Callas

How do you guys feel about 0% alcohol beer? Here we have one of the largest brewers in the world recently launched an alcohol free beer. I did a bit of research. Consensus is that it is alcohol free. Also our Bureau of Standards will not allow the claim if it is not. Also, the competition will call them out if the claim is false.

I have tried a few. It tastes like beer and is rather nice. Also, it gives one a feeling of “drinking” instead of just sticking with horrible artificial juices and sickeningly sweet fizzy drinks.

Have you tried it and what is your take?

suki44883

Bad idea.

Drinking, for an alcoholic, is bad...can kill us. Why would you want to glamorize it? You aren't missing anything but misery by not drinking.

JScatt

The only feeling of "drinking" for me was to get drunk so I pass on NA beers. By my end days drinking beer usually meant taking a few sips and then vomiting in a bucket after that I have no desire to even sniff a beer.
BUT, thats just me seems a lot of folks in recovery enjoy NA beer but there are tons of other fizzy drinks out there...choose wisely

Ghostlight1

This comes up about once a month here. It gets a little tiresome.
Why would I want to drink anything that even vaguely resembled the very thing that got me here in the first place?
If you like it, go for it. You don't need our permission.
Cheers.

Action

It is a SETUP FOR FAILURE!!!

MLD51

I tried some early on, and they didn't make me want to go get a real beer. I was mostly a wine drinker. But I decided that for me, there was really no reason to drink them. I didn't really enjoy them that much, and if I was out at a restaurant, they were just as expensive as an alcoholic beer or wine, sometimes more!! I was so happy at the money I was saving being sober that it seemed silly for me to spend the same amount on NA beer as I would have on regular beer. I went back to just drinking water or tea or sparkling water.

I don't agree that they are necessarily going to cause someone to drink again. Everyone is different. I was very secure in my decision to not drink, and nothing was going to change that. But I think it could be dangerous for someone who is shaky.

John65

I never really liked the taste of any alcoholic drinks, I'd always end up just knocking 'em back fast to reach oblivion as quickly as I possibly could.

When I drank alcohol free drinks it just made me think of and desire the real thing.

I mainly just drink water these days (it's the only liquid we need) with the occasional hot or soft drink.

wildflower70

Also, it gives one a feeling of “drinking” instead of just sticking with horrible artificial juices and sickeningly sweet fizzy drinks.

This would be my concern, if I were you. If you're still wanting that feeling of drinking, a little more work needs to be done.

I never want that feeling of drinking, ever again. I enjoy the non-alcoholic options, and there are so many!

WhoDeyPI

I don't really understand the hostility.

About 60 days into my sobriety I was at a work "cocktail hour", and rather than walk around with a water, I grabbed an NA beer. I had a ginger ale lime after that.

If you enjoy it for the taste, drink it.
If you enjoy it because it reminds you of drinking, drink it.
If you enjoy it because you feel like it helps you "fit in", drink it.

You don't need approval, or an excuse to do so. Also, a "trigger" for one person isn't a trigger for all.

doggonecarl

That's exactly why I avoided NA beers. Too much like "real drinking."

tomsteve

thats some deadly advise there. because you were able to drink NA beer once doesnt mean thousands havent ended up drunk again. theres more stories here of people ending up drunk after drinking NA beer than people that are able to drink it once and be ok.some even died.

Anna

Whenever this topic comes up here, as it often does, the general consensus is to avoid so-called non-alcoholic beer and wine. It's a slippery slope. For me, it was even important to get rid of the wine glasses I had. I didn't want them around as reminders.

Callas

@Ghostlight. So sorry I posted a topic that appears here once a month. As I only joined two weeks ago I may possibly be forgiven for boring you to tears. Secondly, I did not ask your permission to drink NA beer. I asked your and others opinion. Please pay attention.

@whoDey PI: thank you, your logic has a nice ring to it. Likewise your non-judgemental approach.

suki44883

Wow. Why so defensive?

Action

Look at the label of an NA beer it has alcohol in it, about the sixth of a 3.2 beer.

August252015

That.

Put the words "able to drink alcohol moderately once" in place of the NA part and that's even more...potentially not ok. Or, deadly. Would you drink moderately, to "fit in"? Well....there you go, either way.

Take it or leave it, make your on decisions and so on.

I wasn't a beer girl, but before I went to vodka all the time, it was wine. I don't drink Fre (the alcohol free wine) - why would I put (fake) chardonnay in a wine glass and think that's a good idea? Or, why would I put it in a different kind of glass, when I used to put alcohol in any and all container available/clever/whatever? I'd put drinking a bottle of NA beer or in a (beer) glass in that category.

It's about the mind, most of us find and that's, once again, to each his own and I'd say that's our ultimate slippery slope as alcoholics.

What makes it easier to be sober, or harder? Good rule of thumb for me. And lastly, in AA we talk about a relapse starting way before the actual drink. Looking back, most people can identify where things started to head them towards the drink. Choices are inevitably central to it all.

ConfusedGuy

I dont know what to think. 16 days sober.

But alcohol-free bear seems to me like 'I want to drink but without the trouble'.

I would start on beers, then vodka would follow. (here vodka can be cheap)
I think if I started on alcohol-free beer, then would follow beers, then vodka.

Same result eventually. So better to drink something totally different.

Ghostlight1

I was thinking along those lines earlier. At the end of my drinking career one of the things I drank was cheap vodka.
What if there was an alcohol free vodka available? Would I drink it? Hell no, I'd puke.
As has been said, why tempt fate with n\a beer?
I'm an alcoholic, I can not safely drink alcohol. Or anything like it knowing myself.
But if someone else can do it, more power to them.

Callas

Thanks for participating. I do find the arguments somewhat puzzling. Pizza is now being made with a cauliflour base as carbs are proven to be bad for weight control. Would eating a carb free pizza still cause obesity?

Mariecheese

I don't like it personally because I'm an all or nothing person, so it doesn't work for me and I know a lot are against it on this forum but if it helps you then thats a positive thing. I'm only 20 days but I find sparkling water really helps with a slice of lemon it's a nice taste without being too fruity sickly and leaving an aftertaste.hope this helps xx