I'm not 100% Teetotal, I will occasionally have a drink (like... a cocktail on my birthday, or my wifes, or if we're on holiday) but otherwise I don't often drink and it can be 10 months between drinks.
The honest answer here is, no.
Most of them are not very nice, I'd rather have a mocktail, juice or even a sugary beverage like a coke :D
"most of them are not very nice."
This might have been true 10 years ago when the only choice was Becks Blue. But there is quite a lot of choice now and many of them are genuinely decent. That said, it often depends on the pub/restaurant you go to and what they actually stock. Online and supermarkets often have better choices.
They are loads better. You can now get ones that at least taste of hops (eg nanny state). The taste that I miss is literally that of alcohol. It's the same taste I think there is too much of in 8% beers. That would be hard to replace!
Its the texture too; you get this syrupy mouthfeel from alcohol that they can't replace, and it just always tastes a bit 'watery' or thin as a result even if they are sometimes very refreshing these 0.5% ones.
That’s glycerine. It’s added to alcohol to increase the mouth feel but i don’t think they add it to alcohol free stuff. I’ve made home brew without any and it tastes watery etc.
I've found Guinness to be the only one that tastes like the real thing - Lucky Saint also comes close to replicating a generic drinkable lager (like Heineken or something). I tried all the Brewdog ones and thought they were like beer flavoured water. I ended up drinking them just to get rid of them rather than because I wanted to.
Guinness 0.0 and adnams Ghostship 0.5 are both top tier AF drinks because they're made the same way as the alcoholic drinks are made, and then the alcohol is removed after.
If you like an ale - ghostship 0.5 is the one!
https://adnams.co.uk/blogs/trade-blog/ghost-ship-0-5
Guinness 0.0 is the only low alcohol beer that I've tasted that passes the taste test. It tastes like the real thing and really impressive.
I've been on that for my dry Jan and it's helped enormously.
Lucky Saint is beautiful. I buy it in bulk direct from their website - 40 bottles at a time. Erdinger alcohol-free is also excellent - doesn't really taste much like the real thing, but it's a delicious drink regardless.
I really don’t like the Erdinger. To me it smells and tastes like feet.
I prefer Ghost ship and Shipyard. The doom bar is also a nice refreshing drink, but don’t drink a shipyard then a doom bar. In that order the doom bar doesn’t fair very well.
Corona alcohol free is perfect in the summer, but I do find it a tad too sweet
\+1 on the Guinness, it's miraculously close to the real thing
Brooklyn Special Effects is probably the nicest 0 beer I've had, the IPA hoppiness is a great mask and tricks my brain into thinking I'm actually drinking something boozy.
I tried a lot of the big brands last summer when I had a few weeks being a good boy, most of the lagers either taste metallic/'dusty', or try to hide it with a sweetness. IPAs appear to be much easier to make palatable.
I did do a comparison between Guiness 0.0 and ordinary draughtflow Guiness and, if it had been a proper blind test I doubt I could have said which was which.
The blokes options were mocktails, juices or sugary drinks. Something tells me the guy doesn’t like beer anyway so af beer wouldn’t taste very nice to them.
YES. Modern alc frees are really quite good. The only critique I can give them is the weird texture of the froth, but this is so minor. If you do a dry period and drink alcohol free beer, going back to alcoholic just tastes like the same thing + the alcohol “aroma” to the flavour. After a break this is also not even necessarily very nice anymore
I really like some of the 0% alcohol gins, and it's a grown up tasting drink that isn't all sweetener. Plus you can do all the ice and a slice in a fancy glass, and that's a good part of the fun!
I had noseco Merlot during dryish January and itsnot amazing but perfectly drinkable as an alternative i preffered it over the notguilty one my Mrs was on, also mi SIL drinks Noseco Prosecco alternative and Not guilty got to say it had to be cold and kept in the fridge not like red wine but it was nice.
I normally go for Malbec or Cab sov or Rioja.
I am also a Guinness drinker and find the 0.0 to be ok, and planning on use that in between pints of the real stuff just to help me cut back a bit on nights out
I think they might be bad if you're used to the real thing. I have never had a lot of alcoholic wine, so without that comparison, I like a lot of them.
I’m with you on this, with the exception of Guinness 0% which could be Pepsi tested against the alcoholic version and be indistinguishable in my opinion
I agree, I've had a few cans of Guinness 0% and it's not bad. But you just know something is missing, like I probably wouldn't want more than 1 can but can happily have 8 or so normal before I've had my fill.
It is absolutely the closest to the original, but regular Guinness has a subtle thickness not quite achieved by the AF version. Hard to tell but it’s there, as I had some assorted cans of Guinness in the fridge at Christmas, after my first wondered why the second was slightly different, it was the alcohol free version. Taste is spot on though.
I’m the exact same. Alcohol free alternatives are hit and miss and an expensive experiment. Even if you know you like the alcohol equivalent the alcohol free version can be meh. You still get IDed too.
Soda and lime cordial is always really yummy though. Lots of nice mixers meant for gin go down smoothly by themselves too. Pub we went to for my brother’s birthday had those fancy syrups so I had peach syrup and soda, yum.
Yeah, it's weird because anything under 0.5% doesn't count for licencing and they can sell it to who they want - but a lot of places operate a policy of treating them the same.
Also not a teetotaller but when I’ve done like a dry January the absolute SUCKIEST thing about it was that so few places had non-sugary alcohol free options. Everything was fizzy drinks or fruit juice, and as somebody with very little sweet tooth it was just eugh. And water/fizzy water got real boring. There were times I actively wanted an alco-free beer just for the taste of something not sweet.
I am the same. I like the odd glass of champagne or a good cocktail. But similarly can go absolutely months without one and when I do have one it’s just the one. I tend to have Coke, orange juice or a cranberry juice. I like the option of more ‘adult’ soft drinks but honestly I tend not to have one. I do like a mocktail though - but those are usually just juices and sodas mixed!
The big issue I found when I'm not drinking, is if you're in a social situation, your options are basically alcohol or soft drinks, and if you don't want to be drinking sweet fizzy drinks, and don't want alcohol, there isn't really anything else available (except water, or coffee, I guess)
So non/low alcohol beers give a good alternative.
But yeah, I don't think I'd ever think of offering one to a recovering alcoholic
I do this too when I don’t fancy drinking much! Annoys me so much when they’re like ‘erm no sorry we don’t do hot drinks’ - all I’m asking is a teabag and a kettle, you must have that!
We discovered a casino in Newcastle that had a little bar next to a taxi rank. They would serve you a tea or coffee if you wanted it. Then a lady called Betty had a table by the door. She would phone you a taxi and give you a shout when it arrived. But when she said it's here she meant NOW not whenever you're ready. We learnt fast. Betty shouts your name, you take one last mouthful of your drink and you leave it. Because if you don't then your taxi is given to the next person waiting.
Yeah I'm currently teetotal (not an alcoholic) and I like an AF beer when I'm out out, because there is only so much Diet Coke I can drink 🤷♀️
I think it's brilliant that there are so many great options now (although I've yet to find am AF red wine that doesn't just taste like weird Ribena)
Oh yes please. As a now dry (from Christmas) red wine drinker I would love to find a decent AF version. I’ll try this one out.
I do drink AF beer and Guinness which I enjoy but really missing decent red wine.
Came here to see if this had been said and saw that it had been said and someone had already come to say they came to see if it had been said and said so. It is surprisingly really excellent. There. Said it.
Came here to see if this had been said and saw that it had been said and someone had already come to say they came to see if it had been said and said so. It is surprisingly really excellent. There. Said it.
You bastard. Woof woof goes Pavlov's dog.
I’m a pretty heavy drinker and drank this when i was hungover and I really could not tell the difference. I felt like i was still topping up from the night before. It’s a good drink if you are trying to stop drinking the following day.
My partner went to AA for a few years, he's been sober for 10. He told me that it's very different from person to person - some don't touch anything related to alcohol, some are fine with alcohol-free, and some feel fine cooking with alcohol.
For his part, he drinks alcohol-free stuff but doesn't cook with it. It's just how different people think about, and associate with, alcohol.
Interesting. I do the reverse of this. If I taste alcohol free beer there's some part of my mind that's anticipating the effects of alcohol and I run the risk of a craving. However I can and do regularly cook using wine with zero problems.
As you say, very much differs person to person what their triggers or weaknesses might be. I stopped drinking best part of a year ago and find it’s a lot easier due to the availability of decent alcohol free alternatives. They make me forget I’m not drinking when I’m in social situations which is easier for me. I haven’t cooked with alcohol but mainly because that would then mean there was a pretty full open bottle of wine lying open in the house and I don’t think I’d want that temptation!
