In this article, we are going to discuss the 20 best low-alcohol beers in America. You can skip our detailed analysis of the global no-lo alcohol market, the rising popularity of the Athletic Brewing Company, and the no-lo craze in the air, and go directly to 5 Best Low-Alcohol Beers in America.
The emergence of low-alcohol beer can be traced back to 1919 in the United States, when the Prohibition laws imposed in the country resulted in alcohol being outlawed. The U.S. government set the maximum alcohol limit in any beverage at 0.5% ABV (alcohol by volume). This led to the development of a new breed of brews, referred to as non-alcoholic beers or ‘near beers’. Even after the Prohibition era came to an end, many people still stuck to the option of non-alcoholic beers and as a result, many brands in the country started creating light non-alcoholic brews to meet the preferences of consumers nationwide.
Global No-Lo Market:
Low- and no-alcohol beers may be drops in the proverbial bucket of total worldwide beer sales, but the market continues to explode with options as the category continues to expand. According to IWSR, in 2022, the global no- and low-alcohol category surpassed $11 billion. Low-alcohol is expected to grow at a 2% volume CAGR until 2026, with much growth driven by the low-alcohol beer category.
Beer with low alcohol has become increasingly popular as consumers become more health aware. Products such as non-alcoholic malt beer have fewer calories than other carbonated beverages, making them a good substitute for customers and potentially contributing to market expansion.
The Rising Popularity of Athletic Brewing Company:
As we mentioned in our article – Gen Z's 25 Favorite Brands in 2023 – Gen Z are a more health-conscious generation and a growing share of them is even turning away from alcohol. In 2022, 38% of Gen Z were buying more non-alcoholic beverages than in the previous year. This has led to the rise of companies like the Athletic Brewing Co. With a sales volume of 170,000 barrels in 2022, the non-alcoholic beer maker has now become one of the Largest Craft Breweries in the US by Volume.
Athletic Brewing Company is revolutionizing beer for the modern adult by proudly brewing delicious, craft non-alcoholic beer and hop-infused sparkling water. At 150,000 square feet, Athletic is the largest brewery in the world for non-alcoholic craft beers (by area). Since launching in 2017, the Connecticut-based brewer’s sales reached $37 million in 2021, and grew 100% year-over-year in 2022.
Athletic Brewing's growth helped catapult the company to the top of the overall craft brew category, ranking as the third-largest non-alcoholic brand in the U.S., behind Heineken 0.0 and Bud Zero. As of the end of 2022, Nielsen data showed that Athletic Brewing accounts for nearly half of non-alcoholic craft beer sales in the U.S., a segment that’s grown 352% since 2021.
Athletic Brewing also received a major investment boost from Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP) last year. The conglomerate announced in November that it was investing $50 million in the non-alcoholic brewery, solidifying a minority stake in the brand. The deal valued Athletic Brewing at a staggering $500 million, according to Forbes.
As part of the investment agreement, Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP) will hold a seat on the company’s board of directors. This funding was part of a $75 million Series D investment round from more than 25 current Athletic investors, which included celebrities such as Karlie Kloss and Naomi Osaka.
Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP) executive chairman stated in the press release:
“Athletic Brewing is a winning brand in a rapidly growing beverage segment. Our investment reflects our interest and ability to move into exciting white spaces, including in the blurring of the alcoholic and non-alcoholic categories. We look forward to partnering with the Athletic Brewing team to help them scale the business.”
This is the second indication of Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP)’s interest in the non-alcoholic beverage space, as it also acquired zero ABV ready-to-drink cocktail brand Atypique in June last year. The company recently announced in its Q2 Earnings Call Transcript:
“Our International segment continues to perform well, even as it begins to lapse double-digit growth in the year ago period. In Q2, Canadian volume momentum was fueled by non-alcoholic and low alcohol beverages where we have multiple brands like Atypique and Labatt’s is gaining share. This is an exciting set of emerging categories where we plan to leverage our learnings across markets.”
