Everything You Need to Know About Hop Water
It's a gluten-free nonalcoholic drink for beer lovers.
When I gave up drinking almost three years ago, I immediately Googled “gluten-free nonalcoholic beer” and was disappointed that there weren’t really any options available in this category. (I’m excited to share that there is a gluten-free nonalcoholic beer available in the US now, which I’ll cover in a future newsletter!)
Traditional beer—and its nonalcoholic counterpart—is brewed with gluten-containing ingredients, like wheat and barley. It’s therefore off-limits if you have celiac disease.
Luckily, I stumbled upon something called “hop water” in my quest to find a gluten-free alternative to nonalcoholic beer. This naturally gluten-free beverage quickly became my favorite drink to sip on hot summer days and while watching sports. Since discovering hop water three years ago, I’ve gotten many of my friends—gluten-free and not—into it.
I’m not the only one who’s obsessed with hop water: According to NielsenIQ data, sales of hop water reached $5.5 million by the end of 2022 and are up a whopping 143.5% in the past two years.
So, what exactly is hop water—and which hop waters are the best? I chatted with , author, award-winning bartender, NASM-certified wellness coach, and founder of Positive Damage, Inc., to give you the scoop on this buzzy nonalcoholic drink and share the best options out there.
Whether you’re looking for a gluten-free nonalcoholic drink to bring to a Labor Day barbeque or you’re getting ready to participate in Sober September, I’ve got you covered!
What is hop water?
Hop water is, essentially, sparkling water flavored with hops. I’ve seen it described as “LaCroix for beer lovers,” which is pretty accurate, IMO. "In general, hop water is crisp, refreshing, and subtly juicy,” notes America’s Test Kitchen.
“I absolutely love hop water because it has some of the complexity and flavor of beer but is lighter, more refreshing, and can go to more places,” says Brown. “When I’m at my son’s baseball games—he’s 9—I don’t necessarily want to pull out a nonalcoholic beer because it may still send the wrong message with people assuming it’s alcohol. However, a hop water straddles both worlds—it can go to a kid’s baseball game without people looking side-eyed at you for drinking beer.”
Other standout qualities of hop water: It’s generally zero calories and zero sugar, if that’s a concern for you. Many nonalcoholic drinks I’ve tried have a lot of sugar and are very sweet. Hop water, even when flavored, is a less-sweet option. Plus, while some nonalcoholic drinks have trace amounts of alcohol, hop water is truly 0% booze.
Is hop water gluten-free?
In most cases, hop water is gluten-free. That’s because all it typically contains is water, hops, and citric acid (for carbonation). These are naturally gluten-free ingredients.
I’ll be honest: Before I went gluten-free, I wouldn’t have thought hops (which help create the bitterness and aroma of beer) were a naturally gluten-free ingredient. But it turns out they are! As New Planet, a gluten-free beer company, explains: “Hops are technically a flower, and have no relation whatsoever to gluten-producing grains.”
Many brands label their hop waters gluten-free, either on the packaging or on their website. (If not listed on the product product page, the FAQ section of a brand’s website is a good place to look for this information.) If you’re unsure about whether a hop water contains gluten, contact the manufacturer and ask for more detailed information before imbibing.
The best gluten-free hop waters
Ready to try hop water yourself? Here are some gluten-free options to consider.
Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher
A favorite of Brown’s (and one of my go-tos as well), this hop water is easily found at many grocery stores—I’ve even seen it on a menu at a local sports bar recently. The brand calls the flavor “zippy” and “zingy.” From the hops, they pull out terpenes—or aroma compounds—of bubblegum, lime, lemon, tangerine, and pine.
HOP WTR
Featuring a combination of Citra, Amarillo, Mosaic, and Azacca hops, nootropics, and adaptogens, HOP WTR’s line of fizzy NA drinks has an IPA-esque flavor, minus the booze. According to the brand, the functional ingredients may even help enhance cognitive performance and calm stress. They offer flavors like blood orange, peach, mango, black cherry, and lime. Note: These drinks contain ashwagandha, which you shouldn’t consume during pregnancy or if breastfeeding.
Hoplark 0.0
Back when I was eating gluten—and drinking alcohol—I was a big fan of sour beers. Enter this line of hop waters, which includes a sour version reminiscent of Berliner Weisse and gose beers. Hoplark’s 0.0 lineup also includes 0.0 Citra and 0.0 Really Really Hoppy (which you’ll love if West Coast IPAs are your jam).
Athletic Brewing Company Daypack
My sober friends always rave about the NA beers from Athletic Brewing Company, the leading nonalcoholic brewer in the US. Now, I’ve finally been able to try the brand myself, thanks to their collection of gluten-free hop waters. They offer flavors such as mango, blood orange, black cherry, and lemon-lime—and they even currently have a limited edition apricot peach flavor, which is delicious.
Ghostfish Ghostfizz
Ghostfish Brewing Company in Seattle is known as one of the best gluten-free breweries in the country. (I previously used to drink their gluten-free beers before I ditched the booze.) When I visited Seattle last year for a conference, I popped by the brewery for dinner one night (the entire food menu is gluten-free too!)—and I was pleasantly surprised to find hop water on the menu. I liked it so much I ordered a 12-pack from their website so I could enjoy it at home in New York City.
Go Brewing Premium Hop Infused Water
This award-winning nonalcoholic beer brand now offers a hop water. The name is absolute perfection (Straight Outta Alcohol), and the brand says this bold hop water is “our homage to the origins of pure refreshment and a tribute to the hip-hop giants who inspire us to stand out and stay true.”
Hike Hopped Seltzer
“Recently there are some smaller, more craft-oriented hop waters in the game that are incredible,” says Brown. These include Hike Hopped Selzer from Richmond, Virginia, he explains. This one’s my next purchase!
N.A.R.C. Hop Water
Another standout pick from Brown, this hop water hails from Resident Culture in Charlotte, North Carolina. While it’s currently sold out on their website, you can find this hop water (available in unique flavors like blueberry jasmine and cucumber melon) at Resident Culture’s Plaza Midwood location.
Check out the brewery’s nonalcoholic options
Have you tried hop water, and do you have any favorites to share? Drop a comment and let me know!
Disclaimer: If you click on a link, I may get a small commission. This helps support this newsletter so I can keep writing it. Additionally, while I received some free product samples for review, all opinions are my own.
Photos courtesy of brands
Great round up! Thank you for including me.
I’m so excited to try this! I haven’t drank alcohol in over a decade.