[Closed] Non-Alcoholic beer – Why?

It's just an alternative. For me it is a good option when I don't want something very sweet and/or sugary.

I drink both. AF beer is (often) cheaper, lower calorie and doesnt leave me feeling off in the morning if I drink a few.I am not really a fan of coke etc, fruit juice is nice but can't drink more than one really. I do like some of those grown up fizzy drinks (elderflower etc) and will have those too. It all depends on the mood - beer, AF beer, fizzy pop, whisky, gin...

It's all good really!

I like the taste of beer.

I canny really be arsed with the effects of alcohol.

Simple really.

I like the taste of beer.

I canny really be arsed with the effects of alcohol.

Simple really.

So simple. I can't get my head around the fact that some folk don't understand this.

I think the effect of the alcohol is largely in your mind. You think a glass of wine/beer is relaxing because its got alchohol in it but actually unless you're an alcoholic its broadly a placebo I would say. It's the act of having the beer or wine that is the effective part. Having a nice (and thats harder to do) AF beer at the end of a long day is as good as a regular one I would say.

I like the taste of beer.

I canny really be arsed with the effects of alcohol.

Simple really.

This about sums it up for me, though I'd insert the word "sometimes" before the start of the second line.
A lot of soft drinks are full of sugar and sweetness, sometimes I don't want that.

I drink Erdinger alcohol free. Just the one bottle if driving, allows me to have a “beer” and drive safely. Very nice after a ride.
I like the taste of it. Pretty simple really.
I’m a bit of a lightweight, really suffer from hangovers irrespective of what I drink. So for example, tonight I’ll have a few Erdingers with dinner. No hangover and I still feel like I’ve had a nice drink with dinner.
I’ve had a few alcohol free beers that taste awful, but some are pretty good. Not a fan of the Peroni or Becks. But quite a few I find are just as nice as normal beer.

I agree with the OP - if I am drinking, I like the effect of having a drink. If I am not drinking I prefer other drinks to AF beer (lime and soda with lots of ice is my preferred in a pub). At home I like to drink root beer or ginger beer.

I like the taste of beer.

I canny really be arsed with the effects of alcohol.

Simple really.

+1
Also, I like the taste of beer and meeting friends. If it's in a pub I like to be able to drive home legally.

I think the effect of the alcohol is largely in your mind

Pretty sure that if I drink too much alcohol I feel like shit the next day or two. As others have said, that's why I drink low/no alcohol beer.

Switching to coke or sugary soft drinks disrupts my sleep nearly as much as alcohol.

If I want a cold, tasty, refreshing, and not sweet, drink that I can have a few of: beer.

If I want a cold, tasty, refreshing, and not sweet, drink without the negatives effects of alcohol, there's really nothing else that suits better than AF beer.

I used to work for a real ale brewery but I find a bottle of Ghost Ship just as enjoyable as the alcohol alternatives. I enjoy the taste but less health downsides.

If I want a cold, tasty, refreshing, and not sweet, drink that I can have a few of: beer.

If I want a cold, tasty, refreshing, and not sweet, drink without the negatives effects of alcohol, there’s really nothing else that suits better than AF beer.

+1

I only drink beer for the taste, and the alcohol content can be a PITA at times. Hence nice to have AF alternatives that taste as nice as or better than an alcoholic equivalent.

Certainly helps logistics and being able to drive and avoid the need for a taxi or (shudder) the last train/bus home.

But why is AF beer so expensive? It is the same (or indeed more) than alcoholic alternatives yet there isn't the £1 or so per litre of duty to pay on it.

Because when I can't drink for whatever reason it allows me to pretend that I am.

Once I've finished it I realise how pointless drinking it was and I get depressed.

Six months later I forget that it's depressing to drink it and find myself in a situation where I can't drink...

I've found that if I can't drink I'm better off just drinking fizzy water.

Why not find a AF drink that is nice?

I actually prefer the taste of the AF version of the beer I normally drink at home.
Normally have both in the fridge, but much preferring the AF version recently based purely on taste.

If I want a cold, tasty, refreshing, and not sweet, drink that I can have a few of: beer.

If I want a cold, tasty, refreshing, and not sweet, drink without the negatives effects of alcohol, there’s really nothing else that suits better than AF beer.

Now I've converted this sums it up for me.

I was curious before trying as I had noticed more options available at the supermarket and friends, work colleagues and some podcasts I listen too had spoke about how they had improved recently in taste and tasted like the real thing, final push was during the heatwave when the cold water from the kitchen tap got warmer.

But why is AF beer so expensive?

500ml bottle of Ghost ship is the same price as 500ml of coke in my local Tesco.

I think the effect of the alcohol is largely in your mind. You think a glass of wine/beer is relaxing because its got alchohol in it but actually unless you’re an alcoholic its broadly a placebo I would say.

I have devoted most of my adult life to this question. It is not a placebo.

But why is AF beer so expensive?

Usually smaller batch runs so less economies of scale, was an answer I heard the other day 🤷‍♂️

I like a beer. I am teetotal. I drink AF beer accordingly.

