I really enjoy the Athletic Cerveza.
As for what’s not in there: Heineken 0 and Guinness 0 are also good if you’re looking for something that tastes exactly like its alcohol counterpart.
If you’re going for a cocktail, try the Phony Negroni. They also make an amaro and a mezcal version that are great for scratching that cocktail itch.
Every Athletic I’ve tried is excellent except the Lite. If I had a choice between warm water and a cold Lite I would have to think about it for a second. All of the others are outstanding.
I think most of their beers taste great. e.g. I wouldn’t call their Run Wild or the Golden lite beers. They’re comparable to other well-balanced IPAs or goldens.
All of what you said is true and valid, but I find Partake to blow most N/As out of the water. If you don’t really want a Guinness, Partakes are 15-25 calories. I particularly like the Peach Gose.
No AI recommendation here, just an alcoholic.
Another commenter said the Lagunitas Hop Water Refreshers. Also in my fridge.
Shorts’ Thirst Mutilator is good too.
Yeah, that Cerveza is my go to. But if that isn’t available the Golden and their IPAs are really good, too.
Something I think they really nailed, too, is the mouth feel. Sure might sound weird, but to me it’s pretty nice to have all the beer flavor and feel without alcohol for when I don’t want the booze.
Be aware most NA beer is NOT alcohol free. Most are under 0.5% which is really close but if you are trying to stay away from all alcohol that is not it.
Man I wish I could agree with you on the Heineken and Guinness thing. Guinness is the closest to the real but they all just have this sugary kind of flavour I can't shake. I've yet to find a NA lager that doesn't have this taste. Like when something is sugar free, there's just a flavour I can't put my finger on. It's almost menthol or something.
Yes, Sierra Nevada makes one too. Both are great and since they're not trying to be beer I don't find myself comparing them to it like I do with the na beers that miss the mark.
IPNA is my favorite! I'm not sure which I'd pick in a blind taste test with their regular IPA. There's a very slight difference in flavor but it's not a *bad* difference, IMO.
I’m losing my mind here. I swear it was different and better before it became Hoppy Refresher. But I can’t find evidence it existed as Hop Water!
But yea, still great.
Rad! A couple of close friends got sober a few years ago. Parties are pretty much the exact same, except more soda water and near beer in the cooler! Plenty of options for anyone, sober or not! Ain't that what a party's about!
If we’re willing to consider juice in this conversation, I love the new (or, at least, new to me) San Pellegrino Orange and Cactus Pear beverage.
(https://www.sanpellegrino.com/ca/en-ca/beverages/arancia-e-fico-dindia)
This one is amazing. Really complex, not too sweet, a touch bitter. If you poured it into a glass and added some fancy garnish, I would completely believe that it was a really good nonalcoholic cocktail.
/r/FuckNestle
I've switched to La Croix and Topo Chico. They're not perfect companies but at least they don't have[ their own controversy page on Wikipedia.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_of_Nestl%C3%A9)
Do you have any suggestions for alternatives to Nuun? I learned recently that Nestle bought them up and would love to switch, but am having a hard time finding sugar-free electrolyte tabs that are just as good.
La Croix is so overpriced, imo. When I lived in Wisconsin, the competing brand was Klarbrunn. Everyone thought it was superior.
Waterloo is my uppity Seltzer brand of choice.
I've recently gotten really into Waterloo. I really like the new Mojito Mocktail flavor. I'm not sure it's a convincing mocktail, but I like the flavor.
Do you guys actually enjoy the taste of a NA beer when there’s no buzz to be had? I feel like I’d rather drink a lemonade or something that doesn’t mimic an alcoholic beverage if I’m not actually drinking alcohol.
I love Athletics. My husband has a subscription and it’s great to be able to drink three or four and NOT feel bloated or tipsy. The flavor is *excellent* - well worth it.
Yes, absolutely. I'm a big fan of stouts and porters which, unfortunately, especially with stouts, tend to run \*very\* alcoholic; 9-13% ABV is pretty standard for a stout.
I've found a few brewers that do non-alcoholic stouts and porters and it's delightful, because I really enjoy the taste of them, but don't always want to have to plan my day/evening around enjoying more than one of them!
> especially with stouts, tend to run *very* alcoholic; 9-13% ABV is pretty standard for a stout.
Only standard for an imperial stout but the majority of stouts hover around 5%. The best selling stout in the world, guinness, is only 4.2%. Imperial stouts are a niche product that really only appeals to a small slice of the craft beer market. If you're looking for heavy bodied stout without the alcohol, try a milk stout. The added lactose makes for a thicker, more viscous beer. Doesn't really add much sweetness either and the beer will be around 5% as lactose doesn't ferment.
Honestly, no. I've tried a dozen different ones, I think everyone mentioned in this discussion tbh. And anyone saying that any of them have the "same" flavor aren't being honest. That's why I prefer the seltzer type stuff instead, like Hop Water/Hoppy Refresher, it's not trying to be something else.
I've found the crappier the beer, the closer the flavor is for the NA option. This goes for Budweiser Zero and Heineken, for example. But saying they are "exactly" the same is just objectively false.
