Craft beers
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Montréal, Québec
Posts: 7
Craft beers
Hello everyone! It's my first post, but I've been reading the site for about 1 month now. I'm glad I stumbled upon the Secular recovery section because reading all the threads has really helped me towards sobriety.
One subject I haven't seen in the forum is craft beers. There's a lot of places around here where they prepare their own beers, and most of them are (were) quite delicious and I find it hard quitting this pleasure of beer tasting. Is this my beast talking? What do you think?
One subject I haven't seen in the forum is craft beers. There's a lot of places around here where they prepare their own beers, and most of them are (were) quite delicious and I find it hard quitting this pleasure of beer tasting. Is this my beast talking? What do you think?
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: PA
Posts: 12,000
Hello gyroscope, what are your intentions? Are you sober, when was your last drink?
Do you intend to stay sober?
I know very well the differences between beers, I was a connoisseur of sorts myself. Without getting into details to qualify myself, I know exactly what you mean.
Yes, it is the beast talking. To paraphrase a movie line or use an idiom of sorts, "Never leave the boat!" Do not romanticize your past dealings with craft beer or any other sort of drink. It is far too dangerous. Tell that beast to go away. Never leave the boat.
Do you intend to stay sober?
I know very well the differences between beers, I was a connoisseur of sorts myself. Without getting into details to qualify myself, I know exactly what you mean.
Yes, it is the beast talking. To paraphrase a movie line or use an idiom of sorts, "Never leave the boat!" Do not romanticize your past dealings with craft beer or any other sort of drink. It is far too dangerous. Tell that beast to go away. Never leave the boat.
Self recovered Self discovered
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 5,148
Our beasts can and will find all sorts of reasons to paint our past alcohol consumption with a rosy hue. Subtle differences in single malt scotch. Complexity of a well constructed rioja. The sweet and bitter balance of a spring bock ale. The craftsmanship shown by a master bartender.
For me, it became the cheapest vodka I could find, and how much of it I needed to drink to settle my nausea and shakes every morning. That is the reality of my beast, and its pleadings are pitiful when viewed in the cold hard light of yet another sober day. There is no reason now for me to ever drink. I've had enough scotch, enough red wine, enough lager, ale and bitter, enough cocktails and waaaaaaay more than enough vodka
I've had enough.
For me, it became the cheapest vodka I could find, and how much of it I needed to drink to settle my nausea and shakes every morning. That is the reality of my beast, and its pleadings are pitiful when viewed in the cold hard light of yet another sober day. There is no reason now for me to ever drink. I've had enough scotch, enough red wine, enough lager, ale and bitter, enough cocktails and waaaaaaay more than enough vodka
I've had enough.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Nutmegger
Posts: 1,799
There are craft beer drinkers here, and Ketel One drinkers and fine cabernet drinkers. Most of us don't drink anymore.
The label at the end for me didn't matter, it was the means to an end. Looking back it my attempts to mask what I was doing was sort of like hanging a silk purse on a sow's ear. Darn, I worked really really hard to try to gussy that purse up, same old sow, same old ear.
Welcome aboard!! There are a few other members from your wonderful corner of the world.
The label at the end for me didn't matter, it was the means to an end. Looking back it my attempts to mask what I was doing was sort of like hanging a silk purse on a sow's ear. Darn, I worked really really hard to try to gussy that purse up, same old sow, same old ear.
Welcome aboard!! There are a few other members from your wonderful corner of the world.
Guest
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Ashburn, VA
Posts: 30,196
I had to turn away from those connoisseur interests to other interest. Some conversations I just had to drop out of. Life balances itself out after awhile. Not drinking becomes its own reward. ignore your AV.
Hears The Voice
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Unshackled
Posts: 7,901
Welcome to SR G-Scope!
I enjoy solving puzzles and the feeling of being clever it gives me. While serving at a dry military installation overseas I solved the puzzle of no alcohol by fermenting fruit juice and distilling the alcohol out of Listerine in my own homemade contraption. I was quite proud of my ingenuity.
A clever slave is what I was.
There are ways to be ingenious without involving alcohol. Good things to taste, too.
Best of Luck on Your Journey!
I enjoy solving puzzles and the feeling of being clever it gives me. While serving at a dry military installation overseas I solved the puzzle of no alcohol by fermenting fruit juice and distilling the alcohol out of Listerine in my own homemade contraption. I was quite proud of my ingenuity.
A clever slave is what I was.
There are ways to be ingenious without involving alcohol. Good things to taste, too.
Best of Luck on Your Journey!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 182
Originally Posted by freshstart57 
Our beasts can and will find all sorts of reasons to paint our past alcohol consumption with a rosy hue. Subtle differences in single malt scotch. Complexity of a well constructed rioja. The sweet and bitter balance of a spring bock ale. The craftsmanship shown by a master bartender.
