A Non-Alcoholic Version of Elysian’s Popular Space Dust IPA Is Here, And We Tasted It

For more than a decade, Elysian Space Dust IPA has been one of the most recognizable beers in American craft brewing. First made by the Seattle brewery in 2012, the beer helped define a generation of hop-forward IPAs with its punchy bitterness, citrus-heavy aroma and unmistakable West Coast profile. Brewed with Chinook, Citra and Amarillo hops and clocking in at 8.2% ABV, Space Dust was entrenched as Elysian’s flagship well before the brewery was acquired by Anheuser-Busch in 2015.

Now, that familiar cosmic branding has entered a different orbit: the growing world of non-alcoholic beverages.

Newly released just in time for Dry January, Easy Dust IPA is Elysian’s non-alcoholic take on its most famous beer. Available nationwide in 12-ounce cans and containing less than 0.5% ABV, Easy Dust is aimed squarely at drinkers who want the bite of an IPA without the alcohol — whether for Dry January, moderation, or simply preference.

Taste Test: How Good Is Elysian’s Non-Alc IPA?

On the nose, Easy Dust opens with a fresh, hop-forward aroma that does a pretty nice job of replicating a classic IPA profile. Pine leads the way, followed by light maltiness and an unexpected tomato-like vegetal note that adds an intriguing savory edge.

The palate is pleasant and balanced. There’s plenty of pine and a convincing bite of IPA bitterness, though the hop intensity is dialed back compared to the original Space Dust — an understandable trade-off in the non-alcoholic format. That tomato character returns here, reading more like tomato juice, and it plays surprisingly well with the bitter-hop profile.

The finish leans malty, closing with pine and bitter grapefruit peel that lingers just long enough to remind you this is very much an IPA-inspired beverage.

Final Take

Easy Dust IPA succeeds where many non-alcoholic IPAs fall short, able to deliver a flavorful experience of legitimate bitter pale ale bite without relying on an overdose of citrus. While it doesn’t replicate the full hop blast of the original Space Dust — a tough feat at any ABV — it comes impressively close.

That savory tomato note may be divisive, but it also gives Easy Dust real food-pairing potential. This feels like a non-alcoholic beer made for pizza night, not just a compromise pour.

Read our full review of Elysian Easy Dust IPA here.

For fans of Space Dust looking to cut back without abandoning hops entirely, Easy Dust offers a familiar — if slightly altered — landing point.