What happens when one of the fastest-growing beer brands in the world starts treating beer like a food product instead of “just beer”?

In this episode of Thirsty Business Podcast, hosts Jen Hauke and Phil Thomas sit down with Zoe Riccio of Athletic Brewing to break down the science, systems, and obsessive quality control behind modern non-alcoholic beer. From food safety and microbiology to draft line cleaning, carbonation science, and brewery operations, this conversation goes far deeper than most people realize.

They also dive into why Athletic invested heavily in its own breweries, how the company maintains consistency across multiple facilities, and why draft quality matters more than most bars understand. If you’ve ever wondered how non-alcoholic beer actually works, why Athleti ...