The Journey to ON

ON Beer has been a labour of love, and frankly at times, a pain in the arse.

We always knew we wanted to make a better Alcohol Free beer by using plant science to create a real beer-like effect - relaxing and uplifting.

We also wanted to make sure it tasted awesome, all the ingredients were natural - and legal! - and we wanted proof that it worked!

It took almost two years to get there, but we hope if you’re reading this, you think it was worth the effort to crack getting p*ssed on plants.

Why does this blend work?

Turns out the selected botanicals contribute to a multi-layered process involving adaptogenic, stimulant, and bioavailability-enhancing properties.

Maca, ginseng, and rhodiola are the core adaptogens, to enhance mood, reduce stress, and build resilience.

Damiana and muira puama ease anxiety and boost focus, create an adaptogenic layer that provides cognitive resilience and reduces stress-induced fatigue.

Guarana adds a gentle energy lift, supporting the adaptogens to prevent jitters, while bio-enhancers pepper and licorice amplify the absorption and effectiveness of the entire blend.

How we got there

Stage 1 - Handpicked from Hundreds

We started with a target list of well over 100 powerful plants

Were they safe and legal?

Could we source them sustainably and consistently?

One by one we whittled down to handful of candidates.

Stage 2 - Sourcing the Goods

Once we had our candidate list we hit the lab.

Each botanical needed a different extraction to get the best out of it

We fine tuned our approach to get to the good stuff

Stage 3 - Getting high on your own supply

Then we had to test the extracts. Onset, intensity, duration.

Some disappointed, some were just a little bit too much, and some were just plain weird (looking at you mystery root #47) but the ones that hit right made it to the beta blend

Stage 4 - From seedball to speedball

Even with the final shortlist, there were infinite ways to combine.

We ran countless trials to dial in the effect, exploring combinations, tweaking proportions, and testing dosages. Eventually, we got to one that felt like a pretty damn good beer buzz.

FOCUS

IMMUNITY

LONGEVITY

DE-STRESS

Stage 5 - Crafting flavour from effect

We knew ON had to taste great…and like a beer. Whacking 11 grams of esoteric flora into a standard Alc-Free wasn’t going to get us there, We worked hard to find the hops and malts that would work with the plants to create a distinctive, realistic pale ale taste.

Stage 6 - scaling the brew

Then the “easy” bit… making all that work at scale, 120hectalitres at a time…

Integrating the blend into a fullscale brewing operation, whilst maintaining effect, stability and flavour. Lets just say there were a few false started here, but we got there, and in November 2024, almost two years are the journey started, we launched ON beer

Stage 1 - Handpicked from Hundreds

We started with a target list of well over 100 powerful plants

Were they safe and legal?

Could we source them sustainably and consistently?

One by one we whittled down to handful of candidates.

Stage 2 - Sourcing the Goods

Once we had our candidate list we hit the lab.

Each botanical needed a different extraction to get the best out of it

We fine tuned our approach to get to the good stuff

Stage 3 - Getting high on your own supply

Then we had to test the extracts. Onset, intensity, duration.

Some disappointed, some were just a little bit too much, and some were just plain weird (looking at you mystery root #47) but the ones that hit right made it to the beta blend

Stage 4 - From seedball to speedball

Even with the final shortlist, there were infinite ways to combine.

We ran countless trials to dial in the effect, exploring combinations, tweaking proportions, and testing dosages. Eventually, we got to one that felt like a pretty damn good beer buzz.

FOCUS

IMMUNITY

LONGEVITY

DE-STRESS

Stage 5 - Crafting flavour from effect

We knew ON had to taste great…and like a beer. Whacking 11 grams of esoteric flora into a standard Alc-Free wasn’t going to get us there, We worked hard to find the hops and malts that would work with the plants to create a distinctive, realistic pale ale taste.

Stage 6 - scaling the brew

Then the “easy” bit… making all that work at scale, 120hectalitres at a time…

Integrating the blend into a fullscale brewing operation, whilst maintaining effect, stability and flavour. Lets just say there were a few false started here, but we got there, and in November 2024, almost two years are the journey started, we launched ON beer

Backing Our Claims:

WE knew we had cracked it: an alcohol-free beer that genuinely delivers the goods, through legal, powerful botanicals, all while tasting great and remaining shelf-stable.

Making bold claims is one thing—proving them is another. 

The Double-Blind Study

In the first of its kind double-blind placebo trial at a renown UK University, ON Beer demonstrated a 'clinically proven, alcohol-like effect' mirroring the relaxing qualities often sought in alcohol consumption but achieved through a plant-powered, non-alcoholic formulation.

While the study results highlighted this key effect, the controlled laboratory conditions, where participants were seated without external stimuli for over an hour, likely muted the broader nuanced outcomes.

These findings emphasised the importance of testing in real-world scenarios to fully capture the potential of ON Beer, which is why we commissioned to undertake a Cohort Study with Repeated Measures, whilst placing an embargo on the university trails to ensure the broader research context and outcomes are accurately represented before public release.

The Cohort Study

This study employed a Prospective Observational Cohort Design with Repeated Measures. This method involves a single-arm trial where participants’ subjective experiences were systematically assessed at multiple intervals following consumption of ON Beer.

47 participants, aged 18 and above, with no medical contraindications, took part in this remote study. Each participant consumed two bottles of ON Beer over the course of the study, with the first bottle consumed from baseline to 15 minutes and the second bottle from 15 to 30 minutes. Participants self-reported their subjective states at three distinct time points: Baseline (before drinking), 15 minutes (after the first bottle), and 30 minutes (after the second bottle).

Participants rated their current state by sliding along a 0–100 scale for each metric. Utilising real-time data collection through structured visual analog scales, the study captured shifts in key metrics such as sociability, relaxation, and energy, providing a robust assessment of ON Beer’s efficacy over a controlled observational period. 

This remote study approach provided a convenient, reliable way to capture real-time data from participants in their natural environments, offering valuable insights into the effects of ON Beer over time.

Our ongoing Commitment

At ON Beer, we’re all about unlocking the untapped potential of plants and showing what they’re really capable of.

With a mix of curiosity, science, and a touch of daring, we’re pushing the boundaries to create the next generation of drinks.

Our mission is to harness the power of plants, and put them to work in ways that are exciting, effective, and enjoyable. Because when nature delivers, we all win.