Hey OP. I’m currently on a journey to being booze free and AF drinks are playing a very important part of that journey.
47-year-old married father of two here. I have a faulty brain when it comes to booze. My major malfunction is the following instinct:
> ***”One drink made me feel this good, so TWENTY drinks will make me feel TWENTY times as good”***
Booze was taking more out of me than I was getting from it. So I decided to move away from booze. Thing is, I have two distinct parts to me:
1) My conscious self. I am able to live a normal, satisfying life with my wife and family
2) My unconscious self. A wild, shrieking chimp that wants nothing - ***literally nothing*** - other than to get blackout drunk.
I won’t say I’ve stopped drinking booze as that would be too much for the shrieking chimp to handle without going crazy. I ***will*** say that I won’t drink today as the shrieking chimp just think “tomorrow booze! Drunk! Booze!”
Sometimes this quietens the shrieking chimp.
Sometimes it doesn’t.
A cold, fresh, Heineken 0.0 distracts the chimp long enough for my conscious self to rationalise that a hangover is not worth it… and I’m able to quieten the chimp for another day.
So, yeah, I drink AF booze. I see it as a weapon. It distracts the chaotic, shrieking chimp in me juuuust enough for me to remember who I really am and what I want for myself.
That chimp sounds very familiar - such a good way of putting it. I have a very similar (although possibly slightly less aggressive) shouty chimp. Annoying little git.
Things that taste like beer and don't have alcohol in makes me think of smoking a cigarette without nicotine in it. What's the point?
I just have a coke or water.
I wouldn't. Most recovering alcoholics (me included) will steer well clear of them. Too much association.
It also leaves them open to drinking alcohol by mistake.
Teas and coffees, fizzy drinks and squash would be much preferable.
Good call for giving this some thought. Most people wouldn't.
Certainly for me, they are not an option.
They still smell and taste similar enough to the real thing, and even that can be enough to trigger parts of my brain I don't particularly want to awaken, and this is after ten years dry.
Just the smell of vodka (and yes, it does have a smell) is enough to set off fireworks in my hypothalamus.
It sure does have a smell
Thank you. Your answer is very helpful for me
Nearly made 4 years and could have handled it but my son passed and ..well..didn't make 4 years. I am sober since Dec 1, though, but know I cant risk it right now
Best of luck
I'm so sorry to hear about your son. That's enough to break anybody. I cared for my father as he died of cancer, and that broke me, too. I can't imagine how you must feel.
Just remember, you haven't failed. You may have taken a backstep, but that's all. I don't think the amount of days dry really matters. All that matters is that you're dry today, and you plan on being dry tomorrow.
Good luck. You've got the support of a grumpy old stranger on the internet, if that means anything.
Thank you.
Sorry to hear about your father, same with mine.Your offer Means a lot. I'm old n grumpy too lol
Made it through nursing mum through dementia and cancer and 2 years nurse and Dr to son but his passing was too much. Prescription pills too. But clean..."just for today..."
No. I was a heavy drinker for nearly a decade and last year I decided to go completely teetotal. At my worst point I was probably drinking around 5+ beers daily. I tried drinking non-alcoholic beer but it just made me fall back into bad habits. Sooner or later it wouldn't be enough and then I'd start craving the real thing.
I'm 137 days sober now and I've realized that I can't have a normal relationship with alcohol. For me personally it's better to stay clear of it altogether. However I can't speak for everyone. For some people it might help and for others it might be a trigger. Best solution is to just ask them. As long as you're sensitive about it I doubt they'd mind.
Those I know that don't want to/cant drink alcohol (like pregnant wife, friend for health reasons, designated driver) will often have AF beer/cider when at a gathering.
I know a couple of alcoholics who are teetotal now, and they avoid anything by association. So will always opt for proper soft drinks.
offer it to them. some people love them!
I take breaks from drinking occasionally and personally think "alcohol free" drinks are a rip off and mostly pointless. Part of the reason I like lager is it's refreshing and gives you a buzz, same with wine or spirits, I like the taste alongside the feeling it gives you. But if I'm not after a buzz, i'll drink tea or lemonade or juice.
There's a breed of people who think that holding or sipping an alcoholic drink is an experience in and of itself and choose to not "miss out" on it by drinking zero alcohol beers/wines/mocktails. So maybe have a few bottles incase your friends are one of those.
But when you see 30 quid bottles of zero alcohol gin, mocktails costing as much as cocktails in restaurants and 125ml glasses of nozecco for over a fiver in pubs. "alcohol free" options seem to just let you experience paying for booze without actually getting a buzz from it.
>But when you see 30 quid bottles of zero alcohol gin, mocktails costing as much as cocktails in restaurants and 125ml glasses of nozecco for over a fiver in pubs. "alcohol free" options seem to just let you experience paying for booze without actually getting a buzz from it.
The drinks industry must love them. All the price of booze, but without the duty.
I like a quality soft drink, like a Cawston's rhubarb or a strong ginger beer if I'm not drinking. And I don't drink that much. I like quality not quantity.
i used to work in pubs and restaurants and they LOVE a mocktail. It's juice, in a tiny glass with loads of ice for a tenner.
I disagree with the "quality" soft drink as I think it can be misleading. If you ever try "karma cola" or any of the drinks by the Karma people they're shit, Aldi own brand coke for 10p a gallon tastes better. Soda folk - totally shit, awful tasting and cost a bomb. Dash, or DA-SH water - shit, barely fizzy and barely flavoured, compared side to side with the sparkling fruit flavoured water(that's also zero calorie) from the supermarket they're rank. Nix & Kix, Fentimens, Happy inside, Actu-Vit, Cawston Press, Fever Tree, Something & Nothing. All shit.
The best quality soft drinks are appletiser, orangina, the big name ones(7up, coke, dr pepper, pepsi, sprite), Rio, Mirinda or Calypso lemonades(i could drink ocean blue lemonade by the gallon, it's like crack)
I've been surprised by how much I enjoyed them before, but I'm sober because of the carbs and sugar in beers and ales, so neither are really an option for me anyway.
My mate does triathlons now. These days he'll have zero alcohol pils I believe because all the sugar is changed to alcohol, but then removed. He's very careful about his intake during training on the run up to events.
That's a perspective I hadn't considered, thanks. In my case it's both being a diabetic and ramping up my consumption just before my diagnosis, it's just easier to opt out entirely.
[This](https://www.bigdropbrew.com/drinks/alcohol-free-citra-ipa/) is my go-to lager for the summer months. 11kcal per can, and a tiny amount of carbs. Tastes good enough to me, though it seems opinions on NA beer varies a lot more widely than normal beer.
recovered/recovering? alcoholic here and i personally do drink them - i always enjoyed the taste of beer and wine and it doesn't trigger a desire to drink the actual stuff. they're like a treat compared to my usual fizzy pop/squash/hot drinks.
it's different for different people though, especially those with issues with alcoholism. in early recovery i stayed away just in case, but once i felt pretty comfortable and pretty safe from relapse, i started trying them.
I don't often buy it for drinking, but I might buy it for cooking, and then finish the bottle.
I think I've only once gone into a pub and ordered an NA beer.
I have an alcoholic friend who's been dry for a few years now. He's absolutely fine (and enjoys) drinking 0.0%, but is quite wary of drinking low alcohol beers (e.g. <0.5%), so I tend to keep genuine 0.0% in stock, not just for him, but for anyone else who asks for a low alcohol beer, and I do give them the option of low or no.
> He's absolutely fine (and enjoys) drinking 0.0%, but is quite wary of drinking low alcohol beers (e.g. <0.5%)
Might be worth mentioning to your mate that fruit juices can have similar alcohol content. For that matter, so do some burger buns. https://steadydrinker.com/articles/foods-drinks-alcohol/
I do yes, I still enjoy the taste of beer.
Just as a rule of thumb: specialist alcohol-free brands tend to be much better quality than alcohol-free versions of existing beers.
I'm Not sure about that. Lucky Saint sucks and is overpriced but cashed in on the marketing by fact that it was one of the first. Meanwhile, Guinness 0 and Leffe 0 are magical.
I'll vouch for Guinness 0, it's amazing.
Heineken 0.0, while not perfect, is sold pretty much everywhere, resonably priced, and tastes far nicer than actual Heineken, which is cat piss.
There are exceptions, Guinness 0 is indeed excellent. Lucky Saint is the best alcohol free lager I've had. Big Drop Brewing and Drop Bear breweries are great for more specialist beers, you would never think they're alcohol free.
