Has anyone else tried Charlie Sheen's WILD AF? Just got these in the mail and honestly wasn't expecting much from a celebrity brand, but these are VERY solid. I've been cycling through a bunch of NA lagers and this one held its own.
This Porter is full of so much character that I don’t miss the alcohol at all. A completely satisfying beer.
Hey r/NABEER community! Tyler Fay here, one of the co-founders of RationAle Brewing. It's been a while since I posted here and wanted to share something we've been building toward that I'm genuinely stoked on.
For those who don't know our story - RationAle was born out of a conversation between my dad Jamie, my brother Carter, and myself back in 2021. Alcoholism has run through our family history, so we set out to build a moderation brand that didn't just taste great without the booze, but actually meant something to the people drinking it. We brew to full 5-6% ABV, then remove the alcohol through a reverse osmosis process - so you're getting a real craft beer, not a shortcut.
That purpose shows up in how we brew, who we back, and what we stand for. This May, it's front and center.
We just partnered with the Andy Irons Foundation for Mental Health Awareness Month.
If you're in the surf or action sports world, you know who Andy Irons was - three-time world champion, one of the greatest to ever do it. He also battled mental health and addiction privately for years before passing in 2010. His wife Lyndie built the Andy Irons Foundation in his memory, and they've spent over a decade supporting young people dealing with mental illness, addiction, and learning disabilities through community-based programs. Lyndie said it best: "Mental health doesn't discriminate - it can affect anyone, no matter how they appear to the outside world."
The partnership is called "Check In Before You Drop In" - a reminder to pause and check in with yourself and the people around you before you drop into whatever wave life throws at you. My dad put it perfectly: "waves of emotion can come in all sizes, and without the right mindset or support, can be overwhelming."
This also builds on our 2025 Crush the Crisis campaign, where we partnered with BetterHelp to offer one free month of therapy nationwide and committed 1% of sales to grassroots mental health orgs. This is the next chapter of that.
Here's how it works:
This one's personal. Our brand has always been about being alcohol-inclusive - not preachy, not sobriety-focused - just giving people a genuinely great option and meeting them where they're at. This campaign is that same energy applied to mental health: no lectures, just check in on yourself and the people around you.
Whether you're already crushing our brews or just discovering NA craft beer, we'd love for you to be part of this.
👉 Learn more + shop: rationalebrewing.com/pages/check-in-before-you-drop-in
As always — feel free to reach out with questions, feedback, or just to say what's up: brews@rationalebrewing.com
Cheers 🍺 Tyler from RationAle. I'd love to hear what your favorite brew is!
From The Producers:
Distilled Non-Alcoholic Bourbon
Our Kentucky 74 is a beautifully distilled non-alcoholic spirit for bourbon cocktails. Kentucky 74 is crafted using our proprietary reverse distillation process. Kentucky 74 was named Best Non-Alcoholic Spirit and won a gold medal in the second annual L.A. Spirits Awards.
Flavor Profile
Kentucky 74 delivers a high-quality, smooth finish, underpinned by familiar notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak.
Perfect Pairings
Delicious enough to sip on its own, or use Kentucky 74 in a classic Whiskey Sour or Old Fashioned. Pick your potency: go HALFSIES™ by pairing one-to-one with your favorite bourbon whiskey to cut down on ABV and calories, or, go completely Spiritless by replacing the alcohol entirely.”
Ingredients:
Spiritless Non-Alcoholic Oak Distillate, Water, Natural Flavors, Glycerine, Sugar, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Potassium Sorbate (preservative)
Sweetness:
1g sugar per 2floz serving, about 1.7° brix
Availability:
Spiritless, $35.99
The Zero Proof, $35.99
Boisson, $35.99
Better Rhodes, $42.99
No & Low, $36
Amazon, $37.99
I'm giving Kentucky 74 a average 2.73/10; barely beating out Lyre's, but still quite bad. Biggest win with this one is that it's got the closest appearance to traditional bourbon, so if you're going purely for aesthetics you're in for a treat. As with most so far, there's this artificial caramel flavor looming over the whole thing like a gargoyle. On top of that, it's got this chemically, cough syrup thing going on that ruins most of the cocktails I tried. I first tried Kentucky 74 years ago when it first came on the market, and at the time I remember it being far too cinnamon-forward, so it's nice (I guess?) that that's not the case anymore. It did work nicely in a whiskey sour, but that's also been the highest performing category so far (averaging 5.28/10 across 7 brands tasted, including the 0/10 from Clean W). I would give this points for being so widely available, but availability of something lousy doesn't really get you anywhere.
Neat - 1/10
Appearance: 1/1 - Dark caramel, light body, genuinely looks like bourbon
Nose: 0/3 - Very sweet smelling, kind of a mix of artificial caramel and low-grade cough syrup
Palate: 0/3 - Very bitter, strong drying sensation across the whole palate,
Finish: 0/2 - Some black pepper notes, but kind of feels like drinking a cleaning product in a way.
