Alchol free beer??
 

Hi,

I'm sober about 3 weeks now (**self-back pat :O). So far I've mostly just lurked at this site and find it very inspirational and comforting.

I go to meetings and am in an out-patient group. I drank about a pint of gin a day for years. I feel somewhat guilty cause my withdrawl was relatively easy -couple of nights of insomnia - especially compared to the hell some of you have been through. Also, I worry that an easy withdrawl may lead me to thinking some day that I can be a normal drinker.

I've drank a few alcohol free beers since quitting. Why? Because I like the taste and it's comforting to me in some twisted way. When I told my group this, you could feel the air being sucked out of the room. Mainly from our group leader, you'd think I'd admited to performing a human sacrifice!

I'd like to hear your opinion and advise on this subject. I'm blown away that I've gone this long without drinking and didn't think drinking fake beer was any big deal.

Have a great holiday (in the USA) week-end! It's 75 degrees here, my windows are wide open...breeze going thru the house...dogs asleep/not barking...I'm sober...life is good...

Rosie

Well, I believe alcohol-free beer actually has alcohol in it.

And, for me, it's the routine of it all. I no longer use wine glasses for anything. I'd just rather not. They bring back memories of a different time and I have moved on.

I too find that I enjoy alcohol free beer and it really doesn't make me want to go back to drinking alcohol.

Personal choice I would have thought?

sas

For an example of why alcohol "free" beer might not be a good choice please see the thread "A beer by mistake" located in our alcoholism 12 step forum. I personally stay away from it as I don't feel that I need the reminder of what a cold beer tastes like on a hot day. To me it would wind up eventually (it might take a few years) wind up leading me back to a drink. I say that because I spent a year just drinking alcohol "free" beer and it did lead me right back to drinking.

I can understand how it could be a psychological trigger for some. As far as alcohol content, it has about the same as orange juice.

Welcome to our SR Alcoholism forum...:wave:

For me...if I delibertly choose to drink or eat
food with alcohol....I would be compelled to
re start my date of sobriety.
Because I would be cheating myself and my recovery.

Good to know you are working for a sober life..:)

This subject gets a lot of hot dscussion
Here is a link to the last one

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...r-mistake.html

Would you really reset you sobriety date over a glass of OJ? Just curious...

I have drunk 6 alcohol free beers during the past week. They are Cobra 0.0% and taste good. I have not drunk alcohol and am still as determined as ever to not drink. 'Low' alcohol beer has alcohol in it. In the Uk at least, Alcohol 'Free' beer does not, to the best of my knowledge...

Yeah, the US and the UK have different qualifications:

Low-alcohol beer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here's another good link:

NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER

OJ has alcohol?

About the same as NA beer, between .2 and .5%.

I never knew that. Huh.

Even bread can have trace alcohol in it. I see no harm in alcohol free(mostly) beer, but I think it is an individual thing. It may induce some into the full flavoured variety. If you went on a 7 day alcohol free beer bender you would probably end up bloated but wouldn't experience any of the other ravages of a typical bender.

You wouldn't physically be capable of drinking enough in a short enough period of time to produce any effect.

Not according to the USDA nutritional database :)

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

D

Welcome to SR rosiebud.

I think it is a matter of whatever works for you. It could have a psychological effect for you in that it makes you feel as though you are not missing out on drinking.

For me though i couldn't drink it. My favourite drink was lager, so to drink beer with no alcohol in it would just remind me of the beer. I personally do not see the point in drinking it, i never liked drinking lesser strength beers so i know i wouldn't enjoy na beer.

I do drink lots of lemonade from a pint glass though, the kind you find in uk pubs. It's a bit of a psychological things for me. I always had a pint by my side so it's more of a comfort thing.

I can understand why some would want na beer, i think it's a case of whatever works for you!

Paul

Hmmm...

Here's an excerpt from the above link:

I think that early in recovery near beer or alcohol free beer is playing with fire if you were a beer drinker. I would never be able to drink it because I was a serious beer drinker. My Dad is 25+ years sober and I do recall him having a NA beer every once in a while. I could have a virgin daquari or margarita or the like because I never drank them. I actually made a pitcher of on the rocks ritas with lime ade and grenadine and fresh strawberries and enjoyed it this summer without any trouble, but I had trouble that day even looking at a beer bottle!
So I guess everyone is different but I wouldn't be willing to tempt myself at this point.

I remember the first time I tried to quit.. I went to the store for something else to drink and everything I came home with was in a brown bottle, LOL!

I don't need reminding of how good beer can taste. 60 days sober today and I'm still quite precious over my sobriety.