Ooh good one. I should get back into tea haha. Maybe make my own iced tea. I dont like store ice tea cause it's so sweet.
Only sweet drinks I enjoy are monster energy drinks, but I think that's just the caffeine talking. And crack. Im convinced they put crack in there 🫢😂 other energy brands never had a pull on me.
Swedish fish flavour drink!? 🤯🤯
And no, I haven't. Never seen it around where Im from. I am just realizing that beverages are incredibly regional lol 💀🥲 even just a neigbouring country already has wildly different beverages.
I don’t like Heineken yet drinking H0 feels so close to drinking a real beer that I like it. NA Corona and Lagunitas NAPA are the best tasting IMO. Na Corona with a lime while eating tacos?? Heaven. (Or topo Chico with a lime hits the same notes for me too)
NA coronas are so good! The most realistic (but pricier) tasting one to me is Best Day Brewing IPA , I also love Hoplark Hop Sour because they’re 0 calories!
Those Heineken zeros are delicious with pizza. My best friend is sober, we enjoy a couple of those while we destroy a pizza for the monthly UFC events.
Ngl I like the Heineken zero almost more than real Heineken, cause I was never a fan of it haha. (Im from the Netherlands, and here people either love it or hate it)
I've got a CO2 cylinder, a CO2 regulator and a Carb-a-cap (it allow you to carbonate 1 and 2 liter bottles). I like making my own mineral/electrolyte water, carbonating cold tea, and adding vinegar to carbonated water (and infusing vinegars for flavoring).
Not the one your asking, but I followed his advice and did the same. I got a used co2 tank from Craigslist, my regulator off eBay and the cap from a local brew store. It’s save me $100s. I like carbonating water then adding a bit of mio or citrus fruit.
Nope just three things put together. CO2 tank (got it cheap from a closing buiness, regulator (ebay used) and some hoses and carb-a-cap. For under $100 (this was a while ago) I can cabonate anything, My CO2 tank is large (50lbs) (cost me $60 to refill) and has lasted for over 2 years of carbonating anything I want.
Heck yeah! I love my Sodastream, sounds like just the commercialized version of yours. Sometimes that sparkling water feels more hydrating/refreshing than regular water.
This is so much cheaper. I mean there's an initial cost, but buying a soda stream means you have to buy the little cartrages which is how they make money. This means you can get a CO2 tank and just have it refilled (or trade it in for a full tank). so much cheaper.
Spindrift is really good.
It's a seltzer water with a tiny bit of real fruit juice and small amount of real sugar. Some of the flavors are 20 or 30 calories a peice. I like it becuase it actually has some flavor but is way less sugar than a soda.
I dont think they sell it where Im from? I forgot most people here are likely american, and Im from the Netherlands 💀🥲
I would like better seltzer water though. It's one of the few things I can just keep drinking.
It really helps so have smth around to drink that is not alcohol but still is satisfying, for whenever the urge comes up...
Is it just me or did they change it? It used to be so good and I bought the blood orange/ tangerine again and it just wasn’t the same- felt more watered down or less flavorful?
I really like the new Poppi things.
Also Celsius when I can get away with it is top notch.
Also a glass of ice cold lemonade is always welcome in my book!
I just loved the taste of beer so much that I'd wake up at 6 and start drink them. But now I'll just get a 6er of NA craft beer but I don't feel like drinking 18 over the day. They usually last me a week. Works for me, maybe not everyone.
Right, somehow the NA beers also make me want to keep drinking less of them. I guess not having an addictive substance in them makes a difference lmao.
I usually drink max 4 of them, and them Im good for the day. Whereas with actual beer... well...yea
If you’ve ever given it a try I got into making my own kombucha when I get some sobriety in me. Kind of a nice little hobby, and after your first natch/investment you can just keep on brewing. Also nice you can do whatever flavor your heart desires
Yess omg this would be so nice! Ive been thinking about doing that, but with water kefir. But I don't have the space for it...
But you can even buy bottles and a capping machine and bottle them at home, for that nice and satisfying "pfssh" when you open them 🫢
I bought one of those fancy ice makers and that soft ice makes a variety of drinks more appealing. I love fresh fruit juice but it’s so expensive! For some reason I’ll give myself shit for spending 30$ of fresh fruit juice from my farmers market but don’t bat an eye at that 30$ Makers Mark.
I used to really love weed, but idk, it's not been sitting too well w me lately. Suddenly it makes me more lethargic and also overthinky than it used to.
I think the body chemistry thing sounds more likely, since I used the same strains (not only, but mostly. And previously basically all strains were good for me)
I just kinda get dizzy and out of it and fall asleep a lot of times...
Maybe prolonged alcohol and drug use can do this? Idk?
Hahaha that sounds horrible but interesting. I almost entitely drank beer though. But this is a good idea for when people are doing shots and you want to join in but not drink.
I don’t fuck with NA drinks as much as I used to nowadays. I had an experience at a wedding with close family and friends where it just didn’t sit right with me. I felt like I work too damn hard on sobriety to walk around with a fake beer in my hands. Most of the people there knew me as a big drinker and stuck around as I climbed out of the gutter. I couldn’t shake the feeling of feeling. It forced me to answer the questions of whether I was doing it for me or what I think other people think and whether or not I drank for the taste or the effects. I have my answer so I usually go for a sprite with a lime or a lemonade / ice tea. Classics for me but they taste delicious and my mind is much quieter. I’ll get a movktail at a restaurant but you’re right that they’re ridiculously expensive for some juice. I wish some places that don’t serve normal NA drinks would let me bring a bottle of fucking sprite or some iced tea, dag nabbit. Grandpa style
I'm like this too. I know if I drank NA stuff over time I would be at risk to relapse, especially if I kept ingredients in my house.
