So, you are searching for the best non-alcoholic beer. If you’re like most people, your taste for beer is probably an acquired one. Few people truly enjoy the taste of beer when they first try it.
But whether it’s acquired or not, your love of beer is genuine if you find yourself looking for nonalcoholic (NA) beers. And finding good ones is a task of epic proportions.
You may consider buying a mixed pack of non-alcoholic beers from our favorite brewer as a starting point. You can sample different styles and see which one matches your tastes. You can find a great mixed pack of non-alcoholic beers by clicking here.
Or maybe you are ready to dive right in and pick a winner? You are in luck. We’ve done a lot of the legwork for you in this article. We all know full well NA beer can’t match the real deal, but these 11 beers are about as close as you can get.
We've also found some of the best nonalcoholic wines and spirits if you want some variety.
The 11 Best Non-Alcoholic Beers
1. Athletic Brewing Company Run Wild
Like many people, the founders of Athletic Beer Co. were looking to marry their love of craft beers with a balanced and productive lifestyle. The result is a nonalcoholic craft beer that tastes almost as good as the real thing.
In the interest of honesty, it should be noted this is another cheater. Athletic Brewing labels these as having “less than 0.5%” ABV. How much less is anyone’s guess but you should be aware it’s still technically an alcoholic beverage.
Their promise of “craft non-alcoholic beer without compromise” is mostly true. There’s always that inevitable bit of compromise in making a NA beer, but their flagship non-alcoholic IPA is outstanding even compared to alcoholic beers.
Plus, it’s only 70 calories to a can, so if you’re trying to stay fit while feeding your beer craving, you’ve found your perfect match.
Order one of the best non-alcoholic beers here
2. Suntory ALL-FREE
Japan’s Suntory brewery has a rich history of taking on Western staples and improving on them in a way only the Japanese can.
When they say “ALL-FREE,” they really mean it. Suntory’s NA beer is not only 0% alcohol by volume, but it’s also devoid of calories, artificial flavors, and additives. That’s right, all the flavor of beer with none of the bad stuff.
Made in the Tokyo-Musashino brewing facility, this beer uses only natural mineral water sourced in Japan. Two-row barley rounds out this beer’s rich flavor and carefully-selected aroma hops are added to create an elegant and refined bouquet.
If you’re dead set on finding a near-beer to complement a healthy lifestyle, it doesn’t get much better than this.
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3. Grüvi IPA
Grüvi is a small, Colorado-based brewery with a health-focused mindset. It’s no surprise that they put a lot of effort into making a more-than-tolerable NA beer. And their IPA speaks for itself as Colorado’s best-selling near-beer by a wide margin.
They make a point of introducing a lot of ingredients, but it’s debatable how many of those actually make it through to the final taste test. As far as IPAs go, this is not quite what you may be used to, but it’s a reasonable approximation.
One thing that Grüvi accomplishes quite well is mimicking the taste of alcohol in beer. Even though it’s a 0% ABC product, you could swear there’s a hint of alcohol in it. The one complaint some customers have is wavering quality control, with some batches found lacking in several areas.
Give this non-alcoholic IPA a try by ordering here
4. Beck’s Near Non-Alcoholic
Beck’s needs no introduction. It’s a fan-favorite of many a beer lover. And their addition to the ranks of NA beer is pretty close in quality to their regular beer. However, Beck’s cheats a tiny bit because it’s “near non-alcoholic.”
In practice, the “near” means 0.5% alcohol by volume. For most people, that’s a negligible amount. You’d have to drink gallons of the stuff to feel even slightly inebriated. But it still constitutes an alcoholic beverage in the US.
Like regular Beck’s this near-beer has a strong hoppy finish and aromas of European hops throughout. It’s crisp and refreshing, unlike some NA contenders, which tend to overcompensate with an overly-rich body.
Find out more about Beck's nonalcoholic beer here
5. Coors Non-Alcoholic Beer
To be fair, Coors isn’t exactly known as a top-shelf beer. But when it comes to near-beers, you kind of have to take what you can get.
Jokes aside, this is actually a pleasant drinking beer and tastes almost identical to regular Coors. Coors has been making this beer for over two decades now, and it’s still one of the most popular NA beers on the market.
Coors NA beer’s flavors are mostly subdued throughout. It has a mild grainy aroma and subtle hoppiness with a bitter finish. If you’re looking to kick a heavy beer-drinking habit with an NA alternative, this is an excellent option.
