After more than 20 years of drinking craft beer, and even working in the industry in Colorado, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2021.
Anklyosing spondylitis (AS) is a rare rheumatological disease that affects only about 1% of adults in the United States. It attacks areas around the spine and peripheral joints where inflammation flares, often encasing the vertebrae in bone. The resulting spinal fusion increasingly renders one immobile and, in extreme cases, a person can lose their ability to walk.
Receiving this diagnosis terrified me. I had no idea what the future held or how much my life was about to change.
What I did know was that alcohol is an inflammatory substance, and that meant I would have to face the harsh reality that my drinking days were over.
But acting on that reality was a monumental challenge. While waiting for the insurance company to approve treatment, I took myself on a Farewell To My Favorite Breweries tour, complete with sorrowful goodbyes and tears in my beers. COVID policies were still in place in restaurants and breweries, so I often sat at an outdoor table in the cold, lamenting my bad luck and wondering how I was going to quit drinking and, perhaps more importantly, how I would let go of the beer culture that had sustained me for so long.
Once I started treating the AS with proper medication, I felt better overall, which also meant I kept the beer train rolling.
Quitting loomed large in my mind but so did a wholesale rearrangement of my social life and my primary means of entertainment. I loved craft breweries – the community, the camaraderie, the perks. I didn’t want to quit drinking. I felt “fine” and believed everything was progressing as it should.
I could not have been more wrong.
In the spring of 2023, after a one-beer visit with friends at Spangalang Brewing in Denver, I returned home and drank another pint while cooking dinner. The next day I felt so awful that I had to take a nap as afternoon came on. I was sluggish, my joints screaming, and my back felt like it was being stretched on a rack. A dull headache beat behind my eyes and no amount of water quenched my thirst.
I had to come to terms with the fact that even if I wasn’t done with drinking, my body was forcing the issue, and drinking was done with me. No amount of alcohol was without consequence, and I was certainly exacerbating the symptoms of my AS, my inflammatory markers rising with each sip.
As summer came on, I had my last full-strength beer, a Rare Trait IPA from Denver’s Cerebral Brewing. I didn’t know it would be my last: My Farewell Tour had been a bust, I hadn’t set a quit date, and I wasn’t headed into a “dry” month. I simply quit. It was quiet, with little fanfare, and it stuck.
People quit drinking for many reasons. Some, like me, have the decision made for them due to health issues. Others want to avoid the deleterious effects of drinking and the impacts it has on the body. It could be a calorie issue, the result of developing an allergic reaction to alcohol, or the fact that drinking too much too often can lead to serious problems.
Whatever the reason, more and more people are opting out of alcohol consumption and choosing alternatives.
I may have stopped consuming “real” beer, but I never lost a taste for it. Soon after I quit, I started seeking out more non-alcoholic options, hitting both big and small liquor stores in Denver to peruse their selections.
Since I’d been a big IPA fan (IPAs are often the most highly-caloric beer style, with some varieties hitting 300 calories per pint), I was most interested in N/A beers with less of a caloric punch than their alcoholic counterparts. Carbs were also a factor, and I didn’t want to ingest a lot of extra sugar.
I’ve now tried more than 30 N/A beers. Some were so bad they went the way of the drain, while others were a pleasant surprise. What follows is a list of my favorite non-alcoholic beers and hop waters, all of which are currently available in metro Denver. However your tastes lean, there’s undoubtedly an N/A offering that will satisfy your thirst.
When I had to quit drinking, here are the N/A beers that helped me do it.
Untitled Art Italian Pilsner
Brewed in Wisconsin and distributed in 23 states, this is the beer that made me believe great-tasting N/A options were possible. Delicious hop character, grapefruit-forward, very refreshing. Can be a bit pricey. (40 calories, 8g carbs, 2g sugar per 12-ounce can)
Best Day Kölsch
Dangerously close to the real thing, I always keep this California beer on hand. It has a bready, dry finish and is a nice slice of Germany in an NA package. You can buy this as part of a mixed 12-pack that includes Kölsch, West Coast IPA and Hazy IPA styles. (55 calories, 11g carbs, 3g protein per 12-ounce can)
Hoplark 0.0 Really Really Hoppy
I reach for Hoplark when I want a zero-calorie hop fix. Simcoe and Citra hops are the stars here, lending notes of tangerine and stone fruits. Based out of Boulder, Hoplark’s portfolio includes numerous N/A craft brews, hop teas and sparkling waters. (0 calories, 0 carbs)
Fremont Brewing Dark
If you’re a fan of Seattle-based Fremont’s Dark Star Imperial Oatmeal Stout, this could be up your alley. Roasty, with notes of chocolate, coffee and a hint of anise. A great winter beer and a fabulous choice for pairing with desserts. (Nutritional information unavailable)
Oskar Blues Designated Dale’s N/A Pilsner
A new offering from one of Colorado’s most storied breweries, this pilsner is my new go-to when it comes to a light lager that’s nearly identical to its full-strength counterparts. Crisp and clean with a skosh of hops. (60 calories, 15g carbs per 12-ounce can)
Mash Gang Chug Hazy IPA
Chug, from a UK brewery that now distributes in the United States, gets first prize for the best nose of any N/A IPA I’ve had yet. Pale straw in color, the addition of mango introduces a lush tropical note to the beer. This is a great option for the haze lover. (Nutritional information unavailable)
Partake Pale Ale
When I want something between a hop water and an N/A beer, Partake fits the bill. The Canadian brewery has several low-calorie, low-carb options, but the Pale Ale is my favorite as it delivers a nice mix of citrus and pine-forward hops. (10 calories, 4g carbs per 12-ounce can)
Prost Brewing Pilsner
Prost, which has four locations in Colorado and two more on the way, just began selling this N/A lager at its taprooms (single cans only). The brewers there are using a new approach to brewing non-alcoholic beer, but the details are top secret. Full-bodied, with a noticeable malt backbone, it’s a bit of a departure from other NA Pilsners, and this is a good thing. (Nutritional information unavailable)
Cerebral Brewing Just the Hops
My favorite hop water, hands down. Made with Citra, Mosaic and El Dorado hops, it’s a satisfying and flavorful option when you want something with 0 alcohol and 0 calories. Cerebral currently has a version made with pineapple. (0 calories, 0 carbs per 16-ounce can)
Sierra Nevada Trail Pass IPA
As a longtime fan of the OG California craft beer Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, I was anxious to get my hands on its N/A IPA, and it didn’t disappoint. The use of Amarillo and CTZ hops delivers a spicy bitterness while the body is reminiscent of IPAs with 10 times the alcohol content. (83 calories, 17.9g carbs per 12-ounce can)
Busch N/A and Old Milwaukee N/A
For those who like to spend a little less for a lot more, these two N/A lagers might fit the bill. Don’t laugh: This is not the stuff of your college years. After tasting numerous mass-produced N/A lagers – Bud, Coors, Corona, Heineken, Peroni, Stella Artois and Asahi, among others – Busch and Old Mil were pleasant surprises. They lack the “tinny” flavor present in too many big-beer N/As, and are easily crushable on a hot day. (Busch is 64 calories and 13.4g of carbs per 12-ounce can; Old Milwaukee is 58 calories with 12.1g of carbs per 12-ounce can)