Buying lists
Best non-alcoholic drinks under $20
The tasted bottles whose sourced shelf price converts to under twenty dollars. The band is the public figure. The original listing stays on the review.
Find a more specific list
The ranking
Our top 12
Highest score first, from 240 tasted bottles. Tied scores list the more recent tasting first.
Compare holds up to four. Want to try keeps a bottle in My Bottles.
Rank 1
91/100
Standout
Roast, cocoa, and coffee, with the surge intact. Silky and a little shorter than Draught. A sweet edge shows up if you go looking for it.
Rank 2
A standout dealcoholized red, and convincing in that style. The structure carries the dark fruit, the sweetness stays inside the fruit, and the shift from blackberry and oak into cherry and plum rewards a slower sip. I would keep a bottle on hand.
Rank 3
A Cabernet with a clear varietal line: cassis and cedar stay identifiable from the aroma through a long finish. The flavor is still easy to recall, and the glass is one to pour again.
Rank 4
88/100
Standout
A thoroughly enjoyable stout. The jammy cherry makes for a generous opening, and the creamy body and sustained cocoa finish give the beer its depth. I’d buy it again and happily drink it regularly. This is one I’d keep stocked in the fridge.
Rank 5
Rank 6
88/100
Standout
A precise, well-built nonalcoholic pilsner. Cracker malt and crisp bitterness sit in balance, so the lemon and tangerine read as lift rather than candy. Light and snappy, dry without going thin. That poise is the achievement.
Rank 7
The dealcoholized Riesling most often worth opening. Acidity keeps the residual sugar honest; what is missing is ethanol weight, not varietal character.
Rank 8
88/100
Standout
Hazy tropical and citrus hops over a soft malt body. Juicy, gently bitter, and still intact in the middle. One of the better alcohol-free IPAs for that reason.
Rank 9
87/100
Standout
One of the more convincing nonalcoholic Chardonnays, with real persistence and a fuller, more vinous character. The buttery profile and lingering warmth give it genuine Chardonnay personality rather than simply tasting like a Chardonnay-inspired beverage.
Rank 10
87/100
Standout
The Dark nonalcoholic that finally behaves like a porter. Roast and chocolate land; the middle is a touch lighter than the full-strength Black Butte, and that is the honest trade.
Rank 11
87/100
Standout
Lime, citrus blossom, and mandarin on a light, off-dry frame. The grape is recognizable. The finish is shorter than a Riesling that still has its alcohol.
Rank 12
87/100
Standout
Mirabelle, quince, and slate salt — acid against a little must-sweetness. Short citrus-and-salt close; keep it cold.
Keep exploring the cellar
Everything under $20Ways to shop this list Pick by preference
The highest-scoring tasted bottle that meets each preference.
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0.0%
Guinness 0.0
91/100
0.0% ABV
Roast, cocoa, and coffee, with the surge intact. Silky and a little shorter than Draught. A sweet edge shows up if you go looking for it.
-
Naturally low alcohol
Mash Gang Lesser Evil Chocolate Cherry Stout
88/100
<0.5% ABV
A thoroughly enjoyable stout. The jammy cherry makes for a generous opening, and the creamy body and sustained cocoa finish give the beer its depth. I’d buy it again and happily drink it regularly. This is one I’d keep stocked in the fridge.
-
Dry
Good Time Brewing IPA
86/100
<0.5% ABV
Pine, grapefruit, and pear, then a citrusy, resinous palate with only a light malt line. The hops hold. The frame stays light.
How these lists are chosen
What was evaluated
240 tasted drinks under $20 with a public score. Research records are not candidates.
Who qualifies
Ranked from 240 tasted nonalcoholic drinks under $20, by firsthand score. The top 12 are listed. Research-only products are excluded. A tied score lists the more recent tasting first. Only a sourced price under $20 qualifies. Missing prices are omitted. Updated November 2026.
What the score is rewarding
The same tasting standard as the rest of the cellar, limited to a sourced price under $20.
What tends to go wrong
A missing price treated as a bargain. Those bottles are left out.