Athletic Brewing, the Brewer Leading the Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer Movement, Takes Home Top Awards at Three Major Beer Competitio

STRATFORD, Conn. & SAN DIEGO , September 23 /Businesswire/ - Athletic Brewing Company continued its 2021 momentum, winning honors at three major beer competitions recently. As the company leading the non-alcoholic craft beer category, Athletic’s showing is the latest example that their efforts to reinvent the NA category are taking hold not only in the United States but on a global stage.

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At the World Beer Awards, Athletic Upside Dawn (Specialty Beer, Gluten-Free); Athletic All-Out Stout (No & Low Alcohol, Stout & Porter); Athletic Cream Ale (No & Low Alcohol, Lager) and Athletic Downwinder Gose (No & Low Alcohol, Flavored) were all named “Best in Country'' in Round 1. Earning a Silver medal: Athletic Wit’s Peak (No & Low Alcohol, Wheat).

At the US Open Beer Championship, Athletic Run Wild (NA, IPA), Athletic All Out Stout (NA, Stout), and Athletic Raspberry Gose (NA, Gose) all earned gold medals. Athletic Downwinder Gose (NA, Gose) earned a silver medal.

At the legendary Great American Beer Festival, Athletic won two of three NA medals. Athletic Closer by the Mile earned silver and Athletic Downwinder Gose earned the bronze.

"These awards are a reflection of the thousands of hours that our brewing and lab teams have invested in perfecting their craft across an incredible range of styles," said Co-Founder John Walker. “We can proudly say that we've taken non-alcoholic beer out of the penalty box to compete shoulder-to-shoulder with the best alcoholic craft beers in the world, and winning awards against them.”

The non-alcoholic beer market in the U.S. surged to $230 million in 2020. Despite the continuing pandemic, the craft non-alcoholic beer category is up over 300% year-to-date again this year (Nielsen). In just four years of operation, the company has grown from one 10,000 barrel capacity brewery headquartered in Connecticut to an additional 125,000 barrels in San Diego in 2020. In 2022, Athletic will add an additional 150,000 barrels of capacity at a second Connecticut brewery located in Milford. With 125,000-150,000 barrels of capacity on each coast, Athletic will continue its distribution growth domestically and into new international markets.

Nearly 50 percent of American adults consume 0.1 drinks or less per week and Athletic offers a beverage that can be enjoyed seven days a week, at any time of day, in just about any venue or occasion.

“Our goal is to open up new occasions for beer. Our drinkers range from parents, elite athletes, weekend warriors, success-driven professionals, and mindful adults who just seek a better balance in life without alcohol,” said Shufelt.

About the Great American Beer Festival

The Brewers Association (BA) awarded 290 medals to 265 breweries across the country during the 2021 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) awards ceremony in the largest competition to date. The best beers in 97 beer categories covering 175 different beer styles (including all subcategories) were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals during the 35th edition of the celebrated competition.

About the World Beer Awards

Hosted by British-based drinks publisher Paragraph, the World Beer Awards brings together an international panel of judges to determine the very best beers in internationally recognized styles. As “Country Winners'', Upside Dawn, Cream Ale, All-Out Stout, and Downwinder Gose will compete for “World’s Best” consideration in the coming months.

About the US Open Beer Championship

As one of the top beer competitions in America, the U.S. Open Beer Championship judges more beer styles than any other competition in the world. The U.S. Open is the only brewery competition to include professional breweries and award-winning homebrewers.

About Athletic Brewing

International Beer Challenge 2020 “Brewer of the Year North America,” Athletic Brewing Company is reimagining beer for the modern, active adult. Their great-tasting craft brews let you enjoy the refreshing taste of craft beer, without the alcohol or the hangover. You can enjoy them anytime, anywhere, and still be healthy, active, and at your best; it’s the very reason they started brewing them in the first place. With custom breweries on the east and west coasts, their lineup has earned accolades throughout the industry, even against full-strength beers, including the 2020 World Beer Award Gold medal for Run Wild. To top it all off, as part of the Athletic Brewing “Two for the Trails” initiative, 2% of all sales are donated to trail and park cleanups and maintenance. Additionally, as a part of their IMPACT Program, 1% of revenue goes to non-profit organizations that support positive impact and opportunity from the ground up in their communities.

Named by Fast Company Magazine as one of the “World’s Most Innovative” companies in 2020, craft beer fans can find Athletic Brewing’s revolutionary Upside Dawn Golden Ale, Run Wild IPA, and Free Wave Hazy IPA at major retailers in the U.S. They also ship directly to consumers at www.athleticbrewing.com, where craft beer lovers can purchase Athletic’s full portfolio of flagships, seasonal, and specialty beers and also join the company’s subscription offering – The Athletic Club.

Whether you've decided to cut alcohol out of your life for good, for a night, or just one drink, Athletic Brewing Company provides an option without compromises that you’re guaranteed to enjoy.

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