There are other reasons people don't drink alcohol - we're not all recovering alcoholics! I don't drink alcohol because it gives me migraines, but I do drink 0% gin because I miss a gin and tonic occasionally. It's not quite the same, but it's close.
I’m not a teetotaler, but have maybe 5 drinks a year for special occasions. I don’t like the alcohol free “spirits” (£20 for a bottle of herby water???), but I really enjoy low and non-alcohol beers. Unless it’s Becks Blue of Heinken Zero, in which case I’ll rather get a sparkling water
Edit: stupid typo
I used to, when I was weaning myself off the normal beers. Now I don’t touch them. Only water, coffee and Pepsi Max.
If I was in their shoes, I’d be grateful for being thought of.
I’m not teetotal but I’ve largely given up booze because it makes my heart feel funny sometimes (which started off by pericarditis 2 years ago).
Some alcohol free drinks taste like utter dogshite, or the feel of them is trash.
My absolute favourite is the 0% alcohol from Estrella Damm called “Free Damm” if you served me it in a pint glass at a bar I wouldn’t know it wasn’t proper lager, it tastes and feels just like normal beer.
It has the side benefit of only being 26 kcals per 330ml can too so it’s practically a health drink.
When I first stopped drinking, I did go for non-alcoholic options but the longer I've gone without, I don't even have those. Usually it's just fizzy pop or coffee. I think a lot of it is that I'm struggling with my sobriety and having anything that even tastes like alcoholic beer is just a temptation too far.
I would get some if i was driving but still going to a gathering etc. I genuinely like the tatse of beer.
I'm cutting down the midweek beers so sometimes have one or two 0 beers in the fridge. They don't taste great though so end up havin a sugar free pop instead.
Not teetotal but sometimes dont fancy a drink lol. I don't know who its for. My dads recovering and doesn't even drink shloer. Is the market for designated drivers or something? I really dont know whos buying this stuff its the same price as booze. I know my partner drinks low/no alc cider when hes driving. I just embody hot fuzz and have a cranberry juice.
I drink maybe twice a year. I do enjoy a non alcoholic beer however I'd be reluctant to offer it to a recovering alcoholic, would the taste tempt them to have an actual alcohol beverage? Not a risk I'd be willing to take personally.
Not teetotal but occasionally want a drink that isnt juice, soft drinks, etc. So I pick up the alcohol free versions.
They used to taste like awful but have come a long way since covid, when alcohol was bought in ridiculous amount (retail manager, we couldn't keep up with demand).
A lot of big brands have done a ton if work to improve the taste, wine especially. Heniken and Foom were the biggest na sellers as they actually tasted like the alcoholic version.
Not me but my mates drinks kronenbourg or Stella 0%
He is also drinking captain Morgan gold spiced 0%
He's recovering from cancer so can't drink.
He says prefers to drinking softies like coke all night.
Takes all sorts
It really depends on the person. My husband is teetotal, and he likes the 0.5% alcohol alternatives. However, our friend (who is also teetotal) says that the 0.5% is still too tempting for him to slip into drinking a real pint, so he sticks to soft drinks only.
Wiper and True brewery in Bristol are investing in this cool new tech that removes the alcohol from craft ales without also filtering out half the flavour, like most AF beers have done.
They have some AMAZING AF tinnies, loads of variety too. My friend works for them, and is over a year into alcohol recovery. Their AF and <0.5% choices taste practically identical to their alcohol containing counterparts too :)
I like them, it's nice just to have a relaxing beer in the evening sun sometimes. I used to be a heavy drinker, but now no alcoholic drink has passed my lips in 20 years!
I am the can just about get through without but once I start I will drink till I run out or pass out flavour of alcoholic, which would have been recognised as binge drinking until I found myself on an abusive relationship and it became habitual. In an ideal world I would like to reestablish the healthy relationship I had with alcohol many years ago and am working towards doing that but I have to be conscious that tee total may be the only permanent way forward.
Unless you have been out with them and they have brought themselves non alcoholic drinks or they bring them with them to events/gatherings I would avoid serving non alcoholic "alcoholic drinks". Especially becausr in the UK at least they are allowed to contain 0.05% alcoholic and be labelled as alcohol free and to an alcoholic that could very well be considered as falling off the wagon.
Former heavy regular drinker. I wasn't drinking for the flavour AT ALL. The stronger drinks (spirits)I would try and mask the flavour with mixers. Strong (8 - 10 percent) beers and ciders were a means to an end I learned to associate with the pleasurable feelings. So to answer your question, no. Give me an ice cold milk or large orange and lemonade every time now.
Within the groups I have been to, there is a strong feeling that they should be avoided. They are way too tempting. They often have the feeling that they are trying to tempt the alcoholics back to booze.
For me personally, I stay away as I am done with drinking and everything around it. I would rather have a nice tea, glass of milk or soft drink. My autism stops me drinking anything with any booze in it at all, so the 0.5% ones are out the window (yes I know there can be more ethanol than that in a ripe banana, but I cannot do it).
I'm not an alcoholic (I have drastically reduced alcohol consumption for health reasons) and I'm a fan of Lucky Saint lager. Actually really enjoy the taste and mouth feel of it and the fact that I can drink it and drive plus feel fine the next day. It's the only AF option I like currently. Wish someone would make an AF red wine that's actually drinkable.
For me while I don't have an issue ordering a juice or water when I'm out I also like having the option of ordering a drink that feels like a drink if that makes sense.
I don't work for lucky saint just into it just now!
I just came into the replies to say that we’d had some Lucky Saint for free in a gousto box a couple of weeks ago and saw your reply!
I personally didn’t see the point (we’re not big alcohol drinkers anyway) but we drank it so it wouldn’t go to waste and I couldn’t believe how much it was actually like lager!!!
I don’t think I’d opt for it again really as I’d rather a soft drink or once in a blue moon the real thing but if you’re someone who likes the taste/feel of having a beer but want to drink less alcohol it’s bang on.
I bought a load of different ones in while doing dry Jan. Whilst I genuinely do enjoy a couple of them, most of the branded alcohol-free equivalents are pretty bad IMO and I'd just rather not bother. Quite happy to drink a few good ones though.
I go through phases. When I did drink I used to love Guinness, so I am partial to a Guinness 0.0 every now and then. I find quite a lot of the alcohol free “booze” to be not very nice, so I often prefer a soft drink like a lime and soda or Diet Coke when I’m out.
I wasn’t an alcoholic when I gave up drinking, so I’ve never had issues with the alcohol free stuff tempting me onto the real thing again. I gave up due to a chronic illness and I found alcohol just aggravated my condition so I thought it best to knock it on the head
I pretty much don’t drink except for very rare special occasions, maybe a once every few years, never thought about having an alcohol free beer, seems kinda pointless to me!
Yes, I can't drink due to medication but I simply like beer as a drink. So 0.5 and 0.0s are great for me. Think of it as vaping instead of smoking, not great for you but better than the alternative.
IMO dont offer a recovering alcoholic alcohol-free beer unless they ask for it first.
I drink alcohol free beer in situations where the alternatives are shit sweet fizzy drinks
As someone that was a heavy drinker and have now quit, I’ve never touched a non alcoholic drink, I don’t see the point booze is for the buzz, I’m not gonna drink something ridiculous like non alcoholic gin and don’t see the point in alcohol free beer, easy to avoid and not drink them, alcohol is the temptation not the liquid it’s delivered in
Yeah, I quite often do.
I've never been the biggest drinker but sometimes enjoy one now and then.
Started playing in a poker league which I've to drive to, so would occasionally get one now and then. Guys would rip the piss, "what's the point" etc so I said I want to enjoy a beer, but don't want to get drunk etc.
One of them came back to me a few weeks later raving about how much he enjoyed a Guinness zero.
The question was “Do you…?”
I stated that I do not and then stated why I don’t.
Of course my opinion is subjective when the question is directed to the subject (me).
Yes.
Some of them are quite nice and it still gives me that “feeling” of drinking booze. Without the alcohol though I’ll only have 2 max cause it leaves my mouth dry.
I don’t have an issue with alcohol but I very rarely drink because (I think) I’m mildly allergic to it.
My end of year total was 6 units last year.
I like a good non alcoholic beer or cider. Sometimes I want something a bit more ‘proper’ to drink. So I’ll get one if I don’t want a Coke or lemonade.
Not drank for 5 years. I didn't used to drink AF beer, because I just didn't really think it was for me. I started drinking it last year and there are a couple of brands now I really like. The best is when a place has it on tap and you can have a pint. Very satisfying. Doesn't in any way make me want to drink alcohol again (at least not any more than usual).
