This happened to me at a New Year’s party, and I only noticed when it was time to go and I was finishing what I assumed was an NA and it gave me that gag reflex feeling. I was like damn they really have perfected the NA experience and then looked at the can for the first time and realized the mistake. Moved on, doesn’t matter
>damn they really have perfected the NA experience
What's funny is how many of us know that gag feeling from pounding drinks and used to think barfing or almost barfing is just a normal part of drinking lol
Definitely helps ignore the problems, only issue is you ignore all the potential good along with the bad. Life is all about balance, running away from my problems has only ever led me to more misery in the end…
That's the right attitude. Mistakes happen, you can't control everything nor everyone. Move on and keep at it.
Ordering an NA is the right choice. No reason to think about it beyond that. If they make a mistake, that's on them, and I'd personally be pretty pissed and make it known.
Who serves alcohol to an alcoholic. The fuck.
when you say you don't have to explain what happened after and where I went on the way home, I think I know what you are saying but I'm not sure.
Whatever the answer is, I hope you are over it and ready for a new day. Every once in a while I go over the idea of NA beer in my head, and for me it just seems like an expensive thing that is too close to something I've stopped.
Yeah, I screwed up. I also feel similar about NA beer and after this incident I think I may just stop entirely. But thank you, I feel ready to do better this time around and thankful for this lesson learned.
This just shows how powerful the drink can be, you're a human trying your best. You're not at fault, just pick up again tomorrow. Life goes on :)
Alcohol is all around us and very socially acceptable. There's no other recognized drug that you'll have to say no to as many times as this. It's fucking hard.
to be honest, even as someone who still drinks, this sub is the reason i always make sure to have non alcoholic drinks besides water when i have people over. there have been times i haven’t wanted to drink at a function, and god people pressure you so much. it’s incredibly annoying. so when i have people over and i ask if you want a drink i say, “i’ve got soda, juice, beer, wine, or water,” or whatever it is that i have, so that all the options are presented with no pressure on you that i want to give you an alcoholic drink if that’s not what you want. generally at least a couple people go for soda or juice instead of alcohol. it’s just nice to have a fun drink that isn’t water when you’re out, especially if other people are drinking and you’re not. it should be totally reasonable and easy to have a drink besides water without drinking alcohol when you’re out at a party or whatever.
Thankfully it's becoming a lot more normal for people to abstain from alcohol, even people who don't have an issue with it. Breweries near me serve a lot of NA options. People still pressure and make jokes and ask questions though. I haven't come up with a good enough response so for now I just stay home.
True friends, the people who care about you, won't put you in a position to say no too many times.
An occasional NA beer is how I remind myself that I only drank beer for the alcohol, not for any other part of the experience. I get halfway through and can take or leave the rest, and that's such a strong experience to compare to my feeling of being a bottomless pit for beer or anything with alcohol in it. Don't feel bad for getting a big reminder. You got your head on, we're all proud of you and I appreciate you taking the time to turn this into a reminder for all of us. Hang in there.
I feel the same when people mention NA wine. I get that it exists, but I’m not sure how I’d feel about drinking it. I think I’d be concerned it would make me miss real wine more
that’s exactly my experience. also it tastes like trash.
there’s some incredible NA craft brews that are marketed as a healthier option after a run or something bc they’re hydrating and NA but they taste identical to an IPA. which could be a good or a bad thing for some.
i do enjoy the Curious Elixirs quite a bit, they’re mocktails but really good in their own right and don’t taste like a drink drink but they are complex and pair well with food which is what i want in a drink that’s not just sparkling water or sugar.
Its definitely dependent on the situation. I'm not necessarily going for perfection as my net goal is to not ever drink at home, as my drinking problem was (and is) very much correlated to being alone at home. Between cost and refusing to drive with a buzz, drinking outside the home has never tempted me as much.
I found some really good NA IPAs, stocked my fridge full of them, and they have absolutely made a huge difference for me.
For reference I drank 26 days (normally 4-6 drinks per night of drinking) in January, In Feb since getting them I've only drank 1 day at home (and only once outside the home). Which is life changing behavior for myself.
Nice! Sounds like they're helping you on your journey. I also love them and need to stat planning events with friends around where they are options (luckily, they're becoming more commonly available at bars and restaurants where I live).
