The 10 Best Non-Alcoholic Beers & 10 That Aren't Fooling Anyone
The Non-Alcoholic Beer Shelf Has Come a Long Way
Non-alcoholic beer used to feel like the option you chose only when you had to. Now, the category has expanded into crisp pilsners, hoppy IPAs, dark stouts, wheat beers, sours, and craft-style cans that actually taste as if someone cared. Others still have that thin, sweet, cereal-water quality that reminds you exactly why non-alcoholic beer used to have a reputation problem. Here are 10 of the best non-alcoholic beers and 10 of the worst.
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1. Guinness 0.0
Guinness 0.0 is one of the most convincing non-alcoholic beers because it keeps the parts people actually love about Guinness. It has roasted malt flavor, a creamy texture, and a dry finish that makes it feel like a real stout instead of a thin imitation. You still get that dark, cozy pub feeling without the alcohol. For anyone skeptical of NA beer, this is a very strong place to start.
2. Heineken 0.0
Heineken 0.0 works because it understands the assignment of being cold, crisp, familiar, and easy to drink. It has a light malt flavor and clean finish that make it feel close enough to the regular version for casual drinkers. You’re not getting a wild craft-beer adventure, but that’s not really the point.
3. Corona Cero
Corona Cero absolutely deserves a spot in the better half because it knows exactly what people want from Corona. It’s light, bright, refreshing, and especially good with a wedge of lime. As far as zero percent beers that taste just like real beer, you can't get much better than Corona Cero.
4. Athletic Brewing Run Wild IPA
Athletic Run Wild IPA brings hop bitterness, citrusy flavor, and enough body to satisfy people who miss the taste of a good IPA more than the buzz. It helped prove that non-alcoholic beer didn’t have to be flat, sweet, or embarrassed. If you want something more flavorful than a light lager, this is a reliable pick.
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5. Samuel Adams Just the Haze
Samuel Adams Just the Haze is a strong choice for drinkers who like hazy IPAs but don’t want alcohol in the mix. It has a soft, fruity hop character and enough texture to feel more satisfying than many thinner NA beers. The flavor is friendly rather than aggressive, which makes it useful for people who want craft-style taste without getting buried in bitterness.
6. Stella Artois Liberté
Stella Artois Liberté gives you a polished, easy-drinking lager-style option with a recognizable name behind it. It’s light, crisp, and slightly malty, which makes it feel like a natural fit for dinner, parties, or casual drinks. The flavor doesn’t shout for attention, but it doesn’t need to.
7. Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0
Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0 is a good pick if you want something clean, stylish, and refreshing. It keeps the light Italian lager feel that makes regular Peroni popular in the first place. The finish is crisp enough to work with food, especially salty snacks, pizza, or anything you’d rather not overthink.
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8. Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic Belgian White
Blue Moon’s non-alcoholic Belgian White makes sense because the original already has a softer, citrusy profile. That orange-and-wheat character helps the NA version feel more complete than a plain lager might. If you like the regular Blue Moon vibe, this one doesn’t feel like a huge departure.
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9. Erdinger Weissbier Non-Alcoholic
Erdinger Weissbier Non-Alcoholic has been around long enough to earn real credibility. It has a fuller wheat-beer body, a bready flavor, and a refreshing finish that keeps it from feeling too heavy. The style works especially well without alcohol because wheat beers already lean soft and rounded. It’s a dependable choice when you want something with more texture than a standard light NA lager.
10. Brooklyn Special Effects Hoppy Amber
Brooklyn Special Effects Hoppy Amber brings a little more personality without getting too niche. It has malt, hops, and mild bitterness, which gives it more depth than many mainstream NA choices. The amber style is helpful because it doesn’t have to rely only on crispness to be enjoyable. It’s a nice bridge between big-brand familiarity and craft-beer flavor.
Now that we've talked about the best non-alcoholic beers for those chasing the taste without the buzz, here are 10 that miss the mark.
1. O’Doul’s
O’Doul’s deserves respect for being one of the names people associate most with non-alcoholic beer. The problem is that it still tastes like an older version of the category. It’s mild, grainy, and familiar, but it doesn’t have the freshness or balance newer NA beers have brought to the shelf.
2. Budweiser Zero
Budweiser Zero is easy to find, easy to drink, and very clearly designed not to offend anyone. That can be useful, but it also means the flavor feels a little too quiet. It’s smooth and light, yet it doesn’t bring much body or character once the chill wears off. If you want the faint outline of a beer, it does the job.
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3. Coors Edge
Coors Edge is best served extremely cold, because temperature does a lot of the heavy lifting. It has a crisp enough start, but the flavor thins out quickly. Fans of very light beer may not mind, especially in casual outdoor settings. Still, compared with the stronger NA options available now, it feels like it’s playing things too safe.
4. Busch Non-Alcoholic
Busch Non-Alcoholic has the same basic appeal as regular Busch: it’s simple, affordable, and not trying to be fancy. Unfortunately, the NA version doesn’t have much flavor to spare. It can taste watery and plain, which makes it hard to recommend unless convenience matters more than character.
5. Kaliber
Kaliber has more presence than some older non-alcoholic beers, but that doesn’t automatically make it better. The flavor can lean sweet and malty in a way that feels heavy rather than refreshing. Some drinkers may appreciate the taste, but many are left wishing it had a cleaner finish.
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6. Beck’s Non-Alcoholic
Beck’s Non-Alcoholic has the branding of a crisp European lager, but the flavor doesn’t always deliver the same bite. It’s drinkable, and it’s certainly recognizable, but it can feel muted compared with the regular version. The issue isn’t that it’s terrible; it’s that the NA category has improved around it. What once seemed decent now feels a little behind.
7. St. Pauli Non-Alcoholic
St. Pauli Non-Alcoholic looks like it should be sharper and more refreshing than it is. Instead, it can come across as grainy, soft, and slightly dull. It may work if you just want something beer-like in a glass, but it doesn’t do much to impress.
8. Buckler
Buckler belongs to the older generation of non-alcoholic beers, and it shows. It has a basic lager profile, but there isn’t enough brightness or depth to make it memorable. Nothing about it is especially outrageous, which is also why it disappears from your mind almost immediately. It’s the kind of beer that makes newer NA options look much better by comparison.
9. Miller Sharp’s
Miller Sharp’s is light, mild, and very much a product of lower expectations. It may satisfy someone who wants the gentlest possible beer-like drink, but it doesn’t offer much beyond that. The texture is thin, and the flavor fades quickly. Today’s NA shelf has too many better choices for this one to feel convincing.
10. Old Milwaukee Non-Alcoholic
Old Milwaukee Non-Alcoholic keeps things basic, which can be a strength if you’re not asking for much. The trouble is that it tastes more functional than enjoyable. It’s light, simple, and forgettable in a way that doesn’t help the reputation of non-alcoholic beer.
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