Behind the Bottle
Why We're Building
No. 86
A non-alcoholic whiskey built for people who miss the ritual, not the alcohol.
The Problem
The ritual was
always the point.
Most people think No. 86 started because we wanted another beverage company. It didn't.
It started because we missed the glass. The pause. The moment. The five minutes at the end of a long day that belong to no one else.
Alcohol was never the point. The ritual was. We just needed something worth pouring.
Sean Sailes — Founder
Former Navy Corpsman · San Diego
The Build
172 formulas.
One made the cut.
001–031
The sweet problem.
Every early build came out too sweet. We were leaning on natural extracts to fake depth — but depth doesn't fake. The first 31 formulas went down the drain.
032–141
Finding the weight.
A real whiskey has weight — tannins, texture, the way it sits on your palate. Tea-based extracts, wood infusions, a dozen botanicals. We scrapped a full production run in month eight. Right call.
172
This one.
Warm on arrival. Oak and vanilla without the sweetness. A finish that lingers dry. Formula 172 is the one we'd have stopped at if we'd been lucky enough to get here sooner.
The Community
The notes
we kept.
First NA whiskey that didn't taste like apology water. I keep it in the same cabinet as the real stuff. My friends don't know the difference unless I tell them.
Marcus T. · Denver, CO
I poured it neat at 8pm and watched a movie with my wife instead of falling asleep on the couch at 9. Small thing. Big thing.
James K. · Chicago, IL
I'm not sober. I just don't want to drink every night. This is the thing I was looking for and couldn't find anywhere.
David R. · San Diego, CA
Took it to a dinner party. Nobody asked why I wasn't drinking. That's the highest compliment I can give.
Sarah M. · Austin, TX
Where It's Being Poured
One bottle
at a time.
The Proof So Far
Small numbers.
Real momentum.
172
Formulas
15,000+
Estimated Pours
9
Bars Carrying No. 86
31
States Reached
75
Founding Members
SD
Born in San Diego
What We're Building Next
Not dreams.
Real projects.
Building in Public
You're seeing this
while it's still being built.
Jun2026
Competition
Two competitions. Results this month.
We entered the Pr%f Awards and the International Non-Alcoholic Competition. Results come in this month. We'll post them here the moment we know.
26May 2026
Release
Founders' Cut goes to print.
Formula 172 is locked. Release II ships in six days. If you're on the list, you'll get the call first.
22May 2026
Distribution
Nine bars across San Diego.
This bar network has been 15 years in the making — The Hills, The Waterfront, Werewolf, Sycamore Den, and five more. It's starting to move on its own.
14May 2026
Community
A reader in Chicago changed how we think about this.
He wrote in to say the first night he tried No. 86, he sat with his wife on the back porch for an hour. He hadn't done that in a year. That email lives in a folder we keep.
Follow the Journey
No. 86 is still early.
That's the fun part.
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