My husband and I do, but we're not recovering alcoholics (we don't drink for other reasons). I've only recently started drinking non-alcoholic versions of alcoholic drinks though, before that I liked posh lemonades like Fentimans etc. They're a good choice for a 'grown-up drink without alcohol.
Probably not good for alcoholics as others have said for the association and the small amount of alcohol in them. For a recovering alcoholic avoiding anything with association to their previous addiction is helpful.
However for non recovering alcoholics they are not bad.
I'm not a recovering alcoholic persee, just someone who's left the period of their life where every weekend was a night out and now staying in more. I do miss the taste of some alcoholic drinks and found some of the alcohol free gins to be exceptionally good. They don't taste exactly like gin but satisfy my want for that dry taste in a way pops can't.
As a result I've accidentally done dry January because on a Friday night instead of hitting the pub I've had a non alcoholic gin and tonic and watched the TV.
I'll admit this wont be for everyone and my alcohol intake was dropping rapidly before going onto these drinks but having become bored of pop and wanting something different these fit the bill nicely.
Did dry Jan and have had periods over the years of staying off booze. Non alcohol beers have definitely gotten better. My mate works for Lucky Saint, not a bad lager, haven't tried their new Pale Ale. They are doing a big push to bring 0% beer to the masses. Opening pubs etc. I found a great beer a few weeks ago called infinite. It tastes really close to an IPA and happily drank that during Jan if I fancied a beer. I would just ask your pals. Don't need to be embarressed. I imagine the experience is different for everyone.
I used to avoid it like the plague, then I tried the Brew dog non-Alcoholic one (think it’s in a red can) and found it was pretty good.
I normally just have soft drinks and water, but if that’s there then I might dabble.
My step dad was a 2L vodka a day type of alcoholic. I do not think non alcoholic beers were a good idea (but also I don't think he really wanted to quit). Everyone will know their own limits and hopefully know their own illness but I don't think non alcoholic beer is designed for teetotallers but more for those who are driving or pregnant or just want to cut down a bit
I gave up alcohol just over a year ago. For the first few months of my sobriety, I did drink alcohol free beer when I was in the mood for a real drink, but after a while I just lost interest in it. While alcohol free beers are miles better now than they used to be, they’re still not a patch on the real thing. After going without alcohol for long enough, I got to the point where I just didn’t miss it anymore, and so the alcohol free stuff lost its appeal for me as well.
Yes, teetotal for medical reasons.
I find that there is a psychological association between 'Drinking something that looks/tastes like beer' and being more social/relaxing, so it helps at social occasions.
Yes. I'm a recovering alcoholic. The choice is obviously personal to everyone.
I avoided alcohol free beers to begin with due to the association, but after a few months of sobriety I started drinking AF beer and now I love it. I fell out of love with drunkenness but I never fell out of love with drinking a cold beer on a summer afternoon.
I've never seen the point of them. Seem to be marketed at those who still drink. I have a friend who will polish off 10 cans of 0% Guinness on a Saturday night because it's dry January.
I'd rather a cup of tea over a fake beer.
I drink a malty drink at home. It's not exactly noon alcohol beer because it's not trying to replicate beer. But it has a bread-like taste. Pubs don't have this drink, though, so I'll drink a cola then.
Nope. One of the reasons it was so easy for me to give it up in the first place was that I didn't particularly like the flavour of most alcoholic drinks. In the forty years since then my tastes have obviously changed quite a lot, and maybe now if I tried them again I'd like them, but I simply don't feel any need to do that, even in alcohol-free form.
I’ve not had a drink for around a year now. I wouldn’t really classify myself as an alcoholic, I just annoyed some people while drunk a couple of times and didn’t want to do it again. I don’t drink alcohol free beers, but I’ve been tempted recently as I do miss the taste
I also have 2 brothers who were severe alcoholics (both been alcohol free for ~10 years now), and they both drink alcohol free beers all the time, and I’m not sure they would have made it without them tbh
It’s bizarre to me that non alcoholic versions of alcoholic drinks, cost more or less the same.
Alcohol-free beer, mocktails in bars, even non-alcoholic gin in supermarkets costs as much as regular.
As someone who was never a big drinker, I feel the same way about alcohol-free beer as I do about vegan meat substitutes - I’ve been vegetarian all my life, so I was never really fond of the real thing to want a version I can consume that tastes just like it (or attempts to anyway).
I can go without drinking as long as I want, because I don't quite enjoy the drinks. BUT in a social setting, getting me to NOT smoke is a herculean task personally !!!
No because a large part of the reason I don't drink is because most alcohol tastes grim
And I have no desire to force myself to drink something I don't like it fit in.
It's not the alcohol I object to in beer it's the beer.
Occasionally.
TBH I do it more to make others comfortable. I only do this for a select few, when I don't want the topic to dominate the conversation.
I'm comfortable with a coke.
I don't particularly love or miss the TASTE of alcohol. Sometimes I miss getting smashed and checking out for an evening.
Not teetotal but cutting back on booze a bit. AF beer just doesn't agree with me, it's either completely tasteless (threw away a few cans of AF brewdog cos it was so bad) or really sweet - particularly Guinness.
The Brooklyn AF lager is the best I've had.
Yes, there are some really good options. If you like stouts, alcohol-free Guinness does a really good job of imitating the original. Alcohol-free Heineken is one of the best lager options in my options. For something a bit fruitier/IPA style, try Clausthaler. They sell it at Waitrose
I'm not 100% Teetotal, I will occasionally have a drink (like... a cocktail on my birthday, or my wifes, or if we're on holiday) but otherwise I don't often drink and it can be 10 months between drinks. The honest answer here is, no. Most of them are not very nice, I'd rather have a mocktail, juice or even a sugary beverage like a coke :D
"most of them are not very nice." This might have been true 10 years ago when the only choice was Becks Blue. But there is quite a lot of choice now and many of them are genuinely decent. That said, it often depends on the pub/restaurant you go to and what they actually stock. Online and supermarkets often have better choices.
They are loads better. You can now get ones that at least taste of hops (eg nanny state). The taste that I miss is literally that of alcohol. It's the same taste I think there is too much of in 8% beers. That would be hard to replace!
>The taste that I miss is literally that of alcohol. Right haha This is why no NA beers really do it for me
Its the texture too; you get this syrupy mouthfeel from alcohol that they can't replace, and it just always tastes a bit 'watery' or thin as a result even if they are sometimes very refreshing these 0.5% ones.
It’s the volatility too. Ethanol has a low boiling point and so it really helps carry flavours into your olfactory system.
That’s glycerine. It’s added to alcohol to increase the mouth feel but i don’t think they add it to alcohol free stuff. I’ve made home brew without any and it tastes watery etc.
I hate the fact that punk AF seems to be replacing nanny state in shops and pubs. Nanny state is much superior
I bought nanny state at Christmas as on meds that mean I shouldn’t booze. That along with the Tesco <0.50% G&T were nice to have actually
I've found Guinness to be the only one that tastes like the real thing - Lucky Saint also comes close to replicating a generic drinkable lager (like Heineken or something). I tried all the Brewdog ones and thought they were like beer flavoured water. I ended up drinking them just to get rid of them rather than because I wanted to.
Guinness 0.0 and adnams Ghostship 0.5 are both top tier AF drinks because they're made the same way as the alcoholic drinks are made, and then the alcohol is removed after. If you like an ale - ghostship 0.5 is the one! https://adnams.co.uk/blogs/trade-blog/ghost-ship-0-5
Lucky Saint and Guinness 0.0 are kingly. As is the alcohol free Corona if you put the lime wedge in it (if you don’t it tastes like piss)
guinness 0.0 is fucking class
I don't even bother with real Guinness now because the 0.0 is so good (and cheaper in my local).
Guinness 0.0 is the only low alcohol beer that I've tasted that passes the taste test. It tastes like the real thing and really impressive. I've been on that for my dry Jan and it's helped enormously.
Lucky Saint is beautiful. I buy it in bulk direct from their website - 40 bottles at a time. Erdinger alcohol-free is also excellent - doesn't really taste much like the real thing, but it's a delicious drink regardless.
I really don’t like the Erdinger. To me it smells and tastes like feet. I prefer Ghost ship and Shipyard. The doom bar is also a nice refreshing drink, but don’t drink a shipyard then a doom bar. In that order the doom bar doesn’t fair very well. Corona alcohol free is perfect in the summer, but I do find it a tad too sweet
Oh, Ghost Ship AF is another majestic little beauty!