Manhattan - 2/10 (.5floz Lyre's Vermouth Alternative (formerly Aperitif Rosso), 1/8tsp All The Bitter Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters)
Balance: 0/3 - Somehow super tart all of the sudden
Expression: 0/3 - Character of the spirit is fully lost, which may actually deserve a point
Bitters + Vermouth: 1/2 - Bitters are coming through nicely, but it’s a weird combo with the tartness
Texture: 1/1 - Not offensive, but nothing to write home about
Finish + Aftertaste: 0/1 - Long, tart and bitter
Old Fashioned - 1/10 (.75tsp Rich Syrup, 1/8tsp All The Bitter Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters)
Whiskey Forwardness: 0/3 - the cough syrup-y character is heightened by the rich syrup, gross
Balance: 1/3 - very sweet, bitters are pretty buried but not entirely
Integration: 0/2 - Ingredients feel like they are fighting each other for dominance
Texture + Dilution: 0/1 - does not benefit from proper dilution
Finish + Evolution: 0/1 - long, bitter, weird hot sensation on the roof of the mouth and back of throat, but not like a simulated alcohol burn.
Whiskey Sour - 7/10 (.5floz Lemon Juice, .25floz Orange Juice, .25floz Rich Syrup)
Acid/Sweet Balance: 3/3 - Very nicely balanced! The weird bitterness of the spirit actually plays nicely here.
Expression: 1/3 - Only minimal “whiskey” expression
Integration: 1/2 - Spirit gets lost, but it kind of needs to
Texture + Body: 1/1 - As expected
Finish + Refreshment: 1/1 - long, balanced finish, very refreshing.
Highball - 2/10 (2floz chilled Soda Water)
Refreshment: 0/3 - Really unenjoyable
Whiskey Presence: 1/3 - chemical notes come forward, but also a new smokey something
Integration: 1/2 - Texture is nice, but flat
Carbonation + Texture: 0/1 - Carbonation lost almost immediately
Finish + Cleanliness: 0/1 - long and chemically
Irish Coffee - 5/10 (4tsp Simple Syrup, 4tsp Espresso)
Whiskey Expression: 0/3 - Character of the spirit is completely lost
Balance: 3/3 - Nicely bittersweet
Integration + Texture: 1/2 - Ingredients play nicely together
Warmth + Comfort: 1/1 - as to be expected
Finish + Aftertaste: 0/1 - a little too bitter on the finish, and lingers a little too long
Mint Julep - 0/10 (.5floz mint-infused rich syrup)
Aroma + Mint Expression: 0/3 - very minty, not in a good way
Whiskey Presence: 0/3 - character of the spirit is totally lost
Balance: 0/2 - overwhelmingly sweet and cough syrup-y
Texture: 0/1 - not improved with proper dilution
Evolution Over Time: 0/1 - does not improve over time
Boulevardier - /10 (.5floz Lyre's Vermouth Alternative, .5floz Lyre’s Italian Orange
Balance: 1/3 - nice bitterness, but also pretty tart
Whiskey Presence: 0/3 - character of the spirit is totally lost
Integration: 1/2 - The ingredients are reaching for their sum without quite getting there
Texture + Dilution: 1/1 - ingredients are playing nice together
Finish + Perseverance: 0/1 - Long, tart, bitter
Ward 8 - 0/10 (1.75tsp Pomegranate Grenadine, 1.75tsp Lemon Juice, 1tsp Orange Juice)
Citrus Balance: 0/3 - Way too tart
Whiskey Expression: 0/3 - character of the spirit is totally lost
Sweetener Integration: 0/2 - way too sweet
Texture + Body: 0/1 - thiccc
Finish + Cohesion: 0/1 - Long, lingering, too sweet and too tart
Whiskey Ginger - 7/10 (just over 3floz chilled Ginger Ale)
Refreshment + Drinkability: 3/3 - very light and refreshing
Whiskey Presence: 2/3 - mostly lost, but the bitterness comes through in a nice way
Ginger Integration: 1/2 - mostly tastes like ginger ale out of the can
Carbonation + Texture: 1/1 - carbonation is held nicely
Finish + Cleanliness: 0/1 - A little too sweet on the end, but it’s close
Hot Toddy - 2/10 (.5floz Honey, 3floz Hot Water)
Warmth + Comfort: 2/3 - warm and comfy, but off somehow
Whiskey Expression: 0/3 - heat bring all the negative characteristics forward
Balance: 0/2 - The bitterness overwhelms the honey
Texture + Mouthfeel: 0/1 - very syrupy
Finish + Aftertaste: 0/1 - Long, bitter, lingering
Right now I’m developing a beverage-focused concept called SHELTER.
The idea behind it is to build something that sits slightly outside the traditional coffee shop structure. I don’t just want it to feel like a place where people quickly grab coffee — I want it to feel more atmospheric and emotionally memorable through the lighting, music, presentation and overall energy.
