When it comes to skiing, the après is just as important. No proper day in the mountains is complete without tossing down a couple pints at the local watering hole; a day in the backcountry isn’t really over until that celebratory toast back in the parking lot. The bottom line is that skiing and beer go together like… fat skis on a powder day.
But indulging in the post-ski brew doesn’t have to mean committing to an evening of wandering around the village in a stupor. With Athletic Brewing Company’s award-winning non-alcoholic beers, you can enjoy the après as late as you’d like—without the consequences of tossing back a few too many beers from the keg. If longtime professional skier Mark Abma and up-and-coming powder hound Malou Peterson can get behind ’em, so can you.
What sets Athletic Brewing Company (ABC) apart from the rest of the non-alcoholic offerings on the market is the great taste and craft-brewed quality you’d find from your local mountain town brewery. Prepared with the same four ingredients you’d find in a standard lager or IPA—water, hops, barley and yeast—the brewers at ABC made some specific tweaks to the brewing and fermenting processes, allowing the full flavor and aroma of its beers to shine through.
“The seed for Athletic Brewing was planted when I was evaluating my life before I was about to get married,” explains Founder Bill Shufelt. “As I looked to continue to improve my life through health and fitness, I found one area incompatible with the rest. Alcohol-drenched nights and weekends resulted in unproductive hangovers and unhealthy meals. I still enjoyed going to bars and restaurants with friends… [but] with limited non-alcoholic options (at best) to fit my new healthy, active lifestyle, I was always at a loss for a refreshing beverage that was easy to order and carried no social stigma.”
Attending college in Vermont, great tasting beer was a big part Shufelt’s life. But those same options didn’t exist for thirsty customers who wanted a non-alcoholic brew. Athletic Brewing Company aims to fill this void by committing to offer more variety and better tasting beers.
So why should a skier like you consider a non-alcoholic brew? Mark Abma says it best: “Hangovers kinda suck.” That’s a no-brainer; we’ve all experience moving slow the next morning because of indulging in a few too many. But there’s more to it. “The more we can do to live in a healthy state, the more we can do to help the people around us—that’s how I want to live,” explains Abma. “I want to put things into my body that are enhancing my experience.”
This season, instead of diving into drafts from the keg, consider a six-pack from Athletic Brewing Company to keep your stoke high and your focus clear for the next day’s objective. Enjoy the craft-brewed taste of one of its five different beers, including the flagship Run Wild IPA or seasonal All Out Stout, and when you order plug in the code “FREESKIER25” for 25-percent off your order. Drink beer, stay active, no compromises.
Run Wild IPA
Run Wild is the ultimate sessionable IPA for craft beer lovers. Brewed with a blend of five Northwest hops, it has an approachable bitterness to balance the specialty malt body. Always refreshing and only 70 calories.
Upside Dawn Golden
Classic craft golden ale. Refreshing, clean, balanced, light-bodied. Aromas subtle with floral and earthy notes. Brewed with premium organic malts from US and Germany along with combo of English and traditional American hops.
All Out Stout
Inspired by days on the slopes and nights by the fire, All Out is a delightfully smooth and soul-warming stout. Each sip delivers a silky, full-bodied mouthfeel and pleasantly toasty finish, along with delicate notes of coffee and bittersweet chocolate. Pair it with warm, savory dishes in winter and light but sweet treats in warmer weather.