It’s the golden age of nonalcoholic beer. Not only are there far more options to choose from than ever, but technological advances in brewing means these booze-free beers taste better and better with every batch.
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I find myself reaching for a nonalcoholic beer at happy hour when I know I’ll be driving later. It’s the best of both worlds – I get to keep socializing and get home safely. Like me, more Americans are dabbling with sobriety and even semi-sobriety. In fact, most people who purchase nonalcoholic versions of beer, wine or spirits reportedly switch between counterparts depending on the situation.
Pro tip: if you are looking to avoid alcohol completely, be sure to check that the label reads “alcohol-free” and not simply “nonalcoholic”. In the United States, beer is defined as a malt-based, fermented beverage containing over 0.5% alcohol-by-volume (ABV). “Nonalcoholic” beers may contain up to, but no more than, 0.5% ABV, while “alcohol-free” beverages contain no alcohol at all.
With that said, here are the 12 best nonalcoholic styles and award-winning brands to try, from IPAs to fruited sours to dark beer.
The best nonalcoholic beers in the US at glance
$19.99 for a 12-pack at Amazon $28.99 for a 12-pack at Rationale Brewing $12.99 for a six-pack at Untitled Art$13.99 for a six-pack at Athletic Brewing Company$27.34 for a 6-pack at Amazon$24.99 for a six-pack at Amazon$11.99 for a six-pack at Deschutes Brewery$12.99 for a six-pack at Fremont Brewing Company$29.99 for a 12-pack at Partake Brewing $11.99 for a six-pack at Deschutes Brewery $10.99 for a six-pack at Total Wine
Why you should trust me
I’ve been writing about the craft beer industry for a decade for the Washington Post, Food & Wine, Good Beer Hunting, Civil Eats, Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine, San Diego Magazine and many more. In 2023, I published my first book, The Beer Lover’s Guide to Cider. I’ve also been interviewed as a beverage expert for Buzzfeed and KPBS, and spoken at multiple Beer Summit conferences and CiderCons.
Over the past several years, I’ve tried most of the nonalcoholic beer options that are readily available to the average consumer across the US. (And believe me, they’ve come a long, long way from the near-beers of previous generations.)
Best celebrity nonalcoholic beer brand: Bero
Photograph: Courtesy of Amazon
It seems like every celebrity is getting into the alcohol business (yes, we see you, Kendall Jenner), and even the non-alcohol beer space isn’t immune. But Avengers star Tom Holland’s brand of NA beer is more than a gimmick. Bero’s line of premium nonalcoholic beers offer simple but classic styles such as pilsner, wheat beer and a hazy IPA for a wonderfully straightforward option in an increasingly crowded space. Your friendly neighborhood NA beer-man saves the day once again.
$19.99 for a 12-pack at Amazon $28.50 for a 12-pack at BERO Brewing
Best nonalcoholic can design: RationAle Brewing
Photograph: Courtesy of Amazon$24.99 for a 12-pack at Amazon$28.99 for a 12-pack at Rationale Brewing
RationAle’s ethos of adventure-forward living encourages consumers to “rip into right now”, which I just love – you only live once, so why not live it to the fullest? Plus, its collage-style cans are works of art outside as well as inside, such as the cherry blossom motif on its Japanese-style dry, or the picturesque cobblestones and German architecture of Kölsch. The internationally-inspired labels are as beautiful as the beers are genuinely delicious. Perfect as a gift.
Best nonalcoholic fruited sour: Untitled Art Flvr! NA Mango Dragonfruit Sour
Photograph: Courtesy of Untitled Art$12.99 for a six-pack at Untitled Art$22.26 for a six-pack at ProofNoMore
In a sea of NA lagers and IPAs, there aren’t a ton of NA sours out there (yet). But Untitled Art’s award-winning mango dragonfruit sour from its Flvr! line of NA beers is setting the goalposts high, already taking home a gold medal from the 2025 Great American Beer festival in the specialty non-alcoholic beer category. This tart and luscious take on a smoothie sour bursts with lots of mango, guava and dragonfruit flavors for a juicy alternative to a poolside sip.