I studied gastronomy, and lately I’ve been trying to merge that background with coffee knowledge, barista experience and mixology-inspired drink development. Especially on the non-alcoholic side, I’m interested in creating drinks that feel more layered, intentional and visually expressive than what you’d normally expect from a café.
I also really like the idea of building a place younger people would genuinely want to take someone to. Not necessarily “luxury”, but somewhere that feels thoughtful and a bit special even if you’re technically just going out for drinks.
Right now I’m trying to decide what descriptor should sit under the brand name.
Similar to how some places use:
………… Pub
………… Bistro
………… Coffee Bar
………… Coffee & Mocktail
I want SHELTER to have something that feels modern and fitting to the overall direction.
Current options I’m considering:
• SHELTER — Beverage House
• SHELTER — Beverage Atelier
• SHELTER — Beverage Lounge
• SHELTER — Beverage Studio
• SHELTER — Beverage Social
• SHELTER — Beverage Club
• SHELTER — Beverage Kitchen
• SHELTER — Beverage Bureau
• SHELTER — Beverage Experience
Which one feels the strongest or most fitting to you?
And if you have completely different suggestions, I’d genuinely love to hear them too. I’m thinking of this less like a slogan and more like a secondary identity for the brand since it’ll most likely be used directly on the signage.
Last week I had the pleasure of serving up two Elevated Non-Alcoholic Beverages I delevoped for a fundraiser here in Austin. I wanted to share one here with all y’all.
This one is smoked agave, caramelized fig, and a rustling of rosemary!
Ingredients
2 oz Zero Proof Mezcal
0.25 Caramelized Fig Syrup
5 dashes NA Aromatic bitters
7 fresh rosemary sprig
Build
1. Add a 2” ice cube to a rocks glass.
2. Add 2 oz of Zero Proof Mezcal
3. Add 0.25 Caramelized Fig Syrup
4. Add 5 dashes of Aromatic Bitters.
5. Gentle stir to combine.
6. Slap a sprig of fresh rosemary and place alongside ice.
Stopped by our local liquor store and picked up a 6 pack of Budweiser Zero for me and 4 pack of Gruvi Dry Secco for the wife. First time trying Bud Zero - they say it tastes like the alcohol version but I can’t remember what that tasted like! I certainly don’t hate it. My wife loves the dry secco.
Hi all!
I’ll be heading out to a weekend with the friend group in two weeks.
I’m looking to bring some components for NA mixed beverages, in particular fruity margarita-style options.
However, I’m struggling to find recommendations for NA tequila alternatives that I can actually get here in Europe. The most common recommendations (Free Spirits, Rituals,…) are simply not some around here.
Any tips?
I recently came back from a work trip in Montreal, Canada. I went to Pit Caribou the first time I visited when I used to drink but was delighted to come back and see not one, not two, not three but FOUR n/a’s by the microbrewery! This and the IPA were delicious!
Share the love. What are you drinking, enjoying? I'm thinking of placing an order, would love to see if anything new strikes a chord.
Not sure if anyone has tried the little saints brand non-alcoholic drinks and spirits but they are actually pretty good!
There are a few I'm not a big fan of like the negroni Spritz but for the most part they're awesome. They are functional mushroom beverages, if you aren't familiar with these, don't expect a buzz like alcohol but more of a relaxed feeling, slightly carefree with a touch of improved clarity!
A friend sent me a coupon code for 20% off anything from their site "GUNPILOT20"
hope this helps! cheers 🍻
Our final review from the Mock One lineup is their Rum.
For this comparison we made an unblended Daiquiri with The Real McCoy 5yr and the Mock One.
The aroma on the Mock One is wonderful! Smoked wood, cane sugar and toasted marshmallows. The palate was thick with sweet lime. The sweetness lingered with a light char.
All three of us chose the Mock One over the actual Rum. This was the highlight of the lineup! In fact this is the only one that we enjoyed sipping neat with its sweet smoked character.
ABV: <0.5%
Price: $30
Bottle provided by distillery for review.
My Rating: 87
Guide to my personal ratings:
🤢 0-49 = Varying degrees of undrinkable.
🫤 50-59 = Drinkable, but meh.
😊 60-69 = Fair. Not my cup of tea.
😃 70-79 = Good. Some nice elements.
😋 80-89 = Great! Interesting and very enjoyable.
🤩 90-100 = Amazing! The perfect pour. (Rare)
Sip. Rate. Repeat.
The sober-curious movement is growing fast but the bar experience hasn't caught up. Most venues still treat non-alcoholic options as an afterthought, a cola, a juice, or an over-garnished mocktail that immediately signals to everyone around you that you're not drinking.And the moment someone clocks it, you get the question: "why aren't you drinking?" and suddenly you're explaining yourself in the middle of a social occasion.
The real problem isn't product quality. It's that nobody has designed the experience properly.
Ordering a drink in a bar is never just about the liquid, it's a social signal. When zero-proof options fail on that dimension, they fail completely, regardless of how they taste.
A few things that actually fix it:
The brands that figure this out first have a genuine market to own.
