Here's Why Athletic Brewing Co., Is Crushing It In The NA Beer Space

Forbes

24-04-2025

In the ever-expanding category of zero-proof beverages, this forward-thinking craft brew operation based in Stratford, Ct., takes its mission seriously while also having lots of fun. Its latest release of IPAs should give sober hopheads a new reason to cheer.
While other breweries, large and small, make non-alcoholic beer as a side project, the founders of Athletic – John Walker and Bill Shufelt – were determined to make it the singular focus of their efforts. When Athletic Brewing launched more than seven years ago, NA beer was all they made. Still is.
One way Athletic stands apart is its constant push to innovate. What began as the quest to produce a really tasty IPA has gone in so many different directions.
'We're always trying new iterations, testing them internally and rolling them out to our club members," Walker, the head brewer and COO, said in a recent phone interview. Those selections that fly might end up on the shelves in retailers around the country and across the globe, while some could be part of a select release to Athletic Club members who sign on to receive regular shipments.
The latest batch includes a hazy IPA that's got a whole lot of character and a golden-style that's had the gluten naturally removed. Here are the official descriptions of some of the newbies:
Athletic Brewing Run Wild: A blend of five Northwest hops and ultimate sessionable IPA, approachable bitterness and balanced malt body, only 65 calories
Athletic Brewing Free Wave: Hoppy hazy IPA, featuring Amarillo, Citra, and Mosaic hops, smooth, and highly aromatic of tangerine, grapefruit, pine, and florals
Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn: Classic craft Golden style that's clean, balanced, and light-bodied, brewed with premium malts and American hops, crafted to remove gluten.
Seasonal spring and summer offerings shine a light on fruit-infused beverages such as the just-launched Mango Sour. And, yes, real coffee beans are used in the making of First Ride, a caffeinated sipper that's the best kind of kick start to the day.
There's also a clever collab with country singer-songwriter Walker Hayes, a pale ale named for one of his biggest hits, Fancy Like. Bravo!
'We've got five full-time beers out there and at any time, we might be playing with 40 different recipes,' Walker said. To handle the dramatic increase in demand, Athletic opened a second production facility in San Diego.
Athletic Brewing also stands out because of its efforts to do meaningful community projects around trail restoration in its Two for the Trails initiative. The Certified B Corp company has committed to donate $2 million a year to rehabbing trails, while the Athletic team also volunteers to support these efforts across the country. (Applications for the next round of grants will be available this summer.)
And, of course, there's a podcast. This compelling listening opportunity features a lineup of athletes and tastemakers – hello, Russell Winfield, pro snowboarder and, in another segment, Amanda Hesser from Food52 – hosted by Mason Gravely.
When looking for an NA beer at your favorite bar, the go-to options is increasingly moving to a selection from Athletic. More than 800 of the top taphouses in the country now feature this food-friendly bev. Some standouts include:
Uptown Hophouse in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood. Near Climate Pledge Arena, this popular spot serves outstanding Philly-style pretzels along with an all-star lineup of hot dogs.
Nightshift Brewery on Boston's Lovejoy Wharf is beloved for its award-winning pizza and sports-loving vibe.
Mike Hess Brewing in San Diego's North Park neighborhood is one of Athletic's biggest fans. The Mike Hess faithful love the kid-friendly, dog-friendly, dart-friendly space that's home to a rotating slate of food trucks.
The Bronx Brewery has partnered up with a genius empanada entrepreneur called Empanology at it flagship location. Oh, wow, a truffle shrimp empanada sounds like the perfect partner for the Athletic IPA.