Dry January 2024..

Went to the pub on the weekend - BOTH nights. Observations:

Still had a decent enough time with my OH and mates

Did start to get quite bored and wanted to go home earlier than the others

Guinness 0.0 is pretty nice but it would be nice if more people had it on draft.

Apart from the people I was with - the other rowdy folk in the place really started to annoy me. I was really trying hard not to be self righteous as they're just having fun and I've been there a million times but secretly harboured annoyance and smugness.

Not sure what I will do when January ends. I never set out to never drink again and I have a weekend in Torridon at the start of Feb for some climbing. But I really feel much better.

Did start to get quite bored and wanted to go home earlier than the others

Apart from the people I was with – the other rowdy folk in the place really started to annoy me. I was really trying hard not to be self righteous as they’re just having fun and I’ve been there a million times but secretly harboured annoyance and smugness.

This is how I find it. Even the people I'm with start to grate if they are too pissed

Will be a year dry in March. Feel pretty good on it. Lost a bunch of weight, sleep really well and have much improved mental clarity.

There are times though I just want to get off my tits.

Did start to get quite bored and wanted to go home earlier than the others

Apart from the people I was with – the other rowdy folk in the place really started to annoy me. I was really trying hard not to be self righteous as they’re just having fun and I’ve been there a million times but secretly harboured annoyance and smugness.

I can relate to this, I also find pissed people repeat themselves a lot. I really hope I am not like that when I've had a few. That and one mates wife who insists on being 3 inches from my face during a conversation, never noticed it when she is sober.

My memory was I did this a couple of years ago.

It appears it was actually eight years ago 🙂 https://www.pickled-hedgehog.com/alcohol-dreams/

Most of what I wrote then seems to have held over to this time round except:
- being older, weight loss seems to take longer

- definitely feel more drive to make a significant longer term change. Last time out my plans didn't really stand the first contact with a beer!

- Changes that feel doable: No midweek drinking except after a ride, no beer at home once back from that ride (this is what kills me the next day), in fact just don't drink on your own (my wife barely drinks at all)

- "Hardest" non beer time is defo after riding. Way easier at home although have drunk quite a lot of AF beers. Seem to be addicted to Erdinger Grapefruit 🙂

- I do feel a lot better. Sleeping well (still wake up tho), still getting knackered end of the day (but you know mid 50s, gonna happen!). Not sure my riding has benefited except the no hangover at the start of the ride is something to be cherished. Have been running a lot (from a zero base) and that's definitely negatively affected riding MTBS.

- On hols 29/1. Not going to go to end of month when sitting in a bar in 22 deg sunshine overlooking a lovely coastline. But going to see if I can actually do the have a beer and then stop thing.

I can relate to this, I also find pissed people repeat themselves a lot

Try spending time sober with coke heads. Thats another level of tedium

I generally try to avoid alcohol-free beers when I am doing a detox as 1. I don't find them particularly enjoyable and 2. I definitely get a bit of a placebo effect and I can loose that clear-headedness which is one of the biggest benefits of a booze break for me.

However, I saw some of that Guinness 0.0 in a shop yesterday and bought a couple of cans. Wow, tastes like the real thing. Easily the best 0.0 I have tried.

Seem to be addicted to Erdinger Grapefruit

Didn't know this was a thing!

Didn’t know this was a thing!

We took a punt at our local discount store with a few boxes due to 'go out of date end March 24' .

We ended up buying about 30 bottles and I fully expected to be giving them away/hiding them at the back of the cupboard way before then.

Nope. Been back for another 30 🙂 Everyone I've offered one too has left the house with a box of 4. I've always liked Erdinger after a turbo session or a run, but this version is like human cat nip!

I really hope I am not like that when I’ve had a few. 

I think we all know the answer to that one...!<br /><br />DrP

I'll be looking out for it, love Erdinger and happily the Alkohofrei one is a great alternative when I'm behaving myself.

Pedant alert: Isn't that Erdinger grapefruit stuff technically about 2.5% abv? I mean still chump change but not an AF beer.

https://uk.erdinger.de/beer/alkoholfrei-grapefruit.html

Less than 0.3% according to this link

Pedant alert: Isn’t that Erdinger grapefruit stuff technically about 2.5% abv? I mean still chump change but not an AF beer.

Not the ones we bought- same as link below.

https://www.carlsbergmarstons.co.uk/products/erdinger/erdinger-alkoholfrei-grapefruit/

Oh man - I am geting mixed up with the orange cans of Schofferhofer. I gotta find some of that Erdinger!

