ChaoticSunshine

Hey guys,

Just trying to get a feel for replacing alcohol with non-alcohol beer or whatever other non-alcoholic beverages may exist. Does it help in recovery or hurt? I went to the grocery store tonight (TRIGGER) and was about to buy a six pack of non-alcoholic beer, but put it back.

I feel like I should replace with ANYTHING else but something that tastes like alcohol. I do genuinely like the taste of some beers, but when I got to the point of just drinking to get trashed it was about shotgunning as many as possible and the lighter the better so it goes down easier.

I guess what I'm saying is that I don't know if non-alcohol beer is even a good idea for me because i'm not sure if I miss the taste nearly as much as I miss the buzz. But if I'm questioning it, I should probably stay away.

Does anyone here drink non-alcoholic beer? What have yall's experiences with it been in terms of your own recovery?

BackToSquareOne

I always drank for the effects so I wouldn't see any point to it.

Dee74

my experience is they led me back to the real thing, so it's a from me.

D

least

I drank to get drunk, not for the taste of it. I've tasted NA beer and wine and think it's all nasty. But no, if you're questioning it that could be a warning from your subconcious to think twice. I wouldn't advise it.

CarolD

the only time I drank beer was when there was nothing else available....
I disliked the taste and it took too long for the desired high.

First...check the labels ...the ones I know about do have a trace of alcohol. ...but I've not been interested in buying any
I've been a non drinker for years and will stay that way... .

My beverages of choice are Water and Iced tea..both with Lemon wedges.

ChaoticSunshine

Okay yeah that's my fear. That and the .5% alcohol.

Reset

When I was a kid I thought beer tasted like crap. But I learned to like it because of the effect.

Now that I quit I'm starting to remember what it was like to be a kid again.

Let it go. There are way better tasting things to drink.

Beebizzy

I didn't drink for the taste, so there would be no point. Now I drink sparkling water with lime or lemon and herbal teas.

north

I am a big fan of non-alcoholic beer - and the stuff I get here in Asia is 0.00%. That being said, I order a lot more iced tea and coffee than n.a. beer these days; today was brunch with numerous cups of coffee and a chocolate milkshake in the afternoon while at the sports bar (watching the rugby world cup).

HOWEVER when I read the OP, it seemed to indicate there would be potentially a lot of psychological triggers that might be activated by going for n.a. beer. If you are not 100% certain, then by all means, err on the side of protecting your sobriety!!! There are plenty of alternative choices that are similarly non-sweet & dry like iced tea.

The resistance to n.a. beers seems much stronger from Americans. In Europe, n.a. beers are much more part of the scenery by non-alcoholics. They often want taste & thirst quenching qualities but not the alcohol when out hiking or doing outdoor sports that require concentration. Likewise, I believe alcoholics in recovery there would have less of an issue with n.a. beer...

Dee74

I'm Australian

My attitude comes purely from my experience - for me, as a beer drinker, something that looks like beer, tastes like beer, smells like beer and comes in a can like beer set off old behaviours.

It may not be so for someone else - but I can hardly talk about someone else's experience

D

SomethingBetter

Root Beer! Thats about as close as I get!

SoberNVa

the times I tried it,it inevitably led me back to drinking the real stuff. I know now that I was drinking it to try and recapture the experience of drinking without actually "drinking" it looked like beer ,tasted like beer ,packaged like beer. I was trying to "get away" with something. I leave it alone and drink things that dont resemble alcoholic beverages in any way.

Justfor1

I know some people who have been sober for years and drink non-alcoholic beer on occasion. There is probably more alcohol in mouthwash or orange juice than a non-alcoholic beer. Drinking beer took too long for me to feel drunk. If they ever come out with non-alcoholic Vodka, I think I would try it. IMO non-alcoholic is a waste of money. It costs just as much as real beer and you don't feel intoxicated.

Sudz No More

For me, it only reinforced the mental behavior associated with drinking real beer. Eventually I would "try" some of the real stuff again to really see if it tasted different.

It never satisfied me and always left a desire. I read that it helps some overcome the habit but I won't take the chance anymore.

bmwcycle

I have one very rarely, with fried oysters and Habanaro sauce, because I like the taste of beer with Oysters, other than that I do not care for it. Now I want fried Oysters!!

CarolD

Have you considered not eating foods that you once paired with alcohol?

I quit drinking V-8 as that was something I associated to alcohol....

ImReadyToQuit

I find club soda with lemon does the trick for me...

NA Beer always led me back to alcohol like Dee74 said..

Steer clear.

bmwcycle

I have but it has not been an issue.

I didn't care that much for beer when I drank but I liked it with fried oysters so I have a NA beer when I have Oysters.

I also like Bloody Mary mix and had one yesterday while watching football. I could not imagine not having clams in white wine with garlic or making red sauce with out a little red wine. All the Alcohol is cooked off before eating. These are things that bring me great pleasure, I realize for some this could be too much temptation, but for me it is not.

I could find that there are triggers to my drinking everywhere in my daily life but I would not have time to enjoy myself. To me on the rare occasion I decide to have a NA beer is not a big deal. I gave up drinking not living.

Just my experiences,

SoberHooligan

Non-alcoholic beer is for non-alcoholics.

I drank it way back when I wanted the wife off my back but it just reminded me why I drank beer and it wasn't the taste.

I've been sober 7 months now, I wouldn't risk my sobriety for anything, much less the taste of something that tried to kill me.

SH

KellyToronto

Didn't work for me - the taste, alone, triggered me to go buy the real thing.

Please steer clear, in my humble opinion.

Kelly