Our ranking of 30 Oktoberfest beers only had room for one non-alcoholic pick, Athletic Brewing, and that undersells how fast the NA Marzen and Festbier category has grown this year. Here is the dedicated roundup: six non-alcoholic beers built specifically for Oktoberfest season, what each one actually tastes like, and where to find it.
Worth knowing before you shop: alcohol-free beer is not a fringe option at the actual Munich festival anymore. According to AP News, 16 of the 18 large tents at Munich’s Oktoberfest now pour a non-alcoholic beer, priced the same as the alcoholic version, roughly 13.60 to 15.30 euros for a one-liter Mass. This is not a compromise pick anymore, it is a normal thing to order at the source. If you want the alcoholic side of the lineup too, our guide to where to actually buy Oktoberfest beer covers where each tier shows up on shelves.
Athletic Brewing Oktoberfest
Style: Festbier | ABV: Under 0.5% | Calories: 70 calories per 12oz can
Athletic built this on Vienna and Munich malts with Hallertau Mittelfruh hops, the same base you would expect in a real Munich Festbier. It pours golden rather than the deep copper of a traditional Marzen, with a clean malt body and restrained bitterness rather than heavy caramel sweetness. It reads more like an everyday drinking beer than a once-a-year specialty, which is exactly the point.
Sold as a 6-pack for $10.99 through Athletic’s own site and widely stocked at grocery chains including Total Wine.
Best Day Brewing Oktoberfest
Style: Marzen | ABV: Under 0.5% | Calories: Not disclosed on-pack
Best Day calls this an Amber Festbier, and the notes line up with a traditional Marzen: toasted bread, light caramel, a clean lager finish with no lingering sweetness. It is a limited-time seasonal release rather than a year-round SKU, so it tends to sell out at retailers once fall stock runs low.
6-packs run $13.99 to $14 through Best Day’s site and select online retailers; check availability before you plan a whole case around it.
Partake Oktoberfest
Style: Amber lager | ABV: Under 0.5% | Calories: 30 calories, 5g carbs, 0g sugar
Partake leans lighter than the others here at just 30 calories, built on German hops and malt with a noticeable hint of cinnamon and nutmeg that nods toward mulled, autumn flavors rather than a straight malt bomb. It is a returning seasonal release, meaning Partake pulls it and brings it back most years rather than keeping it in permanent rotation.
Sold through Partake’s own site and at retailers including Total Wine, typically in 6-pack cans.
Founders Nonetheless Oktoberfest
Style: German-style Marzen | ABV: 0.5% | Calories: Not disclosed on-pack, 15 IBU
Founders’ non-alcoholic arm built this one traditional on purpose: rich, malty, slightly sweet, and it actually pours the deep copper hue a real Marzen is supposed to have, unlike some of the paler NA takes on this list. At 15 IBU it stays low on bitterness, which keeps the malt character front and center.
Available in 12oz cans through Founders’ site and listed on BeerMenus for local stockist lookups.
Samuel Adams Non-Alcoholic Octoberfest
Style: Festbier | ABV: Under 0.5% | Calories: Not disclosed on-pack
Sam Adams built its non-alcoholic Octoberfest to mirror its long-running alcoholic version as closely as the NA brewing process allows: smooth malt flavor, a touch of caramel, a full finish rather than a thin one. Because Boston Beer already has national grocery distribution for its NA line, this is usually the easiest one on this list to actually find in person.
Stocked at major grocery chains nationwide and listed through retailers like The Open Bottle and Wine and Cheese Place for online ordering.
Clausthaler Original
Style: German-style lager (not a Marzen) | ABV: 0.5% | Calories: Not disclosed on-pack
Clausthaler is not brewed as an Oktoberfest specialty and will not give you the caramel depth of a real Marzen, but it earns its spot for a different reason: it is the pioneer of non-alcoholic beer (launched in Germany in 1979) and the closest thing to what actually gets poured as the NA option inside Munich’s own tents. If the goal is honoring the tradition rather than chasing the exact style, this is the historically correct choice.
Sold as 6 x 12oz bottles, brewed in Germany at the Dortmunder Actien-Brauerei, and widely available through retailers like Total Wine year-round.
Quick Comparison
| Beer | Style | ABV | Calories (12oz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athletic Brewing Oktoberfest | Festbier | <0.5% | 70 |
| Best Day Brewing Oktoberfest | Marzen | <0.5% | N/A |
| Partake Oktoberfest | Amber lager | <0.5% | 30 |
| Founders Nonetheless Oktoberfest | German Marzen | 0.5% | N/A |
| Samuel Adams Non-Alcoholic Octoberfest | Festbier | <0.5% | N/A |
| Clausthaler Original | German lager | 0.5% | N/A |
More Oktoberfest Coverage
- Oktoberfest Party Beer Calculator
- Best Oktoberfest Beers 2026: 30 Marzens Ranked
- Why Is Oktoberfest in September?
- Marzen vs Festbier: What’s Actually Different
FAQs
Is non-alcoholic Oktoberfest beer actually good?
Yes, and the category has improved fast. Athletic, Founders and Samuel Adams all built their non-alcoholic Oktoberfest releases around real Vienna and Munich malt bills rather than just stripping alcohol from a light lager, so the malt character most people associate with a Marzen is genuinely there.
Where can I buy non-alcoholic Oktoberfest beer?
Samuel Adams and Athletic Brewing have the widest grocery and big-box distribution. Best Day Brewing and Partake are seasonal releases best ordered direct from the brewery site if a local store does not carry them, since they can sell out.
Is Clausthaler an Oktoberfest beer?
Not by style. Clausthaler Original is a year-round German non-alcoholic lager, not a Marzen or Festbier. It earns a spot here because it is one of the actual non-alcoholic options served inside Munich’s own Oktoberfest tents, per AP News reporting on the festival’s alcohol-free beer program.