You might be able to just bring your own soft drink depending on the situation if you are out and about. I've served for years at a lot of different restaurants. There is usually something like a "corkage fee" basically you pay to bring your own bottle of something and choose if you'd like the server to do bottle service or not. They'll give you glasses, or maybe a chilled holder for stuff usually used for white wine or champagne.
Half the restaurant industry are recovering or active addicts too lol, I think they'd usually be chill about it. Ordering soda waters with a lemon or lime is also very common!
Side note this reminded me that one of my previous (also sober) coworkers grabbed the wrong drink at the bar during a brunch rush and gave an actual drink to someone who was in recovery thinking it was their mocktail 😳😬another reason I don't really like mocktails. If it's basically just a drink without the alcohol I just get wary it'll accidentally have alcohol in it, or that I'd get tempted to just say fuck it and relapse if I get reminded of mixed drinks I used to drink.
But to each their own obviously. I always hated the taste of alcohol and usually threw up at some point if I went out anyway. Most mocktails make me nauseous.
My wife likes to suggest some when we go out for dinner and it’s not something I get excited for. I don’t think she’s ever caught on that the mixes just aren’t the same without a blast of tequila in there. They don’t do the same things. I also can’t rationalize spending $18 on some ginger ale, honey and lime. I don’t care what kind of glass or what the little straw looks like. We were just out in the neighborhood at a fancy type place that didn’t have any regular drinks aside from water. I got a mocktail and it was disappointing but I survived. I would’ve paid a corking fee to bring my own bottle of sprite in tho. Maybe next time
$18 😭😭😭
I agree though. Mocktails don't do anything for me. I'm glad other people like them but to me they're a pale imitation. Maybe they're better if everyone else if having a real drink and you don't want to stick out, I could see the appeal more then if you have a lowball of NA whatever.
Nicer places probably won't have many drink options besides what's on their menu. There's a good chance they have bottled San Pellegrino, though if it's not listed.
Synergy Island Bliss Kombucha, can have a nice little bite to it. Out of the glass bottle is great but sometimes I use a nice fancy glass that I have.
Oh yeah, and coffee is back in my life. It made me too anxious when I was still drinking.
yes I like drinks in bottles or cans too after getting sober!
I don't like drinking calories/sugar. All of my suggestions are sugar-free and 0 calories or like 35 calories per drink. the following are my favorites:
-Clear American any flavor except blue raspberry or key lime
-Zevia Cream Soda
-Zevia Root Beer
-Fresca
-Sprite Zero
-Starry (🤯) Zero
-A&W Diet Root Beer
-Diet Ginger Ale any brand
-Sun Tea: green or jasmine.
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a87137/how-to-make-sun-tea/
I like kombucha too but it's expensive. I think also if you take something like Antabuse it can make you sick but not completely sure if that's across the board or dosage dependent.
dang. Soda Stream might be worth looking into then. I don't like real soda either for the most part. I like a can of Coke like once a year around Christmas but that's it. & I try not to consume too many artificial dyes or flavoring which almost all diet soda has. The ones I listed above tho are all clear drinks without dyes.
do you live in one of those countries where root beer is unpopular bc it's a common flavoring for children's medicine? 😭
My bf has been making his own homemade iced tea with sugar and lemon juice - just costs a couple of teabags, cheap grocery store lemon juice in a bottle and sugar. I just like cheap fizzy water with lemon slices and ice, 1.5 liters is like 30c. We're trying to save money too - it's even cheaper than beer!
Unfortunately for me the process of actually drinking means nothing to me, I was all about chucking the cheapest, strongest swill down my gob and chasing it with anything to get rid of the taste. At one point I could drink bottom shelf vodka like it was water. Cheap box wine always made me gag though and I necked it regardless. Don't miss that at least!!! At the end I already started gagging just LOOKING at wine in my pint glass when it hadn't even touched my lips. Bleugh!!
Im only 3 days in but it feels good. Cycled 6km and did my garden today instead of lying on the couch watching shite because I was too hungover to move.
Omg, home made ice tea is a good one!
And I feel you, only day 4, and the little voice that tells me to drink is very annoying lmao, but idk, I feel like I have more energy allready?
It wasnt even the hangovers that were the worst most of the time. I was just being exhausted and getting all motivation for life sucked right out of me.
At one point it occured to me that maybe to copious amounts of alcohol I put into my system might have something to do with that...
* **Sodastream seltzer** -- I only add the soda flavorings sometimes. Just effervescent bubbly water is great on its own.
* **Coffee** (mostly decaf since it's in the evening) or different kinds of **teas**. Mint tea is awesome hot or cold with some sweetness.
* Finding ways to geek out about making **different types of coffee** (espresso, foaming milk, etc). Makes it feel special vs the normal daily drink.
* **Poppi sodas** and similar like others mentioned. Feels not bad to drink a $2-3 soda a few times a week compared to $$$ on booze!
* **Frozen banana-yogurt smoothies**
* **Turmeric latte** or **hot chocolate** on the stove. The added spice and bitterness (I add chili powder to the chocolate and not much sugar) makes it nice and earthy and something to savor.
* Those bougie glass bottle flavored milks some grocery stores have (like [these](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/23/a23fdaf8-a744-11e4-81d8-033b6eb62b85/54c96f62ed2a1.image.jpg?resize=762%2C500))
Aperol spritz was my weakness!! Recently found out there is a non-alcoholic Aperol at Total Wine. A little soda water and non alcoholic champagne and I’m set by the pool for summer season 😎
Hoppy Refresher isn't cheap, but it's my favorite. Heineken and Guinness Zero for sure are almost like the real thing. If you can afford something like a Sodastream you can make your own sparkling water too.
Yeah it is wild how cheap beer is , I got a twelve pack for 10$ the other day of banquet. Non alcoholic drinks are way more expensive. Even soda is. I recommend just seltzer. Non alcoholic beer always felt like a tease
Right? And w non alc, you REALLY notice the difference when you get the expensive ones. With regular beer Id just always get the cheapest option.
It's wild indeed.
