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At the start of 2025, a study revealed that 60 per cent of Americans saw non-alcoholic (NA) beer as a viable alternative for long-term drinking in moderation.
That study was based on a poll commissioned by the Beer Institute, a Washington-based trade association.
But what about ‌just for one month?
For many of us, Dry January has begun – a month in which people attempt to forgo alcohol or drink less of it.
People do it for different reasons. Some see the 30 days as a dependency test to determine just how reliant ‍they are on alcohol to relax. Others link it to their overall new-year health and/or weight loss plans.

For some, it is viewed as a reset following weeks of decadent holiday consumption. It is also a way to dip a toe into the idea of permanent sobriety – without drawing too much attention from their peer group.
The truth is, drinking overall – over the whole year – is down.
The findings of the Beer Institute study track with hospitality professionals’ views. And though many pin the fall-off in drinking on the rise of alternative intoxicants – primarily marijuana, now recreationally legal in nearly half the United States – that would not be the only fuel firing the growth segment for non-alcoholic beer.
“I think there are a number of reasons why it’s more popular,” says Jason Campbell, executive chef of Hiatus Hospitality, based in Orlando, Florida.
Alongside colleague Nick Grecco, the group’s beverage director, Campbell oversees 10 different venues in the company’s Team Market Group portfolio in the state.
“[In Florida], medical marijuana is growing in use, but I also think people are being a little more responsible,” he says.

There is non-alcoholic beer on most of the venues’ menus, he says, with more interest in it in Primrose Lanes, a place that offers bowling and burgers, and in Nuri’s Tavern, where pizza and beer go hand in hand.
“During Dry January that goes up,” says Campbell, whose non-alcoholic beer brands include Stella Artois 0.0 and Heineken 0.0.
In a bar in Lake Mary, outside Orlando, bartender “Big Rick” says they stock several NA options, including O’Doul’s, Michelob Ultra Zero and Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0 per cent – and they have grown steadily in popularity.
Sometimes, he notes, people drinking regular beer will switch over during an evening.
“We have people who want to enjoy themselves, but not take it overboard,” he says. “They’ll drink a Mexican lager that we ‌carry and then move over to a nonalcoholic beer so that way they can hang out at the bar a little while longer, snack with their friends, enjoy a good night out and be able to drive back home safely.”

It should ‍be noted that not all non-alcoholic beer is zero alcohol. And that can be confusing. US regulations allow up to 0.5 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV) to use the “non-alcoholic” designation.
Those with lower percentages, as mentioned above, will note it on labels and cans.
As Big Rick suggests, lagers like Corona do a fine job of mimicking the crisp, light body of the real thing. A wedge of lime on the bottle completes the picture, and there is psychology involved, say the pros, that helps Dry January participants feel more like it is just a regular night out.
“I think that’s why brands like Liquid Death [canned water, teas and soft drinks] ‌really ⁠took off,” he says. (The name refers to the idea of “murdering your thirst”, as well as “death to plastic”, according to company founder and CEO Mike Cessario.) “You can grab a can, drink it like it’s nothing, and people don’t think anything about it.”

More non-alcoholic beers as demand grows
Last year, during my own Dry January run, I will admit that holding that bottle made a difference. I tried several non-alcoholic beers, including Stella Artois, Heineken 0.0, German beer Bitburger 0.0 and others. My favourite was Samuel Adams’ Just the Haze IPA, the ABV of which clocks in under 0.5 per cent.
Recently, I dabbled in the wares of Athletic Brewing, America’s largest, dedicated non-alcoholic brewer. I had never imagined such a thing: a brewer creating ‌an entire range of flavours – from autumn browns to tropical sours – all below 0.5 per cent.
“They’re fantastic products,” says Big Rick. “They even do cocktail-inspired brews.” Paloma and Moscow “Mule” are among them.
One hotel bartender notes a recent moment ‌during a convention when a patron asked her to pour ‌a non-alcoholic beer into a glass for him.
“He still wanted to hang out and network, but didn’t want to drink any more,” she says. “Without the label, he blended in.”

Campbell says there is a lot to that, and he is happy that his and other places offer non-alcoholic brews.
“It’s a safe haven – because sobriety is a thing, even if it’s not Dry January,” he says. “[Abstention] is a challenge for a lot of people and non-alcoholic beer could be a stepping stone towards larger sobriety.”
Bar sales may be down in some places, but Campbell says that food sales often go up.
“If people are holding back on drinking, they might get another plate on the table.”
Amy Drew Thompson wrote the original version of this story for the Orlando Sentinel
Although it is not as easy to find non-alcoholic beers at bars, restaurants and shops in Hong Kong as in other international cities, there are many options available.
Online, thebottleshop.hk offers Hong Kong Beer’s N0.0 Limits IPA and Pale Ale brews, HK Lovecraft’s Lager Without Limits, Gweilo Alcohol Free Pale Ale, Heaps Normal Quiet XPA and Corona Non-Alcoholic Lager. You can also buy directly from the Hong Kong-based brewers.

Supermarket chains including Fusion and Market Place carry some of the above brands and others, including non-alcoholic versions of Carlsberg, Budweiser, Heineken, Peroni and Tsingtao beer.
If you cannot find your favourite, search online.
Additional reporting by staff


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Non-alcoholic beer and other zero-proof drinks are making it easier for people to complete Dry January and make sobriety more possible. Photo: Shutterstock

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Hiatus Hospitality executive chef Jason Campbell says abstention is a challenge for a lot of people and non-alcoholic beer could be a stepping stone toward larger sobriety. Photo: Jason Campbell 

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Non-alcoholic beers available for sale in Hong Kong include Carlsberg 0.0, Peroni 0.0, Budweiser 0.0 and Kirin’s Perfect Free. Photo: Cathy Hilborn Feng

Hong Kong Beer produces a N0.0 Limits IPA and another non-alcoholic pale ale. Photo: hkbeerco.com

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Non-alcoholic or zero beers are a growing section of the drinks market and for many represent a stepping stone towards greater sobriety


Non-alcoholic or zero beers are a growing section of the drinks market and for many represent a stepping stone towards greater sobriety.


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Non-alcoholic beers aren’t just a Dry January alternative – how they’re so much more

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Non-alcoholic or zero beers are a growing section of the drinks market and for many represent a stepping stone towards greater sobriety

Non-alcoholic or zero beers are a growing section of the drinks market and for many represent a stepping stone towards greater sobriety