Alex Himburg has built his career on bringing bespoke craftsmanship and innovation to the beer industry—first in his native Germany, and today across the U.S. and beyond. He completed formal training as a brewer and maltster before shaking up the German beer scene, introducing the craft beer movement to the region, eventually starting his own craft brand, BrauKunstKeller. But in 2019, an accident involving alcohol prompted him to reorder his priorities, leading him into the alcohol-free world. Today, Alex applies his skills and training to improving the flavor profiles, the production methods, and the economics of NA beer. AFTER sat down with Alex to discuss what he’s learned along the way and where he believes the NA beer category is headed next.
Nicole Pietrandrea Hough for AFTER Magazine: Welcome, Alex! I’m happy to be talking to you about your story. Your journey to the NA beer world has a lot of twists and turns—personal elements, professional changes, dramatic turnarounds… Can you start from the beginning and tell me about it?
