Non-alcoholic beer news continues to flow. The NA craft beer market is emerging as the industry’s latest frontier, blending traditional craftsmanship with sober curiosity. NA beer has been popular in other countries like England and Germany for some time, so we’re also seeing those brands looking at American beer drinkers as an enticing new market. Here comes another example: Craft non-alcoholic brewer Mash Gang is expanding to the United States on February 20 in partnership with brewery incubator Pilot Project Brewing. First off…
Who is Mash Gang?
Mash Gang started in London in 2020 as a pandemic homebrewing project, and it has grown into one of the United Kingdom’s most interesting non-alcoholic brands. The founders include head brewer and CEO of U.S. Operations Jordan Childs. The brand skews towards those who still enjoy regular beer with their NA beer. From the press release:
Almost none of Mash Gang customers are fully sober, instead they turn to Mash Gang to limit their alcohol intake or simply because they love the flavor.
Mash Gang was also quick to point out to us that the U.S. market is primed for NA beer drinking. U.S. sales of non-alcoholic beer averaged 31 percent growth over the past four years, according to data from NielsenIQ, and were up 32 percent in 2023. I highly suggest you read our Dry January recap, which focuses on the challenges and opportunities of the non-alcoholic beer movement.
U.S. customers have been able to enjoy Mash Gang products, but buyers were paying more than $200 just to ship Mash Gang to the States last year (woof), which prompted the founders to connect with Pilot Project. Wait…
Who is Pilot Project?
Pilot Project launched in August 2019 in Chicago as a brewing facility and tasting room to help support talented brewers in an industry with exceptionally high barriers. Modeled after the music industry, Pilot serves as a launch pad for startup breweries, offering assistance with fine-tuning recipes, production scaling, business development, marketing and distribution. Pilot Project opened a taproom and 70,000-sq-ft production facility in Milwaukee in fall 2022. Today, Pilot Project maintains breweries in Chicago and Milwaukee, capable of producing 200,000 bbls of product per year.
Mash Gang launched a few tester products this past fall and will officially launch as a Pilot Project partner on Tuesday, February 20, launching the below two beers:
- Stoop Lite — inspired by the beers of Milwaukee; this is Mash Gang’s flagship product
- Journey Juice — named after the British slang term for a beer you drink between bars, this mango IPA is brewed with Tajin and Sabro hop. It’s sweet, a little sour, spicy and fruity.
Where can I get these Mash Gang NA brews?
Mash Gang beers will be available at both Pilot Project locations (Chicago and Milwaukee) starting February 20 and ready for national distribution that day as well.
This burgeoning sector, once a niche within the expansive beer industry, is now at the forefront of a movement that caters to a growing demographic of health-conscious consumers, mindful drinkers, and those in pursuit of flavor without compromise. As more craft breweries pivot to include non-alcoholic options in their repertoire, they’re not just expanding their market reach—they’re challenging the very essence of beer culture. This evolution marks a significant shift in consumer habits and opens a new chapter in the craft beer narrative, where quality, innovation, and inclusivity pour into every glass, proving that the future of beer might just be non-alcoholic
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.