From Charlie Sheen to John Mulaney, Sober Comedians Are Cashing in Big With Nonalcoholic Beer

This article is a part of The Daily Pour’s Sober October Week, a full week of content dedicated to the phenomenon that is Sober October — a month during which many lay off booze altogether or perhaps take it easy. This week focuses on all things non-alcoholic, from beer to wine to spirits to functional beverages and beyond. Click here to check out the rest of our Sober October content.

(Photo: Harpoon Brewery)

The bond between comedian and beer brand is a sacred (and immensely lucrative) thing. Whether it’s Will Ferrell walking through a field of flowers for an Old Milwaukee ad spot or Norm MacDonald straddling up to a bar with a bottle of Miller Lite in hand, the idea of a down-to-earth funnyman is so ingrained in American beer culture that nary a month goes by without a new sponsorship deal signed. Andy Samberg, Seth Rogen, Cedric the Entertainer, Colin Jost and, most recently, Shane Gillis are among the most famous stars who have lent their comedic chops to the age-old combo. By the time Super Bowl LX rolls around, we’d be willing to bet that a few more have been recruited to the cause.

It should come as no surprise, then, that nonalcoholic beer is betting big on a similar concept. Between 2019 and 2024, NA beer sales in the United States climbed by a staggering 175%, with revenue in 2025 on track to reach at least $7.5 billion. Projections suggest that growth won’t slow down anytime soon. It’s a new category with a lot to prove, and established players have been quick to replicate what works.

Dax Shepard, best known for his roles in “Punk’d,” “Idiocracy” and “Parenthood,” was one of the first comedians to get in on the industry. In 2022, the “Armchair Expert” podcast host launched Ted Segers, a nonalcoholic beer brand that — according to promo materials — was designed “by and for” alcoholics. Shepard has been open about his struggles with sobriety over the decades, at one point detailing his relapse with painkillers in late 2020. His beer brand thus became something of a personal statement, a means of moving forward and a call to action for others.

And others soon followed. In September, Charlie Sheen joined forces with Harpoon Brewery to launch Wild AF, a nonalcoholic subsidiary designed to emulate the look and feel of a ballpark beer. Its first offering, simply titled Cold Gold, is labeled with splashy shades of red, white and blue, and is said to combine flavors of citrus and toasted malt.

(Photo: Years)

Less than a week later, John Mulaney signed on as the face of Years, an NA beermaker based in his hometown of Chicago. The partnership kicked off with an expectedly tongue-in-cheek campaign. Relaxing on a lawn chair, Mulaney jokes that his wife had come home to find him pounding beers. “‘You’re drinking again? What the f–k, John?’,” he recalls. “And I went — ‘Relax. It’s Years.'”

All of these brands contain the same kernel of an idea. An honest, on-the-sleeve reappraisal of a comedian’s past partying days — in the case of Shepard, Sheen and Mulaney, days that played out quite loudly in the public eye. Though it’d be a step too far to call it image rehabilitation, it’s clear that NA beer presents a unique opportunity to address and cleverly integrate controversies of the past.

Alcohol brands could learn a thing or two from the approach. Time and time again, A-listers have ventured into the liquor, wine and beer industries only to be labeled as phonies. In some cases, celebrities promote a trendy spirit with total disregard for its regional roots. In others, an out-and-out sober star will happily sign on to co-lead a thoroughly boozy product (we can think of at least two examples).

The rise of nonalcoholic beverages has further cemented the distinction. The category’s most famous benefactors — Tom Holland, Lewis Hamilton, Danny Trejo — have managed to combine clever marketing with moving personal stories. A much-needed touch of authenticity in an industry that’s often accused of being anything but.