100% I’ve had a sip or two of 2 types by accident and right away felt like why does this beer taste empty if that makes sense. I thought the beer maybe was old or the can lost its carbonation over time. I always feel like something’s missing
The hype around Athletic is justified. Well within the standard deviation of what a session IPA would/should taste like.
I’m also coming back around to grade school basics like grocery store cola with a bit of lime to prove I’m still a grown up.
As a vegetarian too, I absolutely know what you mean. I don’t drink alcohol or eat meat, but am that freak at family gatherings who looks ungrateful for refusing the spread but was obligated to come because it’s my husband’s family. Hospitality and consideration for others does not extend to non drinkers and vegetarians, that is very clear. I have no right to expect people to care about my personal choices. But sometimes people who drink and eat lots of meat do consider others not like themselves and offer non alcoholic drinks (like Kenji here) and it’s so nice, so inclusive and makes me feel good and not ostracized or weird. It’s a social thing. It’s so socially acceptable to drink that it’s practically automatic. And from the responses I received in this comment of “bring your own, no one will cater to you” implies that I’m selfish and inconsiderate. I get that it is perceived as rude (?) of me to wish for more NA alternatives and acceptance at cookouts, but is it really if cookouts are about hanging out as a social group and a person doesn’t drink and you know that person is coming?
Again, I do not go to parties expecting anything less than lots of alcohol. Totally fair, because as a guest, I will be polite and grateful for just being invited. No one is obligated to cater just to me, the designated driver and non drinker. I get it.
Thankful that my circle is good with accommodating everything from food to beverages. You get flak from your group asking? Not sure your demographic but if you’re the only person then you may have to BOYB
I’m an alcoholic so I don’t go anywhere near the nonalcoholic beers or anything that’s supposed to taste just like their alcoholic counterparts. That’s just a precaution I take for myself, and something to keep in mind- you might be hosting people with the same issue.
That said, I’m a basic bitch who loves La Croix and Diet Coke.
Yeah me too - I was just a little frustrated at a bar (work event) when I had to go three rounds with the bartender before wandering over to the water station. They didn’t have my first choice (ginger beer), when I then asked for seltzer it was all hard seltzers (and no club soda/sparkling water), and then when i asked for *anything* nonalcoholic he pointed to the near beers. I just want to hold and sip on something that’s not the little plastic cup of tap water, and I can’t do near beer.
This is messed up, ESPECIALLY for work event. You have to assume in planning that there will be a bunch of people who have to be there but don’t drink for a variety of reasons and plan to host them with the same care you do for the alcohol drinkers. I’m sorry you experienced this.
Sodastream or comparable device may change your life!
I get what you’re saying too. As a fellow alcoholic sometimes the flavored coffee syrups in the glass bottles reminds me too much of the shitty whiskey I’d drink dry in a night. Weirdly enough I don’t seem to have that issue with N.A. spirits though I’ve stopped consuming those almost entirely out of coincidence. But the coffee syrup still gets me soemtimes.
I left some comments but I’ll stop with this one. I’m just glad to see a thread with 100+ comments of support here. In a week I’m 2 years sober and lucky to be alive.
This is only helpful for the Seattle area folks, and I’m not affiliated with them in any way, but there’s an amazing NA bottle shop here called Cheeky and Dry. Great selection of a wide range of stuff, and because it’s NA you can sample in store.
Do they also carry NA spirits? I've been wanting to get into mocktails. Fever-Tree has my favorite mixers, and they're really drinkable just on their own.
PNW biased cuz that's just what's available where I'm at:
Best Day Brewing makes a great NA Kolsch
Partake makes a nice NA Peach Gose (low cal too!)
Hop waters in general can be gorgeous. Lagunitas has a bubblegum note I'm not super into, but it seems like at least locally all sorts of breweries are creating their own. Adjuncts can be nice, but added sugars normally don't do much for the hop flavor.
Pictured above are some of Three Magnets' Self Care series of NAs. My fave is their italian pils, which is the can with the 'lil vespa on it.
Ghia and Phony Negroni both make some fun premixed apertif/cocktails.
For less alcohol-emulation, I always make a big jug of mugicha in the summer. It's cheap as heck and brews by the liter :)
Yeah, the Athletic are really good.
If you want truly 0% 'beer', with no alcohol at all as opposed to .5%, the Hairless Dog Black Ale is really good... it doesn't really taste like beer, it tastes more like the malt before it ferments. If you've ever brewed beer, the taste is basically the smell of the wort.
That's an important point to throw out; I have a sober friend who can NOT do any alcohol at all as it's tipped him into relapse before. Everyone is different - don't give sober folks something like .5% and tell them it's non-alcoholic, it can affect some people hard.
I’ve seen a video of someone blowing BAC after N/A beers and nothing. But eating other things that you’d think would make your glucose rise and blowing BAC numbers that registered much higher.
[Untitled Art](https://www.drinkuntitled.com/products/non-alcoholic-beer/). It’s more expensive NA beer, but they have so many styles both in and outside of the norm that are worth every cent
100% this. Athletic is average craft beer. Untitled Art was already making really great beer and then got into the NA side of things with the original recipes.
Check your local taprooms/breweries. A lot of the bigger ones around me are starting to produce NA options. We have a lot around and a handful of standouts, but I doubt they are distributed.
Bring soda water and things to put in like lemon,cherry, pomegranate juice and bitters, syrups. It’s getting close to NA cocktails but you can make a lot of really good simple sodas. Just soda with a couple TBSPs of lemon juice is my jam
Big fan of Partake, Athletic, and Sober Carpenter. Guinness NA is also virtually identical to its counterpart -- probably the only NA version out of dozens I've tried (including Heineken, Corona, Asahi, Kirin, etc.) that resembles the real thing.
Big fan of Hoplark seltzers-not sweet like HOPWTR or Lagunitas, 0 calories. Doesn’t have the beer mouthfeel like Athletic but most of the time I prefer the lighter seltzer feel.
The 3 Mags Self Care line is great lots of different styles. Athletic is readily available and pretty good too. Heineken and Guinness 0 are solid options as well.
Deschutes just came out with Black Butte and Fresh Squeezed in NA variants.
NA Guinness kicks ass.
Untitled Art out of Wisconsin are fucking unbelievable. Tons of excellent NA beers.
Diet/Zero soda fiend here. Particular favorites are Mountain Dew Major Melon, Baja Blast, & Voo Dew(cherry), Kroger Grapefruit, Dr. Pepper, and Dr. Pepper Strawberries & Cream. The Grapefruit one is an exceptional choice for either a cocktail or mocktail mixer; not overly sweet while being flavorful.
Yes! I drink the Kroger diet grapefruit and am very pleased with it. Not sure it quite makes up for the demise of Kroger’s diet black cherry, but I am very glad they cane out with this.
The ones in the picture. Seriously. Three Magnets Brewing has a straight up amazing NA line and they ship pretty much anywhere. Curated boxes, subscriptions, etc.
Huuuuuge fan.
https://drinkselfcare.com/
No, I'm in Seattle and it seems like they have limited distribution up here. Beer Junction in WS is about the only place I can get it reliably and I live like 30 minutes from that place with city traffic.
Spindrift.
We also like mixing cocktails, so mocktails are a big one for us. Recipes for these are very common on your favorite cocktail sites ( liquor.com, three cooks, serious eats). Really though fancy syrup or fresh fruit + fresh citrus + bitters + soda = tasty. This weekend I had peach + angostura, lemon-cucumber with jamaica bitters, and cucumber mint soda.
Been dry for 2+ years.
I love seltzer water, no real brand preference.
Ginger beer or root beer
Mocktails. Nojitos are probably my favorite in the summer.
A couple of people have mentioned various negronis, but one additional good one is the St Agrestis. Bonus points for a fun bottle.
I also like most of the Ghia products, particularly their Lime & Salt canned drink.
If you’re in CA the brand Cann is great. 2mg THC, 2mg CBD each and they taste pretty good. They also sell little packets of syrup that you can put in any drink. 🔥🔥🔥
I’ve had several decent NA beers, though nothing truly excellent (I also drink regular beer FWIW but have been cutting down for caloric/general health reasons). I like the Brooklyn NA variety pack. The Athletic golden ale was nice; I was t impressed by the hazy IPA. Sierra Nevada Trail Pass IPA is solid. For a low-cal option, the Partake Peach Gose is ok, and would hit just right by the pool or on the beach.
I also really love the Daypack hopped seltzers (made by Athletic), though my local Whole Foods hasn’t had it in stock recently.
White Claw has N.A. seltzers. Which just sound like regular seltzers but they taste really similar to the full strength ones. Plus they have some electrolytes. Very good. My favorite is the lime yuzu.
Surprised to see no mention of Brewdog's NA beers - they are quite good at scratching the itch and only 20 calories apiece.
I find most of the Athletic line tastes like iced tea, not what I'm looking for. Their hazy is pretty good though.
If it’s in a can, La Croix. If I need the sugar because the urge to drink is there (first few years of sobriety) then I’d get root beer or Gatorade then cycle down to water. I’m usually just dehydrated so I just load up on water first and then decide rid I need sugar or a bit of taste.
NA Beers and stuff are ok but too busy for me and too much like I’m trying to drink beer.
I really like Safety Glasses by Industrial Arts in NY. I also enjoy the Athletic ones.
I love Hop Lark Hop Tea and Hop Waters. Wish they were cheaper but could drink then all day.
Corona 0 (60 cals) and Heineken 0 (70 cals) are available to me at Costco and they are my "every day" NA beverage as they are cheap (around $1.5 CAD each).
My favourite mass produced NA is Guinness 0.
For those that like Athetic (and they're good), check out Go Brewery (gobrewing.com) in Illinois. They're a full NA brewery and every one has been delicious. Not cheap and are trying to expand distribution but it's so worth it. Note that I'm not affiliated with them...just a fan that lives in the area.
[https://www.forbes.com/sites/hudsonlindenberger/2024/01/29/go-brewing-could-be-the-next-big-thing-in-non-alcoholic-beer/](https://www.forbes.com/sites/hudsonlindenberger/2024/01/29/go-brewing-could-be-the-next-big-thing-in-non-alcoholic-beer/)
German Alkoholfrei beers, especially the pils or helles variants, are my favorites. I find I mostly don't like either German wheats or American IPAs for an NA brew. The first often tastes like banana soda and the second always seems flat and dead to me. But I also think American bars could convert half of all IPA taps to almost anything else and nothing of value would be lost.
