Personal Product Reviews

Dry January Brew Guide: The Best (and Worst) NA Beers I’ve Had

by Kyle BurbankJan 6, 2025

Even as someone who doesn’t drink, I’ve long been interested in the craft beer scene. Specifically, I was fascinated by how many different styles of beer there were and how each could be tweaked or redefined by various brewers. Meanwhile, as far as I knew, non-alcoholic beers were akin to decaf coffee — a pale imitation of the real thing.

Sure, that may have been true at some point, but it’s definitely not the case now. I know this first hand as, in the past year of exploring non-alcoholic brews, I’ve sampled 70 different NA beers from more than 25 different breweries/brands. So, in honor of Dry January this month — where even those who might usually consume alcohol may be looking for alternatives — I figured I’d take a moment to highlight some of my favorite brews… along with two I’d absolutely not recommend.

The Best Non-Alcoholic Beers I’ve Tried (So Far)

Go Brewing

I was first introduced to Go Brewing while shopping at a grocery store near my in-laws’ house in Ohio. Little did I know it at the time, but this would become my top NA brewery — leading me to join their Beer Club recently. In particular, I’d say that their The Story Double IPA is my overall favorite non-alcoholic beer. That said, I’ve loved a lot of their beers, including the Sunbeam Pils, Sunshine State Tropical IPA, New School Sour, and Burn it Down IPA.

Although Go still isn’t available in retailers near me, the brand has taken some major steps forward as of late. Not only did the brewery score a major investment last year but, just within the past few weeks, has rolled out new packaging and launched in select Costco stores in the midwest. On that note, if you happen to spot their 24-pack sampler at Costco, it seems to be a killer deal. But, for the rest of us, you can find all of their current brews on their website and can even join their Beer Club for extra perks.

Clausthaler

When I was in Las Vegas a couple of months ago, I was delighted when I asked the bartender for any NA beers and she replied that they stocked Clausthaler. That’s because Clausthaler may just be the best, straightforward NA beer I’ve ever tried. The first time I poured it, I turned to my wife and said, “This looks and smells like what I think of when I think of ‘beer.'” For what it’s worth, I’ve also tried other German beers such as Beck’s and Weihenstephan, but found Clausthaler to be superior.

There are actually a few different Clausthaler products, but I’ve had two: the Original and the Dry Hopped. Both are great — although the Dry Hopped has the distinction of coming in cans whereas I’ve only seen the Original in glass bottles. That doesn’t really have an impact on the taste, but recycling cans is just easier for me. Regardless, when I’m shopping for NA beers and come across either, they almost always end up in my cart.

Athletic

There’s no question that Athletic is far and away the most well-known non-alcoholic brand in America today. In fact, it’s reportedly the best-selling beer at Whole Foods, period. Luckily, there’s good reason for the hype as Athletic offers a slew of great NA beers. Their standard lineup includes the Upside Dawn Golden, Free Wave Hazy IPA, Run Wild IPA, Cerveza Atletica, and Athletic Lite. But what’s great about Athletic is that they also tend to roll out three to four limited or seasonal releases per month!

Of the standards, my favorites are Upside Dawn and Free Wave (depending on my mood). However, I’ve also had some amazing limited releases, such as Tucker’s, Oktoberfest, Soul Sour, Lodge Life, Blueberry Mosaic, and a Citrus Cacao IPA among many, many others. That’s why I previously had a subscription to Athletic before a tech glitch seemingly ended it. Still, be sure to follow Athletic on social media for the latest limited brews, shop their site to try said options, and of course look for them at your local grocery or liquor store.

Bero

Last year, actor Tom Holland — best known for his role as Spider-Man — launched the non-alcoholic beer brand Bero. As Holland explained in interviews, he was inspired to create the company after becoming sober but wanting to still enjoy the social component of having a beer with friends. It also sounds as though he met with Athletic ahead of this, but they didn’t need an ambassador since they’ve already grown tremendously. In any case, Bero was birthed near the end of 2024, offering three styles (all of which include names that reference Holland’s life): Edge Hill Hazy IPA, Kingston Golden Pils, and Noon Wheat.

This one also has the distinction of being the favorite of my wife (who enjoys regular beer). While she’ll often take a sip of my NAs and say they’re pretty good, Bero is the first time where she’s elected to have her own cans. She even describes the brand’s beers as feeling “luxurious.” As for me, I’m partial to the Edge Hill Hazy IPA and Kingston Golden Pils — although the Noon Wheat is definitely better than a comparable beer we’ll talk about later. One thing I will say about the Hazy is that it has a nuttiness and mouthfeel that make it unique from other beers of this style I’ve tried.

Currently, Bero is available on its own site and sells for a bit of a premium (they also have a different kind of beer club that I’ll be reviewing soon). However, Holland has teased a U.S. rollout to Target stores this year as well as more styles on the way. In turn, my wife and I will definitely be on the lookout for more Bero.