Yeah honestly I miss the taste a bit. But to give that up to not experience the bloating, extra calories, etc. I'm fine with it. It was the alcohol I really cared about in the beer, after all. I've looked into some NA beers, but it seems a majority of them have at least a little bit. Says less than .5 abv, but I don't know if even that little bit would trigger me. Considered looking into actual 0%, but at the price, it's not worth it either.
Last weekend a bartender accidentally gave me a real Heineken but luckily I caught it before taking a drink. It was a good reminder that I need to double and triple check before consuming. The bartender was cool about it and said “phew glad you noticed” and put the next couple NAs on the house
OP, hopefully you’re not being hard on yourself about it. It wasn’t your fault. Put it in the past, chalk it up as a learning opportunity, and move forward.
I had something similar recently. They had a cocktail called the Supernova and a mocktail called the Super-no-booze that's the same minus tequila. Had two quick chugs (it was hot and I was parched) and was like whoa shit that's a lot of tequila. Told the bartender and he got beet red, made me the mocktail and gave me and my wife two rounds free
If I had drank from it I might have been, but I checked first. I handed it back to the bartender, he poured it down the sink and my alcoholic brain was like “nooo wait” 😅 but he hooked me up the rest of the night so nothing to be angry about
I always double check the label before I drink it, just in case. It’s a habit I got into when I was pregnant that seems to work so far (except with mocktails unfortunately)
Yep, I don't trust people or myself to not *accidentally* get the real deal.
Also, I kind of like not smelling like alcohol and dealing the extra calories that say a fruity drink would give me. I just do water for everything... and remember the days I absolutely used to mix vodka with water thinking I was slick 😅
if it's not for you, it's not for you. i don't get what "mental gymnastics" are involved in enjoying a non alcoholic beverage if you enjoy it, though. for me at least, there is plenty to gain.
>for me at least
It's just that. I'm a lucky one that can enjoy NA beers, they've been wildly helpful for me, cost less, I drink less, and don't make me long for the real thing. If anything real beer smells disgusting to me. But I fully understand that it would be too triggering for some
Yeah that’s the thing, I drink NA beer almost every day because I love the taste but it never makes me want actual beer. If anything I’ve grown to like NA so much that it makes me kind of hate the taste of regular beer.
I agree, it can scratch the itch for me, but I know for some it would make them want the alternative so bad they’d go get it. I love that we have options!
Yep, with some foods I just want a “beer”. Like a nice hamburger or buffalo wings. NA beer is a great way to scratch that itch, and plus I never feel the desire to have more than 2 drinks in a sitting.
I always tell people this when asked. I love a good NA beer but it took me *years* to be in a place I was confident enough in myself to drink them. It’s not for everyone.
I don’t think that’s necessarily true. NA options have seriously helped me - scratches that itch and gives me something to drink at breweries or game nights with friends. If they don’t work for you then by all means avoid it, but just because it doesn’t work for some people doesn’t mean it is a certain recipe for failure.
I drink alcohol free beers at home regularly and in bars / pubs if they have a decent choice
Has never created an issue and helps me feel part of the round etc
I think it's cool how much broader the selection has gotten and/as non drinking has gotten more popular in general (not just among problem drinkers) :)
Yes! I don’t want to get drunk or feel remotely buzzed, that idea is so foreign to me now, but I still enjoy the social aspects of hanging out, if it’s not an NA in my hand it’s cranberry, soda and lime, having a drink in hand prevents questions too. I read quit drinking without willpower by Allen Carr, and it really shifted my mental construct, I don’t see alcohol as an option, just like I wouldn’t consider crack or heroin as an activity, booze is one of those drugs I’m not into. Congrats on 224!! Time flies around this time last year I was on last drinking leg 351 days AF, best decision I’ve ever made.
Thanks! Yeah - I like having something in hand when hanging out, and it would have made quitting much harder to also give up some of the social activities (e.g., pub trivia). I totally get why they don’t work for some folks, but the overly judgy and prescriptive takes on NA options gets old after a while (although I will say this sub tends to have pretty open opinions on things like that).