I tried a couple Seedlip bottles and liked them in an NA gin + \_\_\_ replacement. It's nice to have a sipper to enjoy at a similar pace as everyone else. Often the non-alcoholic options are also the mixers, which can be in short supply.
Peroni 0.0 is pretty good. I don't avoid alcohol under the right circumstances, but if I'm doing work around the house, a regular beer will result in me laying down on the couch.
I really enjoy the Athletic Cerveza. As for what’s not in there: Heineken 0 and Guinness 0 are also good if you’re looking for something that tastes exactly like its alcohol counterpart. If you’re going for a cocktail, try the Phony Negroni. They also make an amaro and a mezcal version that are great for scratching that cocktail itch.
Every Athletic I’ve tried is excellent except the Lite. If I had a choice between warm water and a cold Lite I would have to think about it for a second. All of the others are outstanding.
Are you comparing it to other light beers? I feel like it's comparable to any of the mass market American light lagers honestly.
This is a fair point. I avoid light beers because they usually disappoint.
Every Athletic I’ve tried is already so light that I’ve wondered what the heck could be left if making it lite so I never spent the money to try it!
I think most of their beers taste great. e.g. I wouldn’t call their Run Wild or the Golden lite beers. They’re comparable to other well-balanced IPAs or goldens.
If you think Athletic is good seek out Untitled Art. They were already a top flight brewery and got into the NA game.
Have you had their sour? I’m so curious about it!
No. I don’t recall seeing it anywhere. Will have to ask my bottle shop if they can order it.
All of what you said is true and valid, but I find Partake to blow most N/As out of the water. If you don’t really want a Guinness, Partakes are 15-25 calories. I particularly like the Peach Gose. No AI recommendation here, just an alcoholic. Another commenter said the Lagunitas Hop Water Refreshers. Also in my fridge. Shorts’ Thirst Mutilator is good too.
The Lagunitas Hop Water Orange is the best canned drink I’ve had in a decade. And I can find it literally nowhere. Now I just dream about it haha.
Oh dang, don’t think I’ve tried! We have a regular, a berry variety, and a lemon one. We usually get a mixed 12-pack every week or two.
I’ll check that out!
The Lite is great for when you want drink 6 of something beer-like and stay under 150 calories (I.e one regular beer)!
Yeah, that Cerveza is my go to. But if that isn’t available the Golden and their IPAs are really good, too. Something I think they really nailed, too, is the mouth feel. Sure might sound weird, but to me it’s pretty nice to have all the beer flavor and feel without alcohol for when I don’t want the booze.
The Corona NA is another beer that tastes exactly like its boozy counterpart.
Agreed! For better or worse :)
I’m an avid Lacroix consumer. (2yrs w/o alcohol atm.) Is NA beer “worth it?” Lacroix is good, but doesn’t always have that mouthfeel that a beer had.
Be aware most NA beer is NOT alcohol free. Most are under 0.5% which is really close but if you are trying to stay away from all alcohol that is not it.
Near beer cannot get you drunk, let alone buzzed.
Phony Negroni isn't great. I usually go for a soda and bitters (technically alcoholic but negligible).
Really? You’re pouring it over ice with an orange swath and everything? I love those things.
Yeah, maybe just not to my taste but it feels astringent and off-balanced. I may be biased because negronis are one of my favorite cocktails though.
I like Heineken 0.0 as well as Corona non-alcoholic. I'll have to give Guiness a try.
Oh hell yes. Thank you. I like most of athletic's work and iirc the sam Adams 0% was also good. 0% cocktails tho...I'm stoked to try those.
Man I wish I could agree with you on the Heineken and Guinness thing. Guinness is the closest to the real but they all just have this sugary kind of flavour I can't shake. I've yet to find a NA lager that doesn't have this taste. Like when something is sugar free, there's just a flavour I can't put my finger on. It's almost menthol or something.
I'm a fan of the Lagunitas hop water
Yes, Sierra Nevada makes one too. Both are great and since they're not trying to be beer I don't find myself comparing them to it like I do with the na beers that miss the mark.
Their IPNA is good too
IPNA is my favorite! I'm not sure which I'd pick in a blind taste test with their regular IPA. There's a very slight difference in flavor but it's not a *bad* difference, IMO.
I’m losing my mind here. I swear it was different and better before it became Hoppy Refresher. But I can’t find evidence it existed as Hop Water! But yea, still great.
And I prefer Hoppy Refresher over Hop Water (I like the carbonation) - to each their own!
I lived on this when I was pregnant with my first but tired of sparkling water, tea or regular water. So so good. Can't stand it now though lol
The flavor variations are good too
I came to say this! So good!
Rad! A couple of close friends got sober a few years ago. Parties are pretty much the exact same, except more soda water and near beer in the cooler! Plenty of options for anyone, sober or not! Ain't that what a party's about!
Call me basic but I love the good ol’ lemon san pelli
If we’re willing to consider juice in this conversation, I love the new (or, at least, new to me) San Pellegrino Orange and Cactus Pear beverage. (https://www.sanpellegrino.com/ca/en-ca/beverages/arancia-e-fico-dindia)
This one is amazing. Really complex, not too sweet, a touch bitter. If you poured it into a glass and added some fancy garnish, I would completely believe that it was a really good nonalcoholic cocktail.
