Non-Alcoholic Beer Winners of the 2024 Great American Beer Festival

The Great American Beer Festival (GABF), held annually in Denver, Colorado, is one of the most prestigious beer events in the world, celebrating the best brews across a wide range of styles.

It’s not just about sampling beers—it’s also a fiercely competitive competition where brewers from across the country submit their finest creations to be judged by the festival’s Professional Judge Panel.

In 2024, the non-alcoholic beer (NA beer) category continued to grow in prominence, with breweries showcasing innovative, flavorful, and craft-quality NA beers.

With three non-alcoholic categories—Pale Non-Alcohol Beer, Amber to Dark Non-Alcohol Beer, and Specialty Non-Alcohol Beer—this year’s competition saw intense participation, culminating in some exceptional winners.

The Judging Process and Award Criteria

At the heart of the Great American Beer Festival is the Professional Judge Panel, composed of industry experts from around the globe.

These judges work together in small groups to taste beers without knowing the brand name, ensuring unbiased results. The goal? To identify the beers that best exemplify their respective styles.

Each beer is judged based on strict style guidelines, and the top beers are awarded Gold, Silver, or Bronze medals. Here’s what each award represents:

Gold: A world-class beer that accurately represents the style with perfect balance of taste, aroma, and appearance.
Silver: An excellent beer that might slightly deviate from style guidelines but still offers exceptional taste and quality.
Bronze: A fine example of the style, with minor deviations in taste or aroma that may keep it from the top, but still noteworthy.

The winners from the non-alcoholic beer categories at this year’s GABF exemplify the best of what the NA beer market has to offer, proving that craft beer excellence isn’t limited by alcohol content.

Winners of the Non-Alcoholic Beer Categories at the Great American Beer Festival

Here’s a breakdown of the top beers that came out on top in this coveted category.

Pale Non-Alcohol Beer (Category 14)

The Pale Non-Alcohol Beer category was one of the most competitive, with 55 entries showcasing a range of pale ales, IPAs, and other light beer styles. Here are the standout winners:

Can of Kolsch Non Alcoholic Beer by Best Day Brewing

Bronze

Kolsch by Best Day Brewing

Sausalito, CA
This NA Kölsch-style ale offers a perfect blend of approachability, flavor, and refreshment. Crafted with a mix of Cologne and Pilsner malts and Hallertau Traditional hops, it delivers a complexity that’s both easy-drinking and satisfying.

Learn more about Kolsch by Best Day Brewing.

can of free wave non-alcoholic ipa by athletic brewing company

Silver

Free Wave Hazy IPA by Athletic Brewing Company

Milford, CT
Free Wave is an intensely hoppy, hazy IPA that delivers a rich, juicy body with a smooth, velvety pour. Crafted with a trio of Amarillo, Citra, and Mosaic hops, it boasts bold aromas of tangerine and grapefruit that immediately capture attention.

Learn more about Free Wave by Athletic Brewing.

NARC non-alcoholic ipa by Resident Culture

Gold

NARC IPA by Resident Culture

Charlotte, NC
NARC IPA by Resident Culture is a non-alcoholic take on the classic West Coast IPA, offering a robust hop profile that brings forward dank, resinous flavors, complemented by notes of pine forest.

The finish is brightened with subtle hints of grapefruit and orange zest, creating a refreshing yet complex taste experience. It delivers a dry, crisp finish with just the right amount of light bitterness, making it a satisfying option for IPA enthusiasts.

Amber to Dark Non-Alcohol Beer (Category 15)

This smaller category featured maltier, more robust beers, including amber ales and dark styles. Despite fewer entries, the quality was high, and the winners showcased the rich flavors of these styles in non-alcoholic versions.

a can of non-alcoholic oktoberfest by untitled art brewing

Silver

Non-Alcoholic Oktoberfest by Octopi Brewing / Untitled Art

Waunakee, WI

This alcohol-free take on the traditional German festbier brings all the seasonal flavors to life with a robust combination of rich caramel and Vienna malts. The result is a full-bodied beer that mirrors the authentic Oktoberfest experience, while offering a balanced and refreshing finish.

Learn more about NA Oktoberfest by Octopi Brewing and Untitled Art.

non alcoholic dark beer by freamont brewing winner of the non-alcoholic dark beer category at the great american beer fest

Gold

NA Dark by Fremont Brewing

Seattle, WA

This dark, non-alcoholic beer delivers rich, complex flavors without the alcohol, making it perfect for any time. Crafted with a blend of 2-Row Pale, Crisp Brown Malt, Munich, Chocolate, and Black malts, along with Chinook and German Hallertau hops, it boasts an ABV of less than 0.5% and an IBU of 23.

Its dark brown hue complements aromas of chocolate, molasses, cola, vanilla, and coffee, with subtle nutty and earthy notes. The flavor is lightly sweet and bitter, with a medium body and balanced carbonation for a smooth, satisfying finish.

Specialty Non-Alcohol Beer (Category 16)

The Specialty Non-Alcohol Beer category is where brewers flex their creativity, introducing unique flavors and unconventional brewing techniques. With 37 entries, this category highlighted the innovation driving the non-alcoholic beer market forward.

special effects grapefruit ipa by brooklyn brewing

Bronze

Special Effects Grapefruit IPA by Brooklyn Brewery,

Brooklyn, NY

Brooklyn Special Effects IPA offers a refreshing take on non-alcoholic beers by delivering the vibrant hop aromas and zesty citrus flavors typically associated with traditional IPAs. With less than 100 calories per serving, this brew caters to those who crave the hoppy and invigorating experience of an IPA but prefer to avoid a high alcohol content.

tropical sour by athletic brewing sour na beer

Silver

Tropical Sour by Athletic Brewing Company

Milford, CT

Tropical Sour is a standout among non-alcoholic sour beers, crafted by Athletic Brewing, one of the pioneers in the NA beer industry. From the very first sip, it’s clear how this brew earned its name.

It delivers a balanced combination of hoppy and sour notes, creating a harmonious blend of flavors that make it refreshingly unique. Although currently sold out, fans can visit Athletic Brewing’s website to sign up for notifications when it’s back in stock—likely just in time for summer.

Learn more about the Tropical Sour by Athletic Brewing.

Gold

Patagonia Provisions Non-Alcoholic Kernza Golden Brew by Deschutes Brewery

Bend, OR

Patagonia Provisions and Deschutes Brewery have collaborated to create the Non-Alcoholic Kernza® Golden Brew, a Certified Organic premium lager with an ABV of less than 0.5%.

This bright and crisp non-alcoholic beer offers a refreshing drinking experience while being crafted with a focus on environmental sustainability. It features Certified Organic Kernza®—a perennial grain known for its soil-saving and carbon-capturing properties—along with Regenerative Organic Certified® rye, Certified Organic hops, and malted 2-row barley.

Every ingredient in the brew is sourced with the planet in mind, helping to improve soil health, reduce erosion, protect waterways, and preserve biodiversity, making it not just a responsible choice, but a truly enjoyable one.