Ditching the alcohol without ditching the taste sounds impossible, but more brewers are getting on board with non-alcoholic beer.
Miller Coors is one of the most recognizable beer companies that are changing things up. They just launched their non-alcoholic beer, Coors Edge.
"We are a beer company and we are going to be a beer company for the future but we are trying to meet our consumers’ changing tastes,” said Matt Hargarten with Coors.
Non-alcoholic beer is nothing new, but liquor store owner Mark Crowder remembers the old version.
"It used to taste like sugar sweetness trying to turn itself into alcohol,” said Crowder. “It was horrible."
Companies are now stepping up the flavor game, like Heineken, Clausthaler and Brew Dog, along with smaller breweries.
Non-alcoholic beer begins its life as alcoholic beer. Hargarten says taking alcohol out of beer is extremely technical and expensive.
For some people, they think non-alcoholic beer is pointless, but others feel it’s healthier. Non-alcoholic beer has less calories and carbs. Some have as low as 26 calories per can or bottle.
But, is it really healthier? We spoke with a dietitian who says it’s healthier for people watching their weight. But, if you like drinking the real deal, she says if women only have one a day and men only have two beers a day, that’s healthy too.
"The non-alcoholic trend is growing in the United States,” said Hargarten. “In the last year, it grew 8%."
It’s safe to say this trend is not going away anytime soon.
