Count

Hi people, been sober for 11 months. Been drinking non alcoholic beer for the past two months and I've had no craving for the real thing. Was wondering what peoples thoughts are on non alcoholic drinks.

Alraihani

I wouldn't drink non-alcoholic beer.

avocado

I don't see a problem with it. It's not my choice of beverage and I don't personally get the appeal, but the key ingredient you're avoiding is missing, so just be on guard that it's not triggering you and you should be fine.

Count

I only drink it when friends come round to watch football, or when my family are all down for the weekend. I don't want to drink alcohol and I'm pretty sure I'll never touch a drop again, not worth the heart ache. Was just asking to see if anyone else had done this and see how it turned out for them.

LadyinBC

I personally don't drink non-alcoholic beer or wine. It would just make me crave the real thing. It would just screw with my head. The beer actually has a very small percentage of alcohol in it.

You will get many different views on this topic. Can of worms officially opened! lol

Nattythreads

I wouldn't personally for a number of reasons, one of which is that it tastes vile!

If it's just an occasional social thing, I wouldn't be too bothered about it mate. My mother-in-law was sober for thirty-odd years but still couldn't have a curry without a non-alcoholic lager.

If it's more than that and you start having it around the house and drinking it on your own, then I'd start to worry a lot..........

SoberKnitter

I drink two or three a day, and it hasn't been a problem thus far. I don't think it tastes enough like real beer to bother me. It's more like hops soda. The hops in it actually increases your GABA levels, so it's still a relaxing beverage.

And for everyone who says that it still has alcohol - yes, it does have a tiny amount. So does juice. So if you're avoiding nonalcoholic beer because of the alcohol, you should also never drink juice of any kind. I figured it up, and I would have to drink 144 of them to catch a buzz.

Count

The only one that I find nice has no alcohol at all, it's more like hoppy juice. I've made sure that I'm not drinking one with any traces of alcohol. Personally I feel confident enough in myself that it won't lead to anything else. Feel like I've done alot of growing up in these past 11 months and don't see a future with alcohol in it.

LadyinBC

I'm honestly not judging you, some people are okay with it and can drink this stuff. I just know that I can't.

At the end people have to do what feels right for them. If you are comfortable with it that is all that matters.

Nattythreads

It's the associations not the taste that should be bothering you, tbh. Especially if you've only recently quit.

It's not as if there isn't a ton of alternatives.

Mizzuno

Well, personally I never liked beer. I highly doubt i would like NA Beer. I say, go for it! Whatever is clever for you!

Count

Before I started drinking this, I drank a fair bit of coffee and I want to be completely free of drugs. Thankful for all the replys and it's gave me a bit to think about, cheers again.

SoberKnitter

If you want a cold, fizzy beverage that doesn't have a ton of sugar or artificial sweetener, there really aren't that many alternatives.

The associations, well, they're everywhere. I still live in the same house I used to get drunk at every day, drive the same car I drove drunk a million times, wear the same clothes I used to wear while I drank, etc. It would be really impractical for me to avoid everything I associate with drinking.

Received

I was 13 years without drinking when I started drinking O'Doul's and was drinking the real thing within two weeks. From there it was a five year run and toward the end I was downing 12 beers in the course of several hours or until I passed out.

Since I have been here at SR there have been 4 members (I'm aware of) who asked this same question or shared they had started drinking "alcohol free" beer. Two of these members I have not seen post again, one realized the danger for him and stopped drinking it and one returned sharing they ended up on a two week bender. Come to think of it, I haven't seen the "two week" bender member post for awhile again.