Cheers to Dryuary: Find Your Perfect Non-Alcoholic Beer

Thinking about making a change during Dryuary or simply cutting back on alcohol? Great news: you can still enjoy the flavor of a good beer without the alcohol. Moderation Management (MM) has released its fourth annual list of Top Non-Alcoholic (NA) Beers, making it easier than ever to find delicious options to keep you satisfied all month long. Compiled by NA beer enthusiast Gordon (Gord) Mueller, this list highlights the best in appearance, taste, and value, so you can skip the guesswork and get straight to the good stuff.

Gord started the Top NA Beers list for Dryuary 2022, after he successfully completed his own first Dryuary in 2021. This year’s list of NA beers totals 66 evaluations, 50 percent more than 2024. Gord’s evaluation judges beers by appearance, taste, smell, clarity, consistency, mouthfeel, and more.

Why Non-Alcoholic Beers Are a Great Choice

Non-alcoholic beer is one of the fastest-growing segments of the beverage industry, and for good reason. Whether you’re moderating or abstaining, NA beers offer a way to enjoy social occasions without the downsides of alcohol. As Gord puts it, “I refer to these NA beers as ‘Magic Beers’ because they are great tasting but without the adverse health, personality, and cognitive effects.”

Gord’s Top NA Beers for Dryuary 2025 include:

1. Athletic Brewing Atletica, Stratford, CT—You cannot go wrong with any of Athletic Brewing’s line of NA beers, but this Mexican-style copper lager is my favorite.
2. Einbecker Brauherren Alkoholfrei, Einbeck, Germany—German brewers have been producing excellent NA beers for decades and this pilsner is one of my favorites. It has a much more complex taste than typical American beers.
3. Deschutes Black Butte, Bend OR—If you like dark porters or stouts, this is one of the best I’ve tried.
4. Partake Blond, Calgary Alberta—Canadian brewer Partake makes a line of delicious NA beers that have the lowest number of calories and carbs of any NA beers I’ve tasted. Their excellent Blond Ale has only 15 calories and 2g of carbs per can. I don’t know how they do it!
5. Corona Non-alcoholic Pilsner, Nava Mexico—If you like to enjoy a cold Corona with a lime at the beach or pool, you will love their NA version. Exact replica of the alcoholic version.

Other favorites: Athletic Run Wild IPA, Budweiser Zero, Peroni Nastro Azzuro 0.0, Clausthaller Dry Hopped, Samuel Adams Just the Haze.

Best Buy Non-Alcoholic Beers for Budget Drinkers

This year, Gordon debuted “Best Buys,” a list of high-value non-alcoholic beers that have great marks and are easy on the wallet. The Best Buys are widely available value-priced NA beers that actually taste better than their alcoholic siblings. The American NA lagers are often half the price of craft-style NA beers.

1. Busch NA, St. Louis MO—Fuller flavor than alcoholic light beers. Usually a little less expensive than its corporate cousin, Budweiser Zero, at around $10-11 per 12 pack.
2. Genesee NA, Rochester NY—Regional brand from Upstate NY. Makes an excellent NA Michelada. The Genesee Brewery also brews Labatts Non-Alc and Penns Best.
3. Labatt Blue Non-Alc, Rochester NY—Non-alcoholic version of the popular Canadian lager, Labatt Blue. Often goes on sale.
4. Old Milwaukee NA Near Beer, Milwaukee WI—Widely available and very inexpensive. Pleasantly surprised.
5. Penn’s Best NA, Rochester NY—Very refreshing American-style lager at an unbelievably low price ($4 per six-pack).

About Gordon (Gord) Mueller

Gordon has been abstaining from alcohol for four years. He is retired from both alcohol, figuratively, and from a large Beverage Alcoholic supplier, literally. He is a co-moderator of Moderation Management’s “Absers” groups for people who want to or have begun abstaining from alcohol for any amount of time, or considering permanent or long-term abstinence. He lives near Rochester, NY.

Explore More Resources from MM

Moderation Management is here to support you throughout Dryuary and beyond, whether your goal is moderation or abstinence. As a free peer-support organization, we offer resources like guides, tips, and supportive online communities to help you build a healthier relationship with alcohol.

Thinking about your Dry January offramp? Sign up for our low-cost Kickstart program for self-guided structured support.

Let’s raise a glass—of NA beer—to a healthier, happier you this January!

Photo by Yutacar on Unsplash