Local artisans, brewers, restaurants hop aboard as non-alcoholic beverage trend grows in Sask.

This story was originally published on Dec. 18, 2022.

You may have heard the term "sober curious" going around. Trying out or flat-out choosing an alcohol-free lifestyle has been trending for a few years now.

Now, beverage companies are taking notice. 

There are a multitude of reasons why people choose not to drink alcohol. There are, of course, recovering alcoholics and pregnant women, but there are also people who don't drink due to a conflict with medication they're on, their religion, athletic training or wellness goals. New guidance on alcohol consumption emerged in Canada, suggesting no one consume more than two drinks per week, while some call for health warnings on alcohol packaging similar to that of tobacco products.

Whatever the reason, recent trends have been very clear: People want non-alcoholic drink options that aren't simply soda, juice or the basic light, alcohol-free beers that have been available for years.

And now a Regina brewery is going all-in on non-alcoholic craft beer that they say tastes just like the real thing. 

Meghan Trenholm, director of marketing and communications at District Brewing, says the company started making its first non-alcoholic Hero beer, a pale ale, two years ago. 

"We heard what our customers were saying," she said. "We saw the gap in the market, and our friends and family were all looking for additional non-alcoholic options. And so we thought, 'Oh, we've got a brewery, we can make it.' So we did!" 

Trenholm says District Brewing has seen a shift in the beer market, especially among millennials and gen Z. However, not any old alcohol-free beer will do. They want craft beer.

"We use the same ingredients in our non-alcoholic beer as we do in our regular, award-winning beer and use great Saskatchewan ingredients," Trenholm said.

So what's the secret to a truly great non-alcoholic craft beer? 

District Brewery brewmaster Mbaku Hamidu Admau says it's all about respecting classic brewing techniques.

"The hygienic conditions, ingredients and everything. I'm not going to get into the recipe though, because that's a secret," Admau said with a laugh.

District Brewery just launched their second non-alcoholic beer, a milk stout.