TexasNative

My problem with it is simple...its as or usually more expensive than Miller, it tastes like s&%t, and its an invite to be asked by everybody who sees it why your drinking it. Just my two pennies. Pepsi Max does it for me.

theatredork

Personally I would have an issue with it because the smell would make me think of "real" beer and getting drunk.... which makes me nervous. Different for everyone, though, I suppose.

Pachystima

I switched to club soda when I quit. I find that it satisfies my thirst well and it is enough more than "just a glass of water" that it feels a little special.

There is no way I could stay away from alcohol over the long haul if I were to try substituting "near beer" for the real thing. The psychology would be wrong. It would feel as thouogh I was continuing to drink but without the buzz. And, I fear, the desire for the buzz would eventually win.

To me, the whole objective of the exercise is to stop drinking. If you have to give up things you enjoy that make you think of alcohol then so be it. Quitting drinking is easy; staying quit is tough. Any reminder of your old "drinking culture" such as the flavor of beer or the smell of a martini (my Achilles heel) is bound to make it even tougher.

ClayTheScribe

I would say be careful of transferring addictions. I quit drinking two years ago, but went heavy into drinking sugary drinks and consuming sugar. No surprise since alcohol is mostly sugar, but then I got myself addicted to sugar and am just starting to lower my sugar intake. I found for me that having too much sugar, especially sugary drinks, made my anxiety worse which made my insomnia, already made worse from going sober, even worse. I have consumed alcohol free wine and kombucha without much risk internally of me falling off the wagon, but that was after I had sobriety for a while. I wouldn't recommend drinking anything that reminds you, no matter how subtle, of drinking in early sobriety. It's just one more bit of ammunition for your addictive mind, which I guarantee is working overtime, now that you've quit, to get you to drink again, even if you're not actively aware of it.

Dee74

my experience mirrors most of the others here... I was a beer drinker and I found that drinking something that looked like beer, tasted like beer and even came in a nice frosty can like beer just reinforced all my old behaviours....

I think it also allowed me a certain amount of vicarousness...I was still in some way a drinker.

My experience with it as a moderating agent were not successful.

I know the Coopers brand which is the brand sold in Coles and Woolies still has an alc. content - or it did 5 years ago.

I remember being buzzed but not enough (and very bloated) - so I'd always turn to a 'heavy' beer...

D

David 1

Playing with fire for sure - As others said why take the chance that you are one of the people that the smell, taste, etc., may be a trigger for you? My counselor in outpatient treatment was strongly against non-alcoholic beer since it may be a reinforcer of drinking behavior (beer).

Oddly, I always hated beer, any kind of beer. I did not like the taste, carbs or calories. Give me a great Pinot or Cab however ... I did try the fake wine once (pre-sobriety) and I would not even use that in cooking!

Dave

Nitram

I think non-alcoholic beer etc can do some good in this regard. You get to enjoy it without any hassle with alcohol. However I imagine it can bring some people back to alcohol, but I guess it's all up to the consumer.

Can you smell a non-alcoholic beer without feeling like drinking one with alcohol? Do you get thirsty for the taste or for the effect? Buy 1 alcohol-free beer, open it and smell it. See how you feel. If you want to drink - throw it the cr*p away and never look back. If you don't feel like getting hammered - go get some more for the taste.

least

For me the NA stuff didn't do it. I drank to get drunk, not for the taste or 'enjoying' it. I drank to get wasted so there's no point for me in drinking NA substitutes.

TheEnd

I don't know if it's a bad idea, rather it seems kind of pointless to me.

hbsmummy

Thank you for all your opinions. North, I am in Japan, and yes, there are several brands that have 0.00% alcohol. It is popular because it actually tastes good (I think).

spqr

Yes its a bad idea. Have you seen how much that stuff costs?

Zebra1275

In my opinion drinking non-alcoholic beer is like playing with fire.

hbsmummy

spqr, yes, I know how much it costs. I've had it. Where I am a beer with alcohol costs 260 yen, about US $3, and a non-alcohol beer costs about 100 yen, about US $1.50.

Dee74

didn't realise you were in Japan right now - my apologies hbsmummy

D

hbsmummy

No problem, Dee. We moved back to Australia after the tsunami and radiation stuff. We were fairly close, and our son was 13 months old at the time. We have been back in Japan for 10 weeks cleaning/packing/helping family, and will stay another 3 weeks or so before going back to Australia.

David 1

I love Australia - I was in Sydney last year and will be going to Kangaroo Island early next year. Although, I thought New Zealand (your neighbor) was the most breathtaking place I have ever been.



Take care,

Dave

hbsmummy

My husband and I really want to go to NZ, because we love birdwatching. The nature is supposed to be amazing there. Will be easier to get there living in Aus. rather than the Northern hemisphere!

hapsman92

I personally would rather get away from all similar substances (in the beginning of recovery at least) and then MAYBE try those things later down the road. Everyone's different though.

David 1

Sorry about the size of my picture of the Sydney Opera House - I took that picture at night from our hotel room!

In New Zealand, I stayed in Arrowtown after a stop at Cape Kidnappers.

Dave

sorry to get off topic

Dee74

Welcome hapsman

D