this recurring conversation is a perfect example of the differences between us. while we have many things in common, recovery is no longer a cookie-cutter thing. in the modern world we owe it to ourselves to figure out whats working and whats not.
personally, as a self identifying "beer connoisseur", i have been completely blindsided by my feelings for NA beer. not scared of it as a relapse trigger. BUT, in sobriety, i have found that beer doesnt even smell good to me anymore. i really had myself fooled about all the taste profile crap i used to talk.
when i stopped drinking, i was really upset about missing all the beer and wine nuances. i had spent years developing a vocabulary! now, dont miss it a bit. one of the big surprises about recovery. -a pleasant surprise.