There is a detail about non-alcoholic beer that matters enormously to some drinkers and not at all to others, and it is almost never on the label people actually read. In the United States, a beverage can be sold as "non-alcoholic" while containing up to 0.5% ABV. Only a product labelled 0.0% is genuinely alcohol-free.
For someone cutting back, that difference is academic. For someone in recovery, pregnant, taking certain medications, or abstaining for religious reasons, it is the whole question. Years Beer sells three non-alcoholic styles at $13.99 each and does not state an ABV figure anywhere on its product pages.
The range, as listed
| Belgian Wit | $13.99 — hazy, orange-led, coriander spice, lively carbonation |
|---|---|
| Original Pilsner | $13.99 — golden, lean malt, Zuper Saazer noble hops, dry finish |
| Classic Pale | $13.99 — Cascade, Citra and Centennial hops; grapefruit, citrus peel, pine |
| Shipping | Allow up to 5 business days for dispatch |
| Merchandise | Hoodie $49.99 · crew sweater $64.99 · long sleeve $44.99 · tee $34.99 · hat $24.99 · koozie $7.99 |
| Membership | Society of Leisure, 1 year — $29.00 |
| ABV · pack size · can volume · calories | None stated |
What Years gets right
Naming the hops
This is the detail that separates a brewery from a beverage company. The Classic Pale specifies Cascade, Citra and Centennial — the three American hop varieties that essentially defined the craft pale ale, and exactly the combination someone who loves the style would recognise. The Pilsner names Zuper Saazer, a noble-type hop suited to a clean lager.
Non-alcoholic brewing is genuinely hard, because alcohol carries aroma and body. Removing it tends to leave beer thin and papery, and heavy hopping is one of the standard ways to compensate. Naming the specific varieties tells you the brewer knows what they are doing and expects an informed drinker.
Three distinct styles, not three versions of one
A wit, a pilsner and a pale ale are meaningfully different beers — a hazy spiced wheat, a crisp lager, a hop-forward ale. Many NA ranges are variations on one base. Building three genuinely separate recipes is more work and gives you an actual choice.
Style-accurate tasting notes
Orange and coriander in the wit is textbook — those are the traditional Belgian witbier adjuncts. Lean malt with a dry finish is what a pilsner should be. These read as written by someone tasting the beer rather than a copywriter reaching for adjectives.
Honest shipping expectations
Up to five business days for dispatch, stated plainly with the reason. Better than discovering it after ordering.
What is missing — and the first one really matters
1. No ABV
Nowhere on these product pages is an alcohol figure given. As above, "non-alcoholic" in the US permits up to 0.5% ABV, and only "0.0%" means none.
If you are avoiding alcohol for reasons where trace amounts matter, this is not a detail you should have to email about — it should be on the can and on the page. Ask Years directly before ordering, and if you are in recovery, it is worth knowing that many people in that position also find non-alcoholic beer difficult for reasons unrelated to the ABV number, and that this is a reasonable thing to discuss with a doctor or a support group rather than decide alone.
2. No pack size, and this is a $13.99 mystery
Thirteen ninety-nine for what? A single can, a four-pack, a six-pack? The product images suggest cans, and the price would be very high for one and reasonable for four. Nothing on the listing resolves it, and it is the most basic fact about a beverage purchase.
3. No can volume
Twelve ounces and sixteen ounces are both common. Combined with the missing pack size, you genuinely cannot work out what you are paying per ounce.
4. No calories or carbohydrates
A significant share of NA beer buyers are there partly for the calorie reduction — NA beers typically run 50 to 90 calories against 150-plus for a standard lager. Publishing that number would be a selling point, and its absence is odd.
5. No dealcoholisation method
Vacuum distillation, reverse osmosis and arrested fermentation produce noticeably different results, and enthusiasts of the category care. For a brand pitching to informed drinkers, this would be worth saying.
6. No ingredients or allergen statement
Beer brewed from barley contains gluten. Anyone coeliac or gluten-sensitive needs that stated, and it is not.
7. The "Society of Leisure Membership" is entirely undescribed
Twenty-nine dollars for a year of something, with no description whatsoever on the product. A subscription? A discount club? Early access? Nobody should be asked to buy an unexplained membership.
Who should buy it
- People who miss craft beer flavour rather than alcohol. The hop selection suggests this is aimed squarely at you.
- Drinkers cutting back rather than abstaining completely. The ABV question matters less.
- Anyone bored of NA lager. A witbier and a Cascade-Citra-Centennial pale are more interesting than most of the category.
- Hosts. Three styles covers most guests.
Who should ask first
- Anyone for whom 0.5% versus 0.0% matters. Get the figure in writing before ordering.
- Coeliac or gluten-sensitive drinkers. No allergen statement given.
- Calorie-counters. No nutrition information published.
- Value shoppers. Without pack size you cannot compare $13.99 to anything.
Verdict
The brewing looks serious. Three distinct styles, named hop varieties, style-accurate tasting notes and a clear understanding of what makes each beer what it is — this reads like a product made by people who care about beer, which is exactly what the non-alcoholic category needs more of.
The listing is where it falls down, and unusually the gaps are not just inconvenient but consequential. No ABV on a non-alcoholic product, no pack size on a $13.99 item, no allergen statement on a barley-based drink, and a $29 membership with no description. Email Years and ask for the ABV, the pack size and the can volume before you order. The beer may well be excellent; the page currently tells you almost nothing you need to decide.
All three styles are listed on the Years Beer store, and our Years Beer store page tracks their other live offers.
Disclosure: this article contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Product details and prices were taken from the retailer listing at the time of writing and may change — always check the can. Products labelled non-alcoholic may still contain trace alcohol; if you are avoiding alcohol for health, medical or recovery reasons, confirm the ABV with the producer and speak to a healthcare professional if you are unsure.