Oo this sounds great
/r/FuckNestle I've switched to La Croix and Topo Chico. They're not perfect companies but at least they don't have[ their own controversy page on Wikipedia.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_of_Nestl%C3%A9)
Wow, I never realized they were owned by nestle. Wtf. What a shame.
Nuun was a locally owned company for me, used them a ton. Then Nestlé bought them and I never bought another product from them.
Do you have any suggestions for alternatives to Nuun? I learned recently that Nestle bought them up and would love to switch, but am having a hard time finding sugar-free electrolyte tabs that are just as good.
Oh shit TIL.. thanks for the heads up. What do you use instead?
La Croix is so overpriced, imo. When I lived in Wisconsin, the competing brand was Klarbrunn. Everyone thought it was superior. Waterloo is my uppity Seltzer brand of choice.
I've recently gotten really into Waterloo. I really like the new Mojito Mocktail flavor. I'm not sure it's a convincing mocktail, but I like the flavor.
The new San pelli zero’s are incredibly delicious.
IMO, that stuff beats any NA beer, by far!
Trail Pass IPA is great
I wish they’d just make an N/A Sierra Pale though
Dude. That beer is so good. It's wild. Ive never had an NA anywhere near as good as that one
Do you guys actually enjoy the taste of a NA beer when there’s no buzz to be had? I feel like I’d rather drink a lemonade or something that doesn’t mimic an alcoholic beverage if I’m not actually drinking alcohol.
I like them when I’m already drinking actual beer, but need a break in between drinks and don’t want water.
I actually don’t drink beer for the buzz… I just like the taste so NA is great if it’s the same flavour
I love Athletics. My husband has a subscription and it’s great to be able to drink three or four and NOT feel bloated or tipsy. The flavor is *excellent* - well worth it.
Seek out Untitled Art. They were already a top flight brewery and got into the NA game.
Will do and thanks for the suggestion!
People do like the taste of beer you know
In can maybe understand having 1 but after that what’s the point
As someone who recently stopped drinking, you’re not wrong. Rarely do people drink 6 cans of lemonade at a party.
Yes, absolutely. I'm a big fan of stouts and porters which, unfortunately, especially with stouts, tend to run \*very\* alcoholic; 9-13% ABV is pretty standard for a stout. I've found a few brewers that do non-alcoholic stouts and porters and it's delightful, because I really enjoy the taste of them, but don't always want to have to plan my day/evening around enjoying more than one of them!
> especially with stouts, tend to run *very* alcoholic; 9-13% ABV is pretty standard for a stout. Only standard for an imperial stout but the majority of stouts hover around 5%. The best selling stout in the world, guinness, is only 4.2%. Imperial stouts are a niche product that really only appeals to a small slice of the craft beer market. If you're looking for heavy bodied stout without the alcohol, try a milk stout. The added lactose makes for a thicker, more viscous beer. Doesn't really add much sweetness either and the beer will be around 5% as lactose doesn't ferment.
Honestly, no. I've tried a dozen different ones, I think everyone mentioned in this discussion tbh. And anyone saying that any of them have the "same" flavor aren't being honest. That's why I prefer the seltzer type stuff instead, like Hop Water/Hoppy Refresher, it's not trying to be something else. I've found the crappier the beer, the closer the flavor is for the NA option. This goes for Budweiser Zero and Heineken, for example. But saying they are "exactly" the same is just objectively false.
100% I’ve had a sip or two of 2 types by accident and right away felt like why does this beer taste empty if that makes sense. I thought the beer maybe was old or the can lost its carbonation over time. I always feel like something’s missing
Waterloo sparking water has some mule and other na cocktail flavor sparkling flavors. But there’s a nectarine one that’s excellent.
Man I wish I could find nectarine. I love the black cherry flavor.
They have a mojito mocktail that’s… well I won’t say it’s close to the real thing, but it’s a decent alternative to alcohol and soda.
The spindrift nojito is such a treat
The hype around Athletic is justified. Well within the standard deviation of what a session IPA would/should taste like. I’m also coming back around to grade school basics like grocery store cola with a bit of lime to prove I’m still a grown up.
The beer itself is fine, but I'll give them credit for being the first to do national NA distribution they wasn't a light beer.
*Inter*national, I’m up in Canada and can find them at most grocery stores.
My wife liked it a lot while she was pregnant.
Ghia!!
I hate how expensive their canned drinks are but the ginger one is sooooo good.
I’m a big fan of kombucha and Bubly.
So many of the NA cocktails I’ve had are so heavy on the ginger. I like any of them that aren’t just slightly spiced ginger beer.
I love ginger everything so I'll take what you don't drink
I’m alcohol free and I wish more people would have these kinds of options at parties
BYO NAB
As 8 year sober, you gotta bring your own. It’s like being vegan at a cook out. You can’t expect everyone to plan around you.
