. Whether you’re taking a night off or ditching the booze for life, I reckon it’s time to talk about something more interesting. I say try one of these beers: you won’t regret it.
-by Dani Jo Black
