The sale and consumption of nonalcoholic beer in North Carolina is on the rise, mirroring a nationwide trend.

Why it matters: Americans increasingly point to the health benefits of abstaining from or limiting their alcohol consumption.

• These days young Americans — those ages 18-34 — are more likely to say alcohol presents health risks. Consumption among that age group has declined in recent years, a recent Gallup survey found.

Driving the news: January is a month during which many consumers rethink their relationship with alcohol — at least temporarily.

What they're saying: "The demand for N/A products is growing [in North Carolina]," Lisa Parker, executive director at NC Craft Brewers Guild, tells Axios. "A lot of our customers are health conscious, especially at the start of the year."

• "We want to be sure as the [N/A] trend grows, we still offer customers that welcoming place to gather and really continue to be that neighborhood gathering hub."

By the numbers: Sales of nonalcoholic beers in Raleigh in January 2024 were up 41.2% compared to 2023, according to data from NIQ.

• January sales were up in Charlotte 42.9% compared to 2023, per NIQ.

The big picture: While alcoholic beer sales have remained fairly flat, nonalcoholic beer sales are on the rise nationwide.

Zoom out: Numerous North Carolina brewers and entrepreneurs are recognizing the demand for N/A or alcohol alternatives.

• In Charlotte, Resident Culture in early 2024 launched its first nonalcoholic beer, called NARC — Non-Alcoholic Resident Culture. Since then, demand for the various NARC beers has been strong with each new release, the brewery's co-founder, Amanda McLamb, tells Axios.
• Wise Man in Winston-Salem, for instance, brews an N/A lager called Scoop Dogg.
• Four Saints in Asheboro makes a "damp ale" called Humidum (which translates to "damp" or "moist") that's 1.6% alcohol.
• NoDa Brewing in Charlotte launched an alcohol-, calorie- and sugar-free hop water called Hop2O in 2023.
• In 2021, an alcohol-free bottle shop opened in Asheville called Nolo.

Yes, but: Brewing N/A beer is more complex than brewing traditional beer, which is why all breweries aren't necessarily jumping on the trend. Making beer without alcohol, or removing the alcohol from the beer, requires a different process and some additional equipment, Parker notes.

• One popular product that many breweries, bottle shops and grocers throughout North Carolina sell in cans: Athletic Brewing, a California brand that's fueling the nation's N/A beer craze, Axios San Diego's Kate Murphy reported.

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Interested in venturing into the N/A beer territory but not sure where to start?

Good news: The quality of N/A beers improves each year as brewers refine their process and capture the essence of the beverage without the alcohol.

• Here are four of our favorite new N/A beers from brands available around the Triangle:

Designated Dale's NA Pils: From Colorado's Oskar Blues Brewery, this crisp pilsner offers a light hop touch that lends a lemon-like kiss.

Black Butte Non-Alcoholic: This award-winning rich porter from Deschutes Brewery is smooth without being filling and packed with chocolate malt flavor. It's arguably the best N/A beer on the market in terms of being a clone of the original.

Electro-Lime Cerca de Cerveza: This Best Day Brewing beer gives Mexican lager vibes with a dose of lime and sea salt. It's refreshing and quaffable.

New School Sour Berry: Go Brewing makes a variety of beers, but this lightly tart and fruited sour hit the spot with fresh berry flavor.

Go deeper: A taste test of the best N/A beers

🛍️ Chanel Fragrance and Beauty Boutique will open in North Hills this winter next to Peter Millar in the former Fink's Jewelry space. It'll sell fragrances, makeup and skincare products, sunglasses and other accessories. (Triangle Business Journal🔒)

North Carolina Democrats held a rally Sunday featuring Democrat Allison Riggs, the incumbent in last year's race for state Supreme Court, as litigation over the results drags on and the race remains uncertified. (News & Observer 🔒)

• After two recounts, Republican Jefferson Griffin trails Riggs by more than 700 votes.

Raleigh once again failed to find a contractor for its planned Bus Rapid Transit line. The delay means the line won't be completed until the end of 2028 at the earliest. (News & Observer 🔒)

Ripken the Bat Dog, who retrieved bats for the Durham Bulls and tees for N.C. State's football team and dropped pucks for the Canes, died on New Year's Day after complications from an undiagnosed medical condition, his family announced Friday.

Read more about the beloved black lab

A handful of universities nationwide have encouraged international students to return to campus before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration amid fear over another travel ban. North Carolina institutions say they're closely communicating with international students ahead of the administration transition.

Why it matters: Trump's promised immigration crackdown could affect entrance to the U.S., similar to the 2017 Muslim ban from his first term, Axios' Astrid Galván and Alayna Alvarez report.

State of play: Classes resume today for N.C. State University, Wednesday for Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

• N.C. State sends periodic travel reminders at the end of every semester, a university spokesperson tells Axios. The university advises international students to carry all travel-related documents and to contact their Office of International Services if they need assistance.
• Duke students are advised to check Duke Visa Services for updates.

By the numbers: For the 2023-2024 academic year, 24,468 international students attended a North Carolina university, contributing $914.5 million to the U.S. economy, per nonprofit NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

• As of the fall 2024 semester, 3,358 students from 131 countries attend UNC-Chapel Hill.

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