tornrealization

I wasn’t ever a significant beer drinker as vodka was my poison of choice but seems like once a year that hubby will be celebrating an outing or something with beer and I discovered some NA beer to try. Well, i usually have like one, discover it still tastes like garbage, still get bloated from the carbonation and figure, wth was that for? I’m feeling gross without the buzz, and I’ve had 3 left over NA beers in my fridge for like 2 years, as I tend to do this once per summer.

For Xmas the family always drank tons of champagne. So a fizzy apple juice or grape juice is fine, but super sweet. There is a knock off champagne NA I do like, but it is once a year.

Honestly there are many other drinks to be had… I do put together a nice ice holiday water thing with cranberries, mint and ice and it looks pretty and people can have a special fancy holiday water. I used to mix it with vodka but now I don’t, and so tasty and hydrating. A good ice tea on a hot day is better than NA beer. I will probably bring a couple NA bottles of Champagne to Xmas this year as an Aunt and Uncle switch to mine because they didn’t want booze last time we celebrated pre Covid….but wanted to participate in the tradition of having a sparkly flute.

As always, if you find it triggering DONT DO IT.

My experience is all over the place. NA beer reminds me…ewww gross. I do have replacement water, tea, etc drinks…and yes I have occasionally enjoyed my NA champagne as it helped me feel less felt out at Xmas.

anxiousrock

Good for cooking. Do you like the taste? What else would be the point. I think it's a personal choice.
any drink can be triggering.
When I drink diet codieti always think of vodka. I dunno. It's a tough one.

DriGuy

Non alcoholic wine was probably invented by the wine industry to win some of their regulars back.

Free2bme888

Thanks for all the insight, over decades of experience.

i think I’ve found the answer that will work for me

Hodd

Hope so. Have a good trip, but be wary in these early weeks. Do a mini risk assessment about the places you’re likely to visit on your trip, and will they be a potential trigger. If so, how to handle it?

I guess you’re not going to any airports, but that’s an example of a place that tested me in those early days. I had no plan B so ordered a disgusting energy drink to detract from the cravings. I should’ve predicted that, so hopefully you’ll be ready.

silentrun

When I quit I threw away all the glasses I used to mix my drinks. They were part of the ritual I had involving alcohol. I haven't allowed my mind to access any of my memories regarding the use. No accessing the taste or buzz, just the reality of the harmful effects of the abuse.

Some seem to be able to get away with it but I wouldn't risk it. I would never drink a non alcoholic whiskey coke as that would bring back some of those memories and I'd be powerless again when euphoric recall hit.

DriGuy

I did the same thing.

Free2bme888

Yes, bays I’m a successful non smoker, I remember training myself to be so disgusted, I never has the ‘thought’ to have a fake cig or candy cigs to appease my smoking friends ‘missing’ me. So what the heck was I thinking? I wasn’t. The AV was…..🤬

We are going to the southern states, I’ve never been, and to visit friends and family across the country. Dr Free is getting used to it, and seems to be drinking less himself.

My sister in FL is a heavy drinker, I texted her the other day and said I’m not drinking, and feel better for it, but that Dr Free will imbibe some wine or mixed drink probably. She said her and hubby are ‘cutting back’ to weekends only and feel much better. (OMG, been there, done that, where FSS became RFSS, which became RFSS and T, and then sometimes SMTWRFS, and then……we’ll, y’all know how MODERATION goes……&#128560.

We are golfing mostly, and staying at hotels, and some family. I’m ok with saying no.

In fact, a couple we golfed with the other day, Thursday, asked if we’d like to come over for wine or a drink before dinner. I said that was very nice, we’d love to (planned to bring my bubbly water). The hostess asked what would we like, cocktails, red or white? I said, actually, I’ve been going non alcoholic, so for me I’ll bring my bubbly water. She said, Oh, we don’t drink either, but have it on hand for guests! Cool! So only Dr Free had one glass of wine, none with dinner.

i would NEVER have just one glass……☠️💀☠️💀☠️💀

Free2bme888

Uhhh. Not ‘bays,’ Siri. ‘Because’

Ladysadie

I can't imagine NA wine. Why waste your $$. Wine or beer to me tastes bad. If you're going for a refreshing taste drink something that won't stain your teeth.

