00% –
May 6, 2026 – I can’t remember exactly when, only what I felt: drained. I hadn’t just hit the proverbial afternoon wall—I was slammed against it, pancaked by a car. Green tea and expensive smoothies didn’t feel up to snuff, and the thought of a third cup of mocha from the break room coffee machine sounded unappetizing.
Without giving it any real thought, I wandered to our office bar—a perk of working for a lifestyle magazine—and plundered the minifridge. I assumed I would find a chilled Diet Coke left behind from our many end-of-week happy hours. That’s when I saw it: a can of cold beer. Could I really drink a beer at work? I asked myself. It felt absurd. But then, my eyes fixed on what was printed on the side: “0.0% alcohol.”
The rise of non-alcoholic (NA) beer has been a curious yet unsurprising phenomenon. Besides accommodating teetotalers, the proliferation of NA beer is the result of a generation prioritizing health and wellness. In January, the Brewers Association published a survey showing a 111 percent increase in the volume of NA beer sales between 2021 and 2025. Major players like Heineken, Guinness, Corona, and Coors all have alcohol-free beers. Meanwhile, new brands like Athletic Brewing, Best Day, and BERO—founded by Spider-Man himself, Tom Holland—have sprung up, dealing exclusively in non-alcoholic drinks.
