Local beverage companies offer nonalcoholic alternatives

Society is shifting to put a focus on healthier lifestyles with the rise of meal kit subscriptions, produce subscriptions and a passion for local farmers markets, and now produce-infused mocktails and nonalcoholic beverages are finding their way into the spotlight.

As people become increasingly health conscious, some are participating in the “sober curious” trend, where individuals are reducing or removing alcohol from their lifestyle. While Connecticut has a number of breweries, the state is also home to sober-friendly beverage companies.

Bill Shufelt, the co-founder of Athletic Brewing Company in Stratford,

the only nonalcoholic brewery in Connecticut, said he created his company because he wanted an alternative to alcoholic beverages when he was having a night out.

“Nonalcoholic beer emerged as an authentic need in my lifestyle. I was turning 30, about to get married, taking my job more seriously as I got older, and starting to monitor the quality of my diet more,” Shefelt said. “I noticed that everything in my life was pointing towards performance-oriented, healthy decisions, and mindfulness ... except one thing — alcohol.”

Shufelt said he decided to quit drinking for a month and found that he felt “incredible” and decided to stop drinking for good. The problem was when Shufelt went out to bars and restaurants with friends he didn’t really have many nonalcoholic alternatives available to him that weren’t soda or water.

“The dearth of options was a major pain point. It's very tough to go out to a nice restaurant and have to pair the meal with a sugary soda. Having been a craft beer lover ever since going to college in Vermont, I really missed having a delicious beer,” he said.

The realization inspired Schufelt to quit his finance career and found Athletic Brewing Company.

Steve Gaskin, co-founder of the East Coast Kombucha Company based in South Norwalk, said his company was created because he wanted to have a healthier alternative to nonalcoholic beverages.

“When out on the town being sober or sober-curious doesn’t mean boring,” Gaskin said. His company makes and sells seven flavors of kombucha, a fermented tea that’s low in sugar and is packed with probiotics.

“Non-drinkers or designated drivers out socializing with friends up until now have had limited and not-so-exciting options; tea, sugary soda, coffee, juice or a mocktail, and due to social pressure, may not feel as included as their beer/cocktail drinking friends. Kombucha is a delicious and exciting new option,” Gaskin added.

Charlie Hibbin, the founder of Charlie’s Chaga, said he doesn’t drink alcohol and created his chaga soda to be a healthier soda alternative. The Westport based craft soda company sells soda containing chaga mushrooms that offers a low sugar, antioxidant-filled beverage.

“I wanted to create a craft soda that anyone can drink and not feel guilty about,” Hibbin said. “It doesn't give you the caffeine or sugar rush that is typical of other sodas, but a steady light energy from the melanin and healing compounds in the chaga.”

Athletic Brewing Company sells nonalcoholic beer as three different craft offerings. Schufelt said that he thinks the “sober curious” trend is gaining more traction because nonalcoholic drinks allow individuals to drink as they please without having to worry about hangovers or excess calories.