Schlafly, Wellbeing Brewing’s soccer-themed NA English Pale Ale is the beer to know this week

As we’ve noted a few times this year, non-alcoholic beer drinking is on the rise. St. Louis’ Schlafly Beer is a believer, forming a joint venture with WellBeing Brewing Co., a fast-growing national non-alcoholic craft beer company in St. Louis, back in July earlier this year. The duo is poised to fill some holes in the NA marketplace. The just-launched Match Day Light, a 35-calorie, non-alcoholic English Pale Ale, is a great example.

Based on the original recipe from Schlafly Beer, the ingredients feature London yeast, Essex Chocolate malt, East Kent Golding, Northdown, and Pilgrim hops. The new style celebrates St. Louis’ love of soccer through the packaging and ingredients used to brew it, and the style selection is an intentional nod to Schlafly’s flagship beer over the past 30 years.

“This new style showcases our rich history at Schlafly as well as St. Louis’ pride for soccer,” says CEO Fran Caradonna. “The English Pale Ale has been intricately linked to the sport for generations. Our brewing teams captured the authentic taste of our flagship English Pale Ale while also offering a low-calorie, non-alcoholic option, which is no small feat.”

Marketing sort of a “game-time” NA beer is interesting. A key stat Schlafly cites with this one: A 2021 IWSR study found more than half (58%) of no/low alcohol consumers choose to switch between no/low alcohol and full-strength alcoholic beverages on the same occasion, while only 14% state that they do not drink alcohol at all, signaling signs of moderation and health consciousness as consumer drivers.

(So yes, a perfect beer addition for your Thanksgiving football-watching cooler, as it might help reduce the number of family arguments.)

“Match Day Light really brings our collaborative partnership to life,” says WellBeing Brewing Co. CEO Jeff Stevens. “From the can design to the taste, it delivers on the quality that craft beer drinkers expect from both brands. Both WellBeing and Schlafly also have a strong dedication to our community, and this non-alcoholic craft beer gives everyone an option to celebrate the excitement around soccer in St. Louis.”

WellBeing Brewing was founded in 2018 by Jeff Stevens and Genevieve Barlow. The idea behind the brewery was born out of a personal desire by Jeff, who is 25+ years sober, to elevate the non-alcoholic social landscape after having experienced the constant disappointment of limited beverage choices available for people who don’t drink alcohol, as well as the negative stigma associated with not drinking. With two locations in St. Louis, MO and Virginia Beach, VA, WellBeing beers are brewed for anyone who enjoys an active lifestyle, is reevaluating their relationship with alcohol, or simply wants to take the night off, but still be social and feel included in the fun.

As partners, Schlafly Beer brewed and packaged Match Day Light and will do so for new non-alcoholic products for WellBeing. Schlafly also manages the sales and production of WellBeing NA brands, collaborating with WellBeing’s current contract brewing and distributor partners, and manages inventory, materials procurement, logistics, and sales support. WellBeing oversees product development, marketing, content, publicity, and grows its e-commerce business.