There is one name that comes up in every serious conversation about non-alcoholic beer in America right now, and that name is Athletic Brewing Company.

Founded in 2017 by ultramarathoner Bill Shufelt and award-winning brewer John Walker in Milford, Connecticut, Athletic Brewing has grown from a niche experiment into America's 10th-largest craft brewery overall — a stunning achievement for a brand that produces exclusively non-alcoholic beer. They now hold 36% of all on-premise NA beer sales in the US, and their flagship Run Wild IPA, Upside Dawn Golden, and Free Wave Hazy IPA account for four out of every five craft NA beers served in bars and restaurants across the country.

Nearly 15 million cans of Athletic beer sold in the first four weeks of 2025 alone. A Live Nation partnership that put Athletic in 100+ music festival venues. A Super Bowl ad in 2023 that made NA beer mainstream almost overnight.

But the real question — the one that matters to anyone standing in front of a cooler full of NA options — is simple: does it actually taste like real beer? And is Run Wild IPA really the best non-alcoholic beer you can buy?

We've put Athletic Brewing to the test. Here's the complete, honest review.

Athletic Brewing Company: The Brand Story Worth Knowing

Bill Shufelt was a hedge fund manager who loved craft beer but hated the way alcohol affected his training, sleep, and performance. In 2017, he couldn't find a single non-alcoholic beer that tasted good enough to drink. So he went looking for a brewer willing to build one from scratch.

He found John Walker, a trained brewer who had worked at some of Connecticut's most respected craft breweries. Together they spent over a year developing a proprietary brewing process that produces beer with under 0.5% ABV without stripping the alcohol out afterward — the method most NA beers use, which is also why most NA beers taste flat and hollow.

This distinction matters enormously for taste. Traditional NA beer production involves brewing a full-strength beer and then removing the alcohol through vacuum distillation or reverse osmosis — processes that also strip out flavor compounds, aroma, and mouthfeel. Athletic brews their beer to naturally ferment to under 0.5% ABV, preserving the aromatic hop oils, malt character, and carbonation that make craft beer worth drinking in the first place.

The result is a range of beers that taste authentically crafted — not like compromises. And the market has noticed: Athletic Brewing holds 19% of the entire US NA beer category and achieved over 50% growth in 2024.

Run Wild IPA: The Complete Tasting Review

Run Wild IPA is Athletic Brewing's flagship product and the beer that built the brand. Let's break it down properly.

Ingredients

Water, Organic Vienna Malt, Malted Barley, Oats, Hops (five varieties of Northwest hops), Wheat, Yeast. No artificial ingredients, no GMO, no preservatives.

Appearance

Pours a beautiful golden amber with a slight haze — the characteristic look of a West Coast IPA. Forms a thick, creamy white head that holds well and leaves light lacing on the glass. Visually, it is indistinguishable from a full-strength craft IPA.

Aroma

This is where Run Wild first earns its credibility. The nose is dominated by citrus and pine — grapefruit zest, a hint of tropical fruit, with a clean, slightly resinous hop backbone underneath. There's a subtle malt breadiness that adds complexity without sweetness. No off-aromas from the brewing process — which is often the first sign of a poorly made NA beer.

Taste

Run Wild's flavor profile is built around five varieties of Northwest hops, and you can taste the intentionality behind that blend. The first sip delivers citrusy hop brightness up front, followed by a moderate, clean bitterness that sits in the middle palate. The organic Vienna malt provides a light caramel backbone that keeps the bitterness from being harsh.

The mouthfeel is where most NA beers fail — they either feel thin and watery, or oddly heavy and sweet. Run Wild has medium-light body with solid carbonation that carries the flavors well. The finish is clean and moderately bitter, lasting just long enough to feel satisfying without lingering unpleasantly.

Compared to Full-Strength IPA

Honest assessment: Run Wild is not identical to a full-strength West Coast IPA. The mouthfeel is lighter (alcohol adds body and warmth), and the flavor doesn't have the same depth that high-IBU alcoholic IPAs like Sierra Nevada Torpedo or Lagunitas IPA deliver. But it's closer than any other NA IPA on the market — and for someone committed to reducing or eliminating alcohol, the difference is acceptable rather than jarring.

Athletic Brewing Awards: What the Industry Says

Run Wild IPA hasn't just won the hearts of consumers. It has swept competitive beer judging across the US, UK, and Europe:

Over 20 competitive beer awards across multiple international judging bodies. For context: most craft breweries would be thrilled to win one or two in a decade. Athletic has won more NA beer awards than any other producer in history.

The Full Athletic Brewing Lineup: Which Beer Is Right for You?

Run Wild IPA is the flagship, but Athletic Brewing produces over 50 different NA brews annually, including year-round core beers, seasonal releases, and 2026 limited editions. Here are the core lineup options you'll find at Lyfe Marketplace:

If you want to understand the technical process behind what makes these beers taste so different from conventional NA options, our guide on how non-alcoholic beer is made covers the full brewing and dealcoholization science — including exactly why Athletic's proprietary method produces superior flavor.

Athletic Brewing vs The Competition: How Does It Stack Up?

Athletic doesn't exist in a vacuum. Here's how Run Wild IPA compares to the other major NA beer options you'll encounter:

The Honest Verdict: Is Athletic Brewing Worth It?

Let's answer the question directly.

If you're building out a broader understanding of the NA beer landscape and want to see how Athletic compares across all styles — not just IPA — our roundup of the best non-alcoholic beers ranked covers 10 top NA beers across every major style: lager, IPA, hazy, stout, wheat, and sour.

And if you're curious about pairing your Athletic Brewing drinks with a functional wellness routine — for example, combining NA beer with adaptogen or electrolyte drinks across your week — our complete adaptogens guide is a natural next read for the health-conscious beer drinker.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Athletic Brewing Run Wild IPA contain gluten?

Run Wild IPA is not gluten-free — it's brewed with malted barley and wheat, which contain gluten. If you need a gluten-free NA beer option from Athletic Brewing, Upside Dawn Golden Ale is specifically crafted to remove gluten and is available at Lyfe Marketplace. People with celiac disease or severe gluten sensitivity should opt for Upside Dawn rather than Run Wild.

Can you get drunk on Athletic Brewing beer?

No. Athletic Brewing beers contain less than 0.5% ABV — this is the legal definition of 'non-alcoholic' in the United States. For context, some fruit juices and kombucha contain similar or higher trace alcohol levels. You would need to consume an extraordinarily large volume of Athletic beer to absorb any meaningful amount of alcohol, and the body processes trace amounts this small without any intoxicating effect. Athletic beers are safe to consume while driving, working, or in any situation where alcohol consumption would be inappropriate.

Where can I buy Athletic Brewing online in the US?

Athletic Brewing is available at Lyfe Marketplace with fast US shipping from our Texas warehouse. Athletic also sells direct-to-consumer through their website and subscription club, and distributes through major retailers including Whole Foods, Target, Total Wine, and most large grocery chains. Lyfe Marketplace offers the advantage of one order combining Athletic Brewing with other NA brands — electrolyte drinks, prebiotic sodas, NA wines, and functional beverages — in a single delivery.

What is the best Athletic Brewing beer for someone who doesn't like IPAs?

Upside Dawn Golden Ale is the most universally approachable beer in the lineup — light-bodied, clean, subtly malty, and low in bitterness. It appeals to lager drinkers, casual beer drinkers, and anyone who finds IPAs too hoppy. Cerveza Atletica is another excellent choice for people who enjoy Mexican-style lagers (Corona, Modelo). Free Wave Hazy IPA lands in the middle — less bitter than Run Wild but more flavorful than Upside Dawn, with tropical fruit character that tends to convert IPA skeptics.