Our annual roundup of the best non-alcoholic beers for Dry January is here!
We’re lucky to have more and more N/A options every year, and this list provides a list of some of the highlights to look for throughout the month. These crowd-pleasers also combine quality with general availability, so you shouldn’t have to look too hard throughout the US for most.
Dry January is a month where people choose to abstain from alcohol; resetting their relationship with booze, and hopefully seeing some health benefits along the way like better sleep and weight loss. In recent years, the trend has picked up steam with an estimated 35% of drinkers participating in 2022. And the drinks industry has noticed: with all of the craft alcohol-alternatives available now, it’s never been easier to find something that tastes like your favorite tipple. If you’re a beer lover, you’re in luck today. Read on for a curated list of tasty, non-alcoholic brews for the whole month (and beyond!).
Contents
Best Hoppy
Untitled Art is still easily at the top of the list when it comes to non-alcoholic hazy IPAs, and their Citra Session is a particularly juicy expression that pleases. Grab a six-pack for a nice change of pace from their standard Hazy IPA.
Also Great
Athletic Free Wave
Notch Hazy IPA
Best Easy-Drinking
This beer makes me want to see a kölsch from every non-alcoholic brewer this year. It’s such a great style that’s rich and crisp, flavorful but easy-drinking, fruity yet dry. Best Day nails the profile with a well-rounded brew, and they can be found throughout the US as one of the more well-distributed craft producers.
Also Great
Untitled Art Italian Pilsner
Heineken 0.0
Best Wheat
Athletic tends to work its way onto most non-alcoholic beer listicles one way or another, and I like their Wit’s Peak for the wheat beer category. It gets you those classic citrus and spice notes without any crazy bubblegum or banana, and a balanced sweetness to carry the body. Athletic is everywhere these days, so pick one up at your local bar, Whole Foods, or hot dog cart.
Best Macro-Replica
Stellllaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
I’ve been pleasantly surprised how well the macros have replicated their flagship beers in non-alcoholic form, and Stella is a fine daily drinker.
Pair it with some fish tacos and pretend it’s sunny and warm, or cook up a hearty stew. Stella’s easy-drinking palate will go with almost anything.
Also Great
Heineken 0.0
Guinness
Corona
etc.
Best Stout
There are some good, newer options, and I think we will see some more really great N/A stouts in the years to come, but man does Guinness always hit the spot.
Also Great
Athletic All Out
Best for First-Timers
Heineken is an interesting beer, as a macro with a little more verve than most other bottles behind every bar. It’s a classic pilsner, with the requisite clean malt, grassy undertones, and a crisp finish. The NA version does a great job imitating the full-strength, and a billion-dollar distribution network means that Athletic has some real competition as the go-to “standard” NA option at most bars.