Skate icon enters a growing NA category
Skateboarding legend and entrepreneur Erik Ellington has launched Easy Does It, a non-alcoholic beer brewed with a crisp, familiar bite. The beer debuted via direct-to-consumer online sales, with Los Angeles retail distribution coming later this fall in Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, and BevMo!, plus Gopuff delivery. Ellington partnered with longtime friend and Anchorage Brewing Co. brewmaster Gabe Fletcher to create the beer. Cofounders Jon Warren and Kellen Roland bring design, brand, and CPG expertise from roles with Herschel, Vans, and Pharrell Williams’ JOOPITER. The brand’s identity leans heavily on Ellington’s skateboarding roots and 11 years of sobriety. Easy Does It targets “outsiders and do-it-yourselfers” who want the taste and ritual of beer without the alcohol. From the press release:
“This wasn’t about making a ‘sober beer,'” says Ellington. “It was about creating something that brings people together, whether you drink or not. I missed the taste, the hang, the vibe… just not the fallout.”
What does it taste like?
Brewed with Saaz hops, Easy Does It nods to classic light lagers at just 65 calories. From the press release:
At its core, Easy Does It is everything beloved about classic American beer: the flavor, the ritual, and the attitude, without the booze. Clean ingredients. Real flavor. A rebellious, nostalgic spirit.
“Brewed in California and rooted in the defiant culture that shaped its founders, Easy Does It was made for those who go hard but give a damn, and anyone carving their own path.”
Celebrity interest in non-alcoholic beer keeps growing
Ellington isn’t the only public figure betting on NA beer. Actor Tom Holland launched BERO in 2024 with pilsner, hazy IPA, and wheat varieties. Holland’s move followed the example of brands like Athletic Brewing, which has raised millions from investors, including athletes like J.J. Watt and Lance Armstrong. Athletic Brewing’s growth has been explosive — climbing to No. 8 on the Brewers Association’s Top 50 U.S. Craft Brewing Companies list in 2024, the highest-ever placement for an NA brewer. Its success has made non-alcoholic beer a viable brand expansion strategy, not just a niche sideline. How will this new brand stand out?
Fellow cofounder Kellen Roland (founder of GOOD GROUP, former CEO of JOOPITER by Pharrell Williams, and former VP of Sales at Herschel) notes, “When Erik and Jon shared the idea, it was clearly a category-defining opportunity. It’s exactly the kind of brand GOOD GROUP was built to support. The right people, the right product, at the right time — the brand’s carefree, not careless attitude is what sets it apart in the market. My role is to ensure we have the strategy and structure to bring Erik’s vision to life.”
The NA beer market in 2025
Non-alcoholic beer is posting some of the fastest growth in beverage alcohol. Beer Institute data shows:
- Up 22.2% year-to-date in 2025.
- Up 16.4% over the past 12 months.
- July 2024 posted the biggest gains, up 30.8% year-over-year.
Summer remains a seasonal peak, but NA beer is gaining in on-premise accounts too — up 26.4% so far in 2025, after a 22% increase in 2024.
Younger drinkers are driving demand
Beer Institute surveys show 61% of Gen Z and Millennial legal-age consumers would choose an NA version of their favorite beer. More than half say they would stay longer at bars or restaurants offering strong NA options. Non-alcoholic beer accounts for 87% of the broader NA alcohol market in the United States, far outpacing spirits or wine in this category.
Why craft brewers should care
Double-digit NA growth year after year shows lasting demand. Younger consumers expect inclusive, health-conscious options on tap and in package. Breweries can use NA releases to test new recipes, create seasonal variants, or offer familiar flagships without alcohol. With the likes of Ellington’s Easy Does It, Holland’s BERO, and Athletic Brewing’s continued momentum, the message is clear: the NA beer space is no longer an afterthought — it’s a competitive growth channel.