The Athletic Brewing Company also announced in May that the JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ:JBLU) would become the first major U.S. airline to sell non-alcoholic beer at 35,000 feet. Since May 2023, JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ:JBLU) customers have been able to enjoy Athletic Brewing's award-winning Upside Dawn Golden on all domestic flights. According to Mariya Stoyanova, director of product development, JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ:JBLU):
“In our continued effort to provide customers with an onboard experience customized to their needs and preferences, JetBlue is proud to be the first major U.S. airline to serve non-alcoholic beer. We're thrilled to partner with industry leader Athletic Brewing to offer our customers the refreshing, balanced taste of a classic craft Golden without the alcohol.”
At the end of Q2, JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ:JBLU) was held by 39 hedge funds in the Insider Monkey database, with Two Sigma Advisors boasting the largest stake of over 5.5 million shares, valued at around $48.76 million. The low-cost airline ranks among the 20 Most Popular Airlines in the World.
With that said, here are the Top Low-Alcohol Beer Brands in Americain 2023.
20 Best Low-Alcohol Beers in America
Valentyn Volkov/Shutterstock.com
Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we referred to a number of sources, such as Liquor, VinePair, Food Network, Reddit etc., looking for the Best Low-Alcohol Beers in the U.S. We picked beers that appeared at least twice in these sources, assigned them a score based on their number of appearances, and ranked them accordingly. We have only included beers with 3% ABV or less in our list. When two beers had the same score, we ranked them by their average rating on BeerAdvocate.
This attractively light bodied and seductively well-balanced American IPA is anything but a sissy beer. Put on your best bikini and enjoy this very, very drinkable beer in the sun, at the summer festivals, or even better use it to slowly seduce your nagging friends with an anxiety for craft beer.
Bikini Beer ranks among the Best Beers Under 5% ABV.
19. WellBeing Hellraiser Dark Amber
Insider Monkey Score: 2
Alcohol Content: 0.3% ABV
Hellraiser Dark Amber is the beer to drink when you are out with your friends to have a great time. This hop-forward amber has the perfect balance of floral aroma and spicy hops to delight the palate of craft beer enthusiasts everywhere.
St. Louis craft beer stalwart Saint Louis Brewery, maker of Schlafly Beer, entered into a joint venture agreement with WellBeing Brewing Co. last year. The deal will help scale WellBeing’s production and sales while providing Schlafly with a new source of revenue and an inroad into the fast-growing non alcoholic beer market. As part of the joint venture, Schlafly will take over WellBeing’s sales and production functions, while WellBeing will remain responsible for its product development, e-commerce and marketing initiatives.
18. BrewDog Wake Up Call
Insider Monkey Score: 2
Alcohol Content: < 0.5% ABV
Hit the ground running with BrewDog’s full-flavored, non-alcoholic dark stout. This highly-rated beer is built with strong coffee for a dangerously robust, roasted profile and brewed with milk, sugar, oats, and chocolate wheat.
In June, BrewDog released its annual report for the financial year ending 31st December 2022. Despite boasting a revenue of $412 million, the Ellon-based brewer and pub operator reported an operating loss of $31 million last year.
17. WellBeing Intentional IPA
Insider Monkey Score: 2
Alcohol Content: 0.3% ABV
Intentional IPA delivers the distinctly and delightfully bitter characteristics of Mosaic and Citra hops, refreshingly punctuated with pineapple and peach notes. This sessionable IPA offers a full-flavored, low-alcohol experience for any intentional occasion. WellBeing Intentional ranks among the Best Low-Alcohol IPAs in America.
16. Untitled Art NA Florida Weisse
Insider Monkey Score: 2
Alcohol Content: < 0.5% ABV
This #1 rated non-alcoholic beer on Untappd is brewed with real passion fruit, pink guava, and cherry. This bright, effervescent sipper sparkles with notes of tropical fruit punch. It goes down smooth and delightfully tangy.
15. Athletic Brewing Stump Jump Autumn Brown
Insider Monkey Score: 2
Alcohol Content: < 0.5% ABV
Stump Jump is a lively Autumn Brown brewed for fall days. This good non-alcoholic beer is toasty, nutty, and packed with notes of roasted caramel for a smooth and satisfying sip that tastes just like the season.
