Ben Keough is an editor covering cameras, working from home, powering, and hobbies. He also writes about coffee, beer, and food for Wirecutter.
After taste-testing new hop waters from Sierra Nevada, Hop Wtr, and Aurora Elixirs, we’ve added them to our recommendations.
As the American craft-beer scene has exploded—with IPA leading the charge—hops have gone from just another obscure ingredient to the life of the party. These days, even your dentist probably knows the difference between Citra and Galaxy, and if you often enjoy an afternoon at the local beer garden, there’s a good chance that you too have been drawn in by the tropical, herbal, piney aroma of hops.
But IPA burnout is real, and as our nation’s long craft-beer fever cools, more and more beer enthusiasts (especially Zoomers) are turning to nonalcoholic beverages to give their livers a much-needed rest and to enjoy partying with a clearer state of mind. We plan to tackle the NA beer scene soon, but for now we’re here to talk about hop water.
If you haven’t heard of it, you’re not alone, but hop water is exactly what it sounds like. Mix carbonated water, aromatic hops, and (occasionally) added flavorings, and you have hop water—essentially LaCroix for beer fans. At its best, it’s crisp and refreshing, and it delivers a bit of what folks love about a good beer, without any of the alcohol-induced side effects.
So we gathered 31 hop waters (and teas) from 10 popular brands—including several notable craft breweries—and got really hydrated. After several brand-concealed tastings, side-by-side flavor comparisons, and some hoppy contemplation, we’re pretty sure we know which ones are worth seeking out.
I got that question from a lot of the people I told about our testing: Many had no idea that hop water even existed, and those who did wondered why I wouldn’t just buy an IPA or drink a regular fizzy water, if that’s what I was craving. What’s the appeal of this weirdo blend of the two?
Well, it’s pretty simple. I love the flavor of hops, but sometimes I want a way to consume them without the buzz and calories that beer brings. Though nonalcoholic beer exists, for a lot of people, myself included, it isn’t a great option. It still has a ton of calories, often more than actual beer, and even the best ones don’t taste as good as the real thing.
Hop water isn’t trying to be beer. It’s just sparkling water with a kiss of hops. It’s the fond, hazy memory of a lost love, whereas NA beer—for me, anyway—is like dating their disappointing lookalike.
But relegating hop water to “distant memory of an IPA” status is doing it a disservice. It’s also a great drink in its own right: bright, zesty, usually not very bitter, with a vibrant mix of floral, herbal, piney, and fruity flavors, depending on the hop varieties involved. It can be a surprisingly great mixer in cocktails, too.
No, HOP WTR is alcohol free.
What we tried and how we tested
In our research, we identified 10 brands of hop waters that are readily available in grocery stores across the US or through online ordering:
- Athletic Brewing Company DayPack
- Bravus Brewing Company Focus
- Fair State Brewing Cooperative Hop Water
- H2OPS
- Hoplark Hop Water and HopTea
- Hop Wtr
- Lagunitas Brewing Company Hoppy Refresher
- Port City Brewing Company Hopwell
- Short’s Brewing Company Thirst Mutilator
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Hop Splash
We tried several hop waters from every brand, separating the contenders into three groups: unflavored (just water and hops), flavored (those with fruity additions), and tea-based (a fight among the Hoplark HopTeas).
I asked my (extremely patient) wife to randomize and number the drinks in each group and then serve me flights for brand-concealed tasting. I took notes on each beverage’s appearance, aroma, and flavor for later analysis.
Best for the health-conscious (maybe): Hop Wtr
Ashwagandha and L-theanine give this hop water a complex, herbal undercurrent and a distinctly different flavor profile.
If you look for adaptogens and nootropics in your treats, Hop Wtr fits the bill. Its many fruit flavors are complemented by ashwagandha and L-theanine, which the company claims “help manage stress and cortisol levels” and “boost your brain’s function,” respectively.
I’ve made my own feelings about that kind of handwavey alt-medicine clear in my review of the similarly named MudWtr (unrelated), but putting that aside, to my palate Hop Wtr tasted better than a lot of its competitors—if in a health-food-store elixir kind of way.
The herbal undercurrent causes the fruit flavors to be more apparent on the nose than on the palate, though. My favorite of the bunch (the mango variety, once again) smelled strongly of mango, but the actual flavor, while still tasty, was more muddled.
As for the hops, Hop Wtr uses Citra, Amarillo, Mosaic, and Azacca. But while I could certainly smell them, they too got lost in the complex, herbal flavor profile once it hit my tongue. They play a supporting role in this beverage.
The latest addition to Hop Wtr’s lineup is also my favorite: their Double Hopped variant, which adds an extra layer of Mosaic dry hops on top of the same hoppy base as the company’s other offerings. The result is a beverage that’s much hoppier than the other Hop Wtr flavors and tastes notably less herbal. The ashwagandha and L-theanine are still there, of course, but to my palate the overall flavor balance is much more in line with the hop-forward offerings from HopLark and Sierra Nevada.
- Flavors: classic, peach, blood orange, lime, mango, ginger limeade, Ruby Red grapefruit, double hopped
- Cost per can: $2.10 to $3.10
- Where to get it: Target, BevMo, Trader Joe’s, and more or online
My Hop WTR Review | Why Everyone Seems to Love It
FAQ
Does hop water make you feel drunk?
Is there any alcohol in hop water?
Does hop water make you sleepy?
Is hop water OK for kids?
Is hop WTR intoxicating?
Not in the conventional sense. The adaptogens and nootropics in HOP WTR may produce calming, euphoric, or motivating effects, depending on the person, but every HOP WTR beverage is non-intoxicating. Does HOP WTR taste like beer?
Is hops gluten free?
Hops is gluten-free. Gluten is naturally present in wheat, barley and rye. Therefore, foods made from these ingredients will also contain gluten.
Will hop WTR get you buzzed?
No, HOP WTR will not get you buzzed as it is a non-alcoholic drink. On the contrary, the added adaptogens and nootropics will have you feeling calmer! We hope you enjoyed our HOP WTR review. If you’re craving even more hop water reviews, click below: Light, refreshing tasty with mild hop bitterness.
Is hop WTR healthy?
In addition to nootropics and adaptogens, a can of HOP WTR provides more than 100% of your daily vitamin C requirement. While HOP WTR is not the most nutritionally dense drink out there, it is significantly healthier than beer. Does HOP WTR have caffeine? No, HOP WTR does not contain any caffeine. How does HOP WTR make you feel?