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6. Heineken 0.0%
Getting a great non-alcoholic beer doesn’t mean you have to stray too far from your comfort zone. The brew wizards at Heineken spent a long time coming up with a NA version of their award-winning beer.
Like Heineken’s flagship beer, this is an inoffensive lager with a super-balanced taste. You’ll recognize the typical straw-yellow and minimal head typical of Heineken, as well.
As the most famous lager, Heineken is the measuring stick for all other lagers and the same holds true for their non-alcoholic variant. It’s not necessarily the best, but it’s an excellent starting point if you’re just dipping your toes in the turbid pint glass of near-beers.
Grab a six-pack of Heineken 0.0% here
7. Clausthaler Non-Alcoholic Beer
Since its creation, Clausthaler’s NA offering has been collecting awards for taste from all over the world. And it’s fair to say Clausthaler is one of the major breweries that has taken a serious approach to near-beer.
Clausthaler makes exclusively non-alcoholic beers (0.45% ABV) and so far has five different offerings in that domain. It’s a good idea to start with the Clausthaler Original, which has been on the market since 1979. It’s one of the pioneering NA beers and still remains a favorite of many teetotaling beer aficionados.
Clausthaler makes a big point about brewing in accordance with German purity laws and being Germany’s premier alkoholfrei brewer, but all you need to know is this is a well-balanced and fresh near-beer that you can hang your hat on.
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8. Asahi Dry Zero
Named after the strain of yeast used in the brewing process, Asahi Dry is another beer all the way from the Land of the Rising Sun. Their NA variant hasn’t been on the market for a long time, but it has gained a devoted following in that short period.
The “dry” in its name is not just for show. It has a strong bitter taste that’s quite close to regular beer.
Lightly carbonated, Asahi’s NA beer is exceptionally easy to drink. As a rule, near-beers are better when they’re cold, but that’s twice as valid for this one. Enjoying this one ice-cold will cut through the bitterness and balance out the flavor.
It’s also worth noting Asahi Dry Zero takes after Suntory in that it’s zero “everything.” Zero calories, zero alcohol, zero gluten, etc.
This great non-alcoholic beer isn't always in stock.
Click here to see if you can order some.
9. BrewDog Nanny State
BrewDog is a veritable supergroup of beer wizards hailing from Scotland who specialize in creating gimmicky beers. Their claim to fame is making the beer with the highest ABV content. Now focusing on the other end of the spectrum, they’ve worked hard to make a great-tasting NA beer – and largely succeeded.
As an IPA, this beer packs a hoppy punch that rivals alcoholic beers. But ever the showmen, BrewDog’s team goes above and beyond to make it as bitter and hoppy as they possibly can.
If you love IPAs, but also love having sound judgment, this beer will be your new best friend.
You will fall in love with this nonalcoholic IPA if you order some here
10. Busch NA
It’s almost a point of pride for some that the US doesn’t make any particularly great NA beers. But that doesn’t mean big breweries don’t try their darndest. Busch is a great example of this.
Busch’s non-alcoholic offering is not going to win any awards, and yet sales have remained solid over the years. If you can’t enjoy an alcoholic beer for some reason, and you’re not too snobby about your brews, this is as good a choice as any.
It has the typical taste of American hops with a malty and grainy aroma. Smooth and easy to drink, it’s about as anodyne as a beer can get.
You can order by clicking here
11. St. Pauli Girl N.A.
A German-import NA lager that easily supersedes Heineken’s with a pleasant hoppy aroma and crisp finish. The American Tasting Institute gave St. Pauli Girl the Best Imported Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage Award.
You’ll find all the typical European flavors, but with a duller edge than you’d expect from the average lager. As one of the highest-rated non-alcoholic beers in the US, this one is the least likely to disappoint you, so it’s almost certainly worth a taste.
Click here to order this non-alcoholic lager beer
All the Fun Without the Hangover
These eleven beers are the top sellers with the highest ratings from most outlets. However, that doesn’t mean you’re going to love every single one.
Your best approach is to make your way through this list and start picking up on what NA beers can, and can’t, offer you. Once you’ve got some experience under your belt, branch out and try out some of the small-batch brews.
The non-alcoholic beer boom is just starting so you can expect a multitude of new challengers to enter the market in the coming years.