January is a long month...

I've just bought the Brew Dog AF variety pack. Hazy Jane, Elvis Juice, Nanny State, Punk.  They're all terrible.

The best tasting one so far has been Brooklyn Special Effects.  Moretti, Peroni, Rivington Mash Gang and Heineken Zero have been okay.

Erdinger was a little sweet with a crazy head.  I can only manage one or two, then I'm done.  Looking forward to trying the Grapefruit ones though.

Guiness Zero out of a can wasn't great but normal Guiness is the same, I'm hoping on draught it's better.

My mates recommend Beevertown Lazer Crush but I've not seen any in the shops.

I really like the 0% pilsner from Aldi. It's only 2.99 for 6 bottles which is really good value.

Works for me as the placebo effect of having a beer does the job most the time and much prefer that to other fizzy drinks.

Also amazing to see the number of alcohol free beers available in pubs now - seems to be a real social shift going on at the moment and will be interesting to see how things develop.

4 weeks done.  There's a little voice in the back of my head saying "what would be the worst that could happen if you never had another beer?"

I really like the 0% pilsner from Aldi. It’s only 2.99 for 6 bottles 

The Lidl one is excellent too. I have those and Special Effects in the fridge ATM.

I’ve just bought the Brew Dog AF variety pack. Hazy Jane, Elvis Juice, Nanny State, Punk.  They’re all terrible.

Dunno why but that made me do an actual LOL.

The Infinite Session alcohol free ones remain my favourite, though I have yet to try the grapefruit one mentioned earlier.  Quite like the Guiness zero but couldn't do more than one can.

Still staying alc free here. I need to try some of these alc-free beers. Plenty of suggestions above 👍

Still trying to lose weight. Weigh-in yesterday showed a 1 lb loss, which I was expecting but equally a bit disappointed about - was sub-consciously hoping for more.
12lbs more to lose to get to my target, although historically I know the last 4 or 5lbs are a real struggle!

I asked for an alcohol free beer at the pub this evening, the only thing they had was small bottle of Peroni 0.0.

FIVE POUNDS!

I'm considering drinking again just to save money!

Enjoying the better sleep and clear-headedness, and not feeling too many cravings. Just thinking that come Feb I want to maintain that feel good factor - but stupidly - w no Dry Feb to aim for will i let it go and feel obliged to have a couple of beers on the 1st and then all downhill.

but thinking that actually staying dry could be a thing. Have been guilty of being too boozy for too long and staying dry through Feb as well will be the real change I need.

If you’re in Manchester, Balance have an amazing 0.5% Mosaic hopped barrel brew on. Also, Track have free Citra hopped water in their tap room, if you’re in there with friends who aren’t abstaining.

That's good to know. I shall be in Manchester at the start of March and I know my colleagues will be keen to go to Track as we did last year.

Agreed on the annoyance of drunk folk/coked up loons.....as a former professional musician I've spent waay to much time surrounded by that.

I'm planning on sober for the first 2 weeks in February too. Haven't really enjoyed the benefits of better sleep this dry Jan. I'm in the middle of the first batch of assignments for my masters degree and struggling to switch off currently. Sleep has been crap throughout Jan as a result.

I've already failed at dryness, as I've already mentioned.  But that's fine, as the few beers I've had have made me realise that I don't need beer.

no Dry Feb to aim for

Why not?

Set your own rules/challenges, not just because the media say it's dry Jan, or stoptober. If I decide I'm doing dry Feb, then I will - which I am

Set your own rules/challenges,

Agreed. On that note I'm on a countdown to Monday when we arrive in Mediera. I've only been to the pub once after riding this year (and that was sitting outside, not conducive to a cold beer!) which has definitely helped any 'one doesn't count' weakness!

Ended up buying a lot of 0.0/0.5% AF beer. Won't get anywhere near finishing it before 29th, but happy to keep some in the fridge as a 'start here' option when fancying a beer.

Set your own rules/challenges, not just because the media say it’s dry Jan, or stoptober. If I decide I’m doing dry Feb, then I will – which I am

Temperance Februance? I'm in.

Me too. I've avoided dry January again this year (the worst time to deny pubs etc trade/income in my opinion) but plan to abstain for February. Not because it's shorter month... honest! 😉

I've had a slightly cheating dry January.  Drank copiously at a gig on the 1st, that was planned.