Best nonalcoholic hazy IPA: Athletic Brewing Company Free Wave IPA
Photograph: Courtesy of Amazon$13.99 for a six-pack at Athletic Brewing Company$17.99 for a 12-pack at Amazon
Athletic Brewing Company is the undisputed pioneer of the nonalcoholic beer movement, and the award-winning Free Wave is its ace in the hole. With a huge hop aroma and long-lasting notes of pine and citrus, it’s hard to believe this isn’t a “real” India Pale Ale. While it’s low in calories (only 70 in a 12oz can, compared to a standard hazy’s average of 150 to 250), it still maintains a lingering bitterness true hopheads will appreciate.
Best mainstream nonalcoholic beer: Guinness 0
Photograph: Courtesy of Amazon$27.34 for a 6-pack at Amazon
Reinventing an icon is a dangerous game, but Guinness understood the assignment. I bet that if a hundred people were blindfolded and taste-tested the original Guinness next to Guinness 0, the majority of them wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. I know I couldn’t – this is a near-clone of the signature stout, with the same smooth, creamy, malty, roasty, silkiness the Irish have been perfecting for more than 200 years. Clearly, they know what they’re doing.
Best nonalcoholic ale: Sierra Nevada Trail Pass Golden
Photograph: Courtesy of Amazon$24.99 for a six-pack at Amazon$25.18 for a six-pack at Sierra Nevada
Generally, a nonalcoholic beer is made one of two ways: either by brewing and removing the alcohol afterward, or brewing in such a way that alcohol never develops during the process. Sierra Nevada spent five years perfecting the second process, and the result is a supremely drinkable and refreshing golden ale that’s about as close to the real thing as you can get. I’ve brought this to a number of backyard barbecues and it’s amazing how many people don’t notice that it’s an NA.
Best organic nonalcoholic beer: Patagonia Provisions NA IPA
Photograph: Courtesy of Deschutes Brewery$11.99 for a six-pack at Deschutes Brewery
Outdoor clothing company Patagonia launched its food and drink division in 2012, and released its first organic NA IPA in collaboration with Deschutes in 2024. Made with organic hops and barley, this NA IPA also uses Kernza, a versatile perennial grain developed to capture carbon, improve soil health and reduce erosion as a significantly more sustainable alternative to conventional crops. Best of all, the beer tastes awesome. It’s a win for the nonalcoholic beer industry, a win for NA IPA lovers and a win for the earth.
Best nonalcoholic witbier: Fremont Brewing Orange Wit
Photograph: Courtesy of Fremont Brewing Company$12.99 for a six-pack at Fremont Brewing Company
Witbiers, or wheat beers, are one of those “love ’em or hate ’em” styles that have polarized the beer world since their inception in a 14th-century Belgian monastery. Still, there’s no denying that witbiers are wildly refreshing, and Fremont’s NA version means teetotalers can enjoy all the big, bold citrus flavor in this medium-bodied beer. It’s a sunny style that gives you something to smile about.
Best nonalcoholic Oktoberfest beer: Partake Brewing Oktoberfest
Photograph: Courtesy of Partake Brewing$29.99 for a 12-pack at Partake Brewing
Years ago, when nonalcoholic Oktoberfests beers first came on the market, I found many of them fell way, way on the sweet side of the malt bill. But brewers have now had the time and technology to tweak their approaches, and Partake’s version is especially dialed in, with a semi-sweet finish and balanced malt-to-hop ratio with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon – all giving it that wonderful fall feeling.
Best nonalcoholic dark beer: Deschutes Black Butte Non-Alcoholic Porter
Photograph: Courtesy of Deschutes Brewery$11.99 for a six-pack at Deschutes Brewery
This is one of the first NA beers that really surprised me when I first tried it. The original Black Butte porter is a beloved part of Deschutes’ portfolio, and this version is almost indistinguishable from its counterpart. With the same rich and malty mouthfeel, chocolatey flavor and smooth finish, this is the creme de la creme of NA dark beers out there and has a World Beer Cup gold medal to show for it.
Best nonalcoholic light beer: Designated Dale’s NA Pils
Photograph: Courtesy of Total Wine$10.99 for a six-pack at Total Wine
Light lagers’ comeback has dovetailed nicely with nonalcoholic beer’s rise, so some pretty great contenders have emerged in the NA lager category. This NA pilsner from Oskar Blues’ Dale’s line is an easy-drinking option. It stays fizzy and fun where other NA lagers have a tendency to fall flat, and delivers light, crisp hints of floral hops and pilsner malt without overwhelming the palate.
