Jump to content

Alcohol Free but wanting to go out


JB1881

Recommended Posts

Hi everyone,


So, in January a lot of people go alcohol free, including some people I know. I still want to support local pubs and I like being in the pub.


So can anyone help me with some knowledge of which pubs locally sell low alcohol or alcohol free beer? I quite like the Brew Dog Nanny State but I have never seen it anywhere. I know people that like the Erdinger and Bavaria zero alcohol options.


Does anyone know of any good options in the pubs of ED and Peckham?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a thread on this a few years ago.

Basically your fecked.

Gowlett does Becks Blue if I remember (or a substitute).

You'd need to phone / visit each pub to check whether there's an alcohol-free option.

As for drinking soft drinks, literally ounces of sugar, that's an unsavoury (pun intended) option.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I stopped drinking alcohol last year. Don't let anyone beat down on you for doing so, shame on you DoverTheRoad.


If you're serious about it, then there's a few things that make it less of a challenge. Eating proper and regular meals, as a drop in blood sugars is a trigger. It sounds lame, but I find a few dried fruits in the late afternoon helps, as does making sure you're actually drinking enough fluids. I figured much of my 7pm guzzle was down to thirst/dehydration.


As for fake beer, I do keep a Becks Blue in the fridge, I like the hoppy tang that's required every now and then, that said I get about half way through a bottle and ditch the rest. But the key thing is not to look at 'replacing' one thing for another, as it mimics the habit. I've always been fond of sparkiling water, each brand has a different taste, some of the Turkish ones have a slight salty tang. I like that, along with Badoit, San Pelligrino, but Highland spring can be a bit 'dry'. Many versions of green tea, specially the orange blossom and one.


I'm thankfully at the point where I don't crave for a drink, and i'm very often around the places that it's prevalent (i'm close to the industry, which if i'm honest has helped) and i've seen too many people who've fallen off and under the wagon.


But it's a challenge, in that the drinking bit of life is much like parking up, stepping off somewhat. I've had to fill my late day and evenings with being present, which sounds a bit wanky, but it's real. You end up with a lot of time in the real world.


The up side.

Never a hang over (you have to remind yourself some mornings)

Sleeping, not passing out

Waking up, not coming to

Reduced anxiety

Better skin

Better health

I can drive anywhere at anytime

Less body mass

Wealthier

The days seem longer, not 2 shorter halves.


The downside.

Hanging out with some people gets a bit boring "Yes, I heard you the first time" after they've repeated the same thing about 4 times

Not having the occasional buffer between real life and yourself.

The joy of just getting hammered and staggering up to bed.

The sheer indulgence of very good wine.


Now i'm not saying i'll never touch a drop ever again, but not indoors at mine. Out out, maybe. Weddings, funerals, bah mitzvah's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well said Seabag.


I'm doing a sort of Seabag-lite the last 6 months or so and intend it to stay that way because it's working for me - not a total ban on alcohol but only occasionally when the time is right, and even then it's small amounts.

After 30yrs of just doing what everyone does, it's frankly become boring.

I have claimed so much more of my time back and am getting so much more done - just one can of beer in the evening often prevents me doing anything further.

I'm also doing something similar with meat (weekend only).

You can make these choices for yourself, to support what you want to do.


One 'down side' is some can people take it so 'personally' when others they're with don't want to drink alcohol, like it's a threat or there's something being reflected back on them (dunno why there's not same reaction from meat-eaters to veggies, maybe alcohol has more shame attached to it?).

But take encouragement from the standard line, "what's wrong ?", when someone's getting the round in, which tells you all you need to know about exactly what's wrong.


up sides I'd add:

- getting more done (at work, at home, personal interests) -> greater feeling of achievement/progress -> lesser feeling of stress over things not done -> happier in myself and able to move onto next things I want to do/progress.

- less clouded thinking

- able to concentrate longer and more consistently

- more accurate judgements

- better sleep

- more energy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I stopped drinking alcohol last year. Don't let

> anyone beat down on you for doing so, shame on you

> DoverTheRoad.



Read my post. I'm not beating anyone down for not drinking alcohol at all. I said drinking or abstention are all fine. I'm just saying that I find the whole dry January concept really boring when people make out it's a massive personal sacrifice in the name of better health and then want to tell everyone about it. Then get slap bang back onto boozing as usual come 1st Feb.


Several studies show that dry January doesn't really make you any healthier and that moderation throughout the year is far better.


Impressive you've made a choice and stuck to it for so long tho.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DovertheRoad Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------


>

> Several studies show that dry January doesn't

> really make you any healthier and that moderation

> throughout the year is far better.

>


No sh1t.....! Really?


However, a month without alcohol for someone who generally exceeds the recommended limits is certainly a good idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The threat of drinking with teetotalers is they tell you exactly

what you did when everybody else has forgotten.


conversations tend to go ...


"how much did you drink"

"about 4 pints"

"No it was 8"

"It was when you started hugging I got really embarrassed"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> DovertheRoad Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> >

> > Several studies show that dry January doesn't

> > really make you any healthier and that

> moderation

> > throughout the year is far better.

