0% beer

[Tim12]

I am giving up alcohol and looked at 0% lager but its not completely alcohol free 0.5 or 0.05 says on the back any thoughts ?

[AyrshireK]

You must absolutely NOT go down the route of using these alcohol free or low alcohol versions of the 'real thing'.

If you were to be in need of transplant for a start then these are considered an absolute NO NO. They don't show the necessary willingness to pull totally away from that drinking culture and as you've got alcohol related liver disease and the pull of booze is still strong these things are seen as a potential trigger as they will NEVER come up to the taste or effect of the 'real thing' so the temptation to just go s*d it is still there.

PLUS, we've had members go into parties/pubs, ask for these alcohol free versions only to be accidentally served the real thing then your bloods could reveal continued alcohol use.

I am trying to find the actual guidance document which gets posted here frequently about these no-lo drinks and alcohol related liver disease. You would be far better seeking an alternative completely than anything that is remotely linked to booze.

Katie

[PipM82 in reply to AyrshireK]

Katie this is a great response.

[AyrshireK]

Even using alcohol based mouth wash or cooking with alcohol when you have alcohol related cirrhosis is a no no. Especially if you are ever going to need to prove your alcohol free status for t/p assessment etc.

Don't fall for the falsehood that alcohol is burned off in cooking - it isn't and a substantial amount still remains.

Questions about foods containing or prepared with alcohol are a common and legitimate concern.

Some insist that alcohol in food or cooking is nothing to worry about, often citing a commonly held belief that alcohol gets cooked out of foods during the preparation process. They claim that alcohol is literally boiled off during heating or cooking and its alcoholic potency is destroyed or eliminated.

This is a myth and is not based on accurate science. Alcohol still remains in significant amounts when used in various recipes.

Evidence indicates those recovering from alcoholism could be adversely affected by a small amount of alcohol, even if consumed accidentally. Accurately assessing risk and making wise choices depends on getting the facts straight.

Alcohol Retention in Food

The U.S. Department of Agriculture published a table of nutrient retention factors. The table includes information about nutrients, including alcohol, contained in 290 different foods under a variety of cooking and preparation methods.

An analytical study was performed to determine the extent of alcohol that was lost during food preparation under a variety of methods and lengths of time.

The results are quite detailed, but below are some findings from the study. Keep in mind that there are variables involved, and this is a general guideline.

85% of the alcohol remained when added to boiling liquid and then removed from heat shortly after.

75% alcohol retention was noted when using the flaming method of cooking.

70% of the alcohol persisted when using no heat and storing the food overnight.

45% of the alcohol remained when baked for 25 minutes with the mixture not being stirred.

When stirring the mixture, alcohol retention varied based on the amount of time the food was baked or simmered:

40% alcohol retention after 15 minutes

35% alcohol retention after 30 minutes

25% alcohol retention after 1 hour

20% alcohol retention after 1.5 hours

10% alcohol retention after 2 hours

5% alcohol retention after 2.5 hours

The science is unmistakable: alcohol is still present in food after preparation and cooking. Even after lengthy periods of heating, trace amounts of alcohol remain, which could adversely affect a recovering alcoholic.

[Tim12 in reply to AyrshireK]

Having looked into 0% lager they are often brewed with alcohol and then it is taken out there is only one lager on the market I have found that is completely alcohol free its called Bavaria from Holland

[AyrshireK in reply to Tim12]

That's beside the point really, you need to distance yourself from any temptation to slip back to drinking alcohol and like I said these drinks don't demonstrate a willingness to stay away from the whole drinking culture. If you ever do go forward for transplant assessment usage of these drinks is an absolute no no.

[Tim12 in reply to AyrshireK]

fair enough a transplant is not an option I want to take anyway

[AyrshireK in reply to Tim12]

That's maybe an easy thing to say now when you have few symptoms but further down the line it could be your only chance of survival which you could have wiped out.

[mozlaw in reply to Tim12]

i should have said that bitburger comes from adnams brewery is in bottles

[mozlaw]

i drink bitburger absolutely o per cent alcohol i would suggest to other people that they read the labels .there are others out there .i go to the pub when friends are there and drinl lime and soda at 60 p to a quid a half pint . im tempted once in a while maybe but i dont drink alcohol until my liver is better.my wife and daughter sometimes meet at wetherspoons for some thing to eat

[jazzjam]

when I gave up alcohol (wine) I decided there and then that I would not try the non alcohol ones. I felt that if I did I would fancy/prefer an alcoholic one as I am sure they taste much better. These are just my own feelings and I was never a huge drinker but I knew I had to cut it completely and move away from them thoughts. Don’t get me weong, 4 yrs down the road when I go out for an Italian meal I could really enjoy a cold glass of white wine but I would still never have non alcoholic, its not the same.

I don’t feel the need to fit in, in the pub, I drink tonic or cordial juice, I am quite happy with that. Just to add though, I was never a person that needed the drink, I just enjoyed it, especially in social situations but now I realise I don’t need it in any social situation. I am the same person and I feel so much better for no alcohol, especially the next morning when otgers are suffering for it 😁