NA Beer.
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
It's an oft discussed topic here - most feel it's not a good idea. I personally drank it for a while after I quit regular beer, I was exclusively a beer drinker. After not too long I noticed myself drinking it almost like I had regular beer- drinking fast, sneaking it, etc. Wasn't a good situation for me so I quit that as well, there are plenty of other zero alchohol beverages that taste a lot better anyway.
Probably the most important question is to ask yourself what your motivation is for wanting to drink it.
Probably the most important question is to ask yourself what your motivation is for wanting to drink it.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 11,417
My motivation is because quality Dutch near beer is very tasty and enhances the flavor of many foods which I have always enjoyed with beer when I drank:
Thai food
Ball park food
BBQ
It's also nice to have a cold one after a long week when husband has a real beer.
Not all the time, but when the sun is warm and the deck is set up and ready for the sunset watch.
I have never found myself abusing it, and I would say I maybe drink three six packs a year.
I just get tired of people saying nobody should drink it when many people have no problem. If you do have a problem with it, of course avoid it.
Thai food
Ball park food
BBQ
It's also nice to have a cold one after a long week when husband has a real beer.
Not all the time, but when the sun is warm and the deck is set up and ready for the sunset watch.
I have never found myself abusing it, and I would say I maybe drink three six packs a year.
I just get tired of people saying nobody should drink it when many people have no problem. If you do have a problem with it, of course avoid it.
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: canada
Posts: 7,242
GD,
i haven't had any. and that's mostly because my own personal take on it is that i would be using it as a substitute in some way. and certainly because i don't want the alcohol that's in it. but in the past some other people have pointed out to me that fruit juice also has a slight amount of alcohol, and after googling it that seems to be so.
but i think ScotfromWI's question about why you'd be drinking it is the crucial one.
many who drink it i hear say: to not feel so different at a social event. to have something special. to have the taste of beer. to have a little bit of the "old feeling" without the crap that came with it.
to me, these would all mean that i hadn't stopped being engaged with romancing the stuff, being meshed up with it and entangling still, that i really hadn't let go.
what are your own thoughts?
i haven't had any. and that's mostly because my own personal take on it is that i would be using it as a substitute in some way. and certainly because i don't want the alcohol that's in it. but in the past some other people have pointed out to me that fruit juice also has a slight amount of alcohol, and after googling it that seems to be so.
but i think ScotfromWI's question about why you'd be drinking it is the crucial one.
many who drink it i hear say: to not feel so different at a social event. to have something special. to have the taste of beer. to have a little bit of the "old feeling" without the crap that came with it.
to me, these would all mean that i hadn't stopped being engaged with romancing the stuff, being meshed up with it and entangling still, that i really hadn't let go.
what are your own thoughts?
Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Bklyn. NY
Posts: 1,859
For some people, it leads them back to a drink. For others it has no effect whatsoever. I'm like Hawkeye. I have one from time to time. Doubt I've had more than 3 sixpacks in a year. I've gone years with none at all, and it's not something I really think about. I drink about as much of that as I do soda, and when people ask what kind of soda I like I usually say I don't drink soda 
. Water is my beverage of choice.
As for the alcohol content thing, I always feel I have to add this for those who might be unaware. Yes, there is a very small percentage of alcohol in NA beer, but there's less alcohol in a bottle of O'doulls than there is in a bottle of 7up, or OJ (and lots of other soft drinks). Only reason it's written on the bottle of NA beer is because it's labelled as non-alcoholic, and it's required by law if they make that claim. If someone considers drinking an NA beer a slip, then they best start counting days from their last 7up. This is all easily googled info.
IMO, it's a gamble. And a dangerous one. I took that gamble almost 30 years ago (with moosey which tastes nothing like beer), and guess I got lucky. For others it was a disaster. I agree that you should be checking your motivation. And then seriously ask yourself if it's worth the gamble. If you're new to sobriety, you might also want to hold off for a year or more.
. Water is my beverage of choice.As for the alcohol content thing, I always feel I have to add this for those who might be unaware. Yes, there is a very small percentage of alcohol in NA beer, but there's less alcohol in a bottle of O'doulls than there is in a bottle of 7up, or OJ (and lots of other soft drinks). Only reason it's written on the bottle of NA beer is because it's labelled as non-alcoholic, and it's required by law if they make that claim. If someone considers drinking an NA beer a slip, then they best start counting days from their last 7up
. This is all easily googled info.IMO, it's a gamble. And a dangerous one. I took that gamble almost 30 years ago (with moosey which tastes nothing like beer), and guess I got lucky. For others it was a disaster. I agree that you should be checking your motivation. And then seriously ask yourself if it's worth the gamble. If you're new to sobriety, you might also want to hold off for a year or more.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Out in the Sticks
Posts: 1,788
I have drank some of it before ,Its ok I guess .
