6 Non-Alcoholic Beers You Should Avoid At All Costs

Numerous studies have come out indicating what many of us already know — alcohol consumption increased tremendously during the COVID-19 pandemic. Just 18 months in, it was recorded that one in five people classified themselves as heavy drinkers. And this was due to stress, isolation, fear, and sadly, the incredible ease that many of us had in getting alcohol delivered to our homes.

Post-COVID, however, the market has seen a change in this as consumers are dramatically turning away from alcohol. The new trend has been on a drastic rise since 2022 and doesn't show any signs of stopping. And this is most likely why the non-alcoholic (NA) drink sector has boomed globally with mainstream, craft, macro, and regional breweries starting to offer an alternative. While many of these breweries have been wildly successful, this has been problematic for consumers.

First, more people are on the hunt for a non-alcoholic brew that is going to replace and satiate that want for a drink. Second, in that search, consumers are going to be faced with hundreds of possibilities to choose from, leaving them overwhelmed and unsure as to where to turn. And if the first few attempts aren't successful, it can lead people to ditch the idea of an alcohol-free alternative and go back to what they know.

In my quest to help people find that NA alternative I knew was out there, I also came across these beers that could turn consumers off the NA road altogether. I found some NA brews that were so bad I knew if they were among the initial choices of NA seekers, they would leave a bad taste in consumers mouths both literally and figuratively. So, when you are looking for an alternative, you are going to want to avoid these non-alcoholic beers.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Shiner brews have been around since the beginning of the 1900s. They have a large following. And as the trend toward NA brews has occurred, the brewery has released a few non-alcoholic alternatives. I can attest that they are not all bad. However, the citrus wit is.

This is a golden brew that actually seemed to tip more toward a lager style. During a tasting of mainstream beers, four taste testers sampled this brew and found it exceedingly unpleasant. One taster in particular had to hold their nose just to go in for a second sip due to the smell being somewhat repellant.

This beer had a very strong resemblance to the taste of Worcestershire sauce and was much like trying to drink the well-known condiment. There was an overly sweet maltiness, a strange raisin essence, and a tart sourness that culminated in all of the tastes reaching an unpalatable level. In most cases, I can see where there may be an audience for a specific taste, but when it came to this specific beer, even my imagination could not reach that consumer.

If you have read our article rating mainstream non-alcoholic beers, you may already be aware that this beer is not a top contender in the field. If you haven't, let me assure you that the king of beers is not going to rule the NA market with Budweiser Zero, even with long-time Budweiser fans. This brew doesn't come close to tasting anywhere near its namesake, not even a hint. However, unlike many NA mainstream beers I came across, it didn't have an incredibly unpleasant aroma, but that is the best thing I found.

The sourness on the tongue at the very beginning of the drink is harsh and astringent. The flavor is then followed by a sweetness that is evident of fermentation and not in a good way. The aftertaste is stubborn and clingy leaving the palate unable to shake the flavor, and it comes across in a very artificial way that makes this brew seem almost dangerously chemical. I was left feeling very quickly there wasn't much thought put into this creation, which I believe is the case for a few of the mainstream NA options.

Busch NA is another creation and stays on track with the feeling that it wasn't given much thought when crafting. The pour of the beer is a thinly clear gold and the aroma that seeps from it is sweet and a bit skunky. Pairing the scent with the flavor did transport me back to a child in the '80s milling around my dad's garage on a warm Sunday afternoon. But I don't know if that is necessarily a positive reminiscence when comparing it to taste.

Busch NA has the character of a beer-flavored seltzer water with a carbonation level that produces a burning sensation in the mouth. Overall, the taste is slight, artificial, and metallic. In my opinion, beer has come too far to settle for this. It tastes very much like what I would call a first attempt and something consumers outgrew decades ago. With NA option prices matching the cost of alcohol-fueled counterparts, this is just not worth the money when there are so many better ways to go.

I can say that I don't categorize BERO among breweries that have started to produce an NA alternative just to have an NA alternative. I've tasted the range of BERO products, and the others are actually quite good, to the point that I would recommend them without hesitation. I'm just not sure what happened with its golden pils.

The orange-gold pour was on point but it went quickly downhill from there. I found the aroma of the beer to hold that of a fermented fruit, possibly peach or apricot, but unpleasantly sour. The low carbonation factor didn't cause any burn issues and maintained a well-balanced level, but there is something off about the taste it carried.

While the flavor profile is very faint, none of it is pleasing. It almost has a strange fishy taste with a tinny metallic counterpart. And after a couple of sips, I found that the taste of the fermented fruit from the initial scent was hitting the back of the palate. Overall, the profile seems scattered and irrational. I will say there isn't much of an aftertaste, but I was incredibly happy about that.

As I've said, I can generally find an audience out there every flavor profile. Otherwise, products would simply not exist. And this is where I feel Hoplark falls. The company is proud to be doing things very differently, brewing tea like craft beer for a unique non-alcoholic option. I can definitely say, however, that it is not for me, and I believe the general population is going to agree with that sentiment.

Hoplark rests on its hoppy taste. But the specific hops chosen, and the ratio to which they are delivered, makes this drink taste very much like hay water. There is a very high burn ratio that doesn't deliver anything for the sacrifice. I went back to this one again and again searching for something but was only left feeling like I was drinking liquid sprouts.

The only thing I could turn my mind to was that there are people out there who like shots of wheatgrass. I don't believe that there are many, but I do know the audience exists. And for those people, I believe this may be pleasing.

Penn's Best NA is made by Genesee Brewing Company. I believe its brews are quite regional and I am not familiar with any of them. However, the NA version is available close to me, and I thought it was worth adding to the tasting mix of NA options. I'm not entirely sure that was the best decision.

Just in the pouring of this beer, it is very flat and smells strongly of malt. And as far as taste goes, the smell is indicative of the flavor — malty. With only an artificial sweetness to pair with the malt, there isn't much more to garner from this drink. It's very thin and holds the weight of a brewed tea. I didn't find it necessarily definable as a beer and am left quite unsure of what to call it. But for the purpose of an NA beer alternative, I can safely say this is not going to be something that brings people into the alcohol-free sector.

With so many non-alcoholic beer alternatives available to consumers, there is just no reason to settle for something subpar. There are so many that cover every taste, type, and price that consumers are looking for in order to continue enjoying a good pint of suds. I feel the options I have listed not only misrepresent the NA beer market, but they also do it a disservice educating people on what is available when choosing to lower or relinquish alcohol consumption.

Whether it's an NA stout, lager, pilsner, gose, or IPA that you long for, continue to do your research. I have had them. They do exist! There are so many options out there that will more than adequately quench the thirst of any beer drinker, regardless of what each individual may be seeking. And these options are growing on a daily basis. So, don't be soured on the concept just from one or two bad experiences. What you are looking for is just waiting for you to find it.