Budweiser and Dwayne Wade Launch Beer With Zero Alcohol and Likely Zero Taste

Photo: Anheuser-Busch 

Historically, most non-alcoholic beers have tasted more like fizzy, yellow water than actual beer. The fact is, if you’re drinking a beer without any alcohol (or just a trace) you’re not really worried about flavor. But, in recent years brands like Heineken, Brew Dog, and Athletic have released NA beers that…actually taste like beer. Finally, Budweiser, with the help of NBA legend Dwayne Wade, is getting in on the non-alcoholic action.

It’s aptly called Budweiser Zero (which immediately makes us think of Coke Zero for better or worse) and it was made in partnership with Wade. It has zero sugar, 50 calories, and zero percent ABV. But, according to a press release it still has the “full-flavored taste you can expect from Budweiser.” (We’ll be the judge of that.)

You’re probably wondering why it took Budweiser so long to get on the NA bandwagon. It seems that the timing was finally right. Just like the rise of hard seltzer, the non-alcoholic beer category has grown dramatically in the past few years. Many drinkers are either limiting their alcohol or going dry for weeks or months at a time. The ability to crack open a non-alcoholic beer that actually tastes good while remaining booze-free is a big deal for people.

“Over the past year, we have seen hundreds of new beverage options come to market, with non-alcoholic and alcohol-free beverages quickly rising in popularity,” Monica Rustgi, vice president of marketing for Budweiser said in a press release. “Budweiser has an incredible opportunity to propel this movement into mainstream culture by offering a product that doesn’t compromise on the quality and taste people have come to know and love from Budweiser, a brand they trust.”

Wade was involved in every aspect of the beer including the packaging design. In fact, this beer was made at last partly for athletes who want to imbibe beer without having to worry about the aftereffects of a night of boozing.

Available in 12 packs and 16-ounce single cans, this beer is currently available nationwide. We haven’t tried it and maybe it’s good. We just don’t really have high hopes and we’ll stick with our IPAs and stouts instead. Or, perhaps a nice glass of ice-cold water.

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