Alaska Airlines adds non-alcoholic craft beer to onboard drinks selection

Airlines
VDB Photos / Shutterstock.com / Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines passengers can now indulge in happy hour without the hangover. The Seattle-based airline partnered with Best Day Brewing to add non-alcoholic craft beer to the carrier’s beverage menu on board.

From December 2023, Best Day Kölsch (beer) will be complimentary in First Class and Premium Class and available to purchase in the main cabin service on Alaska Airlines flights where a full beverage service is offered.  

Alaska Airlines describes Best Day Kölsch as having a toasty malt character and lighter hoppiness that offers a crisp and refreshing experience. The non-alcoholic beer is non-GMO (genetically modified organism), Kosher and vegan. It has a total of 55 calories per can. 

The airline said sales of non-alcoholic beers have surged, growing 31% each year for the past four years as consumers’ relationship with alcohol has continued to evolve.

“We are always looking for healthier food and beverage options that allow our guests to maintain their lifestyles without sacrificing the taste or quality of the product they’re consuming,” Todd Traynor-Corey, Alaska Airlines Managing Director of Guest Products, said in a press statement. 

“Best Day Brewing achieves that with its craft non-alcoholic beers founded right here on the West Coast,” Traynor-Corey added.  

“At its core, the partnership with Alaska Airlines and Best Day Brewing is about celebrating life’s adventure. Having our non-alcoholic Kölsch at 30k feet is about enjoying all the upside of cracking open a great tasting beer and acknowledging that when you land your journey is just beginning,” Tate Huffard, CEO of Best Day Brewing, said.

Alaska Airlines has spruced up its in-flight beverage offerings in recent months. In October 2023, the airline announced that it had developed a custom-made coffee blend specifically crafted to be enjoyed at 30,000 feet.