DENVER (KDVR) -- The contents of your favorite store's beer aisle are likely starting to change, thanks in part to shifting attitudes around alcohol consumption. A new study said non-alcoholic brews are now among the most popular in the world.
The International Wine and Spirits Record recently projected that this year, non-alcoholic beer will become the second largest beer category in the world, behind only lagers. A liquor store in Denver said they absolutely believe it, thanks to sales in recent years.
Although Wine Dispensary in LoDo has the word wine in its name, it isn't all they sell. Tucked away behind the bottles up front, you'll find a fridge with cans, and despite being a liquor store, many don't contain alcohol at all.
"Overall, as a trend in the alcohol industry, we've seen people wanting to imbibe a little bit less," said Jennifer Maglieri, Wine Dispensary's co-owner.
Each passing year, the shelf with non-alcoholic beers has grown.
"We do keep, you know, a decent amount of, like, relative percentage of the beer program to be NA," said Maglieri.
The industry saw an uptick in NA sales as early as 2019. The IWSR's report said Gen Z drinks less than any prior generation at the same age, citing health as a factor.
Maglieri points to two 2024 studies, as well.
"That showed basically that there's not an advantageous amount of alcohol that can be, like, healthy for you to consume," said Maglieri.
She also said one of alcohol's biggest competitors has played a part.
"More people have been identifying as cannabis consumers than alcohol consumers," said Maglieri.
To keep up with the trend, Wine Dispensary offers both local and out-of-state options for NA brews that pass the taste test.
"They still want to enjoy the same quality of NA beer as they would in their boozy counterparts," she said.
As time goes on, she expects the NA shelf to expand even further.
"It's definitely a category that is strong for us, and we anticipate having that continue," said Maglieri.
Wine Dispensary also sells non-alcoholic spirits and wine, but neither has matched the popularity of NA beers quite yet.