For me, it became the cheapest vodka I could find, and how much of it I needed to drink to settle my nausea and shakes every morning. That is the reality of my beast, and its pleadings are pitiful when viewed in the cold hard light of yet another sober day. There is no reason now for me to ever drink. I've had enough scotch, enough red wine, enough lager, ale and bitter, enough cocktails and waaaaaaay more than enough vodka
I've had enough.
For me, it became the cheapest vodka I could find, and how much of it I needed to drink to settle my nausea and shakes every morning. That is the reality of my beast, and its pleadings are pitiful when viewed in the cold hard light of yet another sober day. There is no reason now for me to ever drink. I've had enough scotch, enough red wine, enough lager, ale and bitter, enough cocktails and waaaaaaay more than enough vodka
I've had enough.
I used to brew beer. Have a whole laundry room full of tanks and gadgets and all the fixins. Yea, totally just another lame excuse to CONSUME. I used to proudly say - the first rule of making homebrew is you have to DRINK homebrew while making! I spewed that ******** on my (then) new wife just to "normalize" standing in the kitchen and drinking all day. Just like - "it's totally fun to sneak a flask into the movie theater, totally normal and cool." Yes, the craft beer labels, the heritage of the single barrel hand selected bourbon, the _____insert reason do drink here____ The AV is a cunning storyteller and will go to no end to find some cockamamie BS that will actually sell in terms of justifying and facilitating consumption. Good riddance.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: illinois
Posts: 907
Wow. Sure can relate...adams-i said the same exact stuff! In fact, i remember one time i was starting my homebrew things up and realized i needed to pause and goto the L.store to get beer. Never brewed without a buzz. NEVER.
I developed quite an appreciation for beer and wine. I do not really miss it. There is a reason that people dont get gussied up and flock to gourmet soda tasting every weekend. There is a missing ingredient.
Ok-so, i'm no longer fixating on the nose of this, and the glass lacing of that...i AM, however able to pat attention to my surroundings, my company, and my food in full. Plenty enough for all of my senses.
I developed quite an appreciation for beer and wine. I do not really miss it. There is a reason that people dont get gussied up and flock to gourmet soda tasting every weekend. There is a missing ingredient.
Ok-so, i'm no longer fixating on the nose of this, and the glass lacing of that...i AM, however able to pat attention to my surroundings, my company, and my food in full. Plenty enough for all of my senses.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Central America/Florida USA
Posts: 4,064
I concur with the rest - it doesn't matter in the end, at least for me. I liked to buy the fine craft IPA's (even hung a logo sign on my wall), and also stuck to only French red wines (California/Australian/Chilean wines were sooo beneath me) and never bought a bottle that cost less than $20. I was a classy dude, you see.
Fast forward 5 years and I was wiping the dust off plastic bottles of bottom-shelf vodka and mixing it with anything I could get my hands on.
Approaching 2 years sober, it's fun to entertain the more elegant side of drinking and pretend I could enjoy a fine bourbon with a cigar, or a "craft brew" from one of my many local breweries around here. Balderdash. It's all just yeast & hops. The rest is marketing. It makes us feel better to find exceptions, especially when they are of the finer high-class variety. In my case, I'll take a glass of water from the tap over anything I used to drink.
Fast forward 5 years and I was wiping the dust off plastic bottles of bottom-shelf vodka and mixing it with anything I could get my hands on.
Approaching 2 years sober, it's fun to entertain the more elegant side of drinking and pretend I could enjoy a fine bourbon with a cigar, or a "craft brew" from one of my many local breweries around here. Balderdash. It's all just yeast & hops. The rest is marketing. It makes us feel better to find exceptions, especially when they are of the finer high-class variety. In my case, I'll take a glass of water from the tap over anything I used to drink.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,677
Of course, you do realize don't you that real wine tasters and beer tasters do NOT swallow!
Now tell me how many non-drinkers here would ever spit out a mouthful of alcohol, at the time we were drinkers.
ANSWER: Zero
Everyone who isn't fooling themselves knows that most alcoholics have LONG ceased savoring and moved on to guzzling.
Now tell me how many non-drinkers here would ever spit out a mouthful of alcohol, at the time we were drinkers.
ANSWER: Zero
Everyone who isn't fooling themselves knows that most alcoholics have LONG ceased savoring and moved on to guzzling.
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: "I'm not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost ..."
Posts: 5,273
Check out this old thread:
Confessions of a Craft Beer Alcoholic
Confessions of a Craft Beer Alcoholic
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 26,425
Originally Posted by Gyroscope
Hello everyone! It's my first post, but I've been reading the site for about 1 month now. I'm glad I stumbled upon the Secular recovery section because reading all the threads has really helped me towards sobriety.
