As the popularity of nonalcoholic beer grows in the United States, Arkansas beverage researchers are at the forefront of improving production methods and flavor.
The Non-Alcoholic Beer Research & Innovation Meeting Feb. 5 in Fayetteville, hosted by the Center for Beverage Innovation, will bring together brewing industry experts from across the U.S. and Europe to the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences for an all-day event covering many aspects of developing nonalcoholic beer.
“We’ve put together a ‘who’s who’ of people working on nonalcoholic beer, from different influences that hops can have to new yeast strain development and microbial-safe draft line integrity, as well as market analysis,” said Scott Lafontaine, co-director of the Center for Beverage Innovation and an assistant professor in the department of food science at the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.
The Center for Beverage Innovation is a unit of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The center is a multidisciplinary research and education hub that supports projects ranging from rice malting and brewing to nonalcoholic beer and wine research.
Dubbed NABLAB, the meeting is being held in collaboration with the Master Brewers Association of Americas Great Plains District and Fossil Cove Brewing Co., which are holding associated events Feb. 6-7.
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Considering there will be several interactive sensory sessions, NABLAB will not be made available online. Registration for the Feb. 5 summit is $75. A two-day bundle, including the Master Brewers Association district’s annual meeting, is $140. To register for either or both events, visit the Great Plains 2026 Annual Meeting Registration page.
The NABLAB meeting will be divided into five sessions, featuring two to five speakers each, with sensory experiences throughout the day, like hop evaluations and beverage tastings. A nonalcoholic sake tasting with Justin Potts of Origami Sake in Hot Springs and a reception catered by Wrights BBQ in Fayetteville will conclude the day. Lunch will be catered by Flying Burrito.
The Feb. 5 sessions will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. and include:
• Session 1: Designing the Perfect Grist Bill for Modern NAB Brewing.
• Session 2: Fermentation Innovation — Better Yeast for Better NAB.
• Session 3: Interactive Hops and Extracts Session.
• Session 4: The Next Generation of NAB Safety and Stability.
• Session 5: Rules, Retail and Reinvention of Non-Alcoholic Brewing.
To learn more about NABLAB, contact Scott Lafontaine at scottla@uark.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit aaes.uada.edu.
John Lovett is with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