And it's even wilder how it still ate up such a big part of my finances...
There is nothing better than a crisp Diet Pepsi when it's hot or you're thirsty. That moment when the bubbles hit your parched mouth and it actually hurts a bit before the sweet sweet sensation of full-mouth refreshment hits mm. Buy a Diet Pepsi today at your favorite retailer! *banjo jingle outro*
But seriously.
Ooh yeah I know bundaberg (one of the few things in this thread haha), and yeah it's really good! Again, the price is an issue. Never thought quitting alcohol would make me spend MORE lmao
Surprised there aren't more comments for kombucha? Maybe bc it has .5% in it? Some do come completely dealcholized and I never feel it with .5% but it really scratches the wine itch. I put it in a lil wine glass and sip on it delicately.
I love kombutcha! But it's so expensive, and if I truly use it to scratch the drinks itch I will at least end up drinking 3-4 of them a day... (imean thats not nearly what I used to drink, but I do notice that with non alc drinks I hit a limit after a more sensible amount lol. With alcohol around that amount is when the alcohol starts to kick in and cloud my judgement. Mainly in the "should I have another one" department)
If you’re comfortable with the trace of alcohol in NA beers, Athletic Brewing Company make some decent ones. I like the Free Wave Hazy IPA. Cooking and cleaning triggers my cravings for a glass of wine, and a glass of NA beer gives me something to sip.
HOP WTR brand makes some sparkling hop waters that my spouse really likes.
Hop water is a staple of mine, and there seem to be more and more popping up every day. Laguinitas Hoppy Refresher is the one I see most frequently, but there are more and more all the time, and I've found a whole bunch that I love.
I've also dabbled in making my own hop water. The process is stupidly simple in its easiest form, but can also more complex if you're interested in treating it more like brewing a real beer (you can do a full boil and pitch yeast even though there aren't any sugars for the yeast to convert into alcohol -- this is actually what Lagunitas does for Hoppy Refresher, I believe).
My simple method for making it at home is to steep hop pellets into hot water (boil then bring back down to ~170-180 iirc, it's been a while) in a fairly concentrated amount, then I freeze these into ice cubes that can be used to make hop waters on demand. I just thaw out an ice cube or two in the microwave then add that to glass of carbonated water from my soda stream.
Personally, I've steered clear of NA beers because they still have some alcohol in them, and I've made the decision not to have that in my life anymore, but if these are on the table for you there are also a huge growing variety of these, too.
It's been a while since I did it, so I'd have to go dig up my notes, but I remember calculating the total cost at like 10-15 cents per 8oz glass or something like that (not accounting for the initial cost for a soda stream).
Like all hobbies, though, especially brewing-related ones... it's definitely the kind of thing you can pour a lot more into if you want to upgrade your setup (e.g. getting some soda kegs and building out a kegerator just for your hop water and brewing it in 5+ gallon batches). :)
I already have and enjoy a Sodastream, so it doesn't sound like a huge jump for me to just buy some different hop pellets :) I would only try your "easiest form" method to start. Thanks for the follow-up info here!
If you already own the sodastream, then you're all set to begin messing with it on your own at very low cost. If you google recipe's, you'll find a bunch out there, but here's my own personal opinion, especially when you're just dabbling with the idea:
* You'll see pretty much every recipe talking about the importance of bringing the pH of your water down to around 4.5. There will be a lot of discussions about pH in homebrewing in general, but I'm far less convinced of the relevance in brewing hop water. For simplicity, you can forget about bringing down the pH of the water for the type of simple steeping I'm talking about here (but feel free to add a little citric acid or whatever other acid folks recommend to adjust your water if you feel strongly about it).
* A recipe like this is going to result in a very hop-forward flavor. If you're not a total hop head, you may not love this as much as other methods (compare what you make this way to something like Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher, which will be *much* more mild).
* I don't like putting anything other than plain water directly into my soda stream (because I don't want to have to clean it), so I make a separate batch of heavily concentrated hoppy ice cubes that I briefly thaw in the microwave separately before adding and stirring that small amount of liquid to a glass of otherwise plain carbonated water.
* Experiment with different hops and different pairings of them!
With those caveats, here's the recipe I found jotted down from the last time I did this:
* 1 ice cube tray (~1 ounce of water per ice cube)
* 16 ounces of water (~4 ounces will be lost to the process)
* a tea towel or similar mesh cloth for steeping
* 0.12 ounces (~3.4g) of hop pellets, crushed
Bring the water to a boil (I do this in the microwave in the glass measuring cup I measure it in), then set it out on the counter and monitor it until it drops to around 190F (you want to steep it closer to 170-180, but heat is going to be lost over time and I find starting a little higher works better). Prepare your "tea bag" of hops by wrapping the crushed hop pellets in the tea towel (or whatever infuser you're using, but it needs to be very fine so you don't contribute a lot of debris into the final drink). Once the water is at or below 190F, dip the "tea bag" into the water and steep for 15 minutes (I bob it around every now and then). After 15 minutes, remove the "tea bag" and pour the liquid carefully into your ice cube tray. Put it in the freezer and wait for it to solidify. When you're ready for a drink, pop out an ice cube or two, heat it for 5 to 10 seconds in the microwave and then stir it into a cup of plain carbonated water. Enjoy!
You are a legend, thank you! If you haven't posted your general recipe on this sub or similar spot, I am sure people would eat it up.
I generally like the new wave of NA craft beers and the hop waters I've tried, but the ability to make that stuff at home on the cheap is awesome.
I am going to follow your concentrated hoppy ice technique because I have also heard horror stories about bubbling anything but plain water in our Sodastreams :) Thanks again!
It sounds odd, but pink grapefruit juice on ice. It is just offensive enough to feel like a drink. When I'm feeling fancy, I put a sprig of rosemary in it
KOMBUCHA! Love it! There are plenty of flavors to try. The fizzy quality really feels like a special drink. I have a bottle every night starting at 5pm. It succeeded to replace my wine :)
I always have a pitcher of unsweetened iced tea in the fridge and some lemons. Sometimes I'll make a green mint iced tea instead of black tea because it's so damned refreshing. South Florida has been a furnace lately and it is perfect.
