*Photo credit: Kim Parsley of The Happy Traveler*

If you’re exploring the wide range of non-alcoholic beverages and you happen to be a lover of hops, you’ve likely discovered a few options known as hop water. I honestly had a hard time distinguishing between hop water and NA beer when I first started looking into my options. As a fan of hoppy IPAs, I want to smell the hops in my glass before it hits my lips. So, of course, I was curious about this category.

Hop water is a mix of carbonated water and aromatic hops (and sometimes additional flavorings). Whereas non-alcoholic beers contain the same ingredients as traditional beer, except the alcohol is removed or the process is controlled to limit the alcohol. So, why would you drink hop water? Possibly for the zero calories, maybe you prefer the taste, or you like that you feel less full, but you get your dose of hops.

I started my journey of hop water with Hoplark’s 0.0 Citra beverage. This product promotes their double dry hopped method and zero calories, no sugar, no carbs, and no gluten. I got hit with the hop aroma I love even before drinking it. It honestly tastes like sparkling water with an infusion of citra hops. It takes a little getting used to it, as my taste buds are so drained that I am searching for the flavor of beer when I taste hops. But this is different. I enjoyed this at the halfway point of my bike ride. After we stopped for a break, I wanted something refreshing other than what was in my water bottle. This did the trick.

Hoplark only makes non-alcoholic drinks and offers a range of hop water flavors using a variety of hops. This Boulder, Colorado, company was started by two friends who loved the camaraderie associated with drinking beer but wanted to create an alternative that wasn’t reliant on alcohol. So they decided to brew tea like a beer, with hops, but without sugars, additives, or fermentation.

Welcome to Happy Every Hour. A collection of reviews and recipes focused on drinks in the non-alcoholic or zero-proof category. Discover more for a bit of education or to get the NA cocktail party started!

Non-Alcoholic Spirits brings alcohol-free cocktail recipes, NA Ready to Drink (RTD) beverage reviews, and NA Wine & spirits alternative reviews.

Do you love Non-Alcoholic Craft Beers and the 90s? Then you’re in for a treat! Sober Curator Contributor Justin Lamb is dedicated to tasting great (sometimes not so great) NA beers and showcasing his fantastic collection of memorabilia from the ’90s. Justin has spent countless hours reviewing over a hundred NA Beers so that you don’t have to. Below are the categories of NA Beers Justin has reviewed thus far: Hop Water, Cider, Lager, Cream Ale, Pilsner, Blonde, Kolsch, Amber, IPA, Wheat, White Ale, Pale Ale, Sour, Porter, Stout, and Brown Ale

Are you hosting an event and need NA Activation Bar set-ups? We’ve got you, friend!

TRIGGER WARNING: People in early sobriety may want to proceed with caution. Always read labels. Please hydrate responsibly … because drunk never looks good.

THE HAPPY TRAVELER VINTAGE BARS: Kim Parsley met her first hoppy craft beer upon moving to Seattle 30 years ago. It was delight at first smell and love at first sip. As her palate for alcoholic beverages became more sophisticated, she spent many years experimenting with spirit-forward cocktails and grew fond of gins and whiskeys. This was all until a series of heart palpitations and dizzy spells began to impact her hiking and her hobbies. At that point, Kim sought medical help and was advised to give up alcohol. Those were very dirty words! But Kim has been leading a sober life since April 1, 2023, and still enjoys helping others elevate their cocktail experience with her bespoke travel bar curations.

Follow along with Kim in all of the digital places and social spaces: