This Dry January, locally made nonalcoholic options are better than ever

This year, it seems like everyone I know is not drinking, or at least cutting back, for a month.

As Dry January continues to grow in popularity, local breweries are embracing the trend, offering a growing slate of nonalcoholic beers.

During my three pregnancies, the last of which ended almost 18 years ago, I tried what was out there, and reader, those NA beers were a sad facsimile of the real thing. I vastly preferred water.

I’m here to tell you that the new local versions vary from good to great — so much so that I’m contemplating drinking them outside of Dry January.

Surly brewer Ben Smith explained that there are new methods for making these beers, including a new maltose-negative yeast that he uses.

Maltose is the sugar that is usually fermented into alcohol. This yeast ferments the other sugars in the beer, which gives it that “beer” taste without producing booze. So Smith and company make a wort, or beer base, that’s low in maltose and high in the other sugars. Sounds simple, but it took them four years to come up with a beer that met their standards.

“Overall, I think you’ve seen a great increase in the quality of many of the NA beers,” Smith said. “The demand is just so much greater. And people want something that’s going to taste good. These beers are not only for people who don’t drink … Whether you’re sober or just looking to cut down on alcohol, it’s nice to have an option.”

Surly’s NA, Outlook Good, it’s probably my favorite of the local nonalcoholic options, but there are some other great ones, too. I bought most of these drinks at Dabbler Depot (1545 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; dabblerdepot.com), but many are widely available at local retail outlets.

Here are the local nonalcoholic beers, and one cider, I’ve tried and enjoyed (there have definitely been some drain pours) so far this Dry January. Am I missing some others that you have enjoyed? As always, let me know at [email protected].

Surly Brewing Company

Surly Brewing Company’s Outlook Good nonalcoholic beer. (Courtesy of Surly Brewing Company)

After talking to Smith, I was excited to try Surly’s Outlook Good, and it really did not disappoint. Crisp, refreshing, and full of citrusy hops, this pale ale really hits the spot. My husband had a few of them during a recent, very stressful football game and said he didn’t miss the alcohol at all.

Bonus: This beer clocks in at just 60 calories, so those few beers have less of an impact on his waistline!

Surly Brewing Company: 520 Malcolm Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 763-999-4040; surlybrewing.com

Bauhaus

Nah nonalcoholic beer from Bauhaus Brew Labs in Minneapolis. (Courtesy of Bauhaus Brew Labs)

Bauhaus was one of the first local breweries to release an NA — way back in 2019.  Nah Helles Pilsner, a de-alcoholized beer that is pretty widely available, has some bready undertones that I have to admit are not really my jam in regular beer, either. Friends of mine who dig that really like the Helles, so don’t let my palate discourage you.

Thankfully, the brewery recently released a pink guava sour version that I totally love. It’s quenching, tastes like a regular sour beer and is 100% something I’d drink outside of Dry January.

Bauhaus Brew Labs: 1315 Tyler St. N.E., Minneapolis; 612-276-6911; bauhausbrewlabs.com

Summit

Summit has two flavors of very good nonalcoholic beer: An Irish Dark and an IPA. Called Nialas, which means zero or nothing in Gaelic, the beers are very solid options and are quite widely available — even the small neighborhood pub near our house carries them.

The dark version is creamy and delicious, with undertones of coffee, caramel and chocolate, and the IPA is a fresh, crisp, fruity beer that is a pretty good stand-in for the real thing.

Summit Brewing Company: 910 Montreal Circle, St. Paul; summitbrewing.com

Ursa Minor Brewing

N/A Time N/A Where from Ursa Minor Brewing in Duluth. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

I bought this NA (cleverly called N/A Time N/A Where) from Duluth-based Ursa Minor kind of on a lark, because I was having a hard time finding good local options. I was ever-so-pleasantly surprised to find out that this is one of the best Minnesota currently has to offer. Complex, refreshing, citrusy with a bit of a floral nose, this is a damn good beer that I would never guess did not have alcohol if you gave it to me in a blind taste test.

Ursa Minor Brewing: 2415 W. Superior St., Suite B, Duluth, Minn; ursaminorbrewing.com

Milk and Honey

A friend laughed at me when I said I loved this NA version of hard cider. “Isn’t it just — juice?”

Milk and Honey’s NA Pomme de Vie. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

Well, no! It’s de-alcoholized hard cider. It’s dry, like an alcoholic cider, and has a lovely effervescence. I haven’t found an NA wine I like yet, but this is a good, food-friendly option for those who don’t enjoy the taste of beer.

Milk and Honey: 11738 County Road 51, St. Joseph, Minn.; milkandhoneyciders.com

Related Articles

Quick Fix: Baked Stuffed Shrimp

Trader Joe’s 2024 winners: Customers’ 9 favorite products

Can she top the Krunchy Kimchi Dog? Young chef vies again for top spot in 4-H Fair Foodie Challenge

Central American fried chicken chain Pollo Campero aims to spread its wings in Twin Cities

Iconic walleye-centric restaurant Tavern on Grand to close