They are much much better tasting than they used to be too.

I like a beer. I am teetotal. I drink AF beer accordingly.

They are much much better tasting than they used to be too.

Same here for 2.5 years. Initially I avoided AF beer because I thought the flavour would trigger me into wanting a proper beer again. But it didn't, so I sampled many different brews and as said by others, the flavour/experience is much better than it used to be.

I think the effect of the alcohol is largely in your mind. You think a glass of wine/beer is relaxing because its got alchohol in it but actually unless you’re an alcoholic its broadly a placebo I would say.

I have devoted most of my adult life to this question. It is not a placebo.

Alcohol does not have a purely placebo effect, that's for sure. But if a beer and a comfy chair has always been a signal to your mind and body that a hard day's work is finished and that relax-y good times are beginning, then a bottle, maybe two of AF beer is likely to do the same trick to a large degree.

I like the taste of beer.

I canny really be arsed with the effects of alcohol.

Simple really.

A hundred times this.

I love a beer. I don't love the argumentative, foul-tempered prick that more than about 4 of them turns me into the next day and beyond.

Most standard soft drinks - coke/pepsi etc are foully sweet and probably worse for me than beer.

After a bit of digging I've found a decent roster of NA beers that I enjoy and cracking one or two open of an evening and still being able to drive if needed is worth the minor drop in flavour compared to the 5/6/7% IPA's I normally liked.

practicality: It's a great option for midweek tea with the kids, you're able to do evening stuff with a clear head, especially if you have to drive etc. plus sets a good example as long as the kids know that it's non-alcoholic.

Also is health benefit, lowering your alcohol intake is a good thing

Also makes a really good isotonic after a bike ride without the alcohol fug in the middle of the afternoon

Apparently a fair chunk of the cost is that it still has duty attached, which is why you get age checked at the supermarket when you buy AF beer

There used to be very few AF options in pubs if you didn't want an overly sugary and sweet drink. All these different AF options are only going to improve with more competition. I quite like a guilt free AF G&T mid week which I wouldn't do with alcoholic drinks.

They are much much better tasting than they used to be too.

This.

A Tiny Rebel Clwb Tropicana AF after a ride on a hot ride is a real pleasure.

Currently loving Dobby, by Salt Brewery. 1%, so not suitable for those avoiding alcohol with good reason, but a smashing hoppy brew for those of us just trying to have less.

1 - I think living alcohol free is a super-power.
2 - I want something to look forward to. I still feel like it is a treat.
3 - some are nice - Erdinger, Heineken, Brewdog.
4 - I don't drink pop, what on earth is it made from??
5 - I like it and I'm not sure what else to drink.
6 - I gave up beer and I need to replace it with something.

I know I asked the question but if I hadn't I probably would have written geomickb's answer, just not sure if I have the superpower quite yet.

AF beer is like Vegan bacon. It is almost but not quite nice. Why persist?

That’s not a terrible analogy. I say that principally because I love the taste (and sometimes the effect) and scent of beer (and cider, perry etc) and I like/d the taste, scent and texture of bacon. Was raised in the Black Country which was pretty much pigs and beer all the way.

Difference is:

Beer = for me about both the taste and sometimes the effect. Can choose either or both.
Bacon = for me only about the taste. Can do without the costs.

I never drank a lot of beer habitually. A couple of pints of cask pale or bitter (3 max) is my sweetspot for a taste and a bit of zip to ride (MTB) or walk home. At home I drink it for the taste alone, maybe a glass or 330ml session with food.

If driving I don’t generally bother seeking LA beer but only because it’s lacking in taste and aroma. Ghost Ship 0.5% is an exception, but I’m sure there must be others I might like. I can’t generally afford to experiment because bad La beers are usually barely drinkable IME.

Bacon consumption, on the other hand, came to a point where I felt that I needed an intervention. So I stopped. I remain convinced that it was no good for me, or the pigs, and the environment. So bugger that for a game of soldiers.

Veggie ‘bacon’ rashers are mostly lacking IMHO. Not all unpleasant IME, but most I’ve tried do lack a lot of the complex umami taste of the ‘real’ thing. THIS Is Not Bacon is about the best supermarket-sourced one I’ve tried but I can still take it or leave it. It’s not addictive.

(Pork) bacon was (for me) addictive though, so it took me a long time to find something that ‘hit the spot’. Luckily I found it in certain mushrooms. Recently grew, harvested and cooked some pearl oyster mushrooms and they were so much nicer than anything else I’d tried.

I’m not saying one day that meat analogues won’t be as good or even better. And there is still the lab-grown meat options of the near future. But mushrooms are just great.

But back to the drinks, I still prefer a cold LA Ghost Ship than a cold cola because I’m not a fan of cola. And the Ghost Ship 0.5% is actually good. I’d have apple juice or a virgin pina colada over a cola. I’d like to try a cask-conditioned low alcohol IPA. Just so I could enjoy my favourite beer tastes and still drive home as I’m always designated/only driver.

