Notes from the Pod Summer Sipper: Mash Gang Beer

Our new favorite NA beer, Mash Gang, was born out of pandemic boredom and quickly evolved into a meticulously crafted core lineup of four standouts. Of all the non-alcoholic beers we’ve tried, this one truly hits the spot like no other. Co-founder Jordan Childs brings the flavor and the firey hot takes—on what is sparking the NA boom, the best alcoholic beers out there, and why he grew a beard.

To hear the whole interview listen to the pod, but for the cliff note skimmers among us, below is a condensed Q&A with Jordan (which has been edited for length and clarity.)

DRY RUN: Where are you joining us from?Jordan Childs: I’m coming to you from Snowdonia, in North Wales—a very old, rural part of the UK. It’s like a very, very tiny Colorado. Beautiful and quiet.

DRY RUN: Why do all four Mash Gang founders have beards?JC: Easy—I have no chin. I look like a thumb. If I stand near a road, people think I’m hitchhiking. It’s camouflage. Plus, at some point in every man’s life, a beard and a plaid shirt appear out of nowhere. It just happens.

DRY RUN: What’s the story behind founding Mash Gang?JC: We started during COVID. I’d just closed my tattoo business of 10 years and moved to Wales. I got obsessed with fermentation—kombucha, kefir, even cashew cheese—and started brewing at home. What started as a group chat with old school friends turned into a brewery focused on low and no-alcohol drinks. We could’ve ended up making tea, jelly, or preserves—but beer was what we got obsessed with.

DRY RUN: What makes your brewing process different?JC: We didn’t de-alcoholize. We built our beers from the ground up to be low-alcohol. I approached it like a puzzle—if you can build an IPA at 8%, why not reverse it and build something with the same flavor profile at under 1%? It’s meticulous. I know where every hop comes from. We’ve made 200+ beers just to land on four we’re proud of.

DRY RUN: Why do your beers stand out?JC: We’re obsessive. All the founders are polymaths—we collect hobbies. But at the root of it, we just care deeply. The beers taste good because we made them for people to love. We never planned to make something to sell. It was: let’s make the best thing possible.

DRY RUN: Can you talk about your personal connection to sobriety?JC: I had a spiraling drug problem while working for a multinational company. They sent me to an intensive rehab program. It saved my life—but afterward, I felt like a shell. There were so many places I couldn’t go. Eventually I went back to the pub, not to drink, but to be where people were. That’s when I realized: what people miss isn’t always alcohol. It’s belonging.

DRY RUN: Why did you avoid labeling your cans as non-alcoholic?JC: Because sometimes people want the choice without the spotlight. I’ve had friends navigating miscarriages or training for marathons who didn’t want to explain why they weren’t drinking. Our cans allow them to exist in that space without having to declare anything.

DRY RUN: How do you view the rise of NA beer and sober culture?JC: I think it’s capitalism, honestly. People used to drink at lunch or after work. Now they’re always on. You can’t take a call at 7 p.m. and say, “Sorry, I’ve had 16 beers.” Add to that the fact that everything is forever now—every dumb thing you do might end up on social. People are more cautious. It’s not prohibition—it’s just more options.

DRY RUN: What’s your take on how to make NA more inclusive?JC: It’s not about non-alcoholic bars. It’s about mixed spaces where people can choose what they want without having to wear a label. I don’t want people to feel “othered” by their drink choice.

DRY RUN: What’s next for Mash Gang?JC: Draft. There’s nothing more anonymous than a hazy glass of beer. No one has to ask questions. That’s the goal—for people to feel normal, not like they have to explain why they’re not drinking.

DRY RUN: Favorite reaction to one of your beers?JC: “This tastes like Betty Crocker cake mix.” It was about our dark brew. I’ll take that any day.

DRY RUN: Any final thoughts on why you do this?JC: We didn’t ask anyone to help us. People did it because they liked what we were making. That’s still the best part. We never set out to build a brand—we set out to make something excellent. That’s what we still try to do.

Follow Mash Gang at mashgang.com or on IG @mash_gang. Available in the UK, US, and select retailers across the globe.

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