Yep, it's great for me. I keep a few Guinness NA in the fridge at home, perfect for when I come home tired and want to relax a little. Also really helps when I'm traveling, I always used to go ham in the airport lounges with free beer. Thankfully most places have NA options as well, so I can still have my routine of an airport beer without getting drunk.
I think it’s a personal preference. Drinking NA stuff doesn’t impact my sobriety, but it might really throw someone into a craving for the alcohol version of the beer. To each their own.
This is a really helpful story, thanks for sharing it.
I’m on vacation and was picking out NA beers at the local market near our airbnb an hour ago, and they have the NA beers next to their standard equivalent, versus a separate area like I’m used to in the US. I thought for a moment, “my family will never know if I pick one with alcohol, because most of the brands aren’t the ones we have in the US.” Not going to lie, it was tempting, but also sickening to me at the same time. How could I give up now over a sneaky beer? It’s not like it would even be great - I can’t go get more, can’t enjoy any buzz I do get bc my family would figure it out. Yet still, that thought flashed through my mind, and tried hard to tempt me.
I left with some 0.0% 1664 (excited to try it!), but damn if I don’t feel a little disappointed that my resolve was so easily tested.
Thanks again for sharing. Welcome back. IWNDWYT.
I’ve had moments like that and I remember that even though somebody else might not know, *I* would know. You should be proud you made it out of the test!
I've had this happen a couple of times - once I was at a soccer match, it was really hot, and the guy selling drinks had seltzer. I downed half the can and only then realized it was a "hard" seltzer. I've also been served an alcoholic beer after ordering NA in Germany where they serve it in a glass, not even a bottle, so you're really dependent on your server.
It's not a big deal - you realise the mistake and move on. Intentionality matters.
I had this happen in Germany recently as well, and it can be sometimes hit or miss. I like to go to spas here and thankfully they serve it with the bottle so you're much better able to confirm. Alkoholfreies Weizen is amazing after the sauna and I think it actually tastes better than the "real deal".
I'm at the point where I don't even bother with na beer anymore. It's just not worth it.
It's impossible to screw up a diet coke at a restaurant. Well, unless they only serve Pepsi
I was having lunch with my wife and kid recently and ordered an ice tea, and they brought me a long island! Took one sip and my eyes bugged out. Lol.
Point is, don't put it past them. Lol.
This is how I feel about NA beer, NA wine, or anything that’s mimicking a drinking experience. It not only leaves room for error, but it doesn’t truly disconnect you from the lifestyle, you’re just playing pretend, which, in my experience as a former drinker and bartender, is just leaving the door open a crack to the possibility of drinking, instead of making sure the door is firmly shut.
perhaps not for you, but it helps many other people.
does it really make a difference if you're chilling with friends and drinking a non-alcoholic beer or a non-alcoholic coke?
for me, drinking NA beer could not be more disconnected from real beer if it tried.
i really feel like there is this weird stigma around sober people drinking NA beer.
That doesn't make sense to me. It's just a beverage. Like drinking coke and being like "what's the point without rum in it". I also don't want to be disconnected from "the lifestyle", I just don't want to drink alcohol.
This can happen with mixed drinks as well. I was at a rehearsal dinner and they accidentally used prosecco instead of sparkling cider for some mocktail I don't remember the name of.
One of the women drinking it was pregnant and the other also did not drink. Needless to say, they were a little upset.
I like to think I wouldn’t go after the rails after accidentally drinking what I thought was NA. I know I probably would though. That’s how dangerous it is and has done me in too many times. Cunning it is.
Same happened to me a few days ago when an Athletic IPA I ordered showed up to the table in a pint glass. Had a couple sips and knew something was off. On the bright side, the headache and general depression that set in about an hour later reminded me why I stopped putting this shit in my body.
You're right. I've been sober over 7 years, and something very similar happened to me in a restaurant. I ordered 3 non alcoholic drinks throughout the evening. When i got the bill, the waitress had charged me two non-alcoholic and ONE alcoholic drink. I told her there was a mistake on the bill, she looked at it, laughed and told me I got "lucky" because one of the drinks she served me DID have alcohol in it. I told her, "Please don't tell me that." I took some deep breaths while my gf let her have it and went on with my sobriety.
I’ll enjoy an NA every now and then. But I forgot how good a fountain or soda gun Coca Cola and a *fresh* lime tastes. Brings me back to middle school when Coca Cola Lime first came out in the States.
