Author: Justin Lamb

At the tip of a residential street in downtown Pittsburgh, you will find a small coffee shop with a hidden surprise upstairs. As you enter Tonic Coffee, order your triple shot americano and head up the stairs in the back, you will be immediately greeted by 90’s pop-punk, steel racks of beverages that go on for days, and the bright smiling face of Mel Bee, the owner, and operator of Open Road Bar. On this summer day, I am greeted by Mel as she sets up a sampling of Lemon Quest by DogfishHead. As we discuss the multiple sours available,…

Untitled Art Beverage Company comes to us from Waunakee, Wisconsin. This company is unique as it works as sort of a collective. They have contributing “beverage artists” and contributing visual artists. Untitled Art uses the recipes and makes delicious beers and seltzers and each can is adorned with the art of an independent artist. They have an entire division of non-alcoholic beer and a pretty unique and delicious selection of non-alcoholic beers to choose from. This week we’re drinking Untitled Art’s Italian Pilsner. This style of beer used to be the go-to beer for any brewery worldwide, but as craft…

With distribution hubs on each coast and a brand new bar opening in Austin, Texas, Athletic Brewing is a name becoming more and more familiar in the beer world, non-alcoholic or not. While Athletic Brewing only makes non-alcoholic craft beers, they are sweeping clean in award categories and absolutely killing it in growth. In fact, if you live in the U.S. and venture into your normal liquor store and go to the back where the NA brews are stored, you are likely to find Athletic Brewing above all others in the craft beer industry. Of Athletic Brewing’s two flagship beers,…

No sleep til…Brooklyn Brewery has been on the alcoholic beer scene for many years. You may have heard of them or seen their famous “B” on the top of a tap. In the last couple of years, though, they got into the NA game. As time goes on, they have been developing more and more. Much like BrewDog, Mikkeller, and other craft breweries that have begun to make nonalcoholic options, Brooklyn Brewery is expected to bring their expertise and flavors to the table, so expectations are high. How Does it Pour? Brooklyn Brewery’s Special Effects IPA is the second in…

This week’s pick, Sober Carpenter’s Uber Hopped, comes to us from the great white north. Out of the bi-lingual province of Quebec, Sober Carpenter was founded in 2019 by two brothers who wanted to add sobriety to their lives but found few tasty options for the beer connoisseurs they had become. Isn’t that always how it goes? Sober Carpenter offers a wide variety of brews, including limited edition batches. Sober Carpenter’s Uber Hopped already stands out as it sits tall in its 16 oz. can (that’s a pint for you Canadians and Brits). In addition, like only a few of…

Gruvi, originally out of Ontario, can now be found perusing the streets of Denver, Colorado. This brand is a unique non-alcoholic beverage maker in the way that it does not just stick to one thing. Gruvi spreads its NA love far and wide, not only offering a wide variety of beers, from pale ales to stouts to Weiss but also offering a number of different non-alcoholic wines, including prosecco and rose. This week, though, we will be diving into their pale ale. How Does it Pour? Gruvi’s pale ale comes as you would expect: full of caramel color with a…

Partake Brewing comes to us from our neighbors to the north, straight out of Alberta, Canada. Their story is unique and many non-alcoholic craft beer enthusiast credit them with starting this ball rolling. In 2017, they launched a Kickstarter campaign to brew and distribute their own non-alcoholic IPA. Not only was it a hit, Partake gained instant notoriety in the non-alcoholic beer world and began worldwide distribution in less than a year. Their claim to fame flagship beer is the IPA we’re reviewing today, and to top it all off, it clocks in at only 10 calories! Let’s give it…

Untitled Art, out of Waunakee, Wisconsin, started in 2016 and began brewing beer and creating art. They collaborate with artists to design beautiful pieces of artwork to put on each can. With a wide distribution across the U.S., there is a high likelihood that you can find a variety of Untitled Art Non-Alcoholic beers somewhere near you! Be aware, however, that they brew both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beers. This week’s beer is a Watermelon Gose. A Gose is a sour wheat beer typically made with an extra bit of salt, either from the water used during the brewing processed or…

Ceria Brewing Company was founded by former national brewer, Keith Villa. With the goal of challenging himself to create something amazing in the non-alcoholic beer world, Ceria Brewing was born and their two flagship beers began to hit the shelves. Under a partnership with Sleeping Giant Brewing in Colorado, Ceria Brewing has put out two great beers with sky-high standards for their ingredients and even higher standards for flavor. Ceria Brewing Company’s Indiewave is described as a flavorful brew that perfectly balances cascade, citra, and Amarillo hops with light caramel malts for a smooth citrus flavor. How Does it Pour?…

BrewDog comes to us from Scotland, and while they are a traditional alcoholic brewery, they are leading the way in non-alcoholic beers. Just last year, in 2020, they opened their first non-alcoholic bar in London, featuring a whopping 15 taps. In addition to their UK locations, BrewDog can be found in Columbus, OH, and Indianapolis, IN serving up draft versions of their popular NA options. Anyone who enjoys the simplicity of sitting at the bar and enjoying a draft beer while still celebrating the alcohol-free lifestyle will truly appreciate this option! Punk As F$%* While BrewDog is definitely Punk As…

Hairless Dog Brewing comes to us out of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota. What they lack in heat and beaches, they make up for in non-alcoholic beer selection. Hairless Dog Brewing was founded by a couple of beer lovers who quit drinking, which seems like a pretty relatable topic. One such beer, their Citra Lager, is described by Hairless Dog as an all-season, any-occasion NA brew for those seeking a lighter-bodied drink that’s crisp and flavorful. How Does it Pour? First of all, the Citra Lager from Hairless Dog Brewing pours a golden yellow color, cloudy and a bit more…

Athletic Brewing comes to us from Connecticut, but even though they hail from a small state, they pack a large flavor. In the non-alcoholic beer world, Athletic Brewing is still in its infancy at only three years old, but what they lack in age, they make up for in flavor, variety, and many of the standards you would normally associate with an alcoholic brewery.

This week, we are heading back west to Bravus Brewing Co. out of Anaheim, California. While I don’t typically like to bounce back and forth between beers from the same brewery, read on and you’ll see the connection with last week’s Bravus Blonde and this week’s selection.