5 NA beers I tried during Dry January

Zoom in: There are tons of nonalcoholic options nowadays as more breweries evolve with Americans' changing attitudes toward beer and alcohol.

• Some thoughts on the NA beers I tried:

🌎 Heineken/Stella Artois: Both of these hit the mark — crisp, with the bitter and dry tastes familiar to imported light beers.

• Pairs with: Happy hour, white fish, charcuterie boards.

🌲 Sierra Nevada: Hard core West Coast IPA fans like me will appreciate the attempt of the Trail Pass IPA — but it tastes a little like IPA-flavored seltzer water without the real deal's frothiness.

• Pairs with: Golf, burgers and fries.

🇨🇦 Labatt Blue: Of all the NA beers I tried, this came closest to matching the standard version.

• Pairs with: Pizza and watching sports on the couch, pond hockey, sledding.

🍊 Samuel Adams: I don't care for hazy IPAs much. But I had to try this Just the Haze IPA after hearing Craig's praise for it on an episode of "Southern Charm."

• Tasty, but so overloaded with orange that it started to taste like carbonated orange juice.
• Pairs with: The beach, brunch.

The bottom line: NA beers are great if you love the taste of beer but want to mitigate the effects of alcohol.

• Pro tip: This website can help you find plenty of options at local restaurants and stores.