Can take it or leave it .
Not my personal favorite choice of drinks , Ill take a tall glass of Ice and water ,with a slice of lime ,That would be my favorite
Can take it or leave it .
Not my personal favorite choice of drinks , Ill take a tall glass of Ice and water ,with a slice of lime ,That would be my favorite
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,572
It should be called LOW alcohol beer.
If you took a regular beer, and poured it into water, would that be drinking?
I am sober, I.E. I do not drink ANY alcohol.
Drinking non alcoholic beer is like switching from whiskey to beer.
As someone who has had serious withdrawal, I have no idea how much alcohol it takes to trigger cravings or even withdrawal symptoms. I carefully even avoid alcohol in food after eating pasta at a restaurant that had booze in the sauce, and I felt terrible afterwards.
If you took a regular beer, and poured it into water, would that be drinking?
I am sober, I.E. I do not drink ANY alcohol.
Drinking non alcoholic beer is like switching from whiskey to beer.
As someone who has had serious withdrawal, I have no idea how much alcohol it takes to trigger cravings or even withdrawal symptoms. I carefully even avoid alcohol in food after eating pasta at a restaurant that had booze in the sauce, and I felt terrible afterwards.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,572
Originally Posted by Joe Nerv 
For some people, it leads them back to a drink. For others it has no effect whatsoever. I'm like Hawkeye. I have one from time to time. Doubt I've had more than 3 sixpacks in a year. I've gone years with none at all, and it's not something I really think about. I drink about as much of that as I do soda, and when people ask what kind of soda I like I usually say I don't drink soda . Water is my beverage of choice.
As for the alcohol content thing, I always feel I have to add this for those who might be unaware. Yes, there is a very small percentage of alcohol in NA beer, but there's less alcohol in a bottle of O'doulls than there is in a bottle of 7up, or OJ (and lots of other soft drinks). Only reason it's written on the bottle of NA beer is because it's labelled as non-alcoholic, and it's required by law if they make that claim. If someone considers drinking an NA beer a slip, then they best start counting days from their last 7up. This is all easily googled info.
IMO, it's a gamble. And a dangerous one. I took that gamble almost 30 years ago (with moosey which tastes nothing like beer), and guess I got lucky. For others it was a disaster. I agree that you should be checking your motivation. And then seriously ask yourself if it's worth the gamble. If you're new to sobriety, you might also want to hold off for a year or more.
. Water is my beverage of choice.As for the alcohol content thing, I always feel I have to add this for those who might be unaware. Yes, there is a very small percentage of alcohol in NA beer, but there's less alcohol in a bottle of O'doulls than there is in a bottle of 7up, or OJ (and lots of other soft drinks). Only reason it's written on the bottle of NA beer is because it's labelled as non-alcoholic, and it's required by law if they make that claim. If someone considers drinking an NA beer a slip, then they best start counting days from their last 7up
. This is all easily googled info.IMO, it's a gamble. And a dangerous one. I took that gamble almost 30 years ago (with moosey which tastes nothing like beer), and guess I got lucky. For others it was a disaster. I agree that you should be checking your motivation. And then seriously ask yourself if it's worth the gamble. If you're new to sobriety, you might also want to hold off for a year or more.
There is ZERO alcohol in fruit juice unless fermented.
ETA - I did find this article stating there are TRACE amounts of alcohol in coke, .001 percent. By that standard there is five HUNDRED TIMES more alcohol in NA beer than soda.
http://jezebel.com/5922236/bottoms-u...l-in-your-soda
Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Bklyn. NY
Posts: 1,859
Originally Posted by DoubleBarrel
I tried googling this and I dont see anything supporting your claim. Do you have anything backing this up?
How much alcohol is there in 7 up
Quezi » How much alcohol is in orange juice?