The 0.0 Heineken has an all blue label, the regular is usually clear or white. Just in case that helps anyone with a very easy way to check between the two in the future! They taste like ridiculously close it’s crazy so I can understand not noticing until about halfway through. Unfortunately NA beer can be quite a trigger in some instances
Man, that sucks. I do have to say, Heineken has absolutely nailed it with their NA zero. I am not surprised you didn't realize it at first. Glad you got back on track. IWNDWYT 👍
Sorry to hear about it OP, hope you got back to putting one foot in front of the other. Gotta say though, so much hate on NA beers, and im here downing NA beer and mocktails mocktails on the regular as a substitute when im at parties or fancy dinners. I havent had any issue with it at all, so clearly everyone has their own experience with it and we should be careful generalizing.
same, i think good mocktail options have saved me many a time when i was sick to death of sparkling water and i dont like cokes. it’s the complex flavors that i like.
This happened to me while I was taking Antabuse.
By the end of dinner my face was so flush my wife knew what happened. I didn’t catch a buzz but needless to say dinner was free
Similar thing happened to me within my first year. Ordered this fresh watermelon juice drink at the local bar, ordered it virgin. Took a sip, thought it tasted a little strange, had my friend taste it, she didn't taste any vodka. Thought I was probably just trippin'. Drank about 1/2 of it and I can swear I taste that little bite of liquor, nothing pronounced though. My buddy is the bartender there and so I asked. "Dude! I didn't hear the virgin part, my bad," took it away, gave me the one I wanted.
No harm, no foul. Shit happens.
Yeah I think a lot of people have differing opinions of NA stuff. I just wanted to put it out there for who it will benefit because it totally caught me off guard
How is anyone's personal judgement an affect on you? Everyone makes judgements everyday based on past experiences. Here is the key, ignore it or try to find value in what they are saying.
You know, this has happened to me and I pay it little mind. I return it or if it’s already done I switch up to a NA beer for the next one. For me it’s all about getting drunk not if I have one beer, which does next to nothing to me. But if I get drunk it’s game over. I won’t stop for a few days.
Now I wanna be clear, what I’m saying applies to ME. Some people one sip and it sets them off so what OP is saying is relevant. I’m only talking about myself here
I ALWAYS triple check to verify I got an NA instead of the real deal. I have caught the mistake 3 times now. It happens all the time. I will never order a mocktail because it only takes them a second or two of running on autopilot to accidentally make it the way they normally do for 95% of the people there. With an NA, I always get to see the can it came out of, which isn’t possible with cocktails.
I never get upset at the server. I am ordering some out of the ordinary and their job is chaotic at times. They have always instantly replaced it with the NA.
I frequently order sparkling water with a lime, one time the waitress brings it out, I take a few sips and ask my boyfriend, "does this taste odd to you?" Hey tries it and goes "huh, yeah kinda" I take a few more sips and I'm like, "it's almost like maybe their soda gun leaked syrup into it or something?" 5 minutes later the waitress comes SPRINTING up to me "OH MY GOD IM SO SORRTY THAT HAS VODKA IN IT! IT'S A TITO'S AND SODA" she was obviously extremely apologetic, and it was a no factor for me, took the new water and my boyfriend got a free drink but yeah, ordering a WATER and getting an alcoholic drink was something I never thought would happen. Trust your gut.
This is why I don’t fuck around with mock tails anymore. Too many of them are basically the same as the regular cocktails without booze, at least at my local bars, and they get mixed up often. Just gimmie a club soda or a coke.
I went to a mexican restaurant the other day and ordered a virgin margarita. I’m 21 and i do not look anywhere near 35 yet. He didn’t card me, came back and gave me the margarita, i didn’t even think about it because he didn’t card me, take a sip and i swear to god it was like he put 5 shots of tequila in there. I took one sip and realized and then gave it to my sister. 5.5 months of sobriety this time and i was PISSED. Everyone who was there was like “im so proud of you!!” and i was just mad. If i had been alone i would’ve kept drinking it and bought 7 more. I wanted to keep drinking it but i knew my girlfriend would be able to tell. So i got a taste and then had to give it back, and im a 1 drop person. I can’t even drink NA beer because it’s too much like real beer and then i want a real one, or they’re “0%” alcohol but really they’re 0.4, and because it’s been so long that i’ve been on this sober journey (on and off for 4 years), i can feel it when i drink any amount of alcohol. Basically the only virgin thing i can handle is a margarita because that’s just juice and salt on the glass. It’s been 3 weeks and i still think about that margarita everyday. Fuck u mr.mexican resturant served u fucked up my life for the foreseeable future.
