Non alcoholic drinks
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 462
Non alcoholic drinks
:ghug3 Hey everyone
At my AA meeting, a member mentioned that they drink non alcholic beer and just recently they've found non alcholic campari to drink - this used to be their drink of choice. Isn't this dangerous?
I know I wouldn't be able to drink non alcholic wine! Or anything that 'pretends' to be booze actually...
At my AA meeting, a member mentioned that they drink non alcholic beer and just recently they've found non alcholic campari to drink - this used to be their drink of choice. Isn't this dangerous?
I know I wouldn't be able to drink non alcholic wine! Or anything that 'pretends' to be booze actually...
Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,279
As I understand it some people can drink them without problems & some cant... for someone new to sobriety I feel it is a disaster waiting to happen. Its too close to the real deal & makes us feel that we can somehow drink again in some weird distorted way.
I love my san pellegrino water, ginger ale, americano misto's & other drinks. Near beer as its also called doesn't taste that good either. But to be honest... I never really drank for the taste... mostly the effect ;-)
Imagine if it was a heroine addict saying that they have quit but are now just shooting up a saline (salt) solution as they like the process/habit/ritual of the pre high routine
I love my san pellegrino water, ginger ale, americano misto's & other drinks. Near beer as its also called doesn't taste that good either. But to be honest... I never really drank for the taste... mostly the effect ;-)
Imagine if it was a heroine addict saying that they have quit but are now just shooting up a saline (salt) solution as they like the process/habit/ritual of the pre high routine
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: « USA » Recovered with AVRT (Rational Recovery) ___________
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I don't drink NA beer or wine myself, but it isn't because I think that it would send me on a bender. Mostly, I view it as kind of like saying, if I had a problem with promiscuity, "OK, honey, I'll cut it out with the prostitutes, but don't touch my porn, and I'm still going to go to strip joints." Kind of invites others to wonder about one's disposition and seriousness, I think. 
That said, it does not matter to me if other people have NA beer, I just don't want certain people in my life to wonder about or worry about me personally. You'll find several threads in the Friends & Family forum where people start getting nervous if a partner starts downing NA beer.
That said, it does not matter to me if other people have NA beer, I just don't want certain people in my life to wonder about or worry about me personally. You'll find several threads in the Friends & Family forum where people start getting nervous if a partner starts downing NA beer.
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,410
If the act of drinking will get you into a binge then NA beer is not for you. If you only go on binge because of the alcohol itself then NA beer maybe okay for you.
It really comes down to the person and how he or she react with alcohol, environment and the people around them.
But if you only drank non alcohol beer and never taste a regular beer/wine/hard liquor the rest of yourself, will you get drunk on non alcohol beer then it's almost impossible to do.
An average 170 pound man would have to drink approximately 60 non alcoholic beers to be legally drunk (.08% b/a level).
Personal I think non alcohol beer taste really bad.
It really comes down to the person and how he or she react with alcohol, environment and the people around them.
But if you only drank non alcohol beer and never taste a regular beer/wine/hard liquor the rest of yourself, will you get drunk on non alcohol beer then it's almost impossible to do.
An average 170 pound man would have to drink approximately 60 non alcoholic beers to be legally drunk (.08% b/a level).
Personal I think non alcohol beer taste really bad.
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,355
When I was drinking I'd try 'being sober' with NA beer - I found it frustrating and would always return to the hard stuff.
Nowadays, I don't drink NA beer because it looks like beer, it tastes like beer and feels like a beer in my hand...
at some point I'd have to wonder what exactly is going on in my mind....
There are lots of other cool refreshing drinks out there that don't involve any kind of 'sense memory' or vicarious thrill.
that may be so but it misses the point a little - I remember looking for the buzz and not finding it enough, getting annoyed - & hence my return to the hard stuff.
D
Nowadays, I don't drink NA beer because it looks like beer, it tastes like beer and feels like a beer in my hand...
at some point I'd have to wonder what exactly is going on in my mind....
There are lots of other cool refreshing drinks out there that don't involve any kind of 'sense memory' or vicarious thrill.
An average 170 pound man would have to drink approximately 60 non alcoholic beers to be legally drunk (.08% b/a level).
D
Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,410
Originally Posted by Dee74 
When I was drinking I'd try 'being sober' with NA beer - I found it frustrating and would always return to the hard stuff.
Nowadays, I don't drink NA beer because it looks like beer, it tastes like beer and feels like a beer in my hand...
at some point I'd have to wonder what exactly is going on in my mind....
There are lots of other cool refreshing drinks out there that don't involve any kind of 'sense memory' or vicarious thrill.
that may be so but it misses the point a little - I remember looking for the buzz and not finding it enough, getting annoyed - & hence my return to the hard stuff.
D
Nowadays, I don't drink NA beer because it looks like beer, it tastes like beer and feels like a beer in my hand...
at some point I'd have to wonder what exactly is going on in my mind....