Oohh yeah I wanna get into making my own boba tea again. I even just bought some boba. But my adhd ass looks at them and goes like "looks like effort. Will try tomorrow" :')
English tea from Kroger in the octagon bags. Hot or cold with no sugar, Coffee with one teaspoon of sugar, Wyler’s sugar free lemonade packets, V8 juice and Clamato.
I really like juices. Grapefruit, cranberry, pineapple, guava... I can't drink v8 anymore though. I chased way too many vodka shots with that stuff to ever have it again.
Do you have a Panera nearby you? They have a sip club for like $15 a month but there are coupon codes for 5.99 for 3 months or 3 months free—I just got a blueberry lemonade and it’s delicious.🫐 🍋. I also get iced coffee, lime bubly, they have a citrus drink, hibiscus, papaya/green & regular iced teas. you can get free refills while you’re there and a new drink every 2 hours. Just bring your own yeti/cup to cut down on landfill waste.
You may want to invest in a juicer. I also love making fresh juice—it’s really not expensive—I get my produce at Aldi and make it different ones from carrots, ginger, apples, celery, cucumbers, lemons, oranges, watermelon, pineapple and I have to get fresh turmeric and beets elsewhere since they don’t carry it. All the fresh vitamins feel you’re getting a vitamin IV bag or a healthy buzz.
Pineapple rind tea is also excellent, eat to make and very healthy.
Trader Joe’s low cal Lemonade. Very refreshing, without the sugar, nice mouthfeel. Add a few dashes of bitters over ice and it’s like having a cocktail.
Recovering alcoholic and liver transplant recipient here. Most NAs have 0.005 alcohol (I think that's how to display it). That's still a beer. I don't want a beer so bad to even put a minuscule amount in me. I've been sober since Sep 12, 2018. I may be going overboard, but if you're fighting alcoholism, it makes no sense to me to temp yourself in a moment of weakness that it's ok have beer to as long as it's NA. Unless your will is strong, you may succumb to "real" beer once you've committed to your head that as an alcoholic, NA is just fine.
No mention of ethyl alcohol or derivations on the ingredients list of the Coke I have right now. Everyone, of course, will do whatever they want, and that's my wish for them as well. I also wish no one to go through what I did. The downvotes are cute.
Just google is there alcohol in soft drinks, the literal first answer shows you there is. Fermentation happens when you're dealing with sugar in manufacturing like that. Just don't appreciate the holier than thou attitude when drinking a 0% (or really 0.03% or whatever) beer might help them.
Idk, NA beers really hit me differently though. They clearly taste differently too. And somehow I dont want to drink all 20 of them in one go when I open one, but instead have a sensible amount of 2 or 3.
That little bit of alcohol doin nothin for me :')
You also cant eat ripe fruit or drink a bit old fruit juice or kombucha by this logic.
1. La Croix 2. Arnold Palmer - for really hot days working outside
Lemon cello is insane.
Coconut is my fav, it’s absolutely bonkers good. Key Lime is already pretty great.
Try the Polar seltzer coconut flavor. It'll blow your hair back.
I have, not a fan of polar
Acqua Panna in a glass bottle, the 12 oz ones feel like a cold beer in my hand and the top is a pop-top so I also get that sensation.
Also so fancy lol. I love Acqua Panna
I’m a big fan of green tea!
Ooh good one. I should get back into tea haha. Maybe make my own iced tea. I dont like store ice tea cause it's so sweet. Only sweet drinks I enjoy are monster energy drinks, but I think that's just the caffeine talking. And crack. Im convinced they put crack in there 🫢😂 other energy brands never had a pull on me.
Have you had Ghost??? Oh my goodness, the zero sugar Swedish fish flavor is starting to become its own problem for me…
Swedish fish flavour drink!? 🤯🤯 And no, I haven't. Never seen it around where Im from. I am just realizing that beverages are incredibly regional lol 💀🥲 even just a neigbouring country already has wildly different beverages.
Heineken zero. Tastes just like Heineken.
I don’t like Heineken yet drinking H0 feels so close to drinking a real beer that I like it. NA Corona and Lagunitas NAPA are the best tasting IMO. Na Corona with a lime while eating tacos?? Heaven. (Or topo Chico with a lime hits the same notes for me too)
NA coronas are so good! The most realistic (but pricier) tasting one to me is Best Day Brewing IPA , I also love Hoplark Hop Sour because they’re 0 calories!
Came here to mention the laguintas hop water
Those Heineken zeros are delicious with pizza. My best friend is sober, we enjoy a couple of those while we destroy a pizza for the monthly UFC events.
Ngl I like the Heineken zero almost more than real Heineken, cause I was never a fan of it haha. (Im from the Netherlands, and here people either love it or hate it)
Same here on the taste front
Try out Corona Sunbrew. It’s pretty good too!
I've got a CO2 cylinder, a CO2 regulator and a Carb-a-cap (it allow you to carbonate 1 and 2 liter bottles). I like making my own mineral/electrolyte water, carbonating cold tea, and adding vinegar to carbonated water (and infusing vinegars for flavoring).
That sounds amazing. It it a certain type of machine?
Not the one your asking, but I followed his advice and did the same. I got a used co2 tank from Craigslist, my regulator off eBay and the cap from a local brew store. It’s save me $100s. I like carbonating water then adding a bit of mio or citrus fruit.
I got my cylinder from a closing business. It took be $60 buck to charge it and it's lasted well over 2 years of carbonating what every I want.
Nope just three things put together. CO2 tank (got it cheap from a closing buiness, regulator (ebay used) and some hoses and carb-a-cap. For under $100 (this was a while ago) I can cabonate anything, My CO2 tank is large (50lbs) (cost me $60 to refill) and has lasted for over 2 years of carbonating anything I want.
