Brewmaster | Operations Specialist | Facilitator of creative and pragmatic approaches to sustainability in craft brewing
To put a finer point on Fox News' observations: 1) NA beer has come a long way, and tastes a great deal more like traditional beer now than it did as recently as ten or twelve years ago, but the growth of the NA market will depend on continued innovation and investment in R&D. 2) Women are trendsetters, and their early support of the new wave of craft NA beers almost certainly augers an as-yet-unrealized growth in demand among men as well. 3) Young people are the future, and the craft brewing community should take note of what their spending habits tell us. Just as the first wave of growth in the craft beer market was driven by an earlier generation's demand for hoppier, more flavorful beer with a higher ABV than what was then being produced by the "big three", this generation of craft beer drinkers is looking for low-alcohol or non-alcoholic versions of the many flavors and styles of beer not available in mass-produced NA form. 4) Athletic is the only craft brewery on Fox's list, and the only one producing an IPA. This speaks to the massive growth potential of the craft segment of the NA market, even as the rest of the craft beer industry stagnates. 5) It's time for craft NA brewers to seize the day!
