How we picked and ranked
We compared six non-alcoholic beers across the styles people actually buy: an IPA, a golden, a lager-style Kölsch, a stout, and the best-known 0.0% lager. Every price was checked on October 21, 2026. Athletic, Partake and Best Day sell direct, so their prices are from their own sites. Heineken and Guinness don't sell direct in the US, so we used Better Rhodes, a US non-alcoholic retailer, and the table says so. "Per can" is the pack price divided by the cans in it. ABV, calories, sugar and the "how it's made" column come from each brewer's own product page or FAQ. Where a brewer doesn't publish a figure, we say "not listed."
We ranked on:
1. Price per can. 2. A clear ABV statement, with a separate pick for 0.0%. 3. A published nutrition panel. Brewers that list calories and carbs per can rank above ones that give a range. 4. Availability to order today.
We don't rank on taste, and the style notes are in each brewer's own words.
All six, compared
| Drink | Price (checked Oct 21, 2026) | Per can | ABV as stated | Made how | Calories / sugar per 12 oz (as listed) | Style, in the brewer's words | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athletic Brewing Run Wild IPA | $10.99 a 6-pack at Athletic Brewing | $1.83 | Less than 0.5% (Athletic FAQ) | Not stated (brewed under 0.5%) | 65 calories, 14 g carbs; sugar not listed | "The ultimate sessionable IPA... a blend of five Northwest hops... approachable bitterness" | Brand site |
| Heineken 0.0 | $13.99 a 6-pack of cans at Better Rhodes; Heineken doesn't sell direct | $2.33 | 0.0% | Alcohol-removed ("gentle alcohol removal," per the retailer's product copy) | 69 calories / 0 g sugar (16 g carbs) | "Refreshing fruity notes and soft malty body" | Better Rhodes |
| Partake IPA | $27.99 a 12-pack at Partake (US) | $2.33 | Less than 0.5% (Partake FAQ) | Not stated ("a proprietary brewing method") | 10 calories / 0 g sugar, 0 g carbs (can size not listed) | "Big, bold hop flavor with a blast of citrus, pine, and floral" | Brand site |
| Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn | $10.99 a 6-pack at Athletic Brewing | $1.83 | Less than 0.5% (Athletic FAQ) | Not stated (brewed under 0.5%) | 45 calories, 10 g carbs; sugar not listed | "Crisp and light-bodied with notes of citrus and herbs" | Brand site |
| Best Day Brewing Kölsch | $13.99 a 6-pack at Best Day | $2.33 | Less than 0.5% (Best Day FAQ) | Not stated | 55 to 70 calories across Best Day's range (not listed for the Kölsch alone); sugar not listed ("low in sugar") | "Light, crisp, and easy-drinking... subtle toasty malt character with delicate hopping" | Brand site |
| Guinness 0 | Sold out at Better Rhodes when we checked (listed at $14.99 a 4-pack); Guinness doesn't sell direct | $3.75 at that listed price (our math) | 0% (Guinness US page) | Alcohol-removed: brewed as Guinness, then cold filtration | 17 kcal per 100 mL (Guinness lists per 100 mL, not per can); sugar not listed | "Hints of chocolate and coffee, smoothly balanced with bitter, sweet and roasted notes" | Brand site |
The picks
Athletic Brewing Run Wild IPA (6-pack)
Run Wild is Athletic Brewing's flagship IPA, and Athletic's store tags it a bestseller. Athletic calls it "the ultimate sessionable IPA," brewed with five Northwest hops and an "approachable bitterness." It wins on the numbers. At $10.99 a 6-pack it's the cheapest per can here ($1.83), and Athletic publishes 65 calories and 14 g carbohydrates per 12 oz. Athletic is upfront that it's less than 0.5% ABV, not zero. Its FAQ says getting to 0.0% "significantly impact[s] the flavor profile," so it doesn't.
