Oktoberfest 2024 Is Embracing Non-Alcoholic Beer

Oktoberfest 2024 is here, and something surprising is brewing — non-alcoholic beer. As traditional beer consumption has been on the decline, the most famous beer party on the planet is embracing alcohol-free beer.

This year, there are 18 beer tents at the festival, and 16 of them are offering a non-alcoholic beer beverage alongside traditional beer. Festivalgoers can expect to pay about 13.60-15.30 euros ($15.12-$17.01) per liter of NA beer.

“The people are unfortunately — I have to say that as a brewer — unfortunately drinking less beer,” said Tobias Zollo, the head brewmaster for Weihenstephan, the world’s oldest brewery, per AP News. “If there’s an alternative to have the crisp and fresh taste from a typical Weihenstephan beer, but just as a non-alcoholic version, we want to do that.”

Thousands of beer lovers gathered in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 21 as Mayor Dieter Reiter pushed a tap into the first keg. It was the start of an annual beer festival that started 189 years ago, although it was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. Over 6 million people are expected to attend this year’s celebration, which goes until Oct. 6.

The Rise of Non-Alcoholic Beer

In 2023, the consumption of alcohol-free drinks went up by 20%, and it seems millennials are pushing the growth. Data released in August from an IWSR April 2024 survey revealed that millennials represented 61% of non-alcoholic beer consumers, compared to only 45% the year before.

“The no-alcohol category as a whole is gaining popularity amongst drinkers in the U.S., with participation rates doubling since April 2023 — and much of this increase is being driven by millennials,” said Nastya Timofeeva, Bevtrac senior insights manager for IWSR.

While drinking non-alcoholic beer is on the rise, it seems lifestyle changes and attitudes toward alcohol are changing. A Gallup survey found that almost two-thirds of Americans ages 35 and under thought alcohol was unhealthy. Meanwhile, of people ages 55 and older, only 39% felt the same.

Also notable is the decline in alcohol consumption now compared to 20 years ago. It’s estimated that 72% of adults 34 years old and younger between 2001 and 2003 drank alcohol on a regular basis. Yet, today that figure has since dropped to 59% for that age group.

Earlier this year, beer-brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev lost $1.4 billion in sales following a boycott of its popular Bud Light product. What was once the most popular beer in America, Bud Light dropped to No. 3.