Delilah1

I really love sparkling water, that and Arizona Zero are my go to drinks at night. I still drink too much soda during the day.

Evoo

That's a no-go for me, personally. I don't do N/A beer or wine because 1). they don't taste very good usually and 2). I strongly associate the taste with the expectation of alcohol. First time I had N/A beer I relapsed within a day or two.

I think these N/A drinks are designed more for people who have to give up alcohol for health reasons, but don't have an underlining addiction to the substance.

I think it also depends on the person.

Jupiter11

I personally think if you drink non alcoholic wine/beer people may not want the physical effects of alcohol. But they are still buying into the social conditioning we have had all our lives of what alcohol is. We do it to fit in with the drinkers. Because it is sociable to drink. It is a grown up thing. You can't enjoy an occasion without an alcoholic drink in your hand (even if it's just a pretend one)
They taste so disgusting I can't imagine anyone drinking them just for the taste, but for how they appear to others

Hodd

Each to their own, Jupiter. I drink maybe one can of AF beer a week with a meal at home. I normally have a few cans of AF in the fridge. When I drank real beer, I just drank the lot and never bothered with the fridge. There’s a difference already, i.e. I can drink one can and move on same as if it were any other soft drink. If anyone felt the need to drink 3 or 4 cans of AF a night, then they have a problem.

I know this is a polarising topic, but I’m slightly perturbed whenever the “AF is bad” words pop up. It did help me during withdrawal as mentioned above, and now I can take it or leave it.

Jupiter11

It's a purely personal thing Hodd, I think the taste of NA stuff is sooo bad, like a chemistry experiment gone wrong, that I couldn't see how anyone would drink it apart from appearances sake. Then again I can't see why anyone would ruin a good meal by putting mint on it

Dee74

You are I (and everyone else) are free to share our conflicting experiences - thats how the place works.
D

Hodd

🙂 I’ve tempered my views a lot. I know what works for some might spell disaster for others. It’s a confusing and anxious time when someone is in the first few weeks or months of withdrawal, and it really is a case of whatever works works. I’ve read that younger people are opting for AF drinks and that can only be a good thing.

dustyfox

This thread has made me think - About 5 years ago when I gave up for 1 year ( the longest ever, then relapsed) I drank a lot of NA wine - but never on its own, always as I mentioned before , heated up and spiced up with various spices so it did taste good and have that back of the throat burn which I associate with alcohol. (I would never bother with NA wine without it being made into basically a very spicy mulled drink, as yes it tastes horrible)
I do like to drink something in the evening that gives me a 'burn' as I call it. Currently ginger tea made by myself which is very, spicy and I doubt many people would like it. If someone said I could have only water in the evening I would be very irritable - I seem to be very reliant on my 'hot spiced drinks' -
There is something going on here, something to do with addiction and cravings but not sure what! I like my coffee in the day and my spiced burning drink in the evening. NA wine just happens to be the base liquid into which I pour all my spices. The prospect of giving all that up and drinking only water and juice and tea fills me with nearly as much panic as when I gave up alcohol this time. ( 150 days ago) Anyway as I said it's making me think more about my so called 'addictive or maybe obsessional' personality.

MidnightBlue

I think the only person who can honestly answer this question is you, Free.

How strong is your sobriety?

Are you sure it won't trigger avalanche of cravings you won't be able to stop?

Is it a way to look "normal" while being around people who drink regular wine?

Do you miss emotional experience which comes with opening wine, etc.?

If you are 100% honest with yourself - are you sure it will not let genie out of the bottle, no pun intended.

Sorry, I don't remember how far you are in sobriety. If it's early stage, it's better to keep any reminder at bay. It's crucial to dissociate pleasant life experiences from alcohol as much as possible.

With all this being said I don't share black-and-white opinion.

I personally don't like pin labels - "good", "bad", "serious", "non-serious".

You are the one in this situation.

As for me, I don't like the taste of non-alcoholic wine. It's kind of...pathetic.

I drink non-alco beer occasionally. At this point for me it's just another soft drink to treat myself to. I mostly drink plain water.


Maybe, that's in AA, Bim. Never been there, so it's hard for me to make such a non-negotiable causal conclusion.

As I've said, I have non-alco beer once in a while. And I am dead serious about my sobriety. Like, almost 9 years serious.

Free2bme888

Thanks for your input, MB🥰