There are lots of other cool refreshing drinks out there that don't involve any kind of 'sense memory' or vicarious thrill.
that may be so but it misses the point a little - I remember looking for the buzz and not finding it enough, getting annoyed - & hence my return to the hard stuff.
D
Its_me_jen
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Salina, Ks
Posts: 8,547
You'll get a range of opinions on this .... the topic can even get a little heated at times. I never understood why that is ..... someone else drinking NA beer doesn't have an impact on my sobriety (unless I let it).
Ultimately, we all have to do what is right for ourselves.
I choose not too drink non-alcoholic drinks for several reasons.
With that said, I've never had NA beer in my life.
Ultimately, we all have to do what is right for ourselves.
I choose not too drink non-alcoholic drinks for several reasons.
- Because I'm afraid of where it might take me.
- I rarely drank for the taste .... only the effect so it doesn't really appeal to me.
With that said, I've never had NA beer in my life.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 13
I like the taste of beer actually. Liquor is what got me into trouble every time. Not that beer can't, it's just that I'd drink liquor way too fast (or after the right err wrong amount of beers, I'd switch to liquor because beer wasn't doing it quickly enough) and then that would be the end of a good time.
I think everyone is different. I know for myself, I am too early in my recovery. Drinking NA beer may or may not be a good thing for me. I've decided I'm not going to take that chance. You have to decide for yourself with your own "research".
I am into brewing my own root beer and ginger ale. These are great and do not taste like beer. They do however have almost the same amount of alcohol that NA beer has (and good old Coca Cola for that matter) just due to the fermentation process which is necessary to make it. So I think it's not the alcohol exactly that people worry with, it's the smell/taste association. Remember that alcohol is a cunning and baffling substance. Be very careful.
I think everyone is different. I know for myself, I am too early in my recovery. Drinking NA beer may or may not be a good thing for me. I've decided I'm not going to take that chance. You have to decide for yourself with your own "research".
I am into brewing my own root beer and ginger ale. These are great and do not taste like beer. They do however have almost the same amount of alcohol that NA beer has (and good old Coca Cola for that matter) just due to the fermentation process which is necessary to make it. So I think it's not the alcohol exactly that people worry with, it's the smell/taste association. Remember that alcohol is a cunning and baffling substance. Be very careful.
I'm here to learn!
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: I'm on it!
Posts: 2,038
I drank NA beer on previous failed attempts at sobriety. This time around I haven't and I've been sober 6+ months. I don't know if there's a connection there, probably not.
I'm with Paperdolls, I never really drank for the taste so NA beer really doesn't do much for me. I wouldn't be opposed to getting a fake beer if I was out with others at a bar or something, but I try to avoid putting myself in those situations anyways.
I'm with Paperdolls, I never really drank for the taste so NA beer really doesn't do much for me. I wouldn't be opposed to getting a fake beer if I was out with others at a bar or something, but I try to avoid putting myself in those situations anyways.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 4
I was not the wake up and drink type of alcoholic, more of the 4-12 drinks every second day type. More of an abuser than a full blown addict. 7 days straight sober, and I have had a few packs of N/A beer in the mean-time currently. I find it's cut down the cravings dramatically, usually I get them in the later hours. We have a decent selection around here of brands that taste good. Some ex/alcoholics cannot go near the stuff, but I find that I am comfortable with it myself. I love the taste of beer, and these are only 80 calories. That's just my experience. I'd say keep a case of N/A around just in case, so when you are out of control and are heading for a drink, the N/A stuff may save you a relapse. Again, that's just my 2 cents, and it may only work for a few people.
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 16
I can't drink anything that reminds me of alcohol. That's me though. I have to retrain my brain and body to enjoy things completely new. There's a lot of great things to eat and drink without reminding ourselves and missing the taste of beer and alcohol. But that's me. seems very dangerous.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 4,682
Yeah of course it is nuts to drink non-alcoholic beverages (that are normally alcoholic) if you are an alcoholic...it's plain common sense so do yourself a favour and make a note of the person who advocates that drinking non-alcoholic beverages (that are normally alcoholic) are ok for an alcoholic and stop listening to them on that point or any other...
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Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Mebane, NC
Posts: 6
I've got almost 16 months now and I have had to stay away from anything that resembles a drink. Seven years ago when I had around 90 days, I was with my sister at a eatery when she asked if I minded if she had a drink. I said no and I told the waiter I would like a NA beer. I sat there with her and really enjoyed it. I thought here is a way I can still go out and drink without the negative side effects of drinking the real stuff. It took about two more times of doing this before I thought that certainly one real beer could do no harm to me. I was right one beer didn't hurt me. It was the seventeen that followed that put me on a seven year binge. In my alcoholic mind, I can justify anything. I have to stay away from anything that resembles alcohol in order to stay sober. If you are one of those who can enjoy near beer, go for it. Personally I want the real thing so I stay away from these. Hope this helps. S
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