I’ve noticed a trend over the last few years, perhaps it’s been more than a few years, but people are more sober curious than ever before. Whatever those reasons may be are not important, the trend however, is gaining momentum, and brewers and distillers are taking notice.
As of this writing, I’ve personally been alcohol free for over a year! I knew there were non-alcoholic beers out there like O’Doul’s and Heineken 0.0, but I had always wondered if there were more, especially styles like IPA, darks, sours, pale ales, hoppy pilsners, etc.…
So I started Googling NA IPA’s, and one of the first craft brews I found was Athletic Brewing Co.’s Run Wild IPA. I started reading more about the brewery, and the other beers they offered, and I started getting excited!
While enjoying alcohol free beverages may not work for everyone trying to abstain from the suds, it definitely works for me, and being a craft beer nerd, and former home brewer, this was just what the doctor (not my doctor) ordered.
I ran, or rather walked to my local craft beer shop on my normal daily walk, and came home with a 6-pack to see if what I read was true, and over a year later, I can say Athletic Brewing is still bringing the tasty NA craft beers, while helping me stay the course with my health and fitness goals.
It Started With A Beer
Similar to my journey that started with an NA beer, so did co-founder Bill Shufelts’, but his beer was devoid of flavor, metallic, and super watered down.
At the time, Bill was working in finance, about to get married, and was getting more serious about his fitness.
He wanted options that were tasty, but didn’t want to compromise his lifestyle, so with these ideas in mind, he set out to create what we now know as Athletic Brewing Co.
Teaming up with head brewer John Walker on a homebrew setup, they started perfecting their process and refining flavors until they were satisfied, and eventually built their entire brewery around what came out of those sessions.
Initially starting in Stratford, CT, they now operate two breweries on both coasts, with the other location in San Diego, CA.
How Do They Do It?
I’ll admit that when I was ready to only drink NA craft beers, I was skeptical, because the beers I’d tried in the past were similar to what Bill drank on the night he started thinking about making better NA beer.
Generally, NA beers are brewed just like beers with alcohol, but towards the end of the process, the beer is heated up to remove the alcohol, but in doing so, the flavor and aromas that you like and want are essentially heated away, making the final product flavorless and watery.
They are not giving away their secrets, but Athletic Brewing uses a proprietary method of creating craft beers where the fermentation process doesn’t produce ethanol to begin with, which doesn’t compromise on taste and aroma, resulting in high quality craft beer.
Because their process doesn’t adhere to traditional non-alcoholic brewing standards, they can offer more than the traditional pilsner, serving up goldens, IPA’s, darks, and sours, in addition to seasonal and special offerings.
“WE LOOKED AT THE WAY NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER WAS BEING BREWED AND TURNED IT ON ITS HEAD.” – John Walker – Co Founder & Head Brewer
Additionally, they try to source local all natural ingredients, use organic malts to enhance the flavor of their beers, and use seasonal ingredients for peak flavor when things are fresh and limited.
The Beers
Thanks for giving me the company history, and the process of brewing beer, but I want to get my hands on some of the good stuff. What can I drink?
Athletic makes something for every taste and palate. If you like IPA’s, they got em. If you like dark brews, they have those, if you like sours, well they have those too!
I’d start with their best sellers Run Wild IPA, Upside Dawn and Free Wave Hazy IPA. These will help you get your feet wet, and these are what I started with over a year ago.
If you’re looking for additional flavors I’d bookmark their all beers page and check back frequently for limited releases, seasonal offerings, bundles, and subscribe and save options.
If it’s your first order, make sure to take advantage of the $10 off offer (check the banner at the top of the site) and make sure to order at least $50 or more to get free shipping.
If you’d rather pick up some brew locally, use their store locator to find a shop so you can stock up.
How About Free Beer?
Athletic Brewing has a sweet referral program where your friends get a free 6-pack with their first purchase of two or more and you get a free 6-pack after they purchase. Who doesn’t like free beer?!
Sparkling Water
You know Athletic Brewing is in on the Sparkle water game! They call theirs DayPack. With flavors like Mango, Lemon Lime, and Black Cherry, they have something for everyone, even if you’re not an NA beer aficionado.
Merch
Don’t let the alcoholic beer drinkers be the only ones to sport their merch at the brewery. Athletic Brewing Co merch has everything you need to represent, including shirts, sweaters, hats, accessories, and even toys for your dog!
Community
Athletic Brewing Co isn’t just about super yummy tasting beers, I mean, if that was it, I’d probably be happy, but it’s also about community.
I’ve told you a little about my choice to be alcohol free at the beginning of this post and that stemmed from wanting to live a healthier lifestyle, while still being able to enjoy delicious beers.
Many people come to this community for different reasons, and Athletic Brewing shares those stories, keeps an updated events calendar, and hosts a podcast, which can all be found on their community hub page.
You can even check out their current job openings if you want to be closer to the action. I wonder if you get free beer if you work there?
Cheers!