Athletic Brewing Free Wave Review: Non-Alcoholic Hazy IPA Taste Test

Table of Contents

Our Verdict

Athletic Brewing’s Free Wave Hazy IPA is one of the best non-alcoholic beers out there and is a great example of what's possible with non-alcoholic beer. Libra’s Hazy IPA is the only n/a Hazy that comes close to this one. Free Wave is a great tasting beer that showcases the craftsmanship of the brand and their attention to detail, quality and taste.

What We Liked

The taste of Free Wave is really unique for a non-alcoholic beer, but for Hazy IPA fans out there, you’ll love how close it comes to a higher ABV version with the juiciness and the texture everyone loves.

One thing that we hate about big brewery n/a beer is that it has to be ice cold to really enjoy it. When it gets warm, it’s unpalatable. With Athletic’s Free Wave, even when the beer warms up a little it still tastes fantastic. The brewers put in the work to make a great tasting craft beer that doesn’t hide behind added sugar or other ingredients that need to be ice cold to work together.

What is Athletic Brewing Free Wave?

Free Wave is a non-alcoholic hazy IPA from Athletic Brewing Company. Athletic Brewing Company is one of the largest non-alcoholic breweries in the world, and definitely the largest solely non-alcoholic brewery in North America. It was founded in mid-2010s and has grown from only a few styles of n/a to at least a dozen rotating brews throughout the year. Athletic non-alcoholic beer is now the most popular and accessible brand of n/a beer in the U.S.

Free Wave was one of the first official releases by the team at ABC, and it’s a true classic. It’s a hazy IPA with 0.4% alcohol and brewed with CItra, Amarillo and Mosaic hops in the Hazy or New England craft IPA style.

Free Wave Hazy IPA Alcohol Content

Athletic Brewing’s Hazy IPA has less than 0.5% alcohol, as does all of the Athletic non-alcoholic beer styles. It’s not considered ‘alcohol-free’, as it’s legally not 0.0% alcohol.

What Sets It Apart?

Free Wave sets itself apart from other non-alcoholic beers in a few ways. First, as mentioned, it has a very full and juicy flavor just like a real Hazy IPA. Many non-alcoholic beers can be thin and watery, but Free Wave (and Athletic Brewing beer in general) has a good body and mouthfeel.

Second, Free Wave is very well-hopped. It has a good balance of hop bitterness and flavor, which gives it a complex and satisfying flavor profile without being too overly bitter. It’s nicely balanced with the tropical fruit notes.

Tasting Notes

Appearance

Free Wave Hazy IPA liquid is like a beautiful amber-hued evening sunset, with a typical hazy opaque appearance. The head is shallow and lightly foamy and dissipates quickly like a lot of non-alcoholic beers.

Aroma

The nose on Free Wave is incredible, with tropical notes laced with stone fruit and a slightly bitter hit. It’s true to form for a hazy IPA in the craft beer style.

Flavour

Free Wave is not a weak, watered-down IPA despite the fact it doesn’t have alcohol. The flavor of this almost alcohol-free beer will blow you away with its double-whammy juicy and crisp hoppy punch. There are bright tropical orange citrus notes perfectly balanced with bitter hops and a tiny hit of crisp pine - this is a testament to the blending of the three hops that make up the brew: Citra, Mosaic and Amarillo. Each of these three hop varieties is somewhat identifiable but perfectly blended.

Mouthfeel

The mouthfeel on Athletic Brewing’s Hazy IPA is fantastic. Hazy IPAs have a luscious and ‘pillowy” texture, and the Free Wave has all of that. It’s smooth and a little velvety although not overly so. Easy and smooth to drink, with a clean and crisp finish.

Athletic Brewing Free Wave vs Comparable Non-Alcoholic Beers

Athletic’s Free Wave is one of only a few Hazy IPAs in the non-alcoholic space. The other top-performing Hazy pale ale in this category is the Libra Hazy IPA. Both of them have juicy tropical notes with Libra slightly more so than the ABC version. The ABC hazy is a little bit more bitter than Libra which is a touch less hoppy. Both are excellent non-alcoholic IPAs though and Athletic’s liquid is comparable and equally as premium as Libra’s.

Where Can I Buy Free Wave Hazy IPA?

In the U.S. you can buy Athletic Brewing Company everywhere - Total Wine, Publix, Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Piggly Wiggly, Food Lion - you name it! Or online on their website. Athletic often has ‘online only’ small batch or special release beers that won’t be released to stores, so sign up for their newsletter to get updates on these special brews.

In Canada, you can get Athletic Brewing at Loblaws, Sobey’s, London Drugs, LCBO and lots of other regional and provincial liquor store chains. Or online at AthleticBrewing.ca.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Free Wave taste like a normal IPA?

Free Wave Hazy IPA tastes exactly like a regular hazy IPA, which is often nicknamed a “juice bomb” because of its juicy nature. The Free Wave is just as juicy as a similar boozy hazy IPA.

How many calories and carbs does Free Wave have?

Free Wave Hazy IPA has 70 calories per can, with 16g of carbs, which is fairly standard for a good quality premium non-alcoholic craft beer.

What foods should I pair with Free Wave?

Of course the answer is going to be BBQ, but not why you think it is. Sure, you can pair any type of beer with BBQ, but Hazy IPAs are perhaps the best matched because they are SO juicy and soft (for a beer, that is!). The soft texture, the bite of the piney hops and the juicy tropical notes of this brew would be perfectly matched with anything charred, as well as crisp foods like chips, corn on the cob or dare we say…fried chicken!

Conclusion and Further Exploration

You won’t be risking anything by trying out the Athletic Brewing Co. Free Wave Hazy IPA. It’s a fantastic hazy IPA and a really great non-alcoholic option. If you’re looking for an easy drinking crowd-pleasing option for a get-together, this might be a little too ‘craft’ for regular pilsner lovers, but if you like complex brews that bring together your meal, this is the one for you.

It’s also highly accessible and easy to find, so there’s really no reason not to try it!

Cheers!