Best Day Brewing

The most recent addition to my list is Best Day Brewing. I was introduced to them at my favorite local brewery, where I tried both the Galaxy Ripple Imperial IPA (sidenote: I’m not sure NA beers can really be “imperial”) and the Kölsch. After my first couple of sips, I thought the Galaxy Ripple was good, but a bit thinner than my beloved Go Brewing double IPA. However, as I continued drinking, I found that I really enjoyed it. Meanwhile, the Kölsch was also really good — and was quite a treat since this was the first time I’d tried this style of beer.

Incidentally, that same brewery is currently offering a flight with five Best Day brews — and I’d absolutely be trying that right now if we weren’t under a winter storm advisory. Luckily, you can find all their beers and a variety pack option on their website.

Deschutes

On the whole, I’ve found that the brews from brands that only make NA beers tend to be a lot better than the non-alcoholic counterparts of full-strength beers. But, Deschutes is one major exception to that rule. In particular, their NA versions of Black Buttes and Fresh Squeezed are both phenomenal IMHO.

Black Buttes is a dark porter that, while non-alcoholic, still manages to have bite. As for the Fresh Squeezed, true to its name, it’s an extremely juicy and refreshing IPA. What’s more, at least at my local liquor store, these Deschutes options retail for a dollar less than Athletic’s mainstays — which is even more reason to pick them up if you spot them.

4 Hands Brewing

Another “regular” brewer whose NA options I’ve come to enjoy is 4 Hands. Funny enough, when I first tried their non-alcoholic City Wide Hoppy Ale, I didn’t even realize it had a full-strength sibling (the City Wide American Pale Ale). I’ve also tried the NA version of Incarnation IPA, but I’d say I preferred City Wide overall.

Now for the bad news: it doesn’t look as though 4 Hands currently sells products online. And while I’ve been able to find their products at local breweries and liquor stores, that’s likely because they are based in St. Louis, which is about three hours away from me. So, I guess what I’m saying is, should you find yourself in the midwest and spot 4 Hands’ NA options, give them a try.

Guinness

Lastly, we come to a beer that was among the first I had when I first started getting into NA: Guinness. Creating a non-alcoholic version of one of the most iconic brews on the planet — complete with the nitro widget to give it the full, creamy effect? Brilliant!

To my Guinness-loving wife, the non-alcoholic version apparently came pretty close to the real thing, albeit without the same bite. As for me, I found it to be smooth and chocolatey, which was made for a break standalone. The only problem is that I tend to enjoy drinking brews with meals and this dark of a beer doesn’t really vibe with that (at least not for me). Thus, although I do enjoy and appreciate the NA Guinness, it’s one I don’t actually have too often.

My 2 Least Favorite NA Beers

Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic

Having heard about Blue Moon for years as many people’s favorite ultra-wide-release beer, I was excited to try the non-alcoholic version when I spotted it last year. Unforunatley, I was severely disappointed — to the point where I didn’t even really want to finish the six-pack I purchased (although I eventually did). To me, not only did this version have way too much orange flavor but also had an unpleasant aftertaste. In tandem, it felt as though I was drinking fizzy Airborne or some children’s orange chewable medicine. Needless to say, I was not a fan.

I should note that I’ve since had other NA wheat beers — all of which were better than this. In those, the orange was far more subtle and I detected no aftertaste. Still, while I enjoyed those other options enough, I wouldn’t rank wheat as one of my favorite styles. Did that impact my opinion of Blue Moon? I still honestly don’t think so.

Budweiser Zero

While staying at a hotel in Florida, we went to the pool bar for dinner and I was interested to see that they had an NA Heineken on the menu (I’ve since tried NA Heineken and it’s fine). Alas, when I ordered it, they let me know that they were out of that one — but had a Budweiser Zero in stock. After hemming and hawing for a bit, I decided to give it a try. This was a mistake.

It’s not that Budweiser Zero tastes terrible… it’s just that it doesn’t taste much like anything. That fact was made even more unfortunate by the price I paid to try the beer in the first place. I guess if I were forced to choose between this and the NA Blue Moon, I’d pick this — but that’s not an endorsement. Instead, if you can at all help it, I’d opt for any of the beers I mentioned in the above section. Trust me.

There’s no question that the non-alcoholic beer scene has truly exploded in recent years. As a result, there are now several delicious NA brew options for those who abstain from drinking altogether, just want to mix some alcohol-free drinks into their routine, or who are attempting the increasingly popular Dry January. Of course, with many smaller breweries also getting in on the NA trend, there are far more non-alcoholic beers to try, well beyond this list. So whether it’s during a Dry January or any other time of year, I say give NA brews a shot — you might just be surprised by what you find.

Author

Kyle Burbank

Founder ~ Moneyat30

Kyle is a freelance writer - including being the head writer for Fioney.com. He also serves as editorial director for the Disney fan site LaughingPlace.com and the founder of Money@30.com. In 2015, Kyle and his wife Bekah moved from Los Angeles to Springfield MO in pursuit of greater financial freedom. Together, the pair enjoy travel, coffee, and spending time with their dog Rigby. Additionally, as of 2023, they become first-time homeowners.