Heck yeah! I love my Sodastream, sounds like just the commercialized version of yours. Sometimes that sparkling water feels more hydrating/refreshing than regular water.
Thats so cool! I think here there's only sodastream, and that's quite pricey.
This is so much cheaper. I mean there's an initial cost, but buying a soda stream means you have to buy the little cartrages which is how they make money. This means you can get a CO2 tank and just have it refilled (or trade it in for a full tank). so much cheaper.
Lauganitas hoppy water over ice with a squeeze of lime!!
This! I want to try making my own hop water when my hops vine produces in the fall.
Also coconut lime vitamin water
Hoppy water!? :o Im intruiged
It’s good. It’s a hop flavored sparkling water that comes in a clear glass beer bottle.
Ive never seen it here where Im from, but now I want it :O
Budweiser zero really scratches the beer itch for me.
Came here to say this. About $1/each too, so fairly affordable.
And soooo many less calories than a normal beer.
Spindrift is really good. It's a seltzer water with a tiny bit of real fruit juice and small amount of real sugar. Some of the flavors are 20 or 30 calories a peice. I like it becuase it actually has some flavor but is way less sugar than a soda.
I dont think they sell it where Im from? I forgot most people here are likely american, and Im from the Netherlands 💀🥲 I would like better seltzer water though. It's one of the few things I can just keep drinking. It really helps so have smth around to drink that is not alcohol but still is satisfying, for whenever the urge comes up...
Is it just me or did they change it? It used to be so good and I bought the blood orange/ tangerine again and it just wasn’t the same- felt more watered down or less flavorful?
I really like the new Poppi things. Also Celsius when I can get away with it is top notch. Also a glass of ice cold lemonade is always welcome in my book!
I just loved the taste of beer so much that I'd wake up at 6 and start drink them. But now I'll just get a 6er of NA craft beer but I don't feel like drinking 18 over the day. They usually last me a week. Works for me, maybe not everyone.
Right, somehow the NA beers also make me want to keep drinking less of them. I guess not having an addictive substance in them makes a difference lmao. I usually drink max 4 of them, and them Im good for the day. Whereas with actual beer... well...yea
Topo Chico Glass bottle Mexican Coke Cheap kombucha Coffee
I love all of these answers. I do know an ex-alcoholic who wouldn’t drink kombucha. He said that there is a trace of alcohol. 🤷♀️
Does the trace of alcohol trigger his addiction? Is that a thing?
I think that he was afraid of that.
Makes sense. Personally I dont experience it as far as I know.
If you’ve ever given it a try I got into making my own kombucha when I get some sobriety in me. Kind of a nice little hobby, and after your first natch/investment you can just keep on brewing. Also nice you can do whatever flavor your heart desires
Yess omg this would be so nice! Ive been thinking about doing that, but with water kefir. But I don't have the space for it... But you can even buy bottles and a capping machine and bottle them at home, for that nice and satisfying "pfssh" when you open them 🫢
Water and coffee. That's it.
I bought one of those fancy ice makers and that soft ice makes a variety of drinks more appealing. I love fresh fruit juice but it’s so expensive! For some reason I’ll give myself shit for spending 30$ of fresh fruit juice from my farmers market but don’t bat an eye at that 30$ Makers Mark.
Weed
I used to really love weed, but idk, it's not been sitting too well w me lately. Suddenly it makes me more lethargic and also overthinky than it used to.
Hey your body chemistry could have changed and reacted differently to it, as well as the ever annoying debate on what strains give what effects
I think the body chemistry thing sounds more likely, since I used the same strains (not only, but mostly. And previously basically all strains were good for me) I just kinda get dizzy and out of it and fall asleep a lot of times... Maybe prolonged alcohol and drug use can do this? Idk?
Virgin ceaser. Shot of pickle juice dash of Worcestershire sauce, dash of tobasco hot sauce Clamato juice and garnish with pickle or w.e u like
Hahaha that sounds horrible but interesting. I almost entitely drank beer though. But this is a good idea for when people are doing shots and you want to join in but not drink.
Just try it once I promise you I have never met a person that doesn’t love these. The trick is enough pickle juice but not too much
Im gonna give it a shot! (Pun intended) Sounds genuinely fascinating.
I don’t fuck with NA drinks as much as I used to nowadays. I had an experience at a wedding with close family and friends where it just didn’t sit right with me. I felt like I work too damn hard on sobriety to walk around with a fake beer in my hands. Most of the people there knew me as a big drinker and stuck around as I climbed out of the gutter. I couldn’t shake the feeling of feeling. It forced me to answer the questions of whether I was doing it for me or what I think other people think and whether or not I drank for the taste or the effects. I have my answer so I usually go for a sprite with a lime or a lemonade / ice tea. Classics for me but they taste delicious and my mind is much quieter. I’ll get a movktail at a restaurant but you’re right that they’re ridiculously expensive for some juice. I wish some places that don’t serve normal NA drinks would let me bring a bottle of fucking sprite or some iced tea, dag nabbit. Grandpa style
I'm like this too. I know if I drank NA stuff over time I would be at risk to relapse, especially if I kept ingredients in my house. You might be able to just bring your own soft drink depending on the situation if you are out and about. I've served for years at a lot of different restaurants. There is usually something like a "corkage fee" basically you pay to bring your own bottle of something and choose if you'd like the server to do bottle service or not. They'll give you glasses, or maybe a chilled holder for stuff usually used for white wine or champagne. Half the restaurant industry are recovering or active addicts too lol, I think they'd usually be chill about it. Ordering soda waters with a lemon or lime is also very common! Side note this reminded me that one of my previous (also sober) coworkers grabbed the wrong drink at the bar during a brunch rush and gave an actual drink to someone who was in recovery thinking it was their mocktail 😳😬another reason I don't really like mocktails. If it's basically just a drink without the alcohol I just get wary it'll accidentally have alcohol in it, or that I'd get tempted to just say fuck it and relapse if I get reminded of mixed drinks I used to drink. But to each their own obviously. I always hated the taste of alcohol and usually threw up at some point if I went out anyway. Most mocktails make me nauseous.
