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De-alcoholised Beer? Favorites?

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 54

Another one... Bitburger Drive 0.0.

I was pleased to see Bitburger had made a de-alcoholised beer as I recall the original being a pleasantly refreshing and unpretentious tasting German beer. I picked up a 4-pack of 500 ml cans to try it out. I drank the 1st one and decided it didn't appeal to me. Many days later I opened another, to give it a second try. Still didn't like it and poured half out. Going to throw out the other two... (or put them in a basket for the poor, though I'm not certain that'd be a kindness).

Unfortunately this is one more brewer that seems to have felt the need to replace the absent alcohol with that syrupy malty flavour. It's not quite as over-the-top in that respect as Bud Prohibition, but is still much too far in that direction to recommend. And consider the numbers: a 500 ml can contains 17% of daily required carbs, basically in the form of 20g of added sugar. Really? Might as well drink a non-diet soft drink! I don't get it - Grolsch manages to be enjoyable with 0 added sugar.

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 54

I've got a couple more to mention...

I've had a total of only 1 alcoholic beer in the past 7 weeks, but I still find that although there are far fewer occasions on which I crave alcohol now I still want a cold 'beer' from time to time - without the alcohol. I guess after 40 years of drinking the stuff I've just come to enjoy beer as a beverage, alcohol or no. So my eye is still open for new options in de-alcoholised beers. I recently spotted Non Alcoholic Grolsch at the grocery store, as well as Clausthaler.

While I'd never heard of Clausthaler, Grolsch was always one of my favorite beers for it's well rounded, light yet lively european style flavour, so I had to try the non alcoholic version to see how well they managed. And I'm going to say here that Non-Alcoholic Grolsch is now hands down my favorite 0% beer so far. To the point where I cannot recall enjoying the alcoholised version any more than I do it's new clean cousin. Perhaps that extra degree of hoppiness in the regular Grolsch flavour overshadows the alcohol in it to the point where the absence of alcohol makes less of a difference in the taste; whatever the reason I find Non Alcoholic Grolsch tastes even closer than non alcoholic Beck's does to the original. The nutritional stats on it are nearly identical to Beck's de-alcoholised - nothing in it but carbs, and 90 calories for a tall can, which equates by volume to the 60 calories in a 12 oz bottle of the 0% Beck's. (Beck's also contains 1 gram of protein, about the only difference). SO, I can have one or two over the course of a football or hockey game and easily burn those off in my next workout (which might now be later that same day as there is no alcohol in my system to slow me down or de-motivate me!).

Clausthaler was interesting as well I found. It brands itself as a 'premium' de-alcoholised beer and sports a somewhat richer, smoother, creamier rendition of the euro-style flavour of Beck's and Grolsch. There is just a hint here of that unfermented malt syrup flavour I didn't like in the Budweiser Prohibition, but not enough to spoil the show or leave an aftertaste. You do pay a bit for that richer texture and flavour, 108 calories in a 12 oz bottle, however that is still only about 2/3 of what's in a regular alcoholised beer (or Bud Prohibition). I'll keep Clausthaler one on the buy list as an option for some variety now and then.

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 54

Just to follow up on this... I did finally pick up some Budweier 'Prohibition' to try it. I don't drink de-alcoholised beer to pretend I'm having a real one, I do genuinely drink it when I'm in the mood for a beer-like drink but not the alcohol. I know that sounds like the same thing, but there is a difference I feel. It's not like I will drink de-alcoholised beer all afternoon or evening - in fact I'm no more likely to have a second one than I am, say, to have a second ginger ale. It's just a refreshment.

That said, here are my impressions of Bud Prohibition: it's kind of like a club soda with only a very mild beer flavour to it. Even my spouse, who usually shudders at the taste of beer, tasted it and said "kind of watery, isn't it?". One thing that is noticeable about it though is a sweet syrupy malt flavouring they've added to it, presumably to replace the alcohol component in the taste of regular Bud. That flavouring is not, in my opinion, necessary or pleasant, and worse, it lingers as an annoying after taste. The cost of that flavouring to your diet is also an eye opener: a 12 oz can of Bud Prohibition contains 150 calories - as much as a typical 5% beer! Compare that to the 60 calories in Beck's de-alcoholised beer, which in my opinion is also more refreshing and leaves no lingering after-taste, and Bud Prohibition gets two thumbs down from me. I tried a second one on a different day to give it a fair shake, but my impression is unchanged. I'm probably going to pour the rest out.

