The fastest-growing brewery in these United States is not making alcoholic beer at all.
Naperville’s Go Brewing has quietly become one of the most compelling success stories in American craft beer. According to the Brewers Association’s 2025 rankings, Go Brewing claimed the top spot among the nation’s fastest-growing breweries producing more than 15,000 barrels, posting an astonishing 116% growth.
Founded in 2023 by Joe Chura, the suburban Chicago operation has built a distribution network reaching nearly 10,000 retail locations. Unlike many emerging non-alcoholic brands, Go Brewing actually brews and cans its beer in-house, operating its own laboratory and pasteurization equipment. This isn’t a contract-brewed beverage with a clever label. It’s a full-scale brewing operation.
And its latest release might be its most ambitious yet.
Enter Cold Standard, an American Lite Brew designed to go head-to-head with the biggest names in domestic light beer.
At just 45 calories and 0.29% ABV per 12-ounce can, Cold Standard is built around a refreshingly simple philosophy: crisp, classic and easy. Brewed with noble hops, it’s designed to deliver the familiar experience of an American light lager without the alcohol.
Even the packaging makes a statement. The non-alcoholic designation appears in small print rather than dominating the can. The message is clear: this is beer first, with moderation built into the experience.
Go Brewing says 70% of its customers drink for moderation, according to its own consumer surveys. That distinction matters. The brand isn’t simply chasing people who’ve abandoned alcohol altogether. It’s speaking to a much larger audience of beer drinkers who still enjoy the ritual, the flavor and the social experience but increasingly want the flexibility to drink less.
Available in six-packs and 12-packs, Cold Standard is positioned and priced to compete with mainstream light beers rather than sit exclusively in the premium non-alcoholic category.
For a brewery that launched just three years ago, the trajectory is remarkable. And with nearly 10,000 retail locations already within its distribution network, Go Brewing has the infrastructure to introduce Cold Standard to a national audience.
A Chicagoland brewery has become America’s fastest-growing brewery in its size category without relying on alcohol. Now it’s going after the everyday light beer drinker.
That’s a story worth raising a glass to.
-Nkosi