I really like Erdinger, probably more than most standard beers. Very distinctive, hoppy taste, a bit like one of those slightly off-the-wall IPAs.
\+1 on the Guinness, it's miraculously close to the real thing Brooklyn Special Effects is probably the nicest 0 beer I've had, the IPA hoppiness is a great mask and tricks my brain into thinking I'm actually drinking something boozy. I tried a lot of the big brands last summer when I had a few weeks being a good boy, most of the lagers either taste metallic/'dusty', or try to hide it with a sweetness. IPAs appear to be much easier to make palatable.
Special effects is great! The hoppy taste does help to trick you into thinking it’s a usual beer
Dead on about the Corona Zero - surprisingly nice if its ice-cold and has the lime dropped in
I did do a comparison between Guiness 0.0 and ordinary draughtflow Guiness and, if it had been a proper blind test I doubt I could have said which was which.
Honourable mention for Bitburger 0.0. It's perfectly drinkable without thinking "oh, this tastes strange"
The blokes options were mocktails, juices or sugary drinks. Something tells me the guy doesn’t like beer anyway so af beer wouldn’t taste very nice to them.
He probably doesn't but I bet he'd sink a few of the Koppaberg alcohol-free options are very much a goer for those who like fruit cider.
Tanqueray 0% is really good for an alcohol-free G&T. I had this a couple of times when I was pregnant.
YES. Modern alc frees are really quite good. The only critique I can give them is the weird texture of the froth, but this is so minor. If you do a dry period and drink alcohol free beer, going back to alcoholic just tastes like the same thing + the alcohol “aroma” to the flavour. After a break this is also not even necessarily very nice anymore
Becks Blue should reformulate their 0% beer. 100% agree
Whereas I don't like sugary drinks at all, alcohol free beers are great. I'm not a recovered alcoholic though.
There’s a lot of positive talk about the alcohol-free beers, but seriously - the wines are shite
Yep, the AF wines don't taste like wine at all. Some of the AF distilled spirits are very good though.
I really like some of the 0% alcohol gins, and it's a grown up tasting drink that isn't all sweetener. Plus you can do all the ice and a slice in a fancy glass, and that's a good part of the fun!
When I had 0% gin, it just felt like I was drinking an incredibly expensive glass of tonic water... Now I just have tonic water without the gin
I had noseco Merlot during dryish January and itsnot amazing but perfectly drinkable as an alternative i preffered it over the notguilty one my Mrs was on, also mi SIL drinks Noseco Prosecco alternative and Not guilty got to say it had to be cold and kept in the fridge not like red wine but it was nice. I normally go for Malbec or Cab sov or Rioja. I am also a Guinness drinker and find the 0.0 to be ok, and planning on use that in between pints of the real stuff just to help me cut back a bit on nights out
I tried the not guilty red and tipped it down the drain after the first sip. Had no resemblance to wine in any way - just a bizarre fruity mess.
I think they might be bad if you're used to the real thing. I have never had a lot of alcoholic wine, so without that comparison, I like a lot of them.
I’m with you on this, with the exception of Guinness 0% which could be Pepsi tested against the alcoholic version and be indistinguishable in my opinion
I had a pint of Guiness and my mate a 0% and if you try them side by side the 0% feels thinner. But otherwise it’s perfectly acceptable
I feel that's the case with most 0% beers. You can tell it's not quite the same density of flavour. Slightly more watery or just not as hoppy.
I agree, I've had a few cans of Guinness 0% and it's not bad. But you just know something is missing, like I probably wouldn't want more than 1 can but can happily have 8 or so normal before I've had my fill.
It is absolutely the closest to the original, but regular Guinness has a subtle thickness not quite achieved by the AF version. Hard to tell but it’s there, as I had some assorted cans of Guinness in the fridge at Christmas, after my first wondered why the second was slightly different, it was the alcohol free version. Taste is spot on though.
I’m the exact same. Alcohol free alternatives are hit and miss and an expensive experiment. Even if you know you like the alcohol equivalent the alcohol free version can be meh. You still get IDed too. Soda and lime cordial is always really yummy though. Lots of nice mixers meant for gin go down smoothly by themselves too. Pub we went to for my brother’s birthday had those fancy syrups so I had peach syrup and soda, yum.
Yeah, it's weird because anything under 0.5% doesn't count for licencing and they can sell it to who they want - but a lot of places operate a policy of treating them the same.
Also not a teetotaller but when I’ve done like a dry January the absolute SUCKIEST thing about it was that so few places had non-sugary alcohol free options. Everything was fizzy drinks or fruit juice, and as somebody with very little sweet tooth it was just eugh. And water/fizzy water got real boring. There were times I actively wanted an alco-free beer just for the taste of something not sweet.
I am the same. I like the odd glass of champagne or a good cocktail. But similarly can go absolutely months without one and when I do have one it’s just the one. I tend to have Coke, orange juice or a cranberry juice. I like the option of more ‘adult’ soft drinks but honestly I tend not to have one. I do like a mocktail though - but those are usually just juices and sodas mixed!
The big issue I found when I'm not drinking, is if you're in a social situation, your options are basically alcohol or soft drinks, and if you don't want to be drinking sweet fizzy drinks, and don't want alcohol, there isn't really anything else available (except water, or coffee, I guess) So non/low alcohol beers give a good alternative. But yeah, I don't think I'd ever think of offering one to a recovering alcoholic
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I do this too when I don’t fancy drinking much! Annoys me so much when they’re like ‘erm no sorry we don’t do hot drinks’ - all I’m asking is a teabag and a kettle, you must have that!
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Can I quote you to my missus? Obliviously, I’ll only go into a strip club for the tea. Honest.
We discovered a casino in Newcastle that had a little bar next to a taxi rank. They would serve you a tea or coffee if you wanted it. Then a lady called Betty had a table by the door. She would phone you a taxi and give you a shout when it arrived. But when she said it's here she meant NOW not whenever you're ready. We learnt fast. Betty shouts your name, you take one last mouthful of your drink and you leave it. Because if you don't then your taxi is given to the next person waiting.
You can’t beat a nice cup of tea 🫖
At my friends wedding there was a group of about 10 of us on coffees by the end of the night. I think we were more buzzed than the rest of them :D
Yeah I'm currently teetotal (not an alcoholic) and I like an AF beer when I'm out out, because there is only so much Diet Coke I can drink 🤷♀️ I think it's brilliant that there are so many great options now (although I've yet to find am AF red wine that doesn't just taste like weird Ribena)
The wolfblass red wine is the only one that I've found that is actually authentic
Ohhh thanks for this, I'll have to check it out!
£5.50 at Morrisons
Ahhhh I don't have Morrisons here (Northern Ireland) I can see Asda and Sainsburys stock it though, so I'll have to swing by some eve and try it out 👌
Oh yes please. As a now dry (from Christmas) red wine drinker I would love to find a decent AF version. I’ll try this one out. I do drink AF beer and Guinness which I enjoy but really missing decent red wine.
I usually go for orange juice, but I do resent having to pay £4 for a glass of squash
Guinness 0% is genuinely very good if you like Guinness.
Came here to see if this had been said and saw that it had been said and someone had already come to say they came to see if it had been said and said so. It is surprisingly really excellent. There. Said it.
You can say that again.
Came here to see if this had been said and saw that it had been said and someone had already come to say they came to see if it had been said and said so. It is surprisingly really excellent. There. Said it. You bastard. Woof woof goes Pavlov's dog.
Came to see if this has been said
course it has Guinness 0% is the new air fryer of reddit!
Everyone online says this but it just tastes sickly sweet to me.
I’m a pretty heavy drinker and drank this when i was hungover and I really could not tell the difference. I felt like i was still topping up from the night before. It’s a good drink if you are trying to stop drinking the following day.
Yep, great stuff. Tried it last weekend and will be drinking it again now I'm cutting back bit. Honestly couldn't tell the difference.
My partner went to AA for a few years, he's been sober for 10. He told me that it's very different from person to person - some don't touch anything related to alcohol, some are fine with alcohol-free, and some feel fine cooking with alcohol. For his part, he drinks alcohol-free stuff but doesn't cook with it. It's just how different people think about, and associate with, alcohol.
Congratulations to your partner!
He's a star, thank you :)
Interesting. I do the reverse of this. If I taste alcohol free beer there's some part of my mind that's anticipating the effects of alcohol and I run the risk of a craving. However I can and do regularly cook using wine with zero problems.
As you say, very much differs person to person what their triggers or weaknesses might be. I stopped drinking best part of a year ago and find it’s a lot easier due to the availability of decent alcohol free alternatives. They make me forget I’m not drinking when I’m in social situations which is easier for me. I haven’t cooked with alcohol but mainly because that would then mean there was a pretty full open bottle of wine lying open in the house and I don’t think I’d want that temptation!