One subject I haven't seen in the forum is craft beers. There's a lot of places around here where they prepare their own beers, and most of them are (were) quite delicious and I find it hard quitting this pleasure of beer tasting. Is this my beast talking? What do you think?
One subject I haven't seen in the forum is craft beers. There's a lot of places around here where they prepare their own beers, and most of them are (were) quite delicious and I find it hard quitting this pleasure of beer tasting. Is this my beast talking? What do you think?
Not everyone who enjoys a fine wine with a meal well matched (and swallows) is suffering from what I suffer from. It's great for them, but doesn't work for me.
It's ok to mourn the loss. What isn't ok is to continue to try to do something you or I know doesn't work. If you cannot stop the alchohol train once you start ... then there are things you have to give up as much as it psses you off. If you can drink a special flavor beer (just one) and not end up in a h*ll hole, hats off to you. If you can't .. morn the loss and move on hug
nands
Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Wollongong NSW
Posts: 241
Thanks Nands
I totally agree, it is so much easier for me to go through a small process of mourning in recovery under the responsible non-drinker (in my case non-gambler) stance then trying to maintain a moral hardline. If we imagine every pleasant thought about our DOC from the past is the Con of an addictive voice or a pre-cursor to relapse then Life is very hard indeed. If we learn how to mindfully give ourselves room to grieve a little or get annoyed now and again and move on then we can face most things in life rationally .
I totally agree, it is so much easier for me to go through a small process of mourning in recovery under the responsible non-drinker (in my case non-gambler) stance then trying to maintain a moral hardline. If we imagine every pleasant thought about our DOC from the past is the Con of an addictive voice or a pre-cursor to relapse then Life is very hard indeed. If we learn how to mindfully give ourselves room to grieve a little or get annoyed now and again and move on then we can face most things in life rationally .
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Aurora, IL
Posts: 103
I love craft beers myself, was a certified hop head for a long time. Problem is that when I drink them I start a slow suicide process. I like living and life more then craft beer.
Reality for me: Drinking several strong double IPAs and waking up with a massive hangover, reeking of hops and trying to find some sort of drug to calm me down then realizing I have to rush to work. Oh yeah, did I mention I maybe had two hours of sleep if that? That wasn't the worst it got either. Eventually, booze stopped helping me sleep at all, it had the opposite effect.
I have always suffered worse hangovers then my friends.
I thought I could handle a craft beer and there, but I relapsed. Soon I was using again. Thats just me though. Thankfully I survived and I am back in NA (which I like, not for everyone).
I am not really mourning the loss this time which is a good sign for me. Last time I felt like I had been dumped by a girlfriend of 20 years. Mourning the loss is fine and quite common. For many years, alcohol/drugs were a great friend. For some they became our only friend for awhile. Problem is that friend turns on you and bites you back hard, or at least it did for me.
Also, my last run had me so broke I was scrounging change to by cheap PBR. I was trying to manage multiple addictions. So glad I do not have to do that today. Feeling very liberated.
Reality for me: Drinking several strong double IPAs and waking up with a massive hangover, reeking of hops and trying to find some sort of drug to calm me down then realizing I have to rush to work. Oh yeah, did I mention I maybe had two hours of sleep if that? That wasn't the worst it got either. Eventually, booze stopped helping me sleep at all, it had the opposite effect.
I have always suffered worse hangovers then my friends.
I thought I could handle a craft beer and there, but I relapsed. Soon I was using again. Thats just me though. Thankfully I survived and I am back in NA (which I like, not for everyone).
I am not really mourning the loss this time which is a good sign for me. Last time I felt like I had been dumped by a girlfriend of 20 years. Mourning the loss is fine and quite common. For many years, alcohol/drugs were a great friend. For some they became our only friend for awhile. Problem is that friend turns on you and bites you back hard, or at least it did for me.
Also, my last run had me so broke I was scrounging change to by cheap PBR. I was trying to manage multiple addictions. So glad I do not have to do that today. Feeling very liberated.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Western New York
Posts: 2,439
Originally Posted by Gyroscope
Hello everyone! It's my first post, but I've been reading the site for about 1 month now. I'm glad I stumbled upon the Secular recovery section because reading all the threads has really helped me towards sobriety.
One subject I haven't seen in the forum is craft beers. There's a lot of places around here where they prepare their own beers, and most of them are (were) quite delicious and I find it hard quitting this pleasure of beer tasting. Is this my beast talking? What do you think?
One subject I haven't seen in the forum is craft beers. There's a lot of places around here where they prepare their own beers, and most of them are (were) quite delicious and I find it hard quitting this pleasure of beer tasting. Is this my beast talking? What do you think?
The world is a big place and there are plenty of places to visit and there are plenty of crafts to be a part of, no drinking required.
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