As the new year approaches, and many pause to take stock of their routines, habits, and practices from the previous year, we’re reminded that Dry January is less a trend than an invitation—a moment for all of us to reconsider our relationships, our rituals, and the intentions that guide what we choose to consume. It’s a timely prompt toward presence, listening, and asking ourselves what serves us—and what does not.

True hospitality requires honesty, and honesty requires courage.

As a brewery, we exist within a paradox: we craft an intoxicating beverage (a quite delicious one) while recognizing the responsibilities that accompany it. For years, we’ve held that the beers we make—and the beers our guests choose to drink—deserve respect, reflection, and restraint. Beer does not have to be a default coping mechanism or a means of escape—unless we allow it to be; mindful, thoughtful consumption enlivens and elevates the experience of any form of consumption. At its best, it is a singular encounter, an emotional and sensory aperture through which we can experience connection: with ourselves, with one another, with place and memory.  At its worst, it slips into excess, turning a moment of presence into a pattern of avoidance and pulling us away from the people and places that matter; it ceases to be an experience at all—only an impulse, repeated until its purpose is forgotten and its cost ignored.

That contradiction carries an ethical obligation. We must acknowledge the ways alcohol shapes our lives—positively, negatively, and often quietly. We have a responsibility to speak honestly about addiction, about the ways we numb, distract, and overfill ourselves, and about the cultural narratives that encourage us to do so. 

That is why our pursuit of conscious consumption extends beyond traditional beer. No Bad Parts, our non-alcoholic malt beverage, is both a creative endeavor and a philosophical one. It reflects our belief that, for beer lovers, presence, ceremony, and celebration should not be limited to alcohol. It’s designed for those seeking intention without intoxication—for moments when clarity, grounding, or recovery matter more than effect.

From Shaun:

“What was born out of the spirit of creating Charlie, which was the first step in this journey, No Bad Parts was the continuation of my exploration of low-to-no-alcohol beverages involving fermentation only—no expensive machines, pasteurization, or specialized yeasts. I wanted citrus, hops, and texture—all through fermentation. My goal was to use the same fundamental toolkit: the same yeast, the same tools, the same processes. I hadn’t come across something so low in alcohol that didn’t involve pasteurization or expensive, energy-intensive machinery.

“Also, for me, there was a hope that I could create an alternative; around here, you have to drive to socialize, and having one or two beers often leads to the third or fourth beer. What if you had a beer or two but wanted to keep socializing? I was seeking something that acted as that bridge, something that let you taper off while still hanging out. No Bad Parts is true to form in that regard.”

In offering it, we’re broadening the table: making space for those exploring new relationships with alcohol, those in active sobriety, and those simply curious about alternatives that still carry depth, craft, and care. We hope to continue exploring possibilities that align with No Bad Parts in the coming year.

Conscious consumption asks us to slow down, to notice how we experience what’s in our glass and why. It asks us to treat every beverage—alcoholic or not—as finite and worthy of attention. It also asks us to examine ourselves with humility and without judgment.

As January arrives again, we invite you to join us in that examination. Whether you choose a beer, choose No Bad Parts, or choose abstinence altogether, may your decisions be guided by presence, purpose, and an ongoing commitment to care—for yourself and for those around you.

 – Bob M. Montgomery