Alcohol Free Beer

You know those times when you fancy a beer but know you'd better not because maybe your head isn't quite happy or you need to have some energy left afterwards or you want to be functional the next day? Try alcohol free beer! Yes it's disgusting but get over it. When you have a psychological need to keep drinking with your friends but want to stay functional it can fill in the desire. Best of all, unlike alcoholic beer, when you tell yourself this'll be the last one they're so unappealing that it really is the last one. Try higher end ones like German Weissbrau Erdinger or fine Scottish Bredog Nanny State; I hear even Innis and Gunn have launched one. Alcohol Free Beer: for when the psychology is more important than the taste.

[cat3]

Slightly off topic Jonathan, but years ago I was at a work do and took a fancy to one of the bottles of white wine which I secreted to my own little corner. I demolished the contents and, feeling pretty inebriated, I soon became the life & soul of the party.

..................'til my boss congratulated me on being so amusing and entertaining without the need for alcohol. He'd noted early on that no one was interested in the alcohol-free wine except me ; I was stone-cold sober. Definitive proof of the placebo effect ! x

[MXman]

Ha ha ha as Cat said iv seen that too, when I used to drink I tried alcohol free beer and still felt rough the next day. Don't have that problem now as I don't drink at all (Alcoholic) Yep AA saved my life.

Interesting thought though jriddell it must help you.

[spartan300 in reply to MXman]

it for the most part not the alcohol in beer that gives you a hangover but the malt I can get a hangover from drinking malted drinks but not hot chocolate I have tried it too many times so I only drink malted drinks occasionally now

[sospan]

One of the worst thing is going down the pub and looking and the alcohol free range and settling for another cola

In the 80's there used to be Swan Light, a lager brewed with the same taste as normal lagers but with only 0.9% alcohol. Tasted quite good

Really miss the thirst quenching aspect of a beer just chilled to the correct temperature

[spartan300]

I have tried alcohol free beer in the past the only thing I got was a terrible hangover far worse than drinking the real thing, better of drinking water, cat I do not know why you were fooled by the alcohol free wine I have tried it by mistake once I knew straight away that something was wrong, then I looked at the label on the bottle ,you can never fool a serious wine drinker

[cat3 in reply to spartan300]

I never drank wine John, so was easily fooled ! Normally stuck to brandy (which work do's rarely have).

Never drink now unless it's a special occasion when I'll have just one Jack Daniels. xx

[Nutkin33]

I used to be able to drink a whole bottle of red wine, but now I feel drunk after 2 glasses. Even Brandy sauce and Christmas pudding knocks me! Not worth it! Also, with my taste not very good anymore, water or coke is quite fine!

[miracleman]

Prior to my TBI I was a Mild drinker, particularly Bank's, (Wolverhampton Brewers,well known where I am from.) I probably started my life long love of Mild. particularly Banks', as it was 1p cheaper than the Bitter in the pub when I started my drinking career. While in hospital I took the pledge' My fall from a roof was after a rugby annual dinner, and I must have been up there as I had drunk too much alcohol. My amigo while in hospital, who's noodle had also had an alcohol fuelled encounter with concrete from altitude, signed the 'pledge' together. We were the Failed Skydiving Twins, next beds to each other!

I stuck to my pledge, obviously didn't drink for 6 months while in hospital, or for a couple of months on my release.

However I was anxious to regain my mobility, I was initially paralysed down the right hand side, and even 6 months later my mobility was not great. I had set myself the challenge of a 3 day 95 mile walk to commemorate the Second Anniversary of my accident, and used to walk with members of my Mum's Long Distance Walkers group, to prepare for The Staffordshire Way. They often used to go to a pub when a walk was finished the folks retired to a pub! One of the first times I went out with them, a couple of months after I escaped from hospital! the group went to a Bank's pub.Too much to resist, I bought half a pint; effect felt like I had quaffed four pints, and no hang over! Boy am I a cheap date! Even now, 8 years later, I have a low tolerance to alcohol; have to be very careful with quantity I drink, but love a moderate tipple!

I started drinking Beck's Blue when I was still on the self imposed Wagon, and I thought it was an acceptable beer, so much so, if I don't want to drink alcohol I choose to drink it now! (I don't have shares in Beck's and other beers are available! )

[spartan300 in reply to miracleman]

before my injury I drank more than most I worked and played hard drink did not effect me had all the tests everything ok , I could take it or leave it, the week before my injury I did not drink it was a odd week work wise plus other things I was very busy so I never bothered which was unusual for me not to have a drink at sometime, then I had the vaccination and the rest is history

[fred59 in reply to miracleman]

Totally agree with this one! I started buying blue becks for my partner as his injury means he shouldn't drink much alcohol. I ran out of my own beers so had one of his, and like you I now choose it as an alternative if I don't want alcohol. We went to a friends barbecue and took some along and now those friends are drinking it too. (I don't have shares either 😁).

[sospan in reply to miracleman]

If you go to the Tesco site Becks Blue (0.05%) is listed as for 18+ But Tesco Bitter Shandy (0.5%) kids can drink .........

[RogerCMerriman]

I'm teatotal now, I get tired/wobbly with out adding drink to the mix, and the to be honest the interest in drinking has gone, luckily most places can make a drinkable coffee etc.

[spartan300]

must admit I only drink when I feel ok and never on a empty stomach even then just one mouth full can affect me trouble I do not know when , I am very complex everyday is different I would presume most of us are now the same

[cat3 in reply to spartan300]

I'd love to get ratted just once in a while but just too scared these days. I know alcohol causes the brain to shrink & expand so, since the spontaneous SAH, I don't want to push my luck.

[Hidden]

Love that expression 'ratted' cat! I have been up and down with alcohol as I found it a good form of escapism after losing everything (my life as a 17yr old). Was thinking today, I've had 2 lives- one that never really started and I lost, and this one full of recovery and living with a head injury- quite bizarre

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Love that description of two lives aqua79. Same as me although the old me has been gone now for 50 years. I went into see the Neurologist following a request from my wife and the Doctor asked who I was before my operation. She reduced me to tears and that is something that rarely happens. I no longer know the old me - I have simply forgotten [there's a commonly used phrase by us] and I found it so upsetting. There is no one alive today who can tell me; maybe best forgotten?

[angelite]

I indulged in a snowball after Christmas - first time in 4 years ! Heck, I was getting over a vile virus which had triggered a relapse ( I'm under investigation for MS ) so since my legs and balance were not working anyway, I figured I had nothing to lose ! It didn't taste as nice as I remember, disappointingly but did make me a bit sleepy, so that was a bonus. Always nice to be able to sleep through annoying symptoms ! : ) x

[Hidden]

I never drank until I was in recovery. Stopped all medication and now enjoy a few pints once or twice a month, occasionally a binge.

Not proud of that but there you are.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I think I am the same as you now brainedat17 ! Never had meds- refused them. They might have helped but I didn't want any part of that... So yeah in control of a little bit of alcohol consumption! It doesn't control me now as it once did.