10 NA beers from Twin Cities breweries to help you through Dry January and beyond

Dry January is here again, and the trend is picking up steam. After the excesses of the holiday season, 31 days of cleansing abstinence holds great appeal for many.

A 2022 poll by CGA, which provides data on the food and drink industries, indicated that 35% of American adult drinkers took a break from alcohol to kick off the new year, up from 21% in 2019.

And now the options for beer drinkers who can't or don't drink are significantly better than the unpalatable near beers of the past. New technologies have evolved for removing alcohol or avoiding its production altogether. From advanced filtering techniques to reverse osmosis, special yeasts and innovative brewing processes, brewers can now make non-alcohol brews that smell and taste like beer.

Seeing the trend toward alcohol-free options, craft brewers have jumped on board. Gone are the days when insipid pale lagers were the only choice. NA beers are available in nearly every style from pale lagers and blond ales to wheat beers, red ales and stouts. And hopheads need not fear. IPAs are as prevalent in the NA world as they are in the full-proof realm.

It's important to approach these beers with the proper frame of mind. While many taste quite convincingly like alcoholic beer, none hit the mark spot on. Alcohol is not flavor-neutral, and different brewing processes yield different results — even with standard beers. If you go in expecting the exact experience of a typical beer, you might be disappointed.

Instead, think of NA beers as a thing all their own, as you would a hard seltzer. Refreshingly effervescent and carrying a satisfying amount of hop and malt character, these drinks are delicious in their own right.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that some of these beers do contain trace amounts of alcohol. The federal definition of nonalcoholic is less than 0.5% alcohol by volume. But today's NA beer lineup features many options that contain no alcohol at all. Be sure to check if this is of concern to you.

There are several Twin Cities breweries making excellent NA beers.

Bauhaus Brew Labs in Minneapolis was one of the first local breweries to make a nonalcoholic beer. Their Nah Helles stays convincingly true to the Munich helles lager style. Bready malt and light sweetness lead into moderate bitterness and a dry, crisp finish. The lemon peel, melon and spice of European hops complete the picture.

Bauhaus' Pink Guava Sour is a great choice for fans of sour beers. The squishy-fruit flavor of guava reigns from start to the long-lingering finish. Guava sweetness counters the acidity, giving the beer a sweet and sour profile. Neither one takes over. A bit of bready wheat comes through, bringing with it a full, smooth mouthfeel. I even taste a little bit of wild yeast funk. This is a deliciously complex nonalcoholic option.

Fans of hops can look to Nialas IPA from St. Paul's Summit Brewing Co. Without being told, you would be hard-pressed to guess it's an NA beer. Hops are the main event. Bitterness is high and the flavors and aromas of citrus peel, grapefruit and orange oil burst from the glass and envelop the tongue. Low, grainy malt provides a background contrast. The profile is light and crisp with a very dry finish that lingers on citrus and bitterness.

Guinness drinkers will love Summit's Nialas Irish Dark Ale, a very credible, nonalcohol rendition of the dry Irish stout style. Roast malt dominates with notes of coffee grounds and dark chocolate. A hint of caramel sneaks in mid-palate. Light sweetness at the start gives way to a dry, roasty, bitter finish.

If you want a richer, sweeter stout, try Resolution Stout from Arbeiter Brewing Co. in Minneapolis. The velvety, creamy mouthfeel sets this beer apart from most NA beers. It amplifies the flavors of high-cocoa, bitter chocolate and French roast coffee. Hints of raisins, dates and low-level orange citrus hops add layers of complexity. It goes out with a semisweet, roasty finish. Resolution Stout is available at the brewery's south Minneapolis taproom, but you may also find it at select liquor stores. Check the Arbeiter website for locations.

Surly Brewing Company's Outlook Good is made with advanced brewing processes and specialized yeast to create a hoppy pale beer. It's exceptionally light and effervescent — almost champagne-like. It's moderately sweet with low notes of grainy malt. Hop aromas and flavors are bold, yet still delicate enough that they don't overwhelm the lightness of the overall profile. The beer bursts with distinct passion fruit, tropical fruit and coconut hop smells and tastes. It's a bit soda-like, but nonetheless very tasty.

Pils Zero from Indeed Brewing Co. is a good 0% option for pilsner lovers. It's light and crisp with the strong herbal and spicy flavors of European hops. The bitterness is appropriately high for a German-style pilsner. A bit of grainy malt is present, but it lacks the bready fullness of a standard pilsner — a bit like a pilsner without the bass. Still, it's an enjoyably drinkable refresher without the buzz. This is a draft-only selection, so stop by the Minneapolis taproom and grab a pint or a crowler.

Hairless Dog Brewing Co. of Minneapolis offers several 0% brews. Their beers are made with a process that skips fermentation altogether. No alcohol is removed from the beer — it was never there to begin with. This leaves the beers with a full body and rich taste. It also leaves them with a grainy flavor and aroma reminiscent of wort or unfermented beer — a bit like steeped brewers malt. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It's used to good effect in some of their beers.

The lightest of the Hairless Dog offerings is NA Citra Lager. The steeped grain character works well in this beer, giving an amped-up impression of the bready/grainy malt typical of most pale lagers. Moderate bitterness cuts much of the sweetness on the palate but leaves a semisweet finish. The lemon-lime flavor of Citra hops gives the beer a refreshing lift.

NA IPA is a showcase for hops. Lemon, grapefruit and grapefruit peel citrus flavor and aroma make a big impression with hints of tropical fruit adding a denser fill. The grainy character is there, but largely covered by hops. Bitterness is medium-high. Low sweetness up front builds and lingers into the finish along with hop bitterness.

Hairless Dog's NA Black Ale is the most complex of the three. This milk stout-like brew is richer and fuller bodied than the others. Notes of vanilla, semisweet chocolate and caramel give an impression of turtle brownies. But this is not a sweet beer. Bitterness from roasted malt and low hop bitterness work to prevent it from becoming sugary. I would have liked a touch more of the roasty character, though.

Michael Agnew is a certified cicerone (beer-world version of sommelier) and owner of A Perfect Pint. He conducts private and corporate beer tasting events in the Twin Cities, and can be reached at michael@aperfectpint.net.