> >

>

> No sh1t.....! Really?

>

> However, a month without alcohol for someone who

> generally exceeds the recommended limits is

> certainly a good idea.



I'm with Mic Mac - you are reducing your overall consumption (by 8%). But, non health related benefits:


- puts a break on the acceleration and excess of Christmas by December 3oth I'm generally eyeing up my first drink at about 11am


- a bit of self discipline and a bit of self discipline once in while is good for the soul


- saves a bit of ???? (in both ways :)


I am doing it for the first time in about ten years. I started way ahead of trend on this with Dry January's throughout the late 80s and all of the 90s. Not finding it that difficult but then my consumption now is way way below what it was back in the day.


PS I don't drink in the week at home so this is another bit of reducing overall consumption

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> DovertheRoad Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> >

> > Several studies show that dry January doesn't

> > really make you any healthier and that

> moderation

> > throughout the year is far better.

> >

>

> No sh1t.....! Really?

>

> However, a month without alcohol for someone who

> generally exceeds the recommended limits is

> certainly a good idea.


Is it just drinkers that believe your liver can repair itself

if it has a rest.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

JohnL Wrote:


Is it just drinkers that believe your liver can repair itself if it has a rest.


*


To a certain extent that is true. It can and it does. For instance, at 25 I was told to stop by my GP for six months as my liver was the size of a rugby ball. Caused by my excessive drinking. I stopped for about four months and it seemed to do the trick.


On the other hand I've lost half a dozen friends to acute liver failure (cirrhosis of the liver). They were all alcoholics, all of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DovertheRoad Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Seabag Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I stopped drinking alcohol last year. Don't let

> > anyone beat down on you for doing so, shame on

> you

> > DoverTheRoad.

>

>

> Read my post. I'm not beating anyone down for not

> drinking alcohol at all. I said drinking or

> abstention are all fine. I'm just saying that I

> find the whole dry January concept really boring

> when people make out it's a massive personal

> sacrifice in the name of better health and then

> want to tell everyone about it. Then get slap bang

> back onto boozing as usual come 1st Feb.

>

> Several studies show that dry January doesn't

> really make you any healthier and that moderation

> throughout the year is far better.

>

> Impressive you've made a choice and stuck to it

> for so long tho.



I meant to add a smiley icon, to show it was a tongue in cheek remark


Anyway, chill out, sounds like you need a drink


😁😆

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Just had a carpets cleaned by Steve Nourse and his colleague at short notice. They are lovely guys and the cleaning was quick and carpets look great. Good value. 
    • Looking for tickets for 2 adults one child under 2 and one child over 2. However, please let me know if you have any combination of tickets you are no longer able to use.  Thanks 07756110500
    • all I said was "take a pro cash stance too far" - what twisting have I done?   plenty of good arguments for retention of cash - but let's not get too detached from reality either lest we go back to trading livestock   But to go back to your post DD:   "Or don't stop using cash" Yep plenty of people will agree with this - nothing controversial here   "Stop using your phone or even your watch as a banknote" - getting a bit weird now - why not - it's super convenient for both users and businesses. And far easier to keep a track of your balance using your electronic wallet than old systems of cheques taking days to clear, how much did I take from cashpoint 2 days ago etc. But people will differ so whatever works   "God only knows how much damage we're doing to the planet because all the above must require a hell of a lot of resources and juice from the grid" - big straw man argument here. Why bring this in? Unless you are also suggesting we don't buy any goods not made from within a 5 mile radius and nothing transported by air or sea? "a big lump of plastic with a screen and full of personal information that can be easily gleamed." I've had my phone stolen but nothing was lost because it was secure.I've been mugged and lost cash and valuable. It's not a binary thing   "your sky rocket with a phone in your hand. It's become a source of dopamine for many. It's an addiction for many."  Proper overreaching now
    • I agree with the posts that housing is an urgent need in Peckham and throughout Southwark. But as Alice says, it’s the percentage of social / affordable housing that matters. In October last year, there were over 4,200 households on the Council’s waiting list for housing in Peckham alone (over 17 thousand across Southwark). But the developer is only offering 35% affordable housing (which means that 65% will be unaffordable). Both Southwark Council and the GLA say that a big development like this should provide 50% affordable housing.   Re-development of the site is a great opportunity to make the town centre “cleaner, safer and more sustainable and welcoming” (borrowing Nigello’s great words). Is this dense development going to do that, when it provides no real green and open space where people can spend time outside and nature can help us tackle the growing problems of climate change like absorbing flood water, cooling the air on baking summer days? Are 7-storey buildings along Rye Lane (where the average buildings are 2-3 storeys) going to be welcoming to users of the town centre? How will the development impact on Peckham’s economy? Currently there is busy daytime commercial activity of shops providing for different demographics and needs including a rich offering of international groceries and other products, alongside a thriving night-time economy. I can’t see anything in the proposal that suggests how it will enhance and empower the local economy. Yes please, let’s have a great development on this site that enhances the town centre. This means not letting the developer get away with packing people into dense blocks that turn their back on the town centre and which will be a recipe for urban decay in the long run. Peckham deserves better than this!
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...