Athletic Brewing Review — Is It Worth the Hype?

We think Athletic Brewing has done more than any other brewery to change what people expect from non-alcoholic beer. Bill Shufelt and John Walker founded it in 2017 to make nothing else, and it is now the sixth-largest craft brewer in the United States, alcoholic or not.

Here is our review of the range, with the facts checked against Athletic’s own figures.

Bill Shufelt, a former hedge fund trader, stopped drinking in 2013. In 2017 he founded Athletic with brewer John Walker to make only non-alcoholic beer. Athletic says the pair brewed more than 100 test batches on homebrew equipment in Stratford, Connecticut, before opening their first brewery there in May 2018 with two beers, Run Wild IPA and Upside Dawn.

The company grew fast. It took over a former Ballast Point brewery in San Diego in 2020 and opened a 150,000 sq ft brewery in Milford, Connecticut, in 2022, which it describes as “believed to be the world’s largest dedicated NA brewery”. Forbes reported about 400,000 barrels brewed in 2024, and Athletic ranked sixth on the Brewers Association’s list of the largest US craft brewers published in April 2026.

Athletic has sold beer in the UK since 2021. Everything here is brewed in the United States and imported by James Clay and Sons, and it comes in the American 355ml can. Since August 2024 Athletic has also been Arsenal’s Official Non-Alcoholic Beer Partner. The full background is on our Athletic Brewing page.

The flagship. Clean citrus and pine hops, proper mouthfeel, dry bitter finish. This is Athletic’s flagship and it remains their best. If you have never tried an Athletic beer, start here.355ml can · 17 kcal per 100ml (65 a can) · under 0.5% ABV · vegan

The juicier, softer counterpart to Run Wild. Tropical fruit and passionfruit dominate, with a smooth hazy body. Athletic’s answer to the hazy IPA craze, and a very good one. It is hopped with Amarillo, Citra and Mosaic, was named Supreme Champion Beer at the International Beer Challenge in 2020, and went on sale at Whole Foods and Wise Bartender in February 2026.355ml can · 20 kcal per 100ml (about 71 a can) · under 0.5% ABV · vegan

A pale ale, sold in the US as a golden, that proves Athletic can do restrained as well as bold. Light, slightly floral, easy drinking — the perfect everyday beer for those who want something less hoppy than the IPAs. It has won medals in gluten-free categories at the World Beer Awards, but Athletic doesn’t label it gluten-free in the UK; the detail is on the Upside Dawn page.355ml can · 13 kcal per 100ml (45 a can) · under 0.5% ABV · vegan

Athletic’s light lager, sold in the US as Athletic Lite: 25 kcal per 355ml can, with no sugar on the label. Clean, consistent and reliable. Not the most exciting beer on this list but one of the most dependable.355ml can · 7 kcal per 100ml (25 a can) · under 0.5% ABV · vegan

A limited-release red ale made with Arsenal and launched in March 2026. Athletic describes roasted malt with caramel and dark stone fruit notes. We have added it to the directory and will score it once we have tasted it properly.355ml can · 22 kcal per 100ml (about 78 a can) · under 0.5% ABV · vegan

Full-bodied and roasty with dark chocolate and coffee notes. One of the best NA stouts we have rated, and proof that Athletic’s brewing expertise extends beyond hoppy styles. The catch is availability: when we checked in October 2026 it wasn’t listed by Athletic’s UK shop, Dry Drinker or Wise Bartender.355ml can · 90 kcal per can (US label) · under 0.5% ABV · not currently sold in the UK

Yes. Athletic beers are priced at a premium compared to mainstream NA brands, and they justify it. The quality and consistency across their range is exceptional. Run Wild and Free Wave in particular are benchmark beers that every NA drinker should try.

In the UK you can buy them from specialist retailers such as Dry Drinker and Wise Bartender, and Ocado lists Run Wild and Upside Dawn in four-packs. One thing to remember when comparing: the cans are 355ml, not the 330ml most UK craft beer comes in.

For hop-forward non-alcoholic beer, Athletic is still the standard we measure others against. Their range is consistent, innovative and genuinely delicious. If you are new to alcohol-free beer, start with Run Wild IPA. If you are already a convert, Free Wave will not disappoint.

Browse and rate all Athletic Brewing beers on Unhopped.

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