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, the more popular one is Run Wild IPA. This NA brew is so popular, in fact, that it has won three gold medals and one silver medal. Run Wild IPA is described as a session IPA on their website, but the full flavors and perfect color would have you believe otherwise.
How Does it Pour?
Upon pouring this delicious treat from Athletic Brewing, you immediately notice the copper color. It’s nearly perfect. As you pour, you develop a nice cream-colored head, and aromas of hops seep out into the air, balanced perfectly with a rich malt smell that gives you a hint of what the flavors are going to be.
How Does it Taste?
The beer hits your mouth with a one-two punch. The first thing you are expecting in any IPA: the hops, and then followed and quickly balanced out by the roasted, caramelly malt. Athletic Brewing spends time perfecting its recipes to find a balance that is often overlooked in beers. There is no overpowering hoppiness (though that is always welcomed by this guy). There is only a balance of malt and hops where each flavor finds its corner in your mouth and hangs out there.
How Does it Rate?
As far as ratings go, Untappd gives Athletic Brewing’s Run Wild IPA a 3.4 out of 5, which is pretty darn good for any NA brew. If I were to base this purely on the reactions I have seen from others that I have been lucky to see taste this for the first time, it would likely be closer to a 5 out of 5. This beer has set the bar for what craft beer can look like without the alcohol and is a perfect first step for the sober curious person to start replacing those high ABV beers with.
Like I mentioned above, you can likely find this beer in a store near you and Athletic Brewing has a fun Store Finder on their website, so you can find out which places carry it. In addition, you can always order online. This is what I recommend because you will likely get the best price and you also have the option to try some of their many limited edition brews while you’re there.
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HOPPY EVERY HOUR (See what we did there?) NA Beers & 90s Nostalgia: Justin Lamb is dedicated to tasting great (and sometimes not so great) NA beers and showcasing his amazing collection of memorabilia from the ’90s. If you are or aspire to be an NA Beer snob, then you must check out the curated selection of reviews that Justin has been building over the last several months.
Happy Every Hour with Justin Lamb: Athletic Brewing Limited Edition Non-Alcoholic Craft Brews That Will Knock Your Socks Off!
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