U.S. of N/A: Non-Alcoholic and Mindful Drinking
The U.S. of N/A podcast series is about the people and places putting mindful drinking and functional beverages on the map, one crafted sip at a time. In our video episodes we sit down with founders and innovators who are contributing to a beverage culture that is a bit more healthy, and a little less boozy. And in our new audio-only Quiet Pour series, we'll bring you authentic stories from all walks of life talking about what mindful drinking means to them. Brought to you by N/ATION Collaborative, LLC.
U.S. of N/A: Non-Alcoholic and Mindful Drinking
The Expanding Occasions For Non-Alcoholic Beer
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
The occasions for non-alcoholic beer are ever expanding, but so, too, is the competition. Best Day Brewing founder Tate Huffard has spent the last five years working to build a brand to last. We dig into what's been the secret sauce to their growth, from the brewing process to the retail shelf, and what has helped them to stand out in an ever-crowded field.
We cover Tate's surf-culture origin story behind BDB, how the consumer occasion for NA beer has shifted since 2021, and where Tate sees the brand fitting in a market that's increasingly defined by wellness and fitness positioning, or celebrity fame.
Key Topics:
- The Founder Story: Why a group of surfers missing morning sessions became the unlikely starting point for one of the country's few NA-only craft breweries with national distribution.
- The Evolving Occasion: How and where people are actually reaching for NA beer in 2026, and why the answer might surprise you.
- Crowded Market, Distinct Identity: With fitness brands and celebrity labels flooding the space, where does Best Day's long-term positioning actually live?
- Cracking Retail and Hospitality: The misconceptions distributors still hold, and how close we really are to seeing significant NA variety on restaurant menus.
- What's Next: After the launch of Wild American Pilsner, what's ahead for this Sausalito-based brand?
Mentioned in this episode:
Podcasts we love
Check out these other fine podcasts recommended by us, not an algorithm.
Beer In Front
Dave Zalatoris
Business of Drinks
Business of Drinks