Non-Alcoholic Beer
Brooklyn Special Effects
Hoppy NA lager from Brooklyn Brewery. Bridges craft cred with sessionable drinkability and shows up across NYC and beyond.
- Type
- Non-Alcoholic Beer
- ABV
- 0.4% (under 0.5% ABV)
- Calories
- ~95 per 12oz can (under 100)
- Format
- Cans (12oz / 355ml), sold in 6-packs and variety 12-packs
- Made in
- Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Since
- 2018
Special Effects is Brooklyn Brewery's non-alcoholic beer line, brewed at the well-known Williamsburg, Brooklyn craft brewery. The flagship Hoppy Amber first debuted in Sweden in 2018 and launched in the United States in January 2019, with the goal of proving that an alcohol-free beer could add to the drinking experience rather than simply remove the alcohol. Each beer contains 0.4% ABV (under 0.5%) and roughly 95 calories per 12oz serving.
The Hoppy Amber is built around Citra and Amarillo hops — a heavily dry-hopped approach that was uncommon in alcohol-free brewing at the time — giving it a piney, citrus-forward aroma over a bready malt backbone and a crisp, modestly bitter finish. The line has since expanded into a variety pack that includes a West Coast-style IPA, a Golden ale, and a Grapefruit IPA, available year-round in 12oz cans.
Special Effects has been one of the more commercially significant non-alcoholic craft beers: Brooklyn Brewery reported the line grew into a meaningful share of its overall portfolio, representing roughly 10-15% of its European sales and ranking among its top-selling products in the U.S.
Brooklyn Special Effects lineup
- Special Effects Hoppy Amber
- Special Effects IPA
- Special Effects Golden
- Special Effects Grapefruit IPA
“The aroma is nicely balanced between sweet fruit and savoury herbs and there's a decent amount of variety in the flavours too.”— Steady DrinkerSteady Drinker review →
Where to drink Brooklyn Special Effects
2 verified venues pour Brooklyn Special Effects.
Axelrad
Midtown
Axelrad is a Midtown Houston beer garden set in a century-old building on the corner of Alabama and Almeda, sharing a leafy, hammock-strewn patio with Luigi's Pizzeria. It's a casual, walk-in outdoor drinking spot known for live music, food trucks, and community events, welcoming families until its evening 21+ transition. Non-drinkers are well served: the standing drinks menu carries named mocktails like the Elderberry Spritz (Giffard Elderflower, lemon, Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher), the Jalapina Business (Giffard pineapple, mango, lime, jalapeño, mineral water), and the Briney Melon Refresher (watermelon, lime, mint, ginger beer). The NA-beer lineup is extensive — Athletic Upside Dawn and Free Wave, Lagunitas IPNA, Best Day Electro-Lime, and Brooklyn Special Effects — plus kombucha, hopped seltzers, and Topo Chico. CultureMap has repeatedly highlighted its zero-proof offerings.
Hop City Craft Beer & Wine
Krog Street Market
Hop City Craft Beer & Wine is the Krog District (formerly Krog Street Market) outpost of the Atlanta beer-and-wine retailer founded by Kraig Torres in 2009. The location pairs a curated bottle shop with an adjacent full-service bar pouring dozens of rotating draft selections. For non-drinkers, the appeal is two-fold: the shop keeps a deep, dedicated non-alcoholic section, and the bar runs a dedicated N/A draft line that rotates between Untitled Art and Athletic Brewing. The retail NA shelf is one of the broadest in the city, spanning Athletic Brewing (Free Wave, Run Wild, Upside Dawn), Untitled Art, Guinness 0.0, Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher, Brooklyn Special Effects, Best Day, Ghia, and St. Agrestis Phony Negroni, with Sober Carpenter sold by the single. Sitting directly on the Eastside BeltLine trail, it's a practical NA stop whether you want a pour or a six-pack to go.
Frequently asked about Brooklyn Special Effects
Brooklyn Special Effects is a non-alcoholic beer made in Brooklyn, New York, USA with 0.4% (under 0.5% ABV) ABV. Hoppy NA lager from Brooklyn Brewery. Bridges craft cred with sessionable drinkability and shows up across NYC and beyond.