Cohiba

Just a quick question for everyone on this site. I have been sober since Sunday and am planning to be for the foreseeable future.

The thing thing I was wondering is the majority of people on here seem to drink for the reason to get drunk but for me I actually like the taste of beer. So this friday I had planned to drink some non alcohol beers but looking at them now "sainsburys czech lager" and "becks blue" they both actually have 0.5% alcohol per bottle.

So I was wondering would you say drinking these is still being alcohol free or cheating? It's such a small amount I don't know if it counts but then again it would take drinking about 40 to get drunk which I dont think would be possible.

I have looked online and it seems all the alcohol free drinks are like this hmmmmm

MelindaFlowers

Personally I do not drink them because the taste of beer would give me the "willies." But then again I never really drank for the taste. I also happen to love the taste of cold soda so I just don't see the point.

Mountainmanbob

Been sober here for 7 years.
If I drank 1 or 2 of those occasionally
I would still consider myself sober


but, these are not usually recommended
because at many times they will
lead one back to drinking the real thing

Mountainmanbob

totfit

Orange juice has a similar amount of alcohol. NA Beer is kind of controversial in the "recovery" circles. I drink one on rare occasion and have no issues either way about compulsions, etc. That being said, there is a six pack of it that has been in the fridge for about two months with two missing. I like it sometimes for something different after a workout etc.

.............on the other hand. For some folks it can be an issue. I could see it as an issue if we are trying to "capture" something we are missing. All in all, different strokes for different folks. I would in no way consider it "cheating", nor not being sober.

I have been sober off and on for 25 years, most of it sober time, though just over a year again totally abstinent this time. I find humor in some of my thinking through the years. We have to be real careful.............with the thinking.

ScottFromWI

It's a very touchy and oft-discussed subject here Cohiba.

I was exclusively a beer drinker myself and I also told myself that i drank because "I liked the taste". For me, that was mostly just my addiction talking - I drank to get drunk, plain and simple. I tried the NA beer thing for a while, but it eventually led me back to drinking regular beer. It also tastes horrible compared to regular beer - your body is expecting the "taste" of the alcohol too, and without it it is simply not the same thing.

Regarding the "cheating" question, that is one only you can answer for yourself. If you had to come here and ask you must certainly be having doubts.

strategery

Why would you bother with the N/A beers? I was a craft beer person as well, but can't imagine they taste that great. If I picked up a N/A beer, I'd want to drink the real thing. Not a place I want to go...

SoberLeigh

Beer wasn't my poison but I wouldn't try N/A wine; way too risky; wouldn't want to wake the Beast for all the money in the world. Sobriety is my high.

Soberwolf

As Scott said its often discussed here with pretty much the same results if you look at this link it has a post of links to recent discussions

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...36-n-beer.html

doggonecarl

I looked back at your initial post...you are only planning on quitting for 50 days, then resuming drinking. Here you are, less than a week in, and you are "planning" on drinking fake beers. Is it that much of a struggle to go without beer? It's only 50 days. Why not avoid all alcoholic and pseudo-alcoholic beverages.

breath

There are hundreds of responses to peruse on the forums in response as Soberwolf has directed you, several by me; Check them out.
For me, quitting was absolute; now I liive a life so grand I did not know it was available or possible!

ClearMind

I've tried the NA beer substitute but for me, personally, it didn't work for me. Sooner or later I would go back to the real thing. It's best just to avoid them. I realize things such as orange juice have similar (or more) alcohol levels than a typical NA beer, but the important thing is it looks, tastes, and smells like a real beer, and this could be some sort of a psychological trigger that could lead you down the path you don't want to go down. I think it's best to avoid it!

My $0.02

jezza

Spose I had better throw in my 2 cents... I have had N?A beer a couple of times since I quit with no problems... Most of them do contain 0.05% apart from Cobra which is 0.00% & is actually my favorite funnily enough... Obviously we are all different & for some people the taste may lead them off the path & for some others it won't.. Last time I had one was 2months a go as I was out for a pub lunch & just got fed up with sweet soft drinks & it was ok & hasn't drawn me back... Just be aware that it may..

Cameron57

I'm not a beer drinker but personally no I couldn't. It would be one step backward for me tbh and one step forward to one day picking up the lowest alcohol beer and then going from there to get back to normal drinking. Nope, wouldn't be for me.

Cohiba

WOW wish I hadnt posted this thread now, didnt realise it was that touchy a subject, I do now. Just a few things I'd like to say before this dies out.

1. Yes it is initially 50 days as I am reviewing whether I have a problem or am just young and stupid. Cocaine is another part of my problem and I only do that when I drink. I am hoping to use the 50 days detox to avoid cocaine and see if I can start moderately drinking afterwards as at 25 the thought of never drinking again is quite daunting.

2. I have tried NA beer before when I had a big day at work the next day and fancied a beer I would have it as didn't want a hangover when doing presentations etc. I honestly enjoyed the taste that was all.

3. I am 'planning' to have NA beer as a friend of mine is leaving the country for good and is having a leaving party, I haven't said to anyone about the none drinking and thought this would be easier and as planning on staying a while I wouldn't be able to drink coke all night and thought it would be easier having NA beers then constantly being offered and having to turn down drinks all night.

4. I only came here to ask as wanted everyone's opinion on the subject if people had tried it before and relapsed etc.

sugarbear1

watch out for the kindling effect that the small amount of alcohol might trigger

alcohol and coffee are acquired tastes as the tastebuds actually need to be conditioned to like these.....(science at it's best--I've read a lot about this)

Sparkling water, cranberry juice with seltzer, so many alternatives are available!


Do what you want, I wish you well!!!!

Cameron57

This! For me it would be the psychological trigger. You may not have that problem though. Like PP said, I also wish you the very best whatever you choose to do.

ScottFromWI

Yes, I tried it and "relapsed" to drinking regular beer after starting with NA beer. Multiple times.

ReadyAtLast

for me also Friday was my usual drinking night. I looked forward to it and 'deserved' it after a week at work. I had to learn to change my habits and lifestyle as well as quitting drinking.

If I did the same things but just drank NA wine/beer then nothing really would have changed. Same habits, same associations - I would have gone back to normal wine very soon. It's almost harder to change my life than stop drinking but definitely worth it. As others have said it looks, tastes, smells and feels like beer/wne. Why torture yourself. There are plenty of fantastic non alcoholi drinks around

RunnerBean

''I wouldn't be able to drink coke all night''

Why not mate? There are numerous other soft drinks to choose from too. People will end up asking far more questions regarding NA beer than if you're drinking coke.

''I have tried NA beer before when I had a big day at work the next day and fancied a beer''

In my experience, after a hard day anywhere, a beer was opened to relax and unwind because of the effect it had on me, not so much the taste (but if you do genuinely enjoy the taste, then I apologise).

''WOW wish I hadn't posted this thread now''

Many people have tried this road before and been burnt; including myself; any comments which you may find negative are purely attacking the argument; not you as a person.

I hope you make your 50 days Cohiba

Dean1978

Personally I stear clear. I thought I could do this at Xmas by buying the Becks Blue but eventually I wanted/craved the real thing and ended up buckling and going on a 5 day bender.

We dont drink beer for the taste, we have been conditioned to think that imo. Its the Amber Nectar aka alcohol and its effects.we are attracted to.