What is Hop Water?

Learn everything about Hop Water and why this crisp, hoppy drink is the next must-have beverage for craft breweries.

Hop water is the exquisitely crisp, hoppy beverage that more and more customers are asking for, and they’re only getting more and more popular. Let us explain.

According to research from DataIntelo, “the global hop water market size reached USD 53.2 million in 2024,” and it’s projected to reach a value of USD 167.4 million by 2033. This has been fueled by a combination of consumer demand for non alcoholic, functional beverages and a general shift toward healthier drink options.¹ 

In 2024, Dave Infante of VinePair urged brewers to make hop water to help boost bottom lines year-round and put their brand in front of new drinkers.² In 2025, his message is the same with the added bonus that while it’s not a solid segment (yet), there’s opportunity for regional craft brewers to differentiate themselves with these beverages.³

So, what are hop waters? Are they just an NA beer alternative? Should they have a wellness angle? What should they taste like? Great questions!

Read on for everything you need to know about hop waters and why they’re the non-negotiable drink for breweries that want to stay competitive. 

The Quantum Series is a suite of hop-derived, varietal-specific beverage solutions with the most aromatic hop notes on the market that won't add sugar, calories, or mouthfeel. Just recognizable hop flavors and aromas ideal for hop waters.

What is Hop Water?

It’s not just another flavored sparkling water, although we understand the confusion. 

Hop waters are non-alcoholic seltzers flavored with hops. While a small amount of yeast is sometimes added to promote biotransformation in any dry hopping, no actual grains are used to make hop water. That means the alcohol content always stays at zero percent.

Unlike beer and even NA beer, hop water can be made in a few days. It involves boiling water, lowering the temperature, adding hops (whole hops, pellets, or extracts), chilling, adding carbonation, and then a bit of citric acid to make it shelf-stable.

Omni Hop Profiles are created using terpenes and other botanical compounds to formulate, replicate, and standardize the flavor and aroma of ANY hop. No more seasonal flavor drift, supply inconsistencies, or climate change worries. Simply brew the best-tasting hop waters with the flavor and aroma of your favorite hop year after year.

What Does Hop Water Taste Like?

Hop waters should be crisp and carry the flavor and aroma of the hop varieties they’re infused with. If Mosaic® is used, it should have a robust blend of funky grapefruit and pine with light floral notes. If Krush™ is infused into a hop water, then you should pick up on tropical stone fruit, bright citrus, and a dank resinous aroma. 

Similar to other beverages, brewers can use a single-hop or blend several together to create a unique symphony of flavors and aromas. However, while hops is the flavor thread that ties these drinks together, more hop waters are being infused with innovative flavors not typical of NA beer.

In a recent ranking of hop water beverages from Tasting Table, one of their highest ranked selections paired Chinook with Mango.⁴ Earlier this year, the New York Times recommended Hoplark’s Hoptea beverages “where the brand’s flavor-blending savvy really shines.” Flavors include Citra® with white tea, Cashmere and Lemondrop with hibiscus, Simcoe® and lemondrop with white tea, and more.⁵

At the end of the day, while hop waters may have flavors reminiscent of beer, these beverages are a blank canvas for flavor creativity! 

Skyfarm is built with terpenes so you can brew with recognizable fruit flavors without adding sugar, calories, or mouthfeel. There are no “off flavors,” potpourri, or floral junk. Just high-amplitude fruit flavor top notes that are perfect for EVERY variation of hop water.

Does Hop Water Give You a Buzz?

Hop water has zero alcohol, so it won’t get you drunk or buzzed at all.

It’s important to note, however, that hop waters are an evolving beverage category and some manufacturers are experimenting with functional ingredients like minor cannabinoids. 

For example, Fair State Brewing has a hop water called Citra & CBD they describe as a “Sparkling water infused with Citra hops, grapefruit-y terpenes, and 25mg of broad-spectrum CBD.”⁶ The flagship beverage collection from HOP WTR is described as "sparkling hop water crafted with adaptogens and nootropics.”⁷

Some ingredients are designed to support mood, provide sustained energy, influence cognitive function, and more. So, while hop waters have 0% ABV, some of these additional ingredients may give you a different kind of “boost.”

