John Mulaney is in the middle of a national stand-up tour, has a Netflix series, regularly appears on Saturday Night Live, and still found time to add a new title to his résumé: co-owner and creative director of non-alcoholic beer brand Years.
In a recent interview about his decision to join Years, Mulaney said the decision had nothing to do with chasing a business opportunity and everything to do with liking the product. “Because I like it so much,” he said, explaining that Years became his go-to non-alcoholic beer long before any formal partnership was discussed.
A Pilsner Drinker, Not an IPA Convert
Mulaney has been candid about his beer preferences, noting that he was never drawn to heavier IPA styles. Growing up in the Midwest, his taste leaned toward lighter, pilsner-style beers, the kind meant to be drunk casually rather than analyzed.
That preference is what first drew him to Years, a Midwest-born non-alcoholic beer founded by Patrick Corcoran. After trying the beer through friends, Mulaney began drinking it regularly, often having a couple after shows. He later joked online that he drinks “a ton of these and, you know, you don’t get fucked up.”
The appeal, he said, was not just the lack of alcohol. It was the branding, the packaging, and the fact that the beer tasted like something familiar and intentional, not a substitute product.
Moving From Fan to Partner
Mulaney officially joined the company in October, stepping into a creative director role while also becoming a co-owner. In the interview, he described the transition as less about control and more about collaboration.
He compared joining Years to starting work in television early in his career, bringing ideas to the table while learning from people with more operational experience. From talking with distributors to discussing retail placement, Mulaney said he enjoys being involved in the practical details of building a brand.
The process, he noted, has been surprisingly similar to comedy. You make decisions, sometimes quickly, and move forward. Indecision, he said, is worse than making the wrong call.
Dry January, Sober October, and the Reality of “Gimmicks”
While Mulaney pokes fun at Dry January, saying the phrase itself “doesn’t roll off the tongue,” he acknowledged that these seasonal sobriety moments have a very real impact on sales.
One of the biggest surprises for him has been learning how much events like Sober October matter commercially. What he once assumed were casual cultural trends turned out to be major drivers of demand, reinforcing the importance of timing and preparation in the non-alcoholic category.
Leadership Lessons From Live Television
When asked what leadership lessons carry over from Saturday Night Live to building a beverage brand, Mulaney pointed to decisiveness. He credited longtime SNL creator Lorne Michaels with emphasizing the importance of making choices, even imperfect ones, and sticking with them.
In live television, and in business, there is rarely time to wait for perfect information. Making a decision, he said, is better than stalling.
Redefining What “Works”
Mulaney also reflected on his comfort with failure, a mindset shaped by years of performing live. When something does not land, he simply redefines what “worked” means and keeps moving.
That same attitude carries into his role at Years. The goal is not perfection, but momentum, building something he genuinely believes in and feels good talking about, whether on stage, online, or in a retail setting.
A Personal Fit, Not a Promotional Gimmick
Unlike many celebrity beverage deals, Mulaney’s involvement with Years comes across as deeply personal. He drinks the beer, likes the taste, and enjoys the process of helping shape the brand.
For Mulaney, Years fits naturally into his life: something to drink after a show, something to talk about honestly, and something that does not require pretending to be someone he is not.
And in a non-alcoholic beer market that increasingly values authenticity over novelty, that may be exactly the point.