Back to the bacon - I don’t ‘prefer’ pork bacon than (say) a king oyster (or shiitake) rasher BLT or breakfast sarnie for a number of reasons. Which is great. But if someone invented a 90% identically-tasting pork bacon analogue from plants then I’ll of course give it a go. That wouldn’t stop me earing/experimenting with oyster and shiitake (and other) mushrooms. They really are very, very good. And the endless options for tweaking marinades makes them even more fun in my book.

#slowfood

Anyone tried a cask-conditioned low alcohol beer pulled from the tap?

I like the taste of beer.

And therein lies the problem! doesn't taste like beer to me. And the effect of alcohol??? if you're driving then fair enough, but what strength normal beer or how much normal beer would you be drinking? I can have easily 3 or 4 pints of sensibly strength beer over an evening without feeling any effects of alcohol.

Without feeling any effects? Not even positive ones? You might have a problem. Take a break.

I don’t usually drink and when I out drink AF beer or decaf coffee. I adon’t want a sugary or caffeinated drink so AF beer Is often the best solution. It’s not gassy like coke and you drink it at the same pace as beer, soft drink i tend to neck.

I also drink AF beer time home usually as I actually like some of them and don’t want alcohol.

And therein lies the problem! doesn’t taste like beer to me

No, that's not the problem, that's your problem.

I can have easily 3 or 4 pints of sensibly strength beer over an evening without feeling any effects of alcohol

Good for you. Honestly, I am being genuine, I'm really not bothered what other people do, fire away. But it's amazing how folks react when I tell them I don't drink, it's quite bizarre! 🙂

But it’s amazing how folks react when I tell them I don’t drink, it’s quite bizarre!

Isn't that the truth. Some people react like I had just asked to remove their testicles with a blunt spoon...

@WorldClassAccident

With the beers and wines it seems the majority of them are not that pleasant tasting with some nice exceptions.

To turn it around, do you ever buy/enjoy drinking anything without alcohol in it? ie Pepsi, Fanta, fruit juice, etc?

If the answer is ‘yes’ then Q:if there was absolutely no difference in taste or price would you order a beer/lager/ale with little-to-zero alcohol in it?

Isn’t that the truth.

It's not my truth - I went a good 18 months alcohol-free (when trying for children) and, after the initial surprise on my first night out with my friends, it was barely mentioned again. But then I was looking for reactions - I was simply choosing not to drink for a period of my life.

Good for you. Honestly, I am being genuine, I’m really not bothered what other people do, fire away. But it’s amazing how folks react when I tell them I don’t drink, it’s quite bizarre! 🙂

Crikey ivy...calm down. just asking. You raised it on a thread with a title prompting a discussion on why people drink AF beers so don't get all triggered when someone asks you a question about it. It was a question not a criticism. Im no big drinker at all but can handle a few pints over the course of an evening and suffer no 'unpleasant' after affects, so just wondering why you'd be so willing to sacrifice flavour and enjoyment of a few beers. Thats the bit that is strange to me so just curious thats all.

o, that’s not the problem, that’s your problem.

On the contrary, no problem here. I can taste a difference between AF beer and alcoholic beer and I just prefer the flavour of proper beer over AF beer. If I'm out for a beer I want a decent beer, its as simple as that. Its all good, whatever floats your boat. Just curious thats all. Drink what you want to drink I don't give a shit. One of my best mates drinks Cider for crying out loud...its all good. We still let him sit on our table.

Without feeling any effects? Not even positive ones? You might have a problem. Take a break.

Well you know what I mean. Of course I enjoy a beer with mates down the local pub once a week if I'm lucky. I don't tend to drink routinely at home on my own so enjoy a tipple at the weekend with a few mates. Of course alcohol affects me, but with a volume like that I'm not feeling any effects of alcohol unless its a particularly strong beer, that would cause me to drink AF beer. I'm certainly nowhere near what you'd describe as drunk. Personally if I'm driving or not drinking I'll just have water, but that, it seems, is my problem.

Never been much of a drinker and only ever drunk alcohol in order to get drunk. On the odd occasion that I do drink it’s normally bourbon. Wouldn’t think of spending money on alcohol free beer. Day to day it’s coffee and water. The former if I want a warm drink, the latter for cold. Also partial to Fenton’s (I think) ginger ale and dandelion and burdock.

Because I'm not going to sit and drink a can of Fanta with dinner like some kind of adolescent

So those of you saying that small amounts of beer make you feel rough, tell me more.

As posted in a thread soon after covid started, I just can't drink more than about half a pint without getting a hangover. Sometimes a full pint is OK. I've always been a bit I a lightweight, but on occasion as a youth would manage 8 pints or so and survive to tell the tale. Even as an adult, perhaps 5 years ago I could do 4 pints in a big session.

But now the idea of drinking two pints is just alien.

I had thought it was Covid related, but perhaps its just age... (49)

????

German mtb mags advertise it as isotonic. So that is like sportsbeer!

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Wobbli, I'm not triggered fella, I've not come across the way intended if that's what you think. 👍🏻

I like the taste of beer.

I canny really be arsed with the effects of alcohol.

Simple really.

+ 1 here too.