Hodd

It has indeed. Everyone’s different, but I’m fine with alcohol free beer. I’ve been on holidays where alcohol free beer isn’t available and had no problem. If I had been craving for an alcohol free, then I’d have a problem.

It’s not been an issue on this thread and maybe not on this site, but I do get concerned when NA gets demonised. It’s a lot less harmful than the real thing.

brighterday1234

In my experience everybody with really solid recovery that I know in person wouldn’t go near NA beer. The same applies to me. I had zero interest in it when I drank and I have zero interest in it now I don’t drink. Seems simple logic to me but everybody is different and that’s ok.

BackandScared

I drink AF beer on social occasions. I also drink other 'mocktails' that mark social occasions.
I do not use it as a replacement of anything. When I was young I did not drink much and I was always the designated driver. In my country of origin (Spain) it has always been totally normal to order a beer without alcohol. My favourite drink for ages was a 'San Francisco'; super sweet, no alcohol. I have many memories of having a very good time, partying and staying up until the early hours in the morning to drive back home in my twenties, that are associated to drinks different from the typical sodas. When I started working and had a bit more money I became sophisticated with my non-alocholic drinks. Two 'cocktail' bars that remain (over twenty years later) opened in Madrid (Spain) are 'Dediego' and '****'. They would mix different combinations for me depending on whether I felt like something sweeter or bitter. I still go back there when I can (I do not live in Spain anymore)

In brief: if you feel that AF beer is a 'slippery slope' or a 'replacement' you should stop. Because it cannot replace anything and if you are seeking the same feeling you will end up with the real thing.

However, I do not think it is that difficult to understand that, for others, alcohol free versions are just part of a wider range of drinks with different taste. As far as I am concerned, they take me back to a time and place when I had fun with no alcohol (or when pregnant or breastfeeding)

BackandScared

I think it is not 'less harmful'. It is not harmful at all, unless it has tones of sugar, which can be found in many other places. An AF beer is actually pretty healthy.

In the UK there is apparently some 'trend' among youngsters that drink only AF beer so the range is expanding quickly. I think this is great. I hope all the parafernalia around wines matching food or occasions, extends to AF drinks. I want to go to a restaurant and get a waitress recommend me a fruit juice that goes particularly well with my 'scargot'.

BackandScared

By the way, I have just google 'San francisco drink'. In English this is a cocktail. If you google in Spanish the drink is non-alcoholic. I think there are a few cultural elements involved on how AF drinks are regarded. When I read some people here, it feels like you would have never considered AF options before becoming sober. To me, my first memories of AF beer are with my grandfather in the late seventies.

PuckLuck

How it was always explained to me by medical professionals...Drugs and alcohol actually change the wiring in your brain. It takes a long time for our brains to re-wire.

Hodd

I agree. I was holding back as I’ve had a lot of criticism on another site (a health/liver forum) for saying AF is OK. I’ve found no research at all saying AF leads to relapses, but if some people have concerns, their opinions have to be considered.

It’s fantastic that the range is increasing and that younger people are trying out AF. My generation (I’m 50) thought it was cool to drink excessively, so it’ll be great if this isn’t the case moving forward.

Some AF beers, one cider in particular, has too much sugar to be acceptable. We’re taking 50 grammes in a 500ml bottle. That should be banned as the healthy limit for free sugars is 30g. The brand I drink has less than a teaspoon of sugar per can, so as you say that’s a lot healthier than many other drinks such as cola.

BackandScared

I think most (if not all) of us, would never push anything that can be a trigger for someone else. I would never try to convince someone it is OK to drink AF drinks if they have a problem with alcohol addiction.

Anyway, in case you are interested this is one of the many reports about the growing number of young people going 'nolo' (non- and low alcohol drinks) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51833135
Obviously, for those of us who have developed an alcohol problem, the 'low alcohol' version is not an option but I think it is great news that a wider range of non-alcoholic drinks are becoming so popular. Something similar is also happening in India.

Hodd

Thanks, an interesting read. When I started drinking in the late 1980s, there were two or three awful AF beers available, and bars didn’t keep these chilled!

To reduce alcohol problems in those not yet “hooked”, this sort of thing is the way. The liver forum I mentioned has a history of ganging up on anyone asking about AF. Alcohol is everywhere, and demonising it only makes it more interesting. Nothing wrong with sensible drinking for those of good health and no alcohol dependence.

Dee74

I think the discussion here was on non alcoholic rewards in general, not NA drinks or NA (narcotics anonymous).

D