Low-alcohol beer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
There's more, but I don't wanna argue this.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: illinois
Posts: 907
i tried Buckler with my recovered friend back in the day. not bad.
since my recovery (3+ months) have not gone there. im poly-substance, but beer was my DOC. i home brewed, tasted, read about, and paired beer with food. i also supplemented with THC, pain pills, and plastic vodka!
i dont miss it (beer taste) much, yet, to my pleasant surprise. i really am a bit wary. could be an alcohol trigger. also, could be a trigger for the "Wide World of Beer" that i know exists. i dont think the make NA doppelbock, LOL!
my wonderful wife often brings me crafty natural sodas, and keeps me in juice and herbal teas. that is neat. after a day working outside, or special movie watching time, i can have something special. all the ritual, without getting sideways.
since my recovery (3+ months) have not gone there. im poly-substance, but beer was my DOC. i home brewed, tasted, read about, and paired beer with food. i also supplemented with THC, pain pills, and plastic vodka!
i dont miss it (beer taste) much, yet, to my pleasant surprise. i really am a bit wary. could be an alcohol trigger. also, could be a trigger for the "Wide World of Beer" that i know exists. i dont think the make NA doppelbock, LOL!
my wonderful wife often brings me crafty natural sodas, and keeps me in juice and herbal teas. that is neat. after a day working outside, or special movie watching time, i can have something special. all the ritual, without getting sideways.
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
I have found that my favorite drink now instead of a "cold beer" is a cold ginger ale. There are lots of craft/specialty ones out there and they have bite and fizz...and frankly taste a heck of a lot better to me than NA beer ever did.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: MA
Posts: 41
I too was a homebrewer. I loved beer and brewed about forty batches a year. Funny now that just over three months now in recovery, I really don't crave it however I remain wary that I am still early in my recovery and the urge may crop up and hit me in unexpected ways. That said, I have stayed away from NA beer for now and perhaps for good. For me personally, it strikes me as counter-productive to my quest for recovery. This however is in no way a criticism for those who can enjoy in safety.
Behold the power of NO
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: WA
Posts: 7,764
What's the point of beer without alcohol in it? I always hated the taste of beer and I d rather have a soda or a nice juice.
And yes I was a beer drinker my second time around, I picked beer because I did not want to go back to drinking rum and coke (my d.o.c, my last hard liquor drink was March 19, 2001) and because I can't stand it so I knew I would not abuse it as much..
Now tell me this it not alcoholic thinking consuming something that you cannot stand so you will not have that much of it LOLOL
And yes I was a beer drinker my second time around, I picked beer because I did not want to go back to drinking rum and coke (my d.o.c, my last hard liquor drink was March 19, 2001) and because I can't stand it so I knew I would not abuse it as much..
Now tell me this it not alcoholic thinking consuming something that you cannot stand so you will not have that much of it LOLOL
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,229
i had a 6 pack of it practicly in the cart one time when shopping. I was really itchen for a beer and figured it'd be safe. Then I thought back to the time when i tried nicotine free cigarettes thinking how I just loooooooved cigarettes and these would be great because I could enjoy a good smoke and not have the nicotine so i wouldnt get addicted. It was a good lesson I learned really fast that I didnt really like cigarettes much at all I really liked the nicotine and those things ticked me off i smoked the whole pack in no time flat and ran out and got a pack of the real deal.
That being said if I where to drink NA beer I think i'd just be annoyed and want the real thing. Beer doesnt really taste all that good without the alcohol I dunno that i'd bother choken the stuff down. Cigarettes where much the same way for me.
That being said if I where to drink NA beer I think i'd just be annoyed and want the real thing. Beer doesnt really taste all that good without the alcohol I dunno that i'd bother choken the stuff down. Cigarettes where much the same way for me.
pray for strength
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: New England
Posts: 2,414
Gardendiva - really value the discussion as I have only 5 weeks-ish of sobriety and have not had a chance to read archives. So thanks for this topic
Once I went quite a stretch while taking a med where alcohol was a no-no because consumption would make you feel really sick...I bought a 6-pack of Haake Beck and thought it tasted surprisingly good and no ill effects from teensy alcohol.
Now though I am struggling with wanting to go out and be social (with alcohol)...a non-alcohol beer would not cut it for me. I have to develop new skills during this time.
It's a struggle. Hopefully some day it will not be.
Once I went quite a stretch while taking a med where alcohol was a no-no because consumption would make you feel really sick...I bought a 6-pack of Haake Beck and thought it tasted surprisingly good and no ill effects from teensy alcohol.
Now though I am struggling with wanting to go out and be social (with alcohol)...a non-alcohol beer would not cut it for me. I have to develop new skills during this time.
It's a struggle. Hopefully some day it will not be.
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