Kalona

Are you a fan of craft beer but looking for a non-alcoholic option?

If you live in Iowa or the Midwest, Bulltown Brewing may have you covered.

Open Gates Group, which owns the Kalona Creamery, recently launched Bulltown Brewing, a Kalona-based non-alcoholic craft beer company.

Ties to Kalona and Washington county

Bulltown Brewing is located in Kalona near the creamery and was founded in early 2025 by Open Gates CEO Bill Evans.

The company also has several ties to the area. General Manager Monte Davis previously coached girls’ basketball at Washington, where he won three straight state championships from 1999-2001. Davis coached the Demons for about 10 years, with his final season coming in 2001.

Getting Bulltown Brewing started

Although Bulltown Brewing officially launched in 2025, Davis said the idea had been in development for several years.

“Bulltown itself has been in the works for a little over three years. It took us about three years to get to the point where we could launch.”

Flavors

Bulltown released its first beverage, Blonde, at the beginning of this year and recently added three more options: Raspberry Radler, Grapefruit Radler and IPA.

The IPA offers a more traditional beer flavor, while the Raspberry and Grapefruit Radlers provide a sweeter option.

Non-alcoholic beer

Crafting non-alcoholic beer requires a unique process, and Davis explained that Bulltown uses equipment called an Alchemator to remove the alcohol.

“It then is run through what’s called an Alchemator, and that process pushes the liquid through a membrane, which removes the alcohol molecules.”

Davis said a 20-barrel brew is reduced to about four barrels of beer concentrate before being rehydrated and run through the Alchemator again.

“When they rehydrate it for the final time, it brings the alcohol content below 0.5% ABV, which is considered a non-alcoholic beer.”

Younger generation

As younger generations, such as Gen Z, become more conscious about alcohol consumption, Davis said it has created an opportunity for the non-alcoholic beer market.

“Gen Z drinkers are looking for more of a health benefit. They’re choosing it because they don’t want the effects alcohol can cause, whether it’s how they feel the next day or the lack of control they may experience while drinking.”

Davis said NA beer also allows people to participate in social settings without consuming alcohol.

“They can still be part of the social group and have an NA beer in hand while enjoying the flavor. It checks a lot of boxes for them without the negative side effects.”

He also said removing the alcohol can make the beverage an option for active people.

“When you remove the alcohol from beer, it becomes a great hydration option. For people who are really active with things like biking and hiking, it can be a nice alternative if that’s a flavor profile they enjoy.”

Kalona SuperNatural

When asked why Open Gates wanted to enter the NA beer market, Evans pointed to the company's experience with Kalona SuperNatural, which began 22 years ago.

Evans said they have seen similarities between the growth of organic dairy products and the changing market for non-alcoholic beverages.

“People are becoming more conscious of what they eat and drink, which has significantly increased organic dairy sales over the past 20 years.”

When it came time to name the new brand, Evans said they wanted something connected to the community.

“We were looking for a brand name, and Bulltown is a nickname for Kalona. We considered several other options, but we liked the way Bulltown sounded, so we went with it. We then registered the trademark and went from there.”

Retailers

Bulltown Brewing is currently available throughout much of the Midwest, including Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri and Nebraska, along with California.

Davis said the company works through the Anheuser-Busch distribution network.

“The products are distributed for us through the Anheuser-Busch network. We get them to 7G Distributing in Cedar Rapids, and from there, they distribute the products to retailers throughout the area.”

Bulltown products are currently available in 371 stores, including Hy-Vee, Fareway, independent grocery stores, liquor stores, bars and restaurants.

The company has also promoted its products at events such as RAGBRAI and the Iowa State Fair, where samples were handed out at the Iowa Craft Beer Tent.

Beginning October 1, Bulltown will also be available at the Alliant Energy Power House in Cedar Rapids.

Branding

Bulltown's cans were designed to have the appearance of a traditional beer while representing Midwest values.

“If you look at craft beer cans, we wanted something with a more traditional look. For someone who might normally drink a Busch Light but wants to have an NA beer, they can grab a Bulltown, and unless you look closely at the can, they don’t have to explain why they aren’t drinking.”

Davis said consistency has also been important to the brand.

“We wanted it so that when you pick up the can, you know exactly what you’re getting. We’ve stayed very consistent with that because we want people to love the product and continue coming back to it.”

Social media

Special Events & Marketing Director Robert Aultman said social media has played a major role in growing the Bulltown brand.

“That consistent message and being the same every day is really important to people because it builds trust.”

Bulltown has developed an online community around people who enjoy non-alcoholic beer while remaining involved in everyday activities.

“We found a community that really just loves to drink non-alcoholic beer, but then still be involved in everyday lifestyle things.”

One of the company's regular social media features is “Dad Joke Friday,” where they post short videos featuring corny dad jokes. Bulltown also works with influencers and recently partnered with creator Chris Clemens.

Aultman said interacting directly with followers has been another important part of building the brand.

“When people comment or reach out to us on a DM, just connecting and reaching out to them, they want someone that’s real instead of just a page.”

Changing the perception

Part of Bulltown's approach is changing how people view non-alcoholic beer.

Because it contains less than 0.5% ABV, consumers can enjoy an NA beer in situations where they may not want the effects associated with traditional beer.

Whether someone is doing work around the house, spending time outdoors or socializing with friends, Bulltown's goal is to provide the familiar experience and flavor of a beer without the alcohol.