This golden ale-style non-alcoholic beer was released way back in 2018 when Athletic Brewing was first founded, making it an OG offering. Given the history and the hype behind this beer, I was eager to try it.
I’ve tried something like five Athletic Brewing beers in the last week and I can confidently say that Upside Dawn is one of my favorites, if not my favorite so far.
Read on for my tasting notes in this Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn review.

Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn Review
Looks
Upside Dawn pours a pale golden color that’s just the slightest bit hazy.
A two-finger foam head with medium retention stuck around for about 1 minute before dissipating into a foamy lace around the rim of the glass. There was a medium amount of carbonation.
Aroma
I thought the aroma was super fruity and dominated by tropical fruits like mango, orange, and peach.
There were some hints of malt and caramel in the background as well.

Taste
The flavors are deliciously fruity from the hops. Most of the aromas were present on the palate as well, specifically mango, peach, and grapefruit.
There’s also some hoppy bitterness that hangs around mid-sip before transitioning to a smooth, sweet finish.
I found the mouthfeel to be medium-light and well-suited for this style of beer.
Customer Reviews
I wanted to see what other customers thought about Upside Dawn, so I went on Untappd and Amazon for their reviews.
Overall, Upside Dawn has a 3.26-out-of-5-star rating on Untappd with more than 14,000 customer reviews, and a 4.7-out-of-5-star rating on Amazon from 300+ customer reviews.
I can see that most of the customers enjoyed the mouthfeel and hoppiness, which is something I experienced too.
Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn Ingredients
Upside Dawn contains water, organic Vienna Malt, malted barley, oats, hops, wheat, and yeast.
Vienna malt is a common ingredient in Athletic Brewing’s beers. It adds a malty sweetness and aroma to the final product, while also importing a subtle biscuit flavor.
Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn Calories
A 12oz/355mL can of Upside Dawn golden contains 45 calories, 10g* of carbohydrates, <1g of protein, and 0g of fat.
*I noticed that Athletic Brewing’s website lists Upside Dawn as having 12g of carbohydrates. My guess is that this discrepancy results from a recent formula change.
Avg Quantity Per Serving (355ml/12oz) | |
---|---|
Calories | 45 kcal |
Carbohydrates | 10g |
Protein | <1g |
Fat | 0g |

Final Verdict Of My Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn Review
This is a non-alcoholic beer I can drink over and over again.
What I like about it is that the flavor profile is complex enough to be interesting, but not so complex that the flavors get jumbled up.
On top of that, I really appreciated the hoppy fruitiness of this brew.
While not exactly typical for a golden ale, this flavor profile reminded me of drinking a milder version of a juicy IPA. And if you’ve read any of my other posts, you know how much I love IPAs.
Best For:
- Those who love fruity, hoppy beers
Not Recommended For:
- If you’re looking for a classic golden ale taste
Where to Buy Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn Golden
US customers can find singles, 4-packs, 6-packs, 12-packs, and 24-packs of Upside Dawn on Proof No More.
UK-based customers can purchase Upside Dawn from Dry Drinker. It’s available in 8-packs, 16-packs, or 24-packs.
Other Upside Dawn FAQs
Is Upside Dawn Gluten-Free?
According to Athletic Brewing, Upside Dawn is a gluten-removed golden ale.
Essentially, two of Upside Dawn’s ingredients (malted barley and wheat) aren’t all gluten-free, but the beer has been treated to break down the gluten proteins into small enough bits that they won’t be recognized by the body.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find out which process Athletic Brewing uses to remove the gluten from Upside Dawn. However, a common method involves using an enzyme called Clarex to break down the gluten proteins.
While very effective, this process doesn’t completely remove gluten and those with a gluten allergy may still experience negative effects from drinking gluten-reduced beers.
Knowing that, plus the fact that Athletic Brewing can’t verify the exact gluten content of Upside Dawn, makes me think that those with gluten allergies (especially severe ones) should avoid this brew.
Alternatively, you can try drinking a little bit and seeing how you feel. As always, if you have any doubts, consult your doctor, nutritionist, or another trusted healthcare provider.
Is Upside Dawn Vegan?
All of Athletic Brewing’s beers, including Upside Dawn, are vegan. More specifically, this means that they contain zero animal products or byproducts.
Not only does Athletic Brewing put the vegan label on its cans, but several company representatives have confirmed that their products conform to a plant-based diet.
We know it can be a challenge finding vegan non-alcoholic beers, so we put together a list of The Best Vegan Non-Alcoholic Beers We Love to help you discover even more delicious options.
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