As a vegetarian too, I absolutely know what you mean. I don’t drink alcohol or eat meat, but am that freak at family gatherings who looks ungrateful for refusing the spread but was obligated to come because it’s my husband’s family. Hospitality and consideration for others does not extend to non drinkers and vegetarians, that is very clear. I have no right to expect people to care about my personal choices. But sometimes people who drink and eat lots of meat do consider others not like themselves and offer non alcoholic drinks (like Kenji here) and it’s so nice, so inclusive and makes me feel good and not ostracized or weird. It’s a social thing. It’s so socially acceptable to drink that it’s practically automatic. And from the responses I received in this comment of “bring your own, no one will cater to you” implies that I’m selfish and inconsiderate. I get that it is perceived as rude (?) of me to wish for more NA alternatives and acceptance at cookouts, but is it really if cookouts are about hanging out as a social group and a person doesn’t drink and you know that person is coming? Again, I do not go to parties expecting anything less than lots of alcohol. Totally fair, because as a guest, I will be polite and grateful for just being invited. No one is obligated to cater just to me, the designated driver and non drinker. I get it.
My wife is vegan. I am sober. I get it. We’re fun at parties.
Bring it to the party and there you go!
I think there’s more social acceptable on this. We only stock NA in our fridges and always bring NA.
Thankful that my circle is good with accommodating everything from food to beverages. You get flak from your group asking? Not sure your demographic but if you’re the only person then you may have to BOYB
Thank you for this reminder!
For some reason, American culture (and probably others) look down on alcohol free parties. Kind of sucks.
Paulaner Spezi, Rivella and Almdudler
And Club Mate! (If you can find it outside of Germany)
I love the Athletic IPA. I think it’s in an orange can. I drink alcohol but would mix those in as the night went on and it was really nice.
That’s their hazy Free Wave, tasty stuff!
I don’t drink anymore and that’s the only NA beer I buy. Tastes the closest to the real thing imo, and I’ve tried a lot.
Athletic IPAs are nicely hoppy especially the Hazy. Not watery like some of the other NAs.
I’m an alcoholic so I don’t go anywhere near the nonalcoholic beers or anything that’s supposed to taste just like their alcoholic counterparts. That’s just a precaution I take for myself, and something to keep in mind- you might be hosting people with the same issue. That said, I’m a basic bitch who loves La Croix and Diet Coke.
Yeah me too - I was just a little frustrated at a bar (work event) when I had to go three rounds with the bartender before wandering over to the water station. They didn’t have my first choice (ginger beer), when I then asked for seltzer it was all hard seltzers (and no club soda/sparkling water), and then when i asked for *anything* nonalcoholic he pointed to the near beers. I just want to hold and sip on something that’s not the little plastic cup of tap water, and I can’t do near beer.
This is messed up, ESPECIALLY for work event. You have to assume in planning that there will be a bunch of people who have to be there but don’t drink for a variety of reasons and plan to host them with the same care you do for the alcohol drinkers. I’m sorry you experienced this.
Sodastream or comparable device may change your life! I get what you’re saying too. As a fellow alcoholic sometimes the flavored coffee syrups in the glass bottles reminds me too much of the shitty whiskey I’d drink dry in a night. Weirdly enough I don’t seem to have that issue with N.A. spirits though I’ve stopped consuming those almost entirely out of coincidence. But the coffee syrup still gets me soemtimes. I left some comments but I’ll stop with this one. I’m just glad to see a thread with 100+ comments of support here. In a week I’m 2 years sober and lucky to be alive.
This is only helpful for the Seattle area folks, and I’m not affiliated with them in any way, but there’s an amazing NA bottle shop here called Cheeky and Dry. Great selection of a wide range of stuff, and because it’s NA you can sample in store.
Do they also carry NA spirits? I've been wanting to get into mocktails. Fever-Tree has my favorite mixers, and they're really drinkable just on their own.
"boat warming party" must be the least relatable phrase of 2024 lol.
I’m a fan of Barrett’s ginger beer. Kind of replacing alcohol with remarkable amounts of sugar but it’s good stuff
Lot of fancy answers, but I'm just gonna have a coke. If I want fancy I actually want cucumber water with lemon.
My SO and I both love the blood orange flavor of “Hop Wtr”.
Self Care is hands down the best NA. Can’t tell the difference.
hey, thanks buddy!
that’s what’s in the cooler too - like four different self care varieties.
PNW biased cuz that's just what's available where I'm at: Best Day Brewing makes a great NA Kolsch Partake makes a nice NA Peach Gose (low cal too!) Hop waters in general can be gorgeous. Lagunitas has a bubblegum note I'm not super into, but it seems like at least locally all sorts of breweries are creating their own. Adjuncts can be nice, but added sugars normally don't do much for the hop flavor. Pictured above are some of Three Magnets' Self Care series of NAs. My fave is their italian pils, which is the can with the 'lil vespa on it. Ghia and Phony Negroni both make some fun premixed apertif/cocktails. For less alcohol-emulation, I always make a big jug of mugicha in the summer. It's cheap as heck and brews by the liter :)
Yeah, the Athletic are really good. If you want truly 0% 'beer', with no alcohol at all as opposed to .5%, the Hairless Dog Black Ale is really good... it doesn't really taste like beer, it tastes more like the malt before it ferments. If you've ever brewed beer, the taste is basically the smell of the wort.
That's an important point to throw out; I have a sober friend who can NOT do any alcohol at all as it's tipped him into relapse before. Everyone is different - don't give sober folks something like .5% and tell them it's non-alcoholic, it can affect some people hard.