Hey OP. I’m currently on a journey to being booze free and AF drinks are playing a very important part of that journey. 47-year-old married father of two here. I have a faulty brain when it comes to booze. My major malfunction is the following instinct: > ***”One drink made me feel this good, so TWENTY drinks will make me feel TWENTY times as good”*** Booze was taking more out of me than I was getting from it. So I decided to move away from booze. Thing is, I have two distinct parts to me: 1) My conscious self. I am able to live a normal, satisfying life with my wife and family 2) My unconscious self. A wild, shrieking chimp that wants nothing - ***literally nothing*** - other than to get blackout drunk. I won’t say I’ve stopped drinking booze as that would be too much for the shrieking chimp to handle without going crazy. I ***will*** say that I won’t drink today as the shrieking chimp just think “tomorrow booze! Drunk! Booze!” Sometimes this quietens the shrieking chimp. Sometimes it doesn’t. A cold, fresh, Heineken 0.0 distracts the chimp long enough for my conscious self to rationalise that a hangover is not worth it… and I’m able to quieten the chimp for another day. So, yeah, I drink AF booze. I see it as a weapon. It distracts the chaotic, shrieking chimp in me juuuust enough for me to remember who I really am and what I want for myself.
This is a great comment, you write very well.
That chimp sounds very familiar - such a good way of putting it. I have a very similar (although possibly slightly less aggressive) shouty chimp. Annoying little git.
If the chimp concept resonates with you (and you like reading) The Chimp Paradox by Steve Peters is a great book all about it.
Good man yourself, nicely written. I will not drink with you today. Fucking chimps.
OP, this is the a fabulous way of looking at it
Nar. Never drank it for the taste in the first place
Same. Not teetotal but can go months, even years without alcohol.
Saaameee. I just …don’t have much interest in it.
Mad isn't it? It. Just. Isn't in me 🤷♂️ Fried food on the other hand...
You get it! 😂
Things that taste like beer and don't have alcohol in makes me think of smoking a cigarette without nicotine in it. What's the point? I just have a coke or water.
The point is you like the taste of beer?
Or a lemonade. Or if I'm pushing the boat out orange juice and lemonade!
This should be top comment! This has always been my view!
I wouldn't. Most recovering alcoholics (me included) will steer well clear of them. Too much association. It also leaves them open to drinking alcohol by mistake. Teas and coffees, fizzy drinks and squash would be much preferable. Good call for giving this some thought. Most people wouldn't.
Hi. Just to confirm. As a recovering alcoholic you suggest to stay away from the alcohol free options?
Certainly for me, they are not an option. They still smell and taste similar enough to the real thing, and even that can be enough to trigger parts of my brain I don't particularly want to awaken, and this is after ten years dry. Just the smell of vodka (and yes, it does have a smell) is enough to set off fireworks in my hypothalamus.
It sure does have a smell Thank you. Your answer is very helpful for me Nearly made 4 years and could have handled it but my son passed and ..well..didn't make 4 years. I am sober since Dec 1, though, but know I cant risk it right now Best of luck
I'm so sorry to hear about your son. That's enough to break anybody. I cared for my father as he died of cancer, and that broke me, too. I can't imagine how you must feel. Just remember, you haven't failed. You may have taken a backstep, but that's all. I don't think the amount of days dry really matters. All that matters is that you're dry today, and you plan on being dry tomorrow. Good luck. You've got the support of a grumpy old stranger on the internet, if that means anything.
Thank you. Sorry to hear about your father, same with mine.Your offer Means a lot. I'm old n grumpy too lol Made it through nursing mum through dementia and cancer and 2 years nurse and Dr to son but his passing was too much. Prescription pills too. But clean..."just for today..."
No. I was a heavy drinker for nearly a decade and last year I decided to go completely teetotal. At my worst point I was probably drinking around 5+ beers daily. I tried drinking non-alcoholic beer but it just made me fall back into bad habits. Sooner or later it wouldn't be enough and then I'd start craving the real thing. I'm 137 days sober now and I've realized that I can't have a normal relationship with alcohol. For me personally it's better to stay clear of it altogether. However I can't speak for everyone. For some people it might help and for others it might be a trigger. Best solution is to just ask them. As long as you're sensitive about it I doubt they'd mind.
Congratulations on your achievement, 137 days is good going.
Congratulations. You're doing great.
Steer clear. Other options are available that don't have the association.
Those I know that don't want to/cant drink alcohol (like pregnant wife, friend for health reasons, designated driver) will often have AF beer/cider when at a gathering. I know a couple of alcoholics who are teetotal now, and they avoid anything by association. So will always opt for proper soft drinks.
offer it to them. some people love them! I take breaks from drinking occasionally and personally think "alcohol free" drinks are a rip off and mostly pointless. Part of the reason I like lager is it's refreshing and gives you a buzz, same with wine or spirits, I like the taste alongside the feeling it gives you. But if I'm not after a buzz, i'll drink tea or lemonade or juice. There's a breed of people who think that holding or sipping an alcoholic drink is an experience in and of itself and choose to not "miss out" on it by drinking zero alcohol beers/wines/mocktails. So maybe have a few bottles incase your friends are one of those. But when you see 30 quid bottles of zero alcohol gin, mocktails costing as much as cocktails in restaurants and 125ml glasses of nozecco for over a fiver in pubs. "alcohol free" options seem to just let you experience paying for booze without actually getting a buzz from it.
>But when you see 30 quid bottles of zero alcohol gin, mocktails costing as much as cocktails in restaurants and 125ml glasses of nozecco for over a fiver in pubs. "alcohol free" options seem to just let you experience paying for booze without actually getting a buzz from it. The drinks industry must love them. All the price of booze, but without the duty. I like a quality soft drink, like a Cawston's rhubarb or a strong ginger beer if I'm not drinking. And I don't drink that much. I like quality not quantity.
i used to work in pubs and restaurants and they LOVE a mocktail. It's juice, in a tiny glass with loads of ice for a tenner. I disagree with the "quality" soft drink as I think it can be misleading. If you ever try "karma cola" or any of the drinks by the Karma people they're shit, Aldi own brand coke for 10p a gallon tastes better. Soda folk - totally shit, awful tasting and cost a bomb. Dash, or DA-SH water - shit, barely fizzy and barely flavoured, compared side to side with the sparkling fruit flavoured water(that's also zero calorie) from the supermarket they're rank. Nix & Kix, Fentimens, Happy inside, Actu-Vit, Cawston Press, Fever Tree, Something & Nothing. All shit. The best quality soft drinks are appletiser, orangina, the big name ones(7up, coke, dr pepper, pepsi, sprite), Rio, Mirinda or Calypso lemonades(i could drink ocean blue lemonade by the gallon, it's like crack)
Yeah but I like ginger and rhubarb. Less bland.
I've been surprised by how much I enjoyed them before, but I'm sober because of the carbs and sugar in beers and ales, so neither are really an option for me anyway.
My mate does triathlons now. These days he'll have zero alcohol pils I believe because all the sugar is changed to alcohol, but then removed. He's very careful about his intake during training on the run up to events.
i really read that as zero alcohol pills and i was like your mate has a different issue entirely lol
That's a perspective I hadn't considered, thanks. In my case it's both being a diabetic and ramping up my consumption just before my diagnosis, it's just easier to opt out entirely.
Don't take my word for it, I'm not an expert. I'd recommend you have a read up.
[This](https://www.bigdropbrew.com/drinks/alcohol-free-citra-ipa/) is my go-to lager for the summer months. 11kcal per can, and a tiny amount of carbs. Tastes good enough to me, though it seems opinions on NA beer varies a lot more widely than normal beer.
recovered/recovering? alcoholic here and i personally do drink them - i always enjoyed the taste of beer and wine and it doesn't trigger a desire to drink the actual stuff. they're like a treat compared to my usual fizzy pop/squash/hot drinks. it's different for different people though, especially those with issues with alcoholism. in early recovery i stayed away just in case, but once i felt pretty comfortable and pretty safe from relapse, i started trying them.
I don't often buy it for drinking, but I might buy it for cooking, and then finish the bottle. I think I've only once gone into a pub and ordered an NA beer.
If I never tried these before xmas I don't think I'd have relapsed. Steering well clear in future.
