EDITOR’S NOTE: In our latest edition of The NonBooze Interviews, we sit down with Emree Woods, Founder of Rightside Brewing. If you know someone we should feature on The NonBooze Interviews, contact us today.
When Emree Woods was pregnant with her daughter in 2017, she was looking for an alternative to alcohol and started researching the NA brews on the market.
She wasn’t impressed.
So rather than settle for a skunky old nearbeer, her and her husband decided to attempt brewing their own nonalcoholic beer. It wasn’t an easy process, so rather than go it on their own, they started working with a contract brewer in Big Kettle Brewing to hone their craft. And what they came up with was oh so right … a real bright spot in what was a pretty lackluster market.
“When I started Rightside, it felt like the industry was pushed aside almost in purgatory,” Wood said. “I really wanted the brand to evoke positivity and brightness. We chose bright colors for our packaging and hope to bring an element of fun and lightness to the category.”
Here’s our latest NonBooze Interview, featuring Woods, the Founder of Rightside Brewing.
What’s the best part about your job?
Woods: Definitely the best part is hearing all the stories from our customers on why Rightside has made their life better.
Whether they are on a health journey, taking 30 days off, or sober, we love hearing how great tasting beer makes that lifestyle easier and more enjoyable.
What’s your favorite nearbeer currently?
Rightside – it’s a tough choice between our wheat and IPA, but I tend to prefer the lighter style wheat.
Can you describe the beer in one sentence?
Citrusy, Light & Tasty (Beer Guys Radio said it best).
What’s the biggest misconception about NA beers?
They are great for a whole host of drinking occasions — a lot of people are re-evaluating their alcohol intake, and we are an option for them.
What was your favorite batch in the past?
Our first batch holds a very special place in my heart. Each and every step in the process was exhilarating and nerve wracking at the same time.
Any new releases we should be looking forward to?
Our IPA just hit the shelves, and we’ll be focused on those two skus for now — hoping to introduce some new small batch releases later in the year.
What’s up next for Rightside?
We are hoping to fill out our distribution in Georgia most immediately. We dream to be known as the Southeastern NA beer but have a lot of work ahead of us to get there!
Where do you see the market in 5 years?
All signs point to growth for the market. My vision for the market is that NA beer will be much more commonplace. It still very much has a stigma attached to it with the general population, and I hope that by creating new craft options, we start to break that down.
Has the pandemic hurt or helped the industry?
This is a tough one and not black and white by any means. I’ll look on the brightside and say that the pandemic has really opened up conversations on mental and emotional health.
There’s been a lot more discussion on alcohol and awareness around the effects of excessive drinking. With people making choices to cut back, I think it helps with awareness of other options out there for adults not drinking alcohol.
What’s next for the NA craft beer market?
Great question – we see sustainability trends on the forefront of brands’ minds across the beverage category. I also see more niche beers stemming from NA, like gluten-free and enhanced NA beer (electrolytes, coffee, etc.).