The BrewGas Series is a collection of the world’s gassiest and skunkiest cannabis profiles — without the cannabis. Our TTB-approved botanically derived terpenes contain zero THC or CBD, ensuring compliance for brewers who want to create a DANK hop water.

Is Hop Water Good For You?

NA beer may have been the better-for-you (BFY) evolution of beer, but hop water is the EVEN-better-for-you option. Let’s just say that if your idea of a healthy drink has a long list of “free from” items, then hop water definitely fits into that category. For example, hop water is:

• Free from alcohol
• Free from sugar
• Free from calories
• Free from gluten
• Free from carbs

For consumers whose shopping preferences align with wellness trends, hop waters are a serious win. On top of that, their formulations can be simple enough to appeal to those who shop specifically with clean labels in mind.

What’s the Difference Between Hop Water and Non Alcoholic Beer?

It’s hard to talk about hop water without also talking about NA beer. In both cases, people shop for NA beer to support sobriety or sober curiosity, to align with wellness goals, because they’re occasion flexible, and simply because they taste great! However, they’re NOT the same beverage and their differences are very important.

Key differences between hop water and NA beer include calories, carbs, sugar, and gluten. NA beers usually have some amount of all of them, but hop waters don’t contain ANY of them. 

Plus, while hop waters will always have 0% ABV, some NA beers can still legally contain up to 0.5% ABV. While some brewing methods remove most of the alcohol, the natural fermentation process can leave trace amounts behind. 

Want mood-enhancing terpene blends for functional hop waters? Our flavorless and odorless AI Terp Effects deliver specific effects based on over one million data points. This gives you a laser-focused approach to functional products with predictable, repeatable, and scalable effects.

Ideas for Adding Hop Water to Your Menu

Regardless of the overwhelming number of directions a brewery could take their hop waters, there’s no denying that simply HAVING hop water provides multiple benefits for breweries. They appeal to sober curious customers, they increase ticket sizes, patrons can pace their drinking, and they can be consumed at any time of day.

Plus, compared to NA beer, making hop water uses less electricity and water. That means, brewers can add hop waters to their menu in a significantly shorter amount of time. 

So, what are some ideas for adding hop waters to YOUR menu?

• Pair your favorite hop variety with trending fruit flavor fusions.
• Create a hop water that highlights regional flavors your local patrons are familiar with.
• Craft a hop water version of your most popular beer.

Want more ideas? Check out 5 Ideas for Adding Hop Water to Your Menu!

Abstrax | Brew Delicious Hop Waters That Keep People Thirsty for More

At Abstrax, we provide novel solutions for beverage manufacturers of all sizes looking to streamline, innovate, and gain a competitive edge. With our knowledge, technology, and extensive resources, we’ve crafted our collections to provide recognizable flavors and aromas that consumers love.

Contact us today, and let’s create an extraordinary hop water that excites your current customers and draws in NEW customers too!

1. More, A. (2025, June 28). Hop Water Market Research Report 2033. DataIntelo. https://dataintelo.com/report/hop-water-market#:~:text=According%20to%20our%20latest%20research%2C%20the%20global,167.4%20million%20by%20the%20end%20of%20the

2. Infante, D. (2024, January 19). Where the Hell Are All the Hop Waters?. VinePair. https://vinepair.com/articles/hop-take-dry-january-hop-water/

3. Infante, D. (2025, January 10). Hop Water is Poised for a Breakout Year. VinePair. https://vinepair.com/articles/hop-take-future-of-hop-water/

4. Gaman, M. (2025, March 29). 16 Hop Waters, Ranked Worst to Best. Tasting Table. https://www.tastingtable.com/1819648/hop-waters-ranked-worst-best/

5. Keough, B. (2025, January 8). Hop Water Isn’t Trying to be Beer. That’s Why We Like It. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-hop-water/

6. Hop Water - Citra & CBD. Fair State Brewing Cooperative. (2025, October 7). https://fairstate.com/beer/hop-water-cbd/#:~:text=Hop%20Water%20%2D%20Citra%20&%20CBD%20%7C,%2C%20deeply%20aromatic%2C%20and%20crispy.

7. Can 12 Pack. HOP WTR. (n.d.). https://hopwtr.com/products/can-12-pack