Night Before the Trail Run
Nonalcoholic IPAs deliver punchy hop flavor with none of the hangover, and an explosion of new NA beer brands over the past five years means there’s more variety and quality than ever. Whether your preferred IPA tastes classic and bitter or hazy and tropical, store shelves are full of booze-free options that are ready to help you carb up and tackle the mountain feeling fresh.
- Athletic Brewing Company Run Wild IPA
- Best Day Brewing West Coast IPA
- Brooklyn Brewery Special Effects Grapefruit IPA
Morning of a Big Hike
Even at breakfast, these beers won’t set you back. Reach for nonalcoholic golden ales when the day’s plans call for an easy-drinking crowd-pleaser with bright, refreshing carbonation. Hemp-derived THC and CBD have recently found their way into NA beers, offering a low-dose boost without the buzz. (Throw an extra in your pack for a midday, top-of-the-mountain treat.)
- Easy Man Golden Pale
- Sierra Nevada Trail Pass Golden
- Patagonia Provisions x Deschutes Brewery Kernza Golden Brew
Midday on the Water
Stay even-keeled with a four to five percent ABV craft lager. For decades, American craft brewers largely shied away from so-called “yellow fizzy beer,” preferring to leave pilsners to the world’s biggest brands. Thankfully, they’ve finally seen the light and are now brewing ultra-crisp, characterful lagers with manageable alcohol contents that make them easy to reach for.
- pFriem Family Brewers Japanese Lager
- Threes Brewing Vliet
- Firestone Walker Brewing Company Pivo Pils
Afternoon Mountain Biking Break
A mix of beer and carbonated lemonade, radlers have long been associated with German cyclists. It’s easy to see why: They’re sweet-tangy enough to toe the line between beer and juice. Today, radlers—and their British cousin, shandies—come in a rainbow of citrusy flavors from grapefruit to orange. Their thirst-quenching power, however, remains steadfast.
- Stiegl Radler Zitrone
- Shiner Ruby Redbird
- Von Trapp Radler
Back at Base Camp
Wind down with the new and improved world of West Coast IPAs. After years of hazy, fruity New England–style IPA dominance, the West Coast version has made a triumphant return. But today’s versions aren’t tongue-scrapingly bitter; they expertly blend classic hops’ pine, dank, and subtle citrus notes for a prismatic sip that eases you out of a hard day’s work at six to seven percent ABV.
- Breakside Wanderlust IPA
- Upslope Brewing West Coast Style IPA
- Tröegs Perpetual IPA
Campfire Nightcap
Once you’ve debriefed the day’s challenges and successes, it’s time to drink dessert. Reach for a slightly sweet stout that incorporates chocolate, peanut butter, hazelnuts, or other other culinary ingredients. The best of these indulgent beers maintain a coffee-like roast that helps balance those confectionary additions. Feeling extra bold? Look for a version that’s been whiskey barrel–aged.
- Mother Earth Milk Truck Latte Stout
- Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout
- Left Hand Peanut Butter Milk Stout