Brewing up something new: Santa Fe Brewing launches Santa Fe NA, a nonalcoholic Pilsner

It seems fitting enough: New Mexico’s largest and oldest brewery is acting as a pioneer by releasing the first nonalcoholic beer produced by a brewery within the state.

Santa Fe Brewing recently launched Santa Fe NA, a nonalcoholic Pilsner, which will be available in its taprooms and at retailers throughout the state.

“I know there’s even ‘removed beers’ (more commonly known as gluten-reduced beers) that have been produced. And there’s certain yeast strains that you can purchase that give you no gluten in a beer,” Brian Lock, Santa Fe Brewing owner/CEO, said. “But in terms of a true nonalcoholic beer on a package level, I’m not familiar with anybody that’s done it.”

The Santa Fe NA is produced using a dedicated nonalcoholic yeast, which sets it apart from other similar products by giving it “a fuller body, balanced mouthfeel and classic beer character,” according to a release.

Lock offers further insight into that process.

“Most of the NAs that are brewed and have been on the market for the last several years are all brewed, and then they send the product through a de-alkalizer to take the alcohol out,” he said.

“The difference here is that we’re actually using a yeast strain that’s designed to ferment the product without creating any alcohol. So it just doesn’t convert those simple complex sugars to alcohol. So it’s a much more natural process, and I do feel like it lends itself to a liquid that tastes more like beer. It has a little bit more body, it doesn’t taste quite as thin, and I think it drinks better.”

The Santa Fe NA also serves as something of a preview for the alcoholic version of a premium Pilsner the brewery plans to unveil in the spring.

“That premium Pilsner, we’re using an indie hop that’s very unique for the Pilsner. So we kind of translated that onto the NA-style Pilsner. We’re committed to using Schwebach, which is a locally grown malted barley farm here in New Mexico,” Lock said.

“We’re committing as much of the grain bill as possible to that malt. So it’s really trying to use local ingredients. And those were kind of some of the real reasons to pursue the Pilsner style.”

While Lock confirms that the company could introduce other NA options in the future, he believes the Pilsner is an approachable style for all demographics. And with many people shifting away from alcoholic beverages in recent months, it was the right time for Santa Fe Brewing to introduce its own NA option.

“Looking at the marketplace right now and just kind of seeing the growth of the NA beer in a climate where craft is struggling ... it’s an opportunity that we feel like we needed to really jump on,” Lock said, “and there’s no other local NAs in the market. So, we thought this is a good opportunity to give New Mexicans a local NA option — and it’s a growing segment.

“I think there’s a lot of upside for it. It seems like there’s more and more people that are looking at NAs. It felt like the right time.”

While the notion might have seemed far-fetched not all that long ago, it’s all about adapting with the times.

“To think that back in the day when I first got into the craft business almost 30 years ago, if you would have talked to me then about the chances of me brewing a nonalcoholic beer, I would have thought you were crazy,” Lock said. “But here we are in 2026, and it’s a growing segment of the craft beer world.”