Alcohol Free but wanting to go out

[JB1881]

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?

[titch juicy]

Why not just drink soft drinks?

[Mick Mac]

Sparkling water does it for me. No, honest, it does.

[DulwichFox]

EDT sells Bavaria..

Bishop used to sell Becks Blue. not sure if they still do..

I'm not doing Dry Jan this year.. Just cutting down generally.

DulwichFox.

[Jeremy]

Becks Blue is drinkable-ish. Have seen it in a few of the Antic pubs.

Would be surprised if any local pubs sell Nanny State - you'd probably need to go to a BrewDog bar, or other craft beer bar.

[KidKruger]

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.

[Phlox]

Lime cordial with soda and maybe ice.

[Dog duck]

Just do more coke

[Sue]

Just keep on drinking alcohol :))

[DovertheRoad]

Dry January...like everyone is some kind of martyr. Really boring. Drink if you like, abstain if you like. But as Fox says moderation is surely the way. Nothing against non alcoholic beer...but it just makes makes me want real beer. Like vegetarian bacon.

[Seabag]

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.

[johnie]

The Herne does San Miguel 0% and something else.

[KidKruger]

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

[DovertheRoad]

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.

[Mick Mac]

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.

[JohnL]

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"

[????]

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

[Jah Lush]

Not wanting to denigrate any of you drying out or wanting to cut down your alcohol consumption but this an amusing read and on trend.

Oh goodness me, did I just say 'on trend'. I did, didn't I? Well tie me to a tree and call me Brenda.

Now read on -

http://deserter.co.uk/2015/02/5-reasons-dryanuary-sucks/

[KidKruger]

Will do, 'Brenda' !

[DovertheRoad]

Personally I'd rather reduce my alcoholic consumption by 8% over 12 months and still go down the pub. Each to their own.

Thanks Jah. Also this...

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/health/non-alcoholics-enjoying-pretend-battle-with-drink-2015010694117

[Help-Ma-Boab]

The 6 x 6 method seems to work well for me.

[JohnL]

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.

[Jah Lush]

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.

[Angelina]

So people really drink because they're bored? And because they can't think of anything else to do?

[Seabag]

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

😁😆