Home to hundreds of breweries—including several of the industry’s pioneers—Colorado is unquestionably a beer state. But as more drinkers rethink their relationships with alcohol, makers are increasingly crafting zero-proof, lower-calorie alternatives. “Craft beer is not going anywhere, and alcohol is not going anywhere, but the trends show that the popularity of alcohol consumption is dropping off,” says Steve Indrehus, director of brewing operations at Idaho Springs’ Tommyknocker Brewery. Here, five nonalcoholic (N/A) beeresque beverages to sip during Dry January and beyond.

Tommyknocker Brewery N/A Blood Orange IPA

The Blood Orange IPA is Tommyknocker’s most popular beer, so it only made sense for the brewery to develop a boozeless version. It gets a lively citrus aroma and flavor from blood orange zest and three types of hops: Citra, Mosaic, and Mandarina Bavaria.
Stats: 59 calories per 12 ounces

5280 January 2023
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Coors Brewing Co. Edge

Centennial State–born Coors has been ahead of the current N/A fad for more than 30 years, making its first sans-booze beer, Coors Cutter, back in 1991. The brand’s latest iteration, Edge, is meant to mimic the drinkability of its beloved flagship lager, Coors Banquet.
Stats: 41 calories per 12 ounces

HopLark 0.0 Really Really Hoppy

While going dry to lose weight, Dean Eberhardt realized he missed the punchy, slightly bitter taste of IPAs more than the buzz they gave him. So, in 2017, with the help of his science-minded friend Andrew Markley, he developed a line of tea-and-hop beverages, including a West Coast IPA–inspired flavor, which the duo sells via Boulder-based HopLark.
Stats: 0 calories per 12 ounces

Grüvi Golden Lager

Sister-brother duo Anika and Niki Sawni were fed up with social situations where they felt pressured to drink alcohol because there wasn’t anything else to sip on. That’s why, in 2019, they founded Denver’s Grüvi, which makes zero-proof wines, sangrias, and brews, including a velvety stout, a juicy IPA, and a crisp golden lager.
Stats: 58 calories per 12 ounces

Ceria Brewing Company Grainwave

After more than 30 years at Molson Coors, Keith Villa—whose resumé includes developing Blue Moon—started his own zero-proof craft brewing company with his wife, Jodi, in 2018. Their work has since yielded creations such as Grainwave, an unfiltered Belgian-style white ale made with blood orange peel, coriander, and Hallertau Tradition hops. The drink also contains the compounds limonene and linalool, known for their inflammation- and anxiety-reducing qualities.
Stats: 77 calories per 12 ounces

More Dry January Articles

How to Excel at Dry January in 2022
10 of the Best Places to Order Mocktails in Denver
5 Ways to Make Nonalcoholic Drinks at Home (That Go Beyond Club Soda)

This article was originally published in 5280 January 2023.
Sarah Kuta
Sarah Kuta
Sarah Kuta is Colorado-based writer and editor. She writes about travel, lifestyle, food and beverage, fitness, education and anything with a great story behind it.