This weekend is Labor Day and there’s going to be plenty of barbecues and parties held across the state. Why not offer your guests something that won’t leave them with a headache the next day, or perhaps you have guests who don’t drink, but want to be part of the craft crowd.
In this edition we visit with what we believe is the only non-alcoholic craft beer brewery in the state, Go Brewing Company, located in Naperville IL. Joe Chura is one of the co-founders and the President of GBC, and James Bigler is their head brewer. The Brit and co-host Ken McMullen (Fox Republic Brewing) sat down in their brewery taproom and talked with them about their ‘meteoric’ rise as one of the premier NA breweries in the country.
We talk build-out, process, styles and marketing, discovering many of the differences from being a traditional brewery, the biggest one of which is the distribution channel, online sales, which has led them to be able to sell on Amazon. Of course their brews are available in brick-and-mortar stores, plus many of the area breweries are now carrying their brews as the NA alternative. There’s also a bonus for those counting the calories with most of their brews coming in at less than 80 calories!
By the time this episode has published, their Oktoberfest Märzen will have been released, but we get a pre-taste of it, and a look at the awesome can art. This brew will be a hit at Oktoberfest celebrations for those who don’t drink alcohol, but want to raise their glass for a Prost toast!
We think they are going to only grow more, and The Brit has certainly been converted! We think you will be as well once you try them…cheers!
Beers Sampled:
- Suspended In A Sunbeam, Pilsner, 0.49% ABV, 45 calories
- New School Sour Berry, Sour with strawberries &blueberry, <0.5% ABV, 63 calories
- Damn Good Oktoberfest, Marzen, 0.47% ABV, 65 calories
- Street Cred Nitro Bold, Nitro Stout, 0.35% ABV, 60 calories
- Vanilla Porter, 0.5% ABV
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