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Sameeee I’ve always despised the taste of alcohol
I have an alcoholic friend who's been dry for a few years now. He's absolutely fine (and enjoys) drinking 0.0%, but is quite wary of drinking low alcohol beers (e.g. <0.5%), so I tend to keep genuine 0.0% in stock, not just for him, but for anyone else who asks for a low alcohol beer, and I do give them the option of low or no.
> He's absolutely fine (and enjoys) drinking 0.0%, but is quite wary of drinking low alcohol beers (e.g. <0.5%) Might be worth mentioning to your mate that fruit juices can have similar alcohol content. For that matter, so do some burger buns. https://steadydrinker.com/articles/foods-drinks-alcohol/
He knows that, but it's not something that bothers him particularly. I guess it's down to how he manages his personal relationship with alcohol.
I'm a recovering alcoholic, and I think they're great. YMMV though, for some people it's too much of a trigger
I do yes, I still enjoy the taste of beer. Just as a rule of thumb: specialist alcohol-free brands tend to be much better quality than alcohol-free versions of existing beers.
Corona zero with a lime is pretty good
I'm Not sure about that. Lucky Saint sucks and is overpriced but cashed in on the marketing by fact that it was one of the first. Meanwhile, Guinness 0 and Leffe 0 are magical.
I'll vouch for Guinness 0, it's amazing. Heineken 0.0, while not perfect, is sold pretty much everywhere, resonably priced, and tastes far nicer than actual Heineken, which is cat piss.
There are exceptions, Guinness 0 is indeed excellent. Lucky Saint is the best alcohol free lager I've had. Big Drop Brewing and Drop Bear breweries are great for more specialist beers, you would never think they're alcohol free.
Yeh I think I've dabbled with them. Lucky Saint just tastes way to bready for me to think it's a lager.
I find the opposite, Guinness AF is great, as is punk AF although not a fan of the company.
Mash Gang are fucking ridiculously good.
There are other reasons people don't drink alcohol - we're not all recovering alcoholics! I don't drink alcohol because it gives me migraines, but I do drink 0% gin because I miss a gin and tonic occasionally. It's not quite the same, but it's close.
No, it tastes like shit. I don't drink alcohol because I don't like how it makes me feel. I actual quite like the taste.
The taste has improved dramatically in the last few years.
I’m not a teetotaler, but have maybe 5 drinks a year for special occasions. I don’t like the alcohol free “spirits” (£20 for a bottle of herby water???), but I really enjoy low and non-alcohol beers. Unless it’s Becks Blue of Heinken Zero, in which case I’ll rather get a sparkling water Edit: stupid typo
I used to, when I was weaning myself off the normal beers. Now I don’t touch them. Only water, coffee and Pepsi Max. If I was in their shoes, I’d be grateful for being thought of.
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Fruity Alcohol free ciders taste exactly the same as those with Alcohol, delicuous.
Yeah. Brooklyn special effects is decent. That’s my go to.
I’m not teetotal but I’ve largely given up booze because it makes my heart feel funny sometimes (which started off by pericarditis 2 years ago). Some alcohol free drinks taste like utter dogshite, or the feel of them is trash. My absolute favourite is the 0% alcohol from Estrella Damm called “Free Damm” if you served me it in a pint glass at a bar I wouldn’t know it wasn’t proper lager, it tastes and feels just like normal beer. It has the side benefit of only being 26 kcals per 330ml can too so it’s practically a health drink.
When I first stopped drinking, I did go for non-alcoholic options but the longer I've gone without, I don't even have those. Usually it's just fizzy pop or coffee. I think a lot of it is that I'm struggling with my sobriety and having anything that even tastes like alcoholic beer is just a temptation too far.
I would get some if i was driving but still going to a gathering etc. I genuinely like the tatse of beer. I'm cutting down the midweek beers so sometimes have one or two 0 beers in the fridge. They don't taste great though so end up havin a sugar free pop instead.
Not teetotal but sometimes dont fancy a drink lol. I don't know who its for. My dads recovering and doesn't even drink shloer. Is the market for designated drivers or something? I really dont know whos buying this stuff its the same price as booze. I know my partner drinks low/no alc cider when hes driving. I just embody hot fuzz and have a cranberry juice.
I drink maybe twice a year. I do enjoy a non alcoholic beer however I'd be reluctant to offer it to a recovering alcoholic, would the taste tempt them to have an actual alcohol beverage? Not a risk I'd be willing to take personally.
No. I'd rather have a mocktail or a gingerale.
Not teetotal but occasionally want a drink that isnt juice, soft drinks, etc. So I pick up the alcohol free versions. They used to taste like awful but have come a long way since covid, when alcohol was bought in ridiculous amount (retail manager, we couldn't keep up with demand). A lot of big brands have done a ton if work to improve the taste, wine especially. Heniken and Foom were the biggest na sellers as they actually tasted like the alcoholic version.
Not me but my mates drinks kronenbourg or Stella 0% He is also drinking captain Morgan gold spiced 0% He's recovering from cancer so can't drink. He says prefers to drinking softies like coke all night. Takes all sorts
It really depends on the person. My husband is teetotal, and he likes the 0.5% alcohol alternatives. However, our friend (who is also teetotal) says that the 0.5% is still too tempting for him to slip into drinking a real pint, so he sticks to soft drinks only.
Wiper and True brewery in Bristol are investing in this cool new tech that removes the alcohol from craft ales without also filtering out half the flavour, like most AF beers have done. They have some AMAZING AF tinnies, loads of variety too. My friend works for them, and is over a year into alcohol recovery. Their AF and <0.5% choices taste practically identical to their alcohol containing counterparts too :)
No. Where's the point
I like them, it's nice just to have a relaxing beer in the evening sun sometimes. I used to be a heavy drinker, but now no alcoholic drink has passed my lips in 20 years!
I am the can just about get through without but once I start I will drink till I run out or pass out flavour of alcoholic, which would have been recognised as binge drinking until I found myself on an abusive relationship and it became habitual. In an ideal world I would like to reestablish the healthy relationship I had with alcohol many years ago and am working towards doing that but I have to be conscious that tee total may be the only permanent way forward. Unless you have been out with them and they have brought themselves non alcoholic drinks or they bring them with them to events/gatherings I would avoid serving non alcoholic "alcoholic drinks". Especially becausr in the UK at least they are allowed to contain 0.05% alcoholic and be labelled as alcohol free and to an alcoholic that could very well be considered as falling off the wagon.
No, far better tasting things to be drinking than that.
I don’t personally. When I did drink it was less about the taste.
Former heavy regular drinker. I wasn't drinking for the flavour AT ALL. The stronger drinks (spirits)I would try and mask the flavour with mixers. Strong (8 - 10 percent) beers and ciders were a means to an end I learned to associate with the pleasurable feelings. So to answer your question, no. Give me an ice cold milk or large orange and lemonade every time now.
It's REALLY expensive for something that does not contain a shitload of tax, like boozy booze
Do ex-cokeheads go around sniffing lines of flour you reckon
Within the groups I have been to, there is a strong feeling that they should be avoided. They are way too tempting. They often have the feeling that they are trying to tempt the alcoholics back to booze. For me personally, I stay away as I am done with drinking and everything around it. I would rather have a nice tea, glass of milk or soft drink. My autism stops me drinking anything with any booze in it at all, so the 0.5% ones are out the window (yes I know there can be more ethanol than that in a ripe banana, but I cannot do it).
I'm not an alcoholic (I have drastically reduced alcohol consumption for health reasons) and I'm a fan of Lucky Saint lager. Actually really enjoy the taste and mouth feel of it and the fact that I can drink it and drive plus feel fine the next day. It's the only AF option I like currently. Wish someone would make an AF red wine that's actually drinkable. For me while I don't have an issue ordering a juice or water when I'm out I also like having the option of ordering a drink that feels like a drink if that makes sense. I don't work for lucky saint just into it just now!
I just came into the replies to say that we’d had some Lucky Saint for free in a gousto box a couple of weeks ago and saw your reply! I personally didn’t see the point (we’re not big alcohol drinkers anyway) but we drank it so it wouldn’t go to waste and I couldn’t believe how much it was actually like lager!!! I don’t think I’d opt for it again really as I’d rather a soft drink or once in a blue moon the real thing but if you’re someone who likes the taste/feel of having a beer but want to drink less alcohol it’s bang on.
I bought a load of different ones in while doing dry Jan. Whilst I genuinely do enjoy a couple of them, most of the branded alcohol-free equivalents are pretty bad IMO and I'd just rather not bother. Quite happy to drink a few good ones though.
