soopy99

I read somewhere that alcoholics should avoid non alcoholic beer. I can't recall whether it is because there is a tiny bit of alcohol in it or whether drinking it triggers memories of good times drinking and ultimately relapse.

I had a non alcoholic beer yesterday (probably for the first time since I was about ten years old) and enjoyed it quite a bit. Does anyone have thoughts as to whether it is a bad idea to start drinking it on a regular basis?

duane1

For me, it is playing with fire.

Windancer

Id say that is a personal choice. If you enjoyed it and it didnt cause you to crave a real one, then I dont see the harm at all.
I myself wouldnt...I would just want a real one! I dont like decaf coffee either....it isnt the real thing, but that is just me.

ricmcc

I have no data one way or the other, all I really know is that I would never drink non-alcoholic beer. That's just me, of course, perhaps some people are OK with it.-----rick

Easyrider

Personally I'd avoid it because it's disgusting. ;-)

Nonsensical

It gave me a headache.

Huglets

I always drank to get drunk. It was never for the taste. I drank non-alcoholic beer for a while but I drank it alcoholically. Meaning, I drank & drank & drank it and was ticked that it wasn't getting me buzzed. I stopped buying it after about 2 weeks. I'd much rather stay completely away from anything that remotely reminds me of drinking.

paul99

Both reasons there sound pretty much it to me.

Search for "non alcoholic beer" threads here and you'll see the avalanche of responses there. But I'm sure you'll get some fresh ones here

whiskeyman

getting closer and closer to the real thing.

your brain will tell you next, hey one beer wont hurt

soopy99

That makes sense. Perhaps I should lay off it until I've at least built up a good chunk of sober time.

DIYman

Same here.

I have drunk it now and then when out, mainly avoids the questions from people about why I'm not drinking. Otherwise it seems a waste of time.

ACT10Npack

Non alcoholic beer is more of a trigger for alcoholics then anything else. You can't get drunk on it because the amount you will have to drink to get drunk on is almost impossible to do. I general don't know anyone who really like non alcoholic beer anyway.

Dee74

For me it's not the amount of alcohol, or not.

I don't drink NA beer because it looks like beer, feels like a can of beer, it smells like beer, it has that same condensation thing on the can like a beer, the same fizz and foam when you pop the can, tastes like beer (kinda)....

Then I'd always wonder why I went out and got 'real' beer.

I was still knee deep in old behaviours, and didn't even realise it.

As a former beer drinker I know it ticks all the boxes for me, and opens the door to old behaviour and old thought patterns.

I don't recommend it.

I don't need to know but maybe ask yourself why would you choose NA beer when there's so many other things to drink, though?

Is it really the taste of a beer you want, or are there other things happening here as well?

D

soopy99

These posts have all been helpful. At least for now I won't treat NA beer as something harmless.

bobdylan45

please stay away from it , we are only one drink away from a drunk .

Sazzle

Hmmm for me it's just yeasty water and it made me bloat so bad. It does allow you to slip unnoticed in a room of people. Beer was never my thing anyway, it was wine and I wouldn't feel comfy drinking a pretend red wine.

bigsombrero

My councilor told me in treatment: "Non-alcoholic beers are for non-alcoholics!"

So in my experience, I will avoid them.

Bigndfan175

I enjoy N A beer just not 20 at a time

Bigndfan175

Not a trigger for me and now u know someone who likes the taste

Joe Nerv

I've learned from experience to stay away....





From NA beer threads, that is. I don't have any problems or issues with the beers themselves though. I have one from time to time.