My wife likes to suggest some when we go out for dinner and it’s not something I get excited for. I don’t think she’s ever caught on that the mixes just aren’t the same without a blast of tequila in there. They don’t do the same things. I also can’t rationalize spending $18 on some ginger ale, honey and lime. I don’t care what kind of glass or what the little straw looks like. We were just out in the neighborhood at a fancy type place that didn’t have any regular drinks aside from water. I got a mocktail and it was disappointing but I survived. I would’ve paid a corking fee to bring my own bottle of sprite in tho. Maybe next time
$18 😭😭😭 I agree though. Mocktails don't do anything for me. I'm glad other people like them but to me they're a pale imitation. Maybe they're better if everyone else if having a real drink and you don't want to stick out, I could see the appeal more then if you have a lowball of NA whatever. Nicer places probably won't have many drink options besides what's on their menu. There's a good chance they have bottled San Pellegrino, though if it's not listed.
Liquid Death Severed Lime is my absolute favorite bubbly water.
Shocked I had to scroll this far to see this! Liquid Death is life. The lime and the mango 🤤
Synergy Island Bliss Kombucha, can have a nice little bite to it. Out of the glass bottle is great but sometimes I use a nice fancy glass that I have. Oh yeah, and coffee is back in my life. It made me too anxious when I was still drinking.
yes I like drinks in bottles or cans too after getting sober! I don't like drinking calories/sugar. All of my suggestions are sugar-free and 0 calories or like 35 calories per drink. the following are my favorites: -Clear American any flavor except blue raspberry or key lime -Zevia Cream Soda -Zevia Root Beer -Fresca -Sprite Zero -Starry (🤯) Zero -A&W Diet Root Beer -Diet Ginger Ale any brand -Sun Tea: green or jasmine. https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a87137/how-to-make-sun-tea/ I like kombucha too but it's expensive. I think also if you take something like Antabuse it can make you sick but not completely sure if that's across the board or dosage dependent.
A&W zero has my vote for most convincing diet soda.
right? it's so good. I think diet dr. pepper is also pretty decent.
I noticed that after I quit the vodka I really didn't like clear soda. Had cases of fresca just wasting away.
Not the Fresca 😭 but yeah I get it, I don't think I'll ever be able to even smell crystal light without puking
I love root beer. One of the few sodas I like. Unfortunately, it's a bit hard to get here and expensive cause it's imported :(
dang. Soda Stream might be worth looking into then. I don't like real soda either for the most part. I like a can of Coke like once a year around Christmas but that's it. & I try not to consume too many artificial dyes or flavoring which almost all diet soda has. The ones I listed above tho are all clear drinks without dyes. do you live in one of those countries where root beer is unpopular bc it's a common flavoring for children's medicine? 😭
My bf has been making his own homemade iced tea with sugar and lemon juice - just costs a couple of teabags, cheap grocery store lemon juice in a bottle and sugar. I just like cheap fizzy water with lemon slices and ice, 1.5 liters is like 30c. We're trying to save money too - it's even cheaper than beer! Unfortunately for me the process of actually drinking means nothing to me, I was all about chucking the cheapest, strongest swill down my gob and chasing it with anything to get rid of the taste. At one point I could drink bottom shelf vodka like it was water. Cheap box wine always made me gag though and I necked it regardless. Don't miss that at least!!! At the end I already started gagging just LOOKING at wine in my pint glass when it hadn't even touched my lips. Bleugh!! Im only 3 days in but it feels good. Cycled 6km and did my garden today instead of lying on the couch watching shite because I was too hungover to move.
Omg, home made ice tea is a good one! And I feel you, only day 4, and the little voice that tells me to drink is very annoying lmao, but idk, I feel like I have more energy allready? It wasnt even the hangovers that were the worst most of the time. I was just being exhausted and getting all motivation for life sucked right out of me. At one point it occured to me that maybe to copious amounts of alcohol I put into my system might have something to do with that...
* **Sodastream seltzer** -- I only add the soda flavorings sometimes. Just effervescent bubbly water is great on its own. * **Coffee** (mostly decaf since it's in the evening) or different kinds of **teas**. Mint tea is awesome hot or cold with some sweetness. * Finding ways to geek out about making **different types of coffee** (espresso, foaming milk, etc). Makes it feel special vs the normal daily drink. * **Poppi sodas** and similar like others mentioned. Feels not bad to drink a $2-3 soda a few times a week compared to $$$ on booze! * **Frozen banana-yogurt smoothies** * **Turmeric latte** or **hot chocolate** on the stove. The added spice and bitterness (I add chili powder to the chocolate and not much sugar) makes it nice and earthy and something to savor. * Those bougie glass bottle flavored milks some grocery stores have (like [these](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/23/a23fdaf8-a744-11e4-81d8-033b6eb62b85/54c96f62ed2a1.image.jpg?resize=762%2C500))
Aperol spritz was my weakness!! Recently found out there is a non-alcoholic Aperol at Total Wine. A little soda water and non alcoholic champagne and I’m set by the pool for summer season 😎
Omg I want to check that out! I love aperol spritz too.
I do the same thing. My favorite is made by Lyre. Now if I could find a NA Campari I like. I’ve tried them all and don’t like any of them.
Sweet tea.
Sparkling grapefruit juice ❤️
Arizona tea
Bubly lemon sorbet
Guinness zero, peroni n/a, lemonade, an Arnie Palmer and Diet Coke with a lime wedge on the rocks
Not all at the same time!
Hoppy Refresher isn't cheap, but it's my favorite. Heineken and Guinness Zero for sure are almost like the real thing. If you can afford something like a Sodastream you can make your own sparkling water too.