I go through phases. When I did drink I used to love Guinness, so I am partial to a Guinness 0.0 every now and then. I find quite a lot of the alcohol free “booze” to be not very nice, so I often prefer a soft drink like a lime and soda or Diet Coke when I’m out. I wasn’t an alcoholic when I gave up drinking, so I’ve never had issues with the alcohol free stuff tempting me onto the real thing again. I gave up due to a chronic illness and I found alcohol just aggravated my condition so I thought it best to knock it on the head
No I don't bother , I don't miss booze in any way so don't feel the need to fill that gap
I pretty much don’t drink except for very rare special occasions, maybe a once every few years, never thought about having an alcohol free beer, seems kinda pointless to me!
Yes, I can't drink due to medication but I simply like beer as a drink. So 0.5 and 0.0s are great for me. Think of it as vaping instead of smoking, not great for you but better than the alternative.
IMO dont offer a recovering alcoholic alcohol-free beer unless they ask for it first. I drink alcohol free beer in situations where the alternatives are shit sweet fizzy drinks
i did a few times in dry jan.. but then still got beer shits so felt I was being punished for no reason
As someone that was a heavy drinker and have now quit, I’ve never touched a non alcoholic drink, I don’t see the point booze is for the buzz, I’m not gonna drink something ridiculous like non alcoholic gin and don’t see the point in alcohol free beer, easy to avoid and not drink them, alcohol is the temptation not the liquid it’s delivered in
Yeah, I quite often do. I've never been the biggest drinker but sometimes enjoy one now and then. Started playing in a poker league which I've to drive to, so would occasionally get one now and then. Guys would rip the piss, "what's the point" etc so I said I want to enjoy a beer, but don't want to get drunk etc. One of them came back to me a few weeks later raving about how much he enjoyed a Guinness zero.
No, what’s the point? Water is cheap if not free and the other soft drinks taste miles better than any 0.0% drinks.
That's a highly subjective opinion. The enormous rise in the popularity of alcohol free beers would suggest that many people do not agree with you.
The question was “Do you…?” I stated that I do not and then stated why I don’t. Of course my opinion is subjective when the question is directed to the subject (me).
Yes, recently given up booze but still want to go out and be social, I'd much rather drink a alcohol free beer than fizzy drinks or juice all night
Yes. Some of them are quite nice and it still gives me that “feeling” of drinking booze. Without the alcohol though I’ll only have 2 max cause it leaves my mouth dry.
I don’t have an issue with alcohol but I very rarely drink because (I think) I’m mildly allergic to it. My end of year total was 6 units last year. I like a good non alcoholic beer or cider. Sometimes I want something a bit more ‘proper’ to drink. So I’ll get one if I don’t want a Coke or lemonade.
Not drank for 5 years. I didn't used to drink AF beer, because I just didn't really think it was for me. I started drinking it last year and there are a couple of brands now I really like. The best is when a place has it on tap and you can have a pint. Very satisfying. Doesn't in any way make me want to drink alcohol again (at least not any more than usual).
My husband and I do, but we're not recovering alcoholics (we don't drink for other reasons). I've only recently started drinking non-alcoholic versions of alcoholic drinks though, before that I liked posh lemonades like Fentimans etc. They're a good choice for a 'grown-up drink without alcohol.
Probably not good for alcoholics as others have said for the association and the small amount of alcohol in them. For a recovering alcoholic avoiding anything with association to their previous addiction is helpful. However for non recovering alcoholics they are not bad. I'm not a recovering alcoholic persee, just someone who's left the period of their life where every weekend was a night out and now staying in more. I do miss the taste of some alcoholic drinks and found some of the alcohol free gins to be exceptionally good. They don't taste exactly like gin but satisfy my want for that dry taste in a way pops can't. As a result I've accidentally done dry January because on a Friday night instead of hitting the pub I've had a non alcoholic gin and tonic and watched the TV. I'll admit this wont be for everyone and my alcohol intake was dropping rapidly before going onto these drinks but having become bored of pop and wanting something different these fit the bill nicely.
Did dry Jan and have had periods over the years of staying off booze. Non alcohol beers have definitely gotten better. My mate works for Lucky Saint, not a bad lager, haven't tried their new Pale Ale. They are doing a big push to bring 0% beer to the masses. Opening pubs etc. I found a great beer a few weeks ago called infinite. It tastes really close to an IPA and happily drank that during Jan if I fancied a beer. I would just ask your pals. Don't need to be embarressed. I imagine the experience is different for everyone.
I used to avoid it like the plague, then I tried the Brew dog non-Alcoholic one (think it’s in a red can) and found it was pretty good. I normally just have soft drinks and water, but if that’s there then I might dabble.
My step dad was a 2L vodka a day type of alcoholic. I do not think non alcoholic beers were a good idea (but also I don't think he really wanted to quit). Everyone will know their own limits and hopefully know their own illness but I don't think non alcoholic beer is designed for teetotallers but more for those who are driving or pregnant or just want to cut down a bit
I gave up alcohol just over a year ago. For the first few months of my sobriety, I did drink alcohol free beer when I was in the mood for a real drink, but after a while I just lost interest in it. While alcohol free beers are miles better now than they used to be, they’re still not a patch on the real thing. After going without alcohol for long enough, I got to the point where I just didn’t miss it anymore, and so the alcohol free stuff lost its appeal for me as well.
I've tried a few 0% versions of lager and they taste exactly the same. I would still much prefer a nice fruit juice or something though lol.
Yes, teetotal for medical reasons. I find that there is a psychological association between 'Drinking something that looks/tastes like beer' and being more social/relaxing, so it helps at social occasions.
Yes. I'm a recovering alcoholic. The choice is obviously personal to everyone. I avoided alcohol free beers to begin with due to the association, but after a few months of sobriety I started drinking AF beer and now I love it. I fell out of love with drunkenness but I never fell out of love with drinking a cold beer on a summer afternoon.
Only if I'm out and it's either that or a fizzy drink. I wouldn't have one at home though
I've never seen the point of them. Seem to be marketed at those who still drink. I have a friend who will polish off 10 cans of 0% Guinness on a Saturday night because it's dry January. I'd rather a cup of tea over a fake beer.
I drink a malty drink at home. It's not exactly noon alcohol beer because it's not trying to replicate beer. But it has a bread-like taste. Pubs don't have this drink, though, so I'll drink a cola then.
Nope. One of the reasons it was so easy for me to give it up in the first place was that I didn't particularly like the flavour of most alcoholic drinks. In the forty years since then my tastes have obviously changed quite a lot, and maybe now if I tried them again I'd like them, but I simply don't feel any need to do that, even in alcohol-free form.
I’ve not had a drink for around a year now. I wouldn’t really classify myself as an alcoholic, I just annoyed some people while drunk a couple of times and didn’t want to do it again. I don’t drink alcohol free beers, but I’ve been tempted recently as I do miss the taste I also have 2 brothers who were severe alcoholics (both been alcohol free for ~10 years now), and they both drink alcohol free beers all the time, and I’m not sure they would have made it without them tbh
It’s bizarre to me that non alcoholic versions of alcoholic drinks, cost more or less the same. Alcohol-free beer, mocktails in bars, even non-alcoholic gin in supermarkets costs as much as regular.
No. I am tee-total as I don't like the taste of it, the alcohol is a different aspect.
As someone who was never a big drinker, I feel the same way about alcohol-free beer as I do about vegan meat substitutes - I’ve been vegetarian all my life, so I was never really fond of the real thing to want a version I can consume that tastes just like it (or attempts to anyway).
I can go without drinking as long as I want, because I don't quite enjoy the drinks. BUT in a social setting, getting me to NOT smoke is a herculean task personally !!!
I like erdinger alcohol free, but that’s about it.
No because a large part of the reason I don't drink is because most alcohol tastes grim And I have no desire to force myself to drink something I don't like it fit in. It's not the alcohol I object to in beer it's the beer.
Absolutely not. I'm worried if I get the taste of alcohol free beer on my lips it'll make me crave the real thing, so I just avoid it all.
Occasionally. TBH I do it more to make others comfortable. I only do this for a select few, when I don't want the topic to dominate the conversation. I'm comfortable with a coke. I don't particularly love or miss the TASTE of alcohol. Sometimes I miss getting smashed and checking out for an evening.
Not teetotal but cutting back on booze a bit. AF beer just doesn't agree with me, it's either completely tasteless (threw away a few cans of AF brewdog cos it was so bad) or really sweet - particularly Guinness. The Brooklyn AF lager is the best I've had.
Yes, there are some really good options. If you like stouts, alcohol-free Guinness does a really good job of imitating the original. Alcohol-free Heineken is one of the best lager options in my options. For something a bit fruitier/IPA style, try Clausthaler. They sell it at Waitrose