14. O’Doul’s Amber NA
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Alcohol Content: < 0.5% ABV
In the late 20th century, Anheuser-Busch turned history into pleasure, producing a malty, grainy low-ABV brew the pickiest drinker would want to drink.
Two-row and specialty caramel malts, along with a blending of imported and domestic hops, give O'Doul's Amber its rich color, flavor, and fuller body. O’Doul’s Amber NA ranks among the best domestic beers with low alcohol content.
13. Partake Peach Gose
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Alcohol Content: < 0.5% ABV
If you can’t always keep summer hours, keep summer flavors with Partake Brewing’s Peach Gose – a delightfully sweet (but not too sweet) non‑alcoholic beer with a hint of tartness. Refresh yourself and your to-do list with a fun, fruity twist.
Founded in 2017, Partake Brewing is a non-alcoholic beer maker that now boasts over $20 million in annual revenue.
12. Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Alcohol Content: < 0.5% ABV
Brewed with premium Vienna Malt along with a combination of English and American hops, this is a classic craft Golden style beer. Refreshing, clean, balanced, and light-bodied, this non-alcoholic brew is crafted to remove gluten. Upside Dawn has won over a dozen international brewing awards for its superior taste and quality and ranks among the best beers with low alcohol content.
11. Untitled Art NA Italian Style Pils
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Alcohol Content: < 0.5% ABV
An Italian Pilsner is a hoppier version to your standard Pilsner. Untitled Art made this non-alcoholic version with Hallertau Mittelfruh and Strata hops for a floral aroma and crisp pleasantly bitter finish.
A 6-pack of this Highly-Rated Low-Alcohol Beer will set you back $16.99 on the brewery’s website.
Behold a true craft beer drinking experience without the alcohol. Distinct in style and quality, this non-alcoholic version of Black Butte Porter delivers delicious flavor & balanced drinkability. It’s so similar to the iconic original you’ll be surprised it’s not.
The Portland-based Deschutes Brewery has always been family owned and operated. An Employee Stock Ownership Program was set up in 2013, so employees now own a percentage of the company.
9. Untitled Art NA Juicy IPA
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Alcohol Content: 0.5% ABV
Whether you’re cutting consumption or just want some hoppy goodness without the alcohol, Untitled Art has created a non-alcoholic version of its mainstay Juicy IPA. Brewed as the full-strength Juicy IPA (with Citra & Mosaic hops) and fermented out as normal, the finished beer is then run through a reverse osmosis system that filters out alcohol through high pressure and extremely fine membranes.
The 0.5% ABV IPA ranks among the Top Ten Low-Alcohol Beers in America.
8. Athletic Brewing Cerveza Atletica
Insider Monkey Score: 4
Alcohol Content: < 0.5% ABV
Cerveza Atletica is a refreshing Mexican-inspired Light Copper, made with summertime refreshment in mind. A unique blend of Vienna and Munich malts provide a rich copper hue with an aroma of delicate bread crust that is balanced with light spicy and floral notes from the noble hop, German Hersbrucker.
7. Brooklyn Special Effects Hoppy Amber
Insider Monkey Score: 4
Alcohol Content: 0.4% ABV
Brooklyn Special Effects Hoppy Amber tastes just like a regular beer, but therein lies the special effect – it’s not. Brooklyn Brewery uses a special fermentation method that develops the flavors, aromas, and character of beer with none of the alcohol, and a generous dry hopping resulting in lively hop notes and a clean finish.
The Tokyo-based Kirin Holdings acquired a roughly 25% minority stake in Brooklyn Brewery in 2016.
6. Athletic Brewing Run Wild
Insider Monkey Score: 4
Alcohol Content: < 0.5% ABV
Run Wild is the ultimate sessionable IPA for craft beer lovers. Brewed with a blend of five Northwest hops, it has an approachable bitterness to balance the specialty malt body. Always refreshing and only 65 calories.
Run Wild ranks 6th in our List of Best Low-Alcohol Beers.
