The Best Nonalcoholic Beers for All the Flavor & None of the Headache

Whether you're trying Dry January or Sober October, you're pregnant, abstain from alcohol or you're simply looking to drink less, you might find yourself in search of a beer replacement. Especially in the past year, many of us have found ourselves drinking more than usual. For me, the start of a new year felt like a pretty natural time to try something new: no alcohol for the first 31 days of the year. 

Being an avid football fan, it seemed nearly impossible to watch the playoffs without a beer in hand. Enter nonalcoholic beer. To see what's really worth the cost, we tested 12 different types of nonalcoholic beers. Whether you are also taking some time off from drinking or simply want something to switch it up from seltzer, water and tea, here are our favorites.  

We tasted 12 different alcohol-free beers from three breweries, and these were our favorites:  

• BrewDog Hazy AF (Buy it: $29.99, Amazon.com)
• Athletic Brewing Run Wild (Buy it: $27.99, Amazon.com)
• Rescue Club Brewing IPA (RescueClubBrewing.com)
• BrewDog Wake Up Call (Buy it: $29.99, Amazon.com)
• Athletic Brewing Cerveza Atletica (Buy it: $12.99, AthleticBrewing.com)
• Athletic Brewing Free Way (find a store near you)

Founded in the United Kingdom in 2010 and reaching the U.S. in 2017, BrewDog expanded their beer selection to offer six brews without the alcohol but sparing no flavor. I tried all six and the Hazy AF New England-style IPA was my favorite. Living in New England, I may be biased, but the notes of tropical fruit and grassy hops made it the perfect easy-drinker for game day. Get a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans for yourself for $29.99 at Amazon.com.  

Athletic Brewing may be the heavyweight champions of the nonalcoholic beer world (they even make nonalcoholic hoppy seltzers). They have been around since 2017 and have over six different beer varieties available at grocers across the U.S. Slightly lighter than the previous one, the Athletic Brewing Run Wild is a bright IPA with notes of citrus and boasts only 70 calories per can. It is the perfect après beer, for those of you getting out in the snow. Not to mention, it was awarded the gold medal at the 2018 International Beer Challenge and was called the USA's Best Nonalcoholic Beer in the World Beer Awards. See what all the hype is about with a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans on Amazon.com. 

As a collaboration with Zero Gravity Craft Brewery in Burlington, Vermont, Rescue Club IPA prides itself on being a craft beer through-and-through, without the alcohol. Their motto is that "it's the people who make the party, not the alcohol," and Dry January has shown me that's the truth. It is fresh-tasting with notes of pine and citrus, and has light hops for the iconic beer flavor. It will soon be available on their website, so keep your eyes peeled. 

On cold winter nights, I love a good stout to go with a hearty meal. The BrewDog Wake Up Call delivers the rich stout flavor with a robust coffee flavor. As an added bonus, it has 39 milligrams of caffeine per can. Breakfast beers, anyone? Try it for $29.99 for a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans on Amazon.com. 

To round out our list, Athletic Brewing's Cerveza Atletica is the perfect stand-in for Corona or Modelo without the impending headache. This light copper ale is refreshing and would be perfect for a beach day. They mention it pairs deliciously with spicy salsa and fish tacos—don't mind if I do. Buy a 6-pack of 12-ounce cans for $12.99 at AthleticBrewing.com.  

Though I enjoyed all of the Athletic Brewing beer I tried, the Free Way double-hopped IPA was my favorite. It actually tasted like a beer so much that, if I didn't know it was alcohol-free, I never would have guessed. It's made with Mosaic, Chinook and Amarillo hops, which gives it a citrus-forward wheat beer taste with noticeable but not overwhelming hops. It is a limited release, and is available at select grocers. Check out the "Find a Store" tool on their website to see if it's available near you. 

Whether you are looking to cut back or cut out alcohol altogether, these nonalcoholic beers will satisfy your cravings. They are perfect for everything from beach days to après ski or watching the big game. Breweries like Athletic Brewing, BrewDog and Rescue Club choose to brew beers without compromising flavor so you don't have to compromise the next day either. Try some of these staff-favorite nonalcoholic beers to see for yourself.