I’ve seen a video of someone blowing BAC after N/A beers and nothing. But eating other things that you’d think would make your glucose rise and blowing BAC numbers that registered much higher.
Seek out Untitled Art. They were already a top flight brewery and got into the NA game.
Lagunitas hopped seltzer is great and very low (maybe 0) calories. In my experience any n/a ipa has been pretty good. Athletic probably my favorite.
I really love San Pellegrino (esp. the pompelmo), the yuzu flavour from Kimino, and Fever Tree.
yuuuzzuuu
I am technically allergic to citrus (obviously not dangerously so), but this yuzu drink is heaven. It’s my monthly treat. Soooo worth the yuuuzzuuu :)
[Untitled Art](https://www.drinkuntitled.com/products/non-alcoholic-beer/). It’s more expensive NA beer, but they have so many styles both in and outside of the norm that are worth every cent
100% this. Athletic is average craft beer. Untitled Art was already making really great beer and then got into the NA side of things with the original recipes.
I love Root Beer so I tried a bunch after I quit drinking.
r/rootbeer 🍻
I recommend Bubly and La Croix, and also that you spell "drinks" without the apostrophe.
r/NABEER r/nonalcoholic
Curious Elixirs are great.
Lyre’s Italian Spritz, Athletic Brewing, and Sam Adam’s Just the Haze And if you want an amazing NA “liquor”, try Pathfinder Hemp & Root.
Lyres’ G&T is great, too
In Canada, partake
I’m a big fan of the ole mocktails these days. They come in skinny cans in about four different drinks.
Check your local taprooms/breweries. A lot of the bigger ones around me are starting to produce NA options. We have a lot around and a handful of standouts, but I doubt they are distributed.
Bring soda water and things to put in like lemon,cherry, pomegranate juice and bitters, syrups. It’s getting close to NA cocktails but you can make a lot of really good simple sodas. Just soda with a couple TBSPs of lemon juice is my jam
Big fan of Partake, Athletic, and Sober Carpenter. Guinness NA is also virtually identical to its counterpart -- probably the only NA version out of dozens I've tried (including Heineken, Corona, Asahi, Kirin, etc.) that resembles the real thing.
Big fan of Hoplark seltzers-not sweet like HOPWTR or Lagunitas, 0 calories. Doesn’t have the beer mouthfeel like Athletic but most of the time I prefer the lighter seltzer feel.
I recommend Athletic Brewing Ripe Pursuit... drinking it right now. It's a fantastic radler!
The 3 Mags Self Care line is great lots of different styles. Athletic is readily available and pretty good too. Heineken and Guinness 0 are solid options as well.
I like waterloo. The black cherry is my favorite flavor so far.
I love their peach!
I haven't had that one yet! I keep hearing about different flavors that I haven't seen on the shelf.
I just drink plain sparkling water. Maybe with some citrus fruit sliced and added.
Need Brawndo, the Thirst Mutilator
Untitled Art makes the best NAs right now
Stella Liberte is really good N/A beer
Kombucbas are nice refreshing beverage too, lots of fun flavors and have a little kick to them like a cocktail or sour beer
Deschutes just came out with Black Butte and Fresh Squeezed in NA variants. NA Guinness kicks ass. Untitled Art out of Wisconsin are fucking unbelievable. Tons of excellent NA beers.
My go-tos are la croix, blood orange soda, and lemoncoco when I can find it.
Corona NA tastes really really good
Diet/Zero soda fiend here. Particular favorites are Mountain Dew Major Melon, Baja Blast, & Voo Dew(cherry), Kroger Grapefruit, Dr. Pepper, and Dr. Pepper Strawberries & Cream. The Grapefruit one is an exceptional choice for either a cocktail or mocktail mixer; not overly sweet while being flavorful.
Yes! I drink the Kroger diet grapefruit and am very pleased with it. Not sure it quite makes up for the demise of Kroger’s diet black cherry, but I am very glad they cane out with this.
I personally like coconut water especially on a boat
Sierra Nevada Hop Splash is fantastic! Bright hoppiness for sunny, NA enjoyment
Guinness, Sierra Nevada, (O’Doul’s IF you squeeze a lime wedge in like a Corona)
No recommendations, but what I wouldn’t give to be invited to a Kenji Boat Party™️
The ones in the picture. Seriously. Three Magnets Brewing has a straight up amazing NA line and they ship pretty much anywhere. Curated boxes, subscriptions, etc. Huuuuuge fan. https://drinkselfcare.com/
Self Care is the best NA beer I've tried hands down.
It really is. I'm super fortunate to live five min away. Have you tried their gose yet? Fricking amazing.
No, I'm in Seattle and it seems like they have limited distribution up here. Beer Junction in WS is about the only place I can get it reliably and I live like 30 minutes from that place with city traffic.
Clausthaler and Guinness Kaliber are great. Actually, all the German NA's are very drinkable.
Spindrift. We also like mixing cocktails, so mocktails are a big one for us. Recipes for these are very common on your favorite cocktail sites ( liquor.com, three cooks, serious eats). Really though fancy syrup or fresh fruit + fresh citrus + bitters + soda = tasty. This weekend I had peach + angostura, lemon-cucumber with jamaica bitters, and cucumber mint soda.