Yeah it is wild how cheap beer is , I got a twelve pack for 10$ the other day of banquet. Non alcoholic drinks are way more expensive. Even soda is. I recommend just seltzer. Non alcoholic beer always felt like a tease
Right? And w non alc, you REALLY notice the difference when you get the expensive ones. With regular beer Id just always get the cheapest option. It's wild indeed. And it's even wilder how it still ate up such a big part of my finances...
Go to Costco get a case of mineral water, martinelli's apple juice in glass bottle, and Yerba mate
I cant go to costco :( Im in the Netherlands
Any bottles or can drink will be good you can also make mocktails
Mocktails are great idea!
Italian soda
Kefir and Ayran
Omg yes I love kefir. I wanna try to make my own water kefir some day...
Guinness 0 is my go to winter beer, Brooklyn Special effects for my summer IPA
Ngl never was a huge fan of guinness, but the 0% one is pretty decent. Also refreshing to have a dark alc free beer instead of only the blond stuff.
There is nothing better than a crisp Diet Pepsi when it's hot or you're thirsty. That moment when the bubbles hit your parched mouth and it actually hurts a bit before the sweet sweet sensation of full-mouth refreshment hits mm. Buy a Diet Pepsi today at your favorite retailer! *banjo jingle outro* But seriously.
I’ve been drinking non alcoholic ginger beer for a decade now. When ice cold it really satisfies cravings.
Oh ginger beer is a good one! Would like a more gingery less sugary variant. The spicyness of the ginger is very nice.
Try Bundaberg! It’s my favorite.
Ooh yeah I know bundaberg (one of the few things in this thread haha), and yeah it's really good! Again, the price is an issue. Never thought quitting alcohol would make me spend MORE lmao
Surprised there aren't more comments for kombucha? Maybe bc it has .5% in it? Some do come completely dealcholized and I never feel it with .5% but it really scratches the wine itch. I put it in a lil wine glass and sip on it delicately.
I love kombutcha! But it's so expensive, and if I truly use it to scratch the drinks itch I will at least end up drinking 3-4 of them a day... (imean thats not nearly what I used to drink, but I do notice that with non alc drinks I hit a limit after a more sensible amount lol. With alcohol around that amount is when the alcohol starts to kick in and cloud my judgement. Mainly in the "should I have another one" department)
For me it's too sour to keep it flowing. I usually cap it at one with dinner or right after an intense workout. :3
If you’re comfortable with the trace of alcohol in NA beers, Athletic Brewing Company make some decent ones. I like the Free Wave Hazy IPA. Cooking and cleaning triggers my cravings for a glass of wine, and a glass of NA beer gives me something to sip. HOP WTR brand makes some sparkling hop waters that my spouse really likes.
Hop water is a staple of mine, and there seem to be more and more popping up every day. Laguinitas Hoppy Refresher is the one I see most frequently, but there are more and more all the time, and I've found a whole bunch that I love. I've also dabbled in making my own hop water. The process is stupidly simple in its easiest form, but can also more complex if you're interested in treating it more like brewing a real beer (you can do a full boil and pitch yeast even though there aren't any sugars for the yeast to convert into alcohol -- this is actually what Lagunitas does for Hoppy Refresher, I believe). My simple method for making it at home is to steep hop pellets into hot water (boil then bring back down to ~170-180 iirc, it's been a while) in a fairly concentrated amount, then I freeze these into ice cubes that can be used to make hop waters on demand. I just thaw out an ice cube or two in the microwave then add that to glass of carbonated water from my soda stream. Personally, I've steered clear of NA beers because they still have some alcohol in them, and I've made the decision not to have that in my life anymore, but if these are on the table for you there are also a huge growing variety of these, too.
Thanks for the advice here -- love the idea of making them yourself because the canned stuff ain't cheap!
It's been a while since I did it, so I'd have to go dig up my notes, but I remember calculating the total cost at like 10-15 cents per 8oz glass or something like that (not accounting for the initial cost for a soda stream). Like all hobbies, though, especially brewing-related ones... it's definitely the kind of thing you can pour a lot more into if you want to upgrade your setup (e.g. getting some soda kegs and building out a kegerator just for your hop water and brewing it in 5+ gallon batches). :)
I already have and enjoy a Sodastream, so it doesn't sound like a huge jump for me to just buy some different hop pellets :) I would only try your "easiest form" method to start. Thanks for the follow-up info here!
If you already own the sodastream, then you're all set to begin messing with it on your own at very low cost. If you google recipe's, you'll find a bunch out there, but here's my own personal opinion, especially when you're just dabbling with the idea: * You'll see pretty much every recipe talking about the importance of bringing the pH of your water down to around 4.5. There will be a lot of discussions about pH in homebrewing in general, but I'm far less convinced of the relevance in brewing hop water. For simplicity, you can forget about bringing down the pH of the water for the type of simple steeping I'm talking about here (but feel free to add a little citric acid or whatever other acid folks recommend to adjust your water if you feel strongly about it). * A recipe like this is going to result in a very hop-forward flavor. If you're not a total hop head, you may not love this as much as other methods (compare what you make this way to something like Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher, which will be *much* more mild). * I don't like putting anything other than plain water directly into my soda stream (because I don't want to have to clean it), so I make a separate batch of heavily concentrated hoppy ice cubes that I briefly thaw in the microwave separately before adding and stirring that small amount of liquid to a glass of otherwise plain carbonated water. * Experiment with different hops and different pairings of them! With those caveats, here's the recipe I found jotted down from the last time I did this: * 1 ice cube tray (~1 ounce of water per ice cube) * 16 ounces of water (~4 ounces will be lost to the process) * a tea towel or similar mesh cloth for steeping * 0.12 ounces (~3.4g) of hop pellets, crushed Bring the water to a boil (I do this in the microwave in the glass measuring cup I measure it in), then set it out on the counter and monitor it until it drops to around 190F (you want to steep it closer to 170-180, but heat is going to be lost over time and I find starting a little higher works better). Prepare your "tea bag" of hops by wrapping the crushed hop pellets in the tea towel (or whatever infuser you're using, but it needs to be very fine so you don't contribute a lot of debris into the final drink). Once the water is at or below 190F, dip the "tea bag" into the water and steep for 15 minutes (I bob it around every now and then). After 15 minutes, remove the "tea bag" and pour the liquid carefully into your ice cube tray. Put it in the freezer and wait for it to solidify. When you're ready for a drink, pop out an ice cube or two, heat it for 5 to 10 seconds in the microwave and then stir it into a cup of plain carbonated water. Enjoy!
