A brewer’s perspective on the NA beer movement
Not too long ago, the NA section of the beer aisle looked pretty bleak. Today, there are more options than ever. Simply put, for beer fans looking to moderate more or even take part in the Dry January tradition, there’s never been a better time to do so.
Offerings now really do live up to the craft billing. The non-alcoholic beers of 2024 are made with traditional brewing ingredients and yield something about as near to beer as you could get.
Cam O’Connor is the managing director of Crux Fermentation Project in beer-centric Bend, Oregon. The brand was the first craft operation in the state to bring an NA beer to market back in 2021. “We sampled a whole bunch of craft NA products from around the country before we began making our own,” he said. “Finally, after significant research, we found a flavor profile we liked and went for it.”
That beer is NØ MØ, a non-alcoholic IPA made with Citra and Mosaic hops. This isn’t your father’s O’Doul’s. This is a hoppy and refreshing beer that, when tasted blind, would do pretty well against many of its traditional peers.
And while there’s some extra effort involved in making a good non-alcoholic beer, it’s been worthwhile. “It has turned out well for us, to say the least,” O’Connor continued. “NA brews are not easy to make, especially if the goal is to create a truly good one. We’ve learned from experience, which is why the product’s quality keeps improving the more we brew it. That has been the biggest evolution.”
Innovation in the NA sphere
“We have been innovating in this space since we began brewing our first NA,” he explained. “To be successful, you have to continually come up with different styles and brands, which is what we’ve done.”
To keep things fresh, Crux just rebranded its packaging. And the next quest might just be to find yet another successful style. “Now that NØ MØ has become such an important product for us, we’re always looking for the next great NA beer, too. In that way, the NA market mirrors the broader craft beer market. If you don’t innovate to meet changing tastes, you will struggle to be successful.”
What’ll it be? Perhaps one of the most iconic beer styles on planet Earth. “We have been playing around with making an NA pilsner for quite some time, so we are excited to release Bright Sky Pils in early 2025,” he said. “The precision it takes to make a great pilsner is only amplified when making an NA version, so it’s been a fun challenge. But I think we’ve done it.”
It’s an exciting time, as brewers are treating these beers as seriously as any other. They’re playing with new hop varieties, matching styles, and listening to consumer demands. Perhaps that’s to be expected, as the NA sector was reported to be worth some $22 million a couple of years back (and has grown significantly since).
This is all the more impressive given the fact that NA beers are generally a little more expensive to create. Some are de-alcoholized, while others are fermented in special ways to prevent the creation of alcohol. Regardless, it tends to be more work, and the fact that brewers are rolling up their sleeves means this is more than just an insignificant trend.
The surging NA movement
O’Connor said that there’s no doubt about NØ MØ’s benefits for Crux. The NØ MØ River Refresher, an IPA, is its top-selling brand by volume. “I think we have been a little surprised by how quickly the market has grown,” O’Connor admitted. “But we are grateful that we had the right product at the right time.”
So, where is it all headed? A win-win scenario. “We’ve seen a lot of new brands enter the market, both locally and nationwide,” O’Connor said. “I don’t expect that to slow any time soon. Obviously, that means more competition, which will lead to higher-quality products being released and refined. That’s going to be good for sales of those products. The other side is that some of the lower-quality products probably won’t make it over the long term. Ultimately, the consumers of NA brews win.”
People are also returning to sprightlier beer styles and Crux has responded accordingly. “NA’s like NØ MØ aren’t the only sign that tastes are changing,” O’Connor said. “We’ve seen demand for lighter styles grow, too. Bochi Bochi, our 4.9% ABV Japanese rice lager, and Crux Pilz, our 5.2% ABV pilsner, have grown into two of our top-selling alcoholic beers.”
It’s a new world out there, for brewers and imbibers alike. “Times have changed, and breweries that are willing to innovate will be successful,” O’Connor said.
Be sure to check in with some of The Manual’s related content. We’ve got features on everything from craft beer terminology to pairing beer and food. Happy holidays!
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