Shipping: Athletic offers free continental US shipping on orders over $50. It doesn't ship beer to Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska or South Carolina.
See it at Athletic BrewingHeineken 0.0 (6-pack cans)
If you're avoiding every trace of alcohol, Heineken 0.0 is the pick. Heineken labels it 0.0% and publishes a full panel per 12 oz: 69 calories, 16 g carbohydrates, 0 g sugar. Heineken describes "refreshing fruity notes and soft malty body." Heineken doesn't sell direct; online, Better Rhodes had a 6-pack of cans at $13.99. Heineken also sells a 0.0 Ultimate it lists at 0 calories and 0 g sugar, but we didn't find a price for it to compare.
See it at Better RhodesPartake IPA (12-pack)
Partake's numbers are the outlier: 10 calories, 0 g carbs and 0 g sugar, which Partake credits to "a proprietary brewing method." Partake describes its IPA as "big, bold hop flavor with a blast of citrus, pine, and floral." It's sold in 12-packs ($27.99 in the US, so $2.33 a can) and larger cases, and Partake states all its beers are less than 0.5% ABV. Partake's product pages switch between US and Canadian versions depending on where you are, so we link to its home page. Make sure you're on the US store before you check out.
See it at Partake BrewingAthletic Brewing Upside Dawn Golden (6-pack)
Upside Dawn is Athletic's golden: "crisp and light-bodied with notes of citrus and herbs," at 45 calories and 10 g carbs per 12 oz. It's the same $10.99 a 6-pack as Run Wild. Athletic says Upside Dawn is "crafted to remove gluten," but it's brewed from grains that contain gluten, and Athletic says the gluten content "cannot be verified." So it isn't a pick for anyone with celiac disease. If you want even lighter, Athletic Lite lists 25 calories and 5 g carbs at the same price.
See it at Athletic BrewingBest Day Kölsch (6-pack)
Best Day's Kölsch is for people who want a clean, light beer, not hops. Best Day describes it as "light, crisp, and easy-drinking," with "subtle toasty malt character" and a clean finish. It's $13.99 a 6-pack. Best Day's FAQ says all its beers are under 0.5% ABV and range from 55 to 70 calories per 12 oz can, but its product page doesn't give a figure for the Kölsch alone or any sugar number, just "low in sugar." That missing label detail is why it ranks below the brewers that publish a full panel.
See it at Best Day BrewingGuinness 0
Guinness brews Guinness 0 the way it brews Guinness, then removes the alcohol "through a cold filtration method." Guinness describes "hints of chocolate and coffee, smoothly balanced with bitter, sweet and roasted notes." Its US page lists alcohol at 0% and 17 kcal per 100 mL, but no sugar figure, and the ingredients include fructose. We couldn't confirm a price you can buy at today: Better Rhodes lists a 4-pack at $14.99 but it was sold out when we checked, so try a local store.
See it at GuinnessAlcohol-removed vs. zero-proof beer: which one if you're avoiding trace alcohol
There's no beer without brewing, so "zero-proof" works differently here than with spirits. Every beer on this list starts as a brewed, fermented beer. What differs is how the alcohol ends up low, and how low it goes.
Brewed to stay under 0.5%. Athletic, Partake and Best Day all state "less than 0.5% ABV," and none spells out its method beyond "proprietary." Athletic's FAQ explains why it stops short of zero: getting all the way to 0.0% "significantly impact[s] the flavor profile."
Alcohol-removed. Heineken 0.0 and Guinness 0 are brewed as full beers, then have the alcohol taken out. Guinness says it uses cold filtration. Removing alcohol after brewing is how both get down to a labeled 0.0% (Heineken) or 0% (Guinness).
If you need zero:
- Look for a printed 0.0%. Here, that's Heineken 0.0, plus Guinness 0, which its US page lists as 0%.
- "Non-alcoholic" on a US beer allows up to 0.5% ABV. Athletic's FAQ calls that "the legal standard across most non-alcoholic beers, including ours."
