The inability to embrace change typically results in extinction, and the craft beverage community’s recent embrace of nonalcoholic options signals the industry’s maturation and ability to evolve amid rapidly changing taste preferences.

Among those diving head first into the N/A movement is Firestone Walker Brewing Company’s 805 brand, which recently launched 8ZERO5, the brand’s first nonalcoholic Blonde Ale. As one of the industry’s most dominant lifestyle beer brands, it felt only natural to embrace recent shifts toward low- and nonalcoholic options. 

A Beer for Active Lifestyles

As more drinkers with active lifestyles have begun seeking lower-calorie and lower-ABV options to help fuel their adventure, N/A beers like 8ZERO5 Blonde Ale, which rings in at just 60 calories per can, can help quench athletes’ thirst without compromising flavor.

“We believe that just because a beer is nonalcoholic, it doesn’t mean it should be any less satisfying. With 8ZERO5, we’re thrilled to offer our fans, drinkers and athletes an 805 beer for the non-alcohol occasion,” said Dustin Hinz, chief marketing officer for Firestone Walker Brewing Company. “Whether it’s from the paddle out to the podium, the flow state to the zen den, when the moment calls for zero limits, drinkers can now reach for an 8ZERO5.”

Endorsed by Athletes

While many early forays into nonalcoholic beers fell a bit flat in the taste department, the Firestone Walker team spent over two years zero-ing (pun fully intended) in on a recipe that could live up to the taste profile and reputation laid by its predecessor in 805 Blonde Ale. In addition to internal taste tests, the Firestone Walker team tapped into its stable of athlete ambassadors including World Surf League professional surfer Lakey Peterson, nine-time X-Games medalist Tyler Bereman, MMA champion Tabatha Ricci, Troubadour, and The White Buffalo to help ensure that 8ZERO5 lived up to the taste standards of those who have come to love and embrace the 805 brand.

Flavor and Choice

“We’ve tasted and analyzed 805 Blonde Ale’s appeal exhaustively over the past ten years, and we know all of the key elements that customers love in that beer, and we wanted to capture these elements in the nonalcoholic version closely,” said brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “We worked hard, nailed it, and now we’re off to the races. We’ve got something here that can compete with anything in the nonalcoholic space, and I’m pretty stoked about it.”

But in addition to just providing a low-calorie, nonalcoholic beer option for athletes, 8ZERO5 also appeals to a wider array of drinkers. From folks who have chosen to abstain from alcohol, to those who simply wish to shake up their drinking habits by layering in N/A options to help with pacing, 8ZERO5 is a crisp, flavorful beverage alternative that continues to live up to the incredibly diverse and high-quality 805 brand and Firestone Walker portfolio of offerings.

8ZERO5 is now available for purchase in various locations across California, Arizona and Nevada. 

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