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From Audible Originals, I'm David Brown, and this is Business Wars.

Music Wars. Back in the day, non-alcoholic beers had, let's call it, a stigma, sour and skunky or

bland at best.

It was hard to see why anyone would voluntarily opt for a can of N.A. suds unless they

were strictly sober.

And even then, why settled for the decaf of beers over any number of other non-alcoholic beverages?

I'm thinking a Shirley Temple, perhaps, or a soda water with lime for a healthier option.

But all that changed when founders Bill Shufelt and John Walker brought athletic brewing to market in 2017.

All of a sudden, the narrative surrounding N.A. beers turned on its head,

and you no longer had to choose between enjoying an authentic craft brew and a sober, or at least

less alcohol-infused lifestyle. These days, more and more non-alcohol beers, wines, and

botanicals seem to be hitting the shelves

every week. The timing couldn't be better, with consumer reports showing that average alcohol

consumption is trending downward, especially with millennials and Gen Ziers. But is the NA trend

here to stay? And how is the beer and booze industry adapting?

Here to help us tap into those questions is Kate Burnott, a food and beverage reporter and

industry analyst with feel-goods insights. Kate's covered the beer and spirits industry for

Bon Appetit, the Washington Post, and Vine Pear, among others, and for the

Sight Lines podcast from Good Beer Hunting. She's also a certified beer competition judge.

We'll talk about what goes into making a great non-alcohol brew, how athletic revolutionize

...