- Check the can, not just the website. Formulas and labels can change.
Our alcohol-free vs. non-alcoholic label guide covers the label language for every kind of drink.
Calories, compared fairly
All the figures here are per 12 oz except Guinness 0, which Guinness lists per 100 mL. Partake's 10 calories is far below the rest. Athletic's 45 (Upside Dawn) and 65 (Run Wild), Heineken 0.0's 69 and Best Day's 55 to 70 are close together. Only Heineken and Partake publish a sugar figure (0 g for both). Everyone else lists carbs, or nothing, so "sugar not listed" in the table means exactly that.
Buying tips
- Order in multiples. Athletic's free shipping starts at $50, and Partake sells by the 12-pack.
- Check your state. Athletic doesn't ship beer to seven states (listed above), even though it's non-alcoholic.
- Gluten: Upside Dawn is "crafted to remove gluten," but Athletic says the gluten content can't be verified. Ask your doctor if you have celiac disease.
More zero-proof options
Prefer a glass of wine? See the best non-alcoholic wine. Making cocktails? See the best non-alcoholic spirits. Stocking the fridge for someone cutting back? Try the sober-curious starter pack, the best alcohol alternatives, or our non-alcoholic gift guide.
We also like a sparkling kava can for the after-work slot a beer used to fill. It's zero alcohol, but it's a botanical drink with its own cautions, so read who should skip kava below. It isn't for anyone in recovery.
Who should skip non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits
- Pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding? Talk to your doctor before you drink any of these. Many are labeled under 0.5% ABV, which means a trace of alcohol, not zero. A "pregnancy friendly" tag on a retailer's page isn't medical advice.
- In recovery from alcohol use? Talk to your doctor, counselor or sponsor first. Products under 0.5% ABV contain trace alcohol, and even 0.0% drinks are built to look, smell and taste like the drink you're stepping away from, which can be a trigger.
- If you've been told to avoid alcohol completely (for a medication, a liver condition or anything else), stick to products labeled 0.0% and check with your doctor or pharmacist.
- "Non-alcoholic" on a US label allows up to 0.5% ABV. If a product doesn't state its ABV, assume it may contain a trace.
- Many of these brands only sell to adults 21+.
Who should skip kava
- Kava drinks are for adults 21+. Skip them if you're under 21.
- Skip kava if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Skip kava if you have a liver condition or drink heavily. Kava has been linked to rare cases of serious liver injury.
- Skip it if you take antidepressants (including SSRIs), sedatives, sleep aids or medications that affect the liver, unless your doctor says it's OK.
- Rules on kava vary by place. Check your local rules before you buy.
- One can or shell is one serving. Don't mix kava with alcohol, and don't drive after drinking it.
These are general cautions, not medical advice. If you're unsure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Questions people ask
What is the best non-alcoholic beer?
Athletic Brewing Run Wild is our best overall: $10.99 a 6-pack ($1.83 a can) at Athletic's site on Oct 21, 2026, 65 calories, under 0.5% ABV. For 0.0%, Heineken 0.0.
Which non-alcoholic beer is truly 0.0%?
Of the six here, Heineken 0.0 is labeled 0.0%, and Guinness's US page lists Guinness 0 at 0%. Athletic, Partake and Best Day state less than 0.5% ABV.
Which non-alcoholic beer has the fewest calories?
Partake IPA, at 10 calories with 0 g carbs and 0 g sugar. Athletic Lite lists 25 calories.
Is non-alcoholic beer alcohol-removed?
Some is. Heineken 0.0 and Guinness 0 are brewed as full beers and have the alcohol removed. Athletic, Partake and Best Day state they're under 0.5% ABV but don't detail their methods.
Can I drink non-alcoholic beer if I'm pregnant or in recovery?
Talk to your doctor first. Many NA beers are under 0.5% ABV, not zero, and even 0.0% beer looks and tastes like beer. See who should skip it below.
