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No- and Low-Alcohol
As of late 2026: non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits keep growing from a small base, mostly bought by people who also drink alcohol.
In one sip
As of late 2026, non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits are among the few drinks categories still growing in the U.S. They are a small slice of the market, and most of the people buying them have not quit alcohol; they switch between full-strength and alcohol-free depending on the occasion.
Where it started
In 2026 Gallup asked about non-alcoholic alternatives for the first time: 17 percent of U.S. adults said they had drunk non-alcoholic beer, wine or spirits instead of an alcoholic drink in the past year.1 Among drinkers who use them, 38 percent said they drink more of them than they used to.1 In IWSR's 2025 U.S. data, no-alcohol beer volume grew 15 percent in a year when total beverage alcohol fell 5 percent.2
Where and how it's made
Growth forecasts
IWSR forecast the U.S. no-alcohol market to grow 18 percent a year by volume from 2024 to 2028, slightly slower than before.3 Beer is the volume driver; no-alcohol RTDs and "alcohol adjacents" are the fastest-growing segments, each forecast above 20 percent a year.3 In the U.S., no-alcohol wine volume grew at a 23 percent compound rate from 2019 to 2024.4
Who buys it
Millennials hold the largest share of U.S. no-alcohol drinkers.3 Legal-age Gen Z buyers are more likely to be occasional moderators.3 IWSR's head of no/low insights says that rather than abstaining, most consumers blend no-, low- and full-strength options.4 Premium-and-above products have driven growth in the established no-alcohol beer, wine and spirits segments, while no-alcohol RTDs all sit in the standard tier.3
What the label means
On U.S. malt beverages, "non-alcoholic" may be used only with the statement "contains less than 0.5 percent (or .5%) alcohol by volume" next to it.5 A label may claim 0.0 percent only if the product contains no alcohol and is also labeled "alcohol free."5 So non-alcoholic and alcohol-free are not the same promise.
How to taste it
Serve alcohol-free wine and beer colder than their full-strength versions; alcohol carries aroma and body, and without it the drink can taste thin when warm. Use a proper wine glass for alcohol-removed wine. For a non-alcoholic spirit, build a highball with tonic and citrus rather than sipping it neat. Pairings: grilled fish, spicy noodles, soft cheeses.
Styles and what the label means
- Non-alcoholic (malt beverages) — under 0.5 percent ABV, with the statement on the label.5
- Alcohol free (malt beverages) — no alcohol at all; the only kind that may say 0.0 percent.5
- Alcohol-removed wine — wine made first, then dealcoholized. wine →
- Non-alcoholic spirit alternative — botanical or distilled flavors without the alcohol; premium-priced segment.3
- Alcohol adjacent — functional drinks positioned as an alternative to a drink.3
Words to know
Tap a term to get asked about it in The Tasting Room.
Start here — craft pours to try
Real bottles from craft makers on Tipxy.
Sources
- Gallup — Americans' Drinking Remains at Record Low (2026) accessed 2026-10-12
- IWSR — US beverage alcohol consumption drops -5% in volume during 2025 (May 11, 2026) accessed 2026-10-12
- IWSR — Key statistics and trends for the US no-alcohol market (Jan 2025) accessed 2026-10-12
- IWSR — No- and low-alcohol wine surfs moderation trend (Jun 2026) accessed 2026-10-12
- 27 CFR 7.65 Alcohol content (eCFR) accessed 2026-10-12
Photo: Club Soda Guide, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons