A Quest for Nonalcoholic Beer at Autumn Brew Review

Boom Island: A serene Mississippi riverfront vista against the Minneapolis skyline.

Zero Proof Insights | Brewing Change

Written by Cate Faulkner

The Disappearing Act: Unpacking the Social Stigma of Choosing Not to Drink

Q. How did the 2 women at Autumn Brew Review make 3 men disappear before their eyes?

A. They said these 4 words… "WE DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL"…….. and poof, the men were gone!

We always laugh at reactions like these; however, they serve as poignant reminders that while the social stigma around abstaining from alcohol is diminishing, there's still significant progress to be made.

Autumn on Boom Island

The annual Autumn Brew Review on Boom Island in Minneapolis is a well-attended and picturesque event. Set against the majestic backdrop of the Mississippi River, the venue offers the quintessential autumn experience, complete with changing leaves every October.

A Farewell to "Designated Driver": The Rebranding of the NA Tickets

2022: For alcohol consumers, regular tickets cost $60 and provide unlimited samples from over 95 Minnesota breweries, brewpubs, and cideries. For non-drinkers, tickets are a mere $15 and cover 12 items on an alcohol-free menu, including eight NA beers. It's a tremendous bargain for those seeking NA alternatives. One issue we had was with the label on the NA Beer ticket, currently termed "Designated Driver." It's presumptive and not inclusive. A shift to "NA Patron" or "NA Beverages" would be a welcome change for future events. After all, we attend the event to support breweries that invest extra time and money in the dealcoholizing process to provide NA beer options for those who choose not to drink on occasion or at all.

The ABV Technology Advantage: A Guided Journey

Navigating through the alcohol-centric atmosphere proved to be an intriguing experience, enhanced by the dealcoholizing prowess of ABV Technology. They curated an NA beer menu at their tasting tent, where Alex provided us with an expansive overview of the festival's landscape, spotlighting breweries that offered NA options at their tents. This set the stage for our search to begin.

Highlighting NA Options from Local Brands

Here are some of the NA beers that we sampled:

Bauhaus Brew Labs: Nah Helles Lager
Lupulin Brewing: NA Tropical Fun Pants and NA Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter (Featured on our WCCO-TV segment)
Pryes Brewing Company: NA Blonde Ale
Torg Brewery: NA Chested Heart Abbey Ale
Ursa Minor Brewing: NA Time and NA Where Cream Ale

An Annual Quest for NA: Mark Your Calendar

We're eagerly anticipating next year's Autumn Brew Review on October 14, 2023. Rumor has it that Lupulin will be crafting a unique NA Oktoberfest brew that we're excited to sample. If you're on the hunt for NA beer options, please join us!