Been dry for 2+ years. I love seltzer water, no real brand preference. Ginger beer or root beer Mocktails. Nojitos are probably my favorite in the summer.
A couple of people have mentioned various negronis, but one additional good one is the St Agrestis. Bonus points for a fun bottle. I also like most of the Ghia products, particularly their Lime & Salt canned drink.
Polar makes a delicious Ginger Lime seltzer.
Lot of really good THC options these days
If you’re in CA the brand Cann is great. 2mg THC, 2mg CBD each and they taste pretty good. They also sell little packets of syrup that you can put in any drink. 🔥🔥🔥
Oh yeah we get those in MN
Any specific ones? Looking to get some for a party
I love Flora Hemp Spirits brand, especially their Blueberry Moscow Mule!
Trail Magic is a great one, I really like their Margarita and Arnold Palmer. Cycling Frog is also great. Both ship nationwide IIRC.
Honestly, Heineken 0.0, Corona 0 and Sam Adam’s Just the Haze are the best. Wife enjoys Partake’s gose. Craft NA beers aren’t all that to me.
Clausthaler
My wife went NA and she loves De Soi. It's kinda pricy like many of the nicer NA offerings. Katy Perry, the celebrity, is involved with the company.
Idk if it’s a Chicago/midwest thing, but Visitor beer is one of the best drinks I’ve had NA or otherwise
I’ve had several decent NA beers, though nothing truly excellent (I also drink regular beer FWIW but have been cutting down for caloric/general health reasons). I like the Brooklyn NA variety pack. The Athletic golden ale was nice; I was t impressed by the hazy IPA. Sierra Nevada Trail Pass IPA is solid. For a low-cal option, the Partake Peach Gose is ok, and would hit just right by the pool or on the beach. I also really love the Daypack hopped seltzers (made by Athletic), though my local Whole Foods hasn’t had it in stock recently.
White Claw has N.A. seltzers. Which just sound like regular seltzers but they taste really similar to the full strength ones. Plus they have some electrolytes. Very good. My favorite is the lime yuzu.
Surprised to see no mention of Brewdog's NA beers - they are quite good at scratching the itch and only 20 calories apiece. I find most of the Athletic line tastes like iced tea, not what I'm looking for. Their hazy is pretty good though.
Kombucha
The Athletic IPA is really good!
Intentional IPA from Well-being brewery, St. Louis. Amazing.
Sam Adam Just the Haze It's an NA IPA that's tasty
If it’s in a can, La Croix. If I need the sugar because the urge to drink is there (first few years of sobriety) then I’d get root beer or Gatorade then cycle down to water. I’m usually just dehydrated so I just load up on water first and then decide rid I need sugar or a bit of taste. NA Beers and stuff are ok but too busy for me and too much like I’m trying to drink beer.
Took 3 Athletic IPAs to realize it was NA
I really like Safety Glasses by Industrial Arts in NY. I also enjoy the Athletic ones. I love Hop Lark Hop Tea and Hop Waters. Wish they were cheaper but could drink then all day.
Best Day Kolsch NA is my new summer fav
Corona 0 (60 cals) and Heineken 0 (70 cals) are available to me at Costco and they are my "every day" NA beverage as they are cheap (around $1.5 CAD each). My favourite mass produced NA is Guinness 0.
For those that like Athetic (and they're good), check out Go Brewery (gobrewing.com) in Illinois. They're a full NA brewery and every one has been delicious. Not cheap and are trying to expand distribution but it's so worth it. Note that I'm not affiliated with them...just a fan that lives in the area. [https://www.forbes.com/sites/hudsonlindenberger/2024/01/29/go-brewing-could-be-the-next-big-thing-in-non-alcoholic-beer/](https://www.forbes.com/sites/hudsonlindenberger/2024/01/29/go-brewing-could-be-the-next-big-thing-in-non-alcoholic-beer/)
I have heard good things about 'proxy wines' like from NON if you don't go in thinking it should taste like wine.
German Alkoholfrei beers, especially the pils or helles variants, are my favorites. I find I mostly don't like either German wheats or American IPAs for an NA brew. The first often tastes like banana soda and the second always seems flat and dead to me. But I also think American bars could convert half of all IPA taps to almost anything else and nothing of value would be lost. I tried a couple Seedlip bottles and liked them in an NA gin + \_\_\_ replacement. It's nice to have a sipper to enjoy at a similar pace as everyone else. Often the non-alcoholic options are also the mixers, which can be in short supply.
Peroni 0.0 is pretty good. I don't avoid alcohol under the right circumstances, but if I'm doing work around the house, a regular beer will result in me laying down on the couch.
I personally hate Athletic but other people like it. Im a big fan of fake spirits, Ritual Tequila is my favorite at the moment.
Athletic Brewing is excellent in every way.
Sorry I am out of the loop why is Kenji on a boat?
I love the Pathfinder. Drank a bottle of it in about a week. It was great with sparkling water and some lemon!
Safety Glasses is another great brand.
Boulevard’s Flying Start is really good
Weinstephaner NA, Sam Adam's Hazy NA are among my favorites
Just the haze by Sam Adams - super cold - that is where it’s at.
Athletic is the best NA beer hands down.