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Mock the Toast | 11.13.25

Mock the Toast | 11.13.25

Mock the Toast Wins Big | THC Bevs Face Existential Threat | BERO's on a Tear

Jose Diaz
November 13, 2025

^{your weekly briefing on everything adult non-alc}

Industry

Mock the Toast wins Best Media Coverage at the Third Annual Sans Bar Academy Awards. Thank you to all the readers and congrats to all the winners and nominees! (instagram.com)

Congress ends the shutdown with a surprise nationwide hemp ban, threatening a $3B industry and thousands of small businesses. (chicagotribune.com)

Where Do Hemp THC Drinks Go From Here? (bevnet.com)

Tom Holland’s non-alcoholic beer brand Bero nears eight-figure revenue, expanding to 4,000 stores and global markets within a year. (inc.com)

…and partners with Aston Martin in a three-year deal celebrating British craftsmanship and premium alcohol-free innovation. (media.astonmartin.com)

Parch Spirits Co. launches seed round inviting investors to back the rising non-alcoholic adult beverage. (linkedin.com)

R&B Distillers acquires majority stake in Scottish NA spirit Feragaia to expand globally. (thespiritsbusiness.com)

Craft beer fades on restaurant taps as consumers favor cheaper light lagers, Mexican imports, wine on tap, and growing non-alcoholic options. (linkedin.com)

Athletic Brewing tops U.S. NA beer sales as independents and Heineken 0.0 dethrone legacy brands like O’Douls. (thequenchreport.beehiiv.com)

Seedlip’s “Yeah, It’s a Drink” campaign redefines sophistication for mindful drinkers, proving non-alcoholic spirits can be premium and cultural. (mediapost.com)

EU lawmakers back “reduced alcohol” wine labels around 6% ABV, sparking criticism from producers over confusion. (yahoo.com)

Health concerns drive 32% to drink less alcohol, with Michelob Ultra Zero leading 54% of NA beer growth. (brewbound.com)

Previewer bets LA-based Easy Does It will be the next billion-dollar NA beer, blending authenticity, taste, and standout branding. (previewer.co)

Younger consumers drink less but seek meaning, turning cocktails into performances and brands into storytellers. (linkedin.com)

Global alcohol giants face structural slowdown as Gen Z health habits and China’s low-alcohol trend reshape long-term industry growth. (thedrinksbusiness.com)

Non-alc beer sales rose 20% in grocery and 30% in c-stores, but limited space challenges future category expansion. (linkedin.com)

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Investors fuel rapid non-alcoholic beverage growth as health-conscious consumers drive demand for functional, adaptogenic, and mindful drinking alternatives. (forbes.com)

Heineken lowers Foster’s ABV from 3.7% to 3.4% to match healthier drinking trends and reduce alcohol duty costs. (standard.co.uk)

Kirin develops fermented coffee cherry ingredient to enhance flavor and sustainability in non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages. (insidefmcg.com.au)

Craft breweries lean into creative 12-packs to drive value, loyalty, and growth as small packs decline. (beercrunchers.substack.com)

BevNET CPG Media launches NomBase Education, an expert-led learning platform for CPG founders and operators. (bevnet.com)

The Enlightened Buzz Podcast: THC beverages gain popularity among adults 55+ seeking gentle, stigma-free relaxation and mindful stress relief. (youtube.com)

Business of Drinks Podcast: French Bloom, backed by LVMH, turned alcohol-free wine into luxury by doubling sales and making moderation aspirational through empathy. (youtube.com)

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Health

Harvard researchers found heavy drinkers experience earlier, larger brain bleeds and greater small vessel damage. (neurologyadvisor.com)

CU Anschutz researchers found blocking a sugar enzyme cuts alcohol cravings and prevents liver damage, offering new treatment potential. (news.cuanschutz.edu)

Culture

Premium ingredients, complex production, and brand positioning make many alcohol-free drinks costlier than alcoholic ones despite no tax. (theguardian.com)

Rochester’s sober bar scene is booming as brands like For Bitter For Worse and AltBar redefine social drinking through moderation. (roccitymag.com)

Peloton instructor Callie Gullickson announced a six-city U.S. tour for her debut book Mocktail Hour. (pelobuddy.com)

Journalist Edith Zimmerman shares how quitting drinking helped her rediscover childhood joys and build healthier post-sobriety habits. (youtube.com)

Exploring how Americans’ declining alcohol use and rising cannabis, gambling, and porn habits signal a shift toward lonelier, more solitary vices. (theatlantic.com)

An argument that sobriety culture has become moralized, pressuring moderate drinkers and turning personal choice into virtue signaling. (self.com)

Lando Norris has transformed his mindset and habits by quitting alcohol, ignoring critics, and sharpening focus to seize the Formula 1 title lead. (independent.co.uk)

Life Curious Women Podcast: Founder Sam Bail shares how The Third Place Bar reimagines connection and joy through inclusive, alcohol-free community gatherings in New York City. (youtube.com)

Sober Dad Crew Podcast: Sober entrepreneur Stephanie Styll shares how motherhood and the pandemic inspired her to quit drinking and open Nashville’s NA bar, Killjoy. (soberdadcrew.com)

no proof Podcast: Chris Marshall shares how sobriety, vulnerability, and community-building inspired him to create Sans Bar’s inclusive alcohol-free space. (youtube.com)