Then I had a dram last Saturday night.  My resolve just broke, simple as that.

I'll also have a drink or two this weekend as a friend is visiting.

All that 'fail' aside, I'm not beating myself up over it.  The aim is to break habits, and I intend to carry that on beyond the end of January.  The main habit being drinking a couple of beers and a dram or two sitting in front of the telly three or four nights of the week.

Sociable drinks with friends = good

Boozing mindlessly in front of the telly = bad

It's a creeping habit which does no good for body or mind.  I want to be more mindful in consumption, that way the drinks  I do have should be more enjoyable.  Stuff like a post ride beer on a warm day with pals, that's the good boozing!

Having a short break with no forward plan doesn't do much good long term IMO, unless it highlights a serious drinking problem where giving up is extremely hard.  I've previously given up for 5 months totally dry (Jan - May 2020.  Good timing...) but pretty much jumped back in where I'd left off.

Sociable drinks with friends = good

Boozing mindlessly in front of the telly = bad

It’s a creeping habit which does no good for body or mind.  I want to be more mindful in consumption, that way the drinks  I do have should be more enjoyable.  Stuff like a post ride beer on a warm day with pals, that’s the good boozing!

Well said. Pretty much reflects my aspirations.

I do really enjoy a beer or wine watching a movie but I'm gonna try to cut that right back.

Temptation getting stronger now, but will hold out until Feb no worries.

Friday again, still going strong...however, back last night from a work trip and had 3 cans of Small Beer with dinner, which is 2.1%, so 2.7 units consumed in total.  Oddly woke up this am with a sore head ! 🙂

Post January I'm thinking of trying to follow a "rule of threes", I.e. maximum of 3 drinks, 3 days a week. That way I'll be having at least 4 days a week dry and will hopefully avoid that "one too many" feeling.

Why not?

Set your own rules/challenges, not just because the media say it’s dry Jan, or stoptober. If I decide I’m doing dry Feb, then I will – which I am

It's also a shorter, nicer, lighter month than the misery that is usually January.  Much better month to quit drinking IME.  

The 14 units a week and no more that 7 units in any day is a good rule to follow.  There are some apps that help you track that as well.

You definitely enjoy the drinks you do have more.  

^^^ I think after nearly a month off it, 7 units would floor me ... 🙂

There’s a bottle of corona in the fridge that nearly caught me out the other night but still pure. Doing a bit more on the bike and eating better so have lost a little weight this week too. Keep on keeping on troopers!

Still going strong and the 'want' has wained.

Genuinely now thinking of doing February as well.

It transpires I've also lost about 4 kg too, although I put that down to doing parkrun rather than not drinking.

I have made much of this month easy by being too ill to contemplate alcohol. But I'm going climbing tonight, and it's Friday, and the itch is already strong. Must not fall off the wagon at this late stage!

Stay strong, just 5 days to go.

I was at the funeral of my best friends father today. He died very suddenly on New year's Day. He was a huge fan of real ale, really wish that I'd have broken dry Jan and had a pint with my mate at the wake.

Despite enjoying a few large rums or whisky's on my days off, I've not found dry January to difficult. 

I have noticed that the urgency to pee through night is a lot less, and not having a fuzzy head is better too.

I am looking forward to a Jeffersons rum come February 😋

Really fancied a beer last night. But kept strong and didn't have one, then was reflecting at 10pm that it's really nice not feeling pissed.

Did dry Jan a few years ago except the 30th was a mates bday so slipped with 1 day to go.

This year I wasn't doing it had a couple on the 6th and not since. Will have a few at a 40th on the 2nd so not quite 4weeks.
Only real improvement is quality of sleep, but my sleep is ruined anyway but sleep score slowly creeping up.

Well today is day 28. Even went to an Australia day "celebration" on Friday and consumed ZERO alcohol.

I'm coping surprisingly well...Slightly distracted with a new pup in the Aphex household though....

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/jan/28/hard-month-for-pubs-as-uks-dry-january-set-to-be-driest-ever

First pub visit last night for dinner with friends.
Had some big drop citra and stout.
Convinced I have a hangover this morning.
Do AF beers have congeners in that could give you a hangover.
Rumour when I was a student that Courage Directors had some stuff in the give you a proper hangover so you'd think it was a strong beer

Into the home straight boys and girls...

Into the home straight boys and girls…

I'd normally be looking forward to a beer, but I'm not bothered.

Dry February won't be a problem