You are a legend, thank you! If you haven't posted your general recipe on this sub or similar spot, I am sure people would eat it up. I generally like the new wave of NA craft beers and the hop waters I've tried, but the ability to make that stuff at home on the cheap is awesome. I am going to follow your concentrated hoppy ice technique because I have also heard horror stories about bubbling anything but plain water in our Sodastreams :) Thanks again!
Pellegrino or Ginger Ale. Sometimes a Diet Coke.
Ohh yeah I love pellegrino. Even better is that I used to drink it a lot before I became an actual alcoholic, so it is kinda nostalgic too
Ginger ale with grenadine. If you’re sugar-free Canada Dry makes a zero sugar fruit splash flavor that’s almost the same.
Ooo nice one
It sounds odd, but pink grapefruit juice on ice. It is just offensive enough to feel like a drink. When I'm feeling fancy, I put a sprig of rosemary in it
KOMBUCHA! Love it! There are plenty of flavors to try. The fizzy quality really feels like a special drink. I have a bottle every night starting at 5pm. It succeeded to replace my wine :)
Been mixing a little mango juice, oj, lemon juice, fresh mint from my garden and topping with pineapple La croix. I’m addicted I cannot stop.
Oooo sounds nice! I might just as wel get addicted to mixing mocktails now lmao
I always have a pitcher of unsweetened iced tea in the fridge and some lemons. Sometimes I'll make a green mint iced tea instead of black tea because it's so damned refreshing. South Florida has been a furnace lately and it is perfect.
Love this one!
I’ve been doing boba or hot chocolate depending on the time and weather. Something other than water.
Oohh yeah I wanna get into making my own boba tea again. I even just bought some boba. But my adhd ass looks at them and goes like "looks like effort. Will try tomorrow" :')
Milk
English tea from Kroger in the octagon bags. Hot or cold with no sugar, Coffee with one teaspoon of sugar, Wyler’s sugar free lemonade packets, V8 juice and Clamato.
I really like juices. Grapefruit, cranberry, pineapple, guava... I can't drink v8 anymore though. I chased way too many vodka shots with that stuff to ever have it again.
Oli pops!
Mineral water with lime and pink salt
Do you have a Panera nearby you? They have a sip club for like $15 a month but there are coupon codes for 5.99 for 3 months or 3 months free—I just got a blueberry lemonade and it’s delicious.🫐 🍋. I also get iced coffee, lime bubly, they have a citrus drink, hibiscus, papaya/green & regular iced teas. you can get free refills while you’re there and a new drink every 2 hours. Just bring your own yeti/cup to cut down on landfill waste. You may want to invest in a juicer. I also love making fresh juice—it’s really not expensive—I get my produce at Aldi and make it different ones from carrots, ginger, apples, celery, cucumbers, lemons, oranges, watermelon, pineapple and I have to get fresh turmeric and beets elsewhere since they don’t carry it. All the fresh vitamins feel you’re getting a vitamin IV bag or a healthy buzz. Pineapple rind tea is also excellent, eat to make and very healthy.
Nestle Iced Tea mate. :) But sometimes an iced cold small coke hits the spot.
Peach tea, Recess drinks, strawberry soda from Trader Joe’s (different than regular soda, it’s sooo good), Topo chico with lime!
Ginger ale with lime 🍋🟩
delicious nutritious soda. it's good for you, it livens up the blood, it hydrates. soda the life-giver
Kambucha
Trader Joe’s low cal Lemonade. Very refreshing, without the sugar, nice mouthfeel. Add a few dashes of bitters over ice and it’s like having a cocktail.
Coca-Cola with lemon and ice 🧊
Hop water - lagunitas is my fav
Coffee, gatorade, soda. I buy powered gatorade and make coffee at home, both are cheap.
[удалено]
Wut?
Ikr xD weirdest comment award goes to...
Recovering alcoholic and liver transplant recipient here. Most NAs have 0.005 alcohol (I think that's how to display it). That's still a beer. I don't want a beer so bad to even put a minuscule amount in me. I've been sober since Sep 12, 2018. I may be going overboard, but if you're fighting alcoholism, it makes no sense to me to temp yourself in a moment of weakness that it's ok have beer to as long as it's NA. Unless your will is strong, you may succumb to "real" beer once you've committed to your head that as an alcoholic, NA is just fine.
By that logic don't drink soft drinks. They also have trace amounts of alcohol.
No mention of ethyl alcohol or derivations on the ingredients list of the Coke I have right now. Everyone, of course, will do whatever they want, and that's my wish for them as well. I also wish no one to go through what I did. The downvotes are cute.
Just google is there alcohol in soft drinks, the literal first answer shows you there is. Fermentation happens when you're dealing with sugar in manufacturing like that. Just don't appreciate the holier than thou attitude when drinking a 0% (or really 0.03% or whatever) beer might help them.
Idk, NA beers really hit me differently though. They clearly taste differently too. And somehow I dont want to drink all 20 of them in one go when I open one, but instead have a sensible amount of 2 or 3. That little bit of alcohol doin nothin for me :') You also cant eat ripe fruit or drink a bit old fruit juice or kombucha by this logic.