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 286

SPMW,

Abstaining at a large social event is huge! Congratulations and also great work on trying the dinner out without drinking. Sharing a bit with your wife is wonderful too although hard. It seems to me that one does not need to be at rock bottom to quit drinking. It could just be because you want to feel better (emotionally and physically)and alcohol is not doing it for you anymore; or, perhaps you are tired of thinking about drinking all the time: when can I next drink, how to moderate etc etc etc I found drinking to be a habit, in the end, that I automatically turned to for many things. It didn't really make anything better. Not drinking can become a habit too and each success solidifies that.

Physical activity was very helpful to me as well. Each step towards well being is positive.

Thanks for sharing your good news!

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 54

Kind of you to ask, Julie!

It's very much a work in progress. I still have the odd day where I really let myself go (like yesterday), but to be fair to myself those have become fewer. Over the past month most days involved either no alcohol or else more or less moderate amounts. I've been making a conscious effort to get more physical activity as well and that is helping me to start feeling better also. I'm still very far from where I need to be, and I shall persevere.

I did recently manage to abstain at a celebratory event with a large crowd of long time acquaintances who mostly are drinkers. I can't say it was that fun - but then I thought about it and realized I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it much more even if I had been drinking. Just an occasion where one puts in an appearance out of respect for the guest of honor I suppose. This was a bit of a first though as I've always automatically been in for drinks on such occasions.

I need to keep working on getting not only myself, but the other people in my life, accustomed to the idea of me not drinking. At a dinner out with my wife, my ordering a soft drink instead of alcohol seemed to require an explanation. She drinks very little but has just about never seen me pass on alcohol at an occasion. When I replied "I drink too much" a look of panic came over her face. "Don't worry" I said, "nothing's wrong with me, I'm just trying to think of whether I actually want a drink before ordering one, vs. ordering out of habit. Tonight I just feel like a soft drink." It was an awkward moment.

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 286

How are things going for you SPMW?

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 54

Some interesting perspectives and food for thought. Thanks very much for the feedback folks.

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 421

For me it's not worth the calories to drink the de-alcoholized stuff. If you have sparkling water or something like it you can still have something in your hand, if that's what you feel like you are missing. But I think that you should take out of your mind that if you have one drink it's not a "dry day". How about looking at the success you have. If you used to have 12 and you have one it's not that it's a throw in the towel on a dry day---make it a success in that you only had one. Know you can't have more than that one. See if it's worth it to you. It might not be worth it and your AV will shut down and you can take that energy the AV sucks up and turn it to the next day and that day you don't have any. Just a thought process I try to use. Throwing in the towel and giving in after one slip or one drink is self defeating. Be your own cheerleader, try to find positives in life and look at how different things are when you aren't drinking.

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 286

SPMW,

I have used de-alcoholized wine in cooking when needed, but to be honest, I find it easier to stay clear of things that remind me of drinking and all the feelings that go along with that. I drink sparking water, Clamato juice, pop or tea. For me, it has been easier to abstain rather than moderate; and it has been easier to make a marked change from what I used to drink. The decision has been made ahead of time and that makes it easier for me. In my experience, especially in the beginning, I didn't want to tempt myself.

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1562

I drank alcohol for the effect produced by it. Any thing that gave me that kick I would drink. Then drinking became un-manageable and also my emotional and spiritual state of being. Worse part was I couldn't keep away from alcohol. I would be tricked into taking that 1st drink. Today having the obsession to drink removed and getting comfortable with the way life treats me, I don't have the desire to need anything. Just water or any soft-drink is fine with me. At the recent party there was a bucket filled with ice and various beers and water bottles floating. I was comfortable enough to just pick what I needed. Just the water.

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De-alcoholised Beer? Favorites?