Strong-rooted La Crosse business named finalist for manufacturing award
If you bury it, they will come
October 13, 2025
STEVENS POINT – Stevens Point Brewery is entering the fast-growing non-alcoholic (NA) craft beer market, unveiling plans to launch new NA beers and boost contract-brewing capacity with cutting-edge BrewVo technology.
Dane Zdroik, the brewery’s vice president of finance and administration, said the move marks a significant shift for the 168-year-old brewery as it adapts to changing consumer tastes.
“The brewery has been in business for 168 years – besides a stretch between 1920-33 [Prohibition] – and we’ve survived by primarily making alcoholic beer,” he said. “So, yes, jumping into a non-alcoholic beer category is a tremendous shift for us.”
A year in the making
Zdroik said the conversation in regard to taking the leap into NA options started about a year ago when the brewery’s innovation team had a meeting to discuss potential new business.
“In reviewing the craft beer industry, almost all categories were down,” he said. “The one exception was the non-alcoholic craft beer space, which had been [seeing] double-digit growth with all projections pointing to continued growth for the foreseeable future.”
Zdroik said the brewery’s innovation team viewed the rising popularity of NA craft beer as a timely and strategic way to grow the brewery’s portfolio.
Fortunately, he said, there is a lot of overlap between traditional craft beer drinkers and the NA market.
“Non-alcoholic drinkers want a variety of craft styles and they expect a high-quality product,” he said. “Those are two areas where the Stevens Point Brewery already excels.”
That overlap in expectations, Zdroik said, made the decision to enter the NA market feel like a natural fit for Stevens Point Brewery.
“[NA customers] want great-tasting beers – just without the alcohol,” he said. “We feel like we can serve both of these markets effectively.”
Brewing reimagined
The leap into the NA craft beer industry, Zdroik said, came with an expansion of the brewery’s equipment – specifically the BrewVo® system.
“We have an incredible team of brewers, operators and quality lab technicians that are up to the new challenges we will face with a new piece of equipment,” he said.
Described as “revolutionary dealcoholization technology capable of producing world-class, award-winning NA beers and ciders,” Zdroik said the BrewVo system enables the brewery to create NA versions of its own brands, while also opening the door to new contract-brewing opportunities in the fast-growing, underserved NA market.
“Contract brewing has been an important portion of our overall business,” he said. “In recent years, with the trends of the craft beer industry in decline, we’ve found that landing contracts has become increasingly difficult as there was both declining demand and increasing capacity in breweries throughout the country.”
The investment in NA brewing capabilities gives Stevens Point Brewery a unique advantage, Zdroik said – one that sets it apart from competitors in attracting contract-brewing opportunities.
“We are very confident that having this capability will help us reach and expand our brewing capacity with increased contract business,” he said.
To produce NA beer, Zdroik said breweries can either adjust the brewing process – like limiting fermentation or using special yeast – or use equipment that removes the alcohol after brewing.
“Through our research, we strongly believe that the BrewVo system was the best platform for producing a non-alcoholic beer,” he said. “The beauty for us is that the process leading up to the BrewVo dealcoholization is the exact same as a traditional beer.”
Developed by Sustainable Beverage Technologies (SBT) in Golden, Colorado, Zdroik said the BrewVo system utilizes a combination of membrane separation technology and traditional brewing science to preserve full-strength flavor without the alcohol.
Unlike other methods, he said it avoids shortcuts, such as bioengineered yeasts or arrested fermentation.
The result, Zdroik said, is a high-quality, consistent product that has earned more international awards for flavor and quality than any other NA brewing technology.
Brewmaster Mike Schraufnagel said the Stevens Point Brewery team blind taste-tested a BrewVo beer against its alcoholic counterpart.
“I thought the NA version was better,” he said. “It was a shock that changed my entire perspective on what non-alcoholic beer could be.”
Zdroik said the brewery is working closely with SBT to navigate the learning curve of the new brewing process.
“We will be working hand in hand with them as we develop/launch new beers,” he said. “They have been super helpful in getting us up to speed on operating the equipment efficiently for existing styles.”
Bridging supply gaps
Industry demand for BrewVo-produced NA beer, Zdroik said, has outpaced supply, with only two systems previously in use and just one open to contract brewing.
Stevens Point Brewery’s adoption of the system, he said, helps address that gap, offering new capacity to partners seeking high-quality NA production.
“Having us come online has opened up some much-needed supply constraints for these customers,” he said.
With that in mind, Zdroik said the brewery plans to start by focusing heavily on contract production.
“Initially, we will likely get out of the gates with a heavier mix of contract work,” he said. “There are several existing customers that are further along with their development of recipes or have an existing brand in the market and are just in need of supply.”
As Stevens Point Brewery fine-tunes its proprietary recipes, Zdroik said “we will be able to help those customers immediately.”
With capacity for batches of 150 barrels or more, Zdroik said the enhanced facility is well equipped for large-scale production, supported by Stevens Point Brewery’s decades-long commitment to quality and service.
“Our job is to eliminate risk for our partners,” he said.
Stevens Point Brewery Quality Director Carl Weinfurter said that means guaranteeing a NA beer that is not only stable and consistent, but superior to what’s currently available on the market.
“This system finally makes that possible without compromise,” he said.
Regarding its own lineup, Zdroik said the immediate plan is for Stevens Point Brewery to launch NA versions of its most recognized brands, including Point Beers and Ciderboys Hard Ciders, with Whole Hog Beers following shortly after.
“We are currently working with our wholesaler network and developing some of our own brands that we think will work well with our current portfolio,” he said.
Products, he said, are expected to hit shelves well ahead of Dry January.
Economic impact
Zdroik said the economic impact of the brewery’s investment in a BrewVo system goes beyond the national craft beer market.
“The economic impact will be felt in the beer industry – whether it be at the Stevens Point Brewery with an additional shift for brewing/packing, or the supply chain with incremental raw materials being used,” he said.
With a projected increase of 40,000-80,000 barrels of production over the next two years, Zdroik said the brewery is assessing the need for additional jobs and shifts, reinforcing its vital role as an employer in the Portage County community.
This commitment, he said, ensures that Stevens Point Brewery is not only honoring its rich history but also actively shaping its future.
“Locally, there could be a benefit as well because the manufacturer of this equipment is based in Wisconsin Rapids,” he said. “As BrewVo continues to expand, all these areas could continue to benefit.”
Furthermore, Zdroik said the brewery is dedicated to providing superior options for sober-curious consumers while expanding its presence and influence in the beverage industry.
So far, feedback from the NA option announcement, he said, has been “overwhelmingly positive.”
“We’re in talks currently with a number – 10-15 – of potential contract customers looking for supply,” he said. “Internally, we’re also very excited about the potential growth for our own products.”
Learn more at pointbeer.com.
