Sips & Sites & Bites

Here in Texas … and increasingly far beyond it … Shiner Bock isn’t just a beer, it’s a reference point. It’s the amber lager you order without thinking, the one that shows up at backyard cookouts, dance halls, and smokehouses alike.

So when Shiner announced it was rolling out a non-alcoholic version of its flagship Bock, it felt less like a trend-chasing move and more like a quiet moment of, well… I guess it was only a matter of time.

Shiner Bock Non-Alcoholic is slated to hit shelves nationwide in January 2026, arriving in familiar 12-ounce cans with a blue-and-silver “Non-Alcoholic” banner that makes it easy to spot in the cooler. And yes, the big question right out of the gate is the same one everyone asks with NA beer: Does it actually taste like the real thing?

Short answer: surprisingly, yes — or at least close enough to feel intentional.

Built on roasted barley malt, German specialty hops, and that famously clean artesian well water Shiner has always leaned on, this <0.5% ABV amber beer keeps the toasted malt backbone intact. There’s caramel on the nose, a touch of sweetness up front, and that familiar dry finish that made the original Shiner Bock a staple in the first place. It doesn’t pretend to be something new or wildly experimental. Instead, it feels like Shiner saying, Here’s the version you can drink whenever you want.

That matters more than it sounds. As Brand Director Nick Weiland puts it, “We are seeing a generational shift in how people enjoy beer,” and he’s not wrong. Whether it’s designated drivers, Dry January diehards, weekday sippers, or folks just dialing things back, non-alcoholic beer has stopped being a niche corner of the shelf. What’s refreshing here is that Shiner didn’t reinvent itself to join the category … it simply translated its most iconic beer into a new format.

Food-wise, the brewery leans into classic Texas pairings … brisket, grilled sausage, mole enchiladas … and honestly, that checks out. The malt character holds up well alongside smoke and spice, which isn’t always true for NA beers that skew thin or overly sweet. You could crack one of these at a barbecue and not feel like you’re drinking a compromise.

There’s also something reassuring about seeing a heritage brewery like Shiner … now over 116 years into its run … enter the NA space without losing its sense of place. The brand continues to rack up recognition for sustainability and conservation efforts through K. Spoetzl Brewery and Distillery, including major investments in solar power, wastewater reuse for agriculture, and recycling nearly all of its brewing and distilling waste. It’s a reminder that “non-alcoholic” doesn’t mean disconnected from the values or traditions that built the beer in the first place.

Shiner Bock Non-Alcoholic won’t convert diehard hop heads or folks looking for a flashy new flavor profile. That’s not its job. What it does offer is something arguably harder to pull off: a familiar Texas beer, brewed with care, that fits into more moments of everyday life.

And if that means you can enjoy the ritual of an ice-cold Shiner … lunch hour, road trip, or late-night porch sit … without doing the math afterward, that feels like a win worth raising a can to.