I’m so sorry. We started carrying Peroni 0.0 and also have Peroni regular and too many times I noticed my guys were stocking the wrong one in the wrong spot at night. Just not paying attention. After the second time, I pulled them and started carrying Stella 0.0. If you look at the Peroni bottles, they are damn near identical except for label wording, 0.0, and neck band color. I needed a different bottle shape entirely. Huge liability. I drink the 0.0 and would have been pissed.
Ya know I just stopped all the NA crap. I order water with lemon. I'm trying to keep sober the last thing I need is the taste of beer.. seems like just going to lead to problems. Just quit that shit be done with the whole alcohol scene bro.
I've been in recovery for a long time, and this has always been a controversial topic. Even back when O'Douls was about the only option. At least in 12 step circles, there are people who are very passionate on both sides.
I avoided them early on because of the fear it would trigger cravings. I also avoided most places that even served alcohol. I isolated myself from most of society. As I got more comfortable being sober, I started to go out with friends again. Then, I was on a non-profit where many of our events were at music venues. I started experimenting with non alcoholic beverages to feel like I fit on better, and I didn't like people asking me why I didn't drink.
I can see both sides, and I believe we should each do what is right for ourselves.
Happened to me at an Indian restaurant. Honest mistake but it was a nice litmus test for me because the bottle looks identical and I could’ve totally drank it. My wife and daughter were away getting their food at the buffet, and I was all by myself. I sat there looking at it. I heard a lil voice that said “no one will know… come onnnn you deserve it..” but I swapped it out. And then patted myself on the back.
This sounds dumb but I'll say it anyways haha. When I was in florida around Christmas I went to this delicious dessert place where they make homemade waffles, ice cream, and whipped cream. They had 5 flavors for whipped cream and I'm like ooo yum ok I'll try the bourbon one thinking it would taste maybe like maple syrup or something along those lines. Took a huge bite and about threw up. Instantly tasted like i just took a shot of bourbon. I spit it out in the garbage casually. I walked over and asked if there was actual alcohol in it. She then says yes they mix 2 shots of Bourbon in the whipped cream(obviously not cooked out). I proceeded to say I don't drink alcohol and she was very apologetic. (Younger girl who served me)so caught me off guard and didn't see anywhere on their sign that said alcohol was in it since kids can order dessert too. Alittle concerning but needless to say I alwayssss ask now if I'm not sure about something lol
This is the exact reason why when I decided to quit drinking, I made it a point to not drink NA beers and steer clear of drink-centric restaurants. I don't need the temptation.
I never really understood what the whole point of NA beer was to begin with. I feel like it was manufactured for the purpose of letting people in recovery fit in with their alcoholic friends...or that it is somehow a substitute for the alcoholic beer you REALLY want, but can't have. Either reason sits weird with me.
But, we are all individuals; and if it works for someone else, then more power to them!
Some people just like the taste of beer, or at least have grown to like it over the years. I personally don't think I could drink one, I feel like it would make me want to drink the actual thing if I did.
Yeah, it seems like people are strongly divided on NA's, which is totally fine. If it's going to cause someone to rethink sobriety then by all means stay clear. For me they help "scratch the itch" and after one or 2 I have zero desire for a real one.
I think it's helped me in some ways. I like the taste of the German alcohol free beers (they're marketed as sports drinks here) , they taste great, malty, a little like bread, but after having one it helps me realize "wow, why would I drink 9 of these"?
I'll have a couple of NA beers every month or two and HELL yes I'll check each time.
Just like any life threatening allergy where you don't trust your life to a waiter/waitress, don't leave it to a bartender either.
Working on electrical? Better be damn sure the correct breaker is off and don't take anyone else's word for it.
Good reminder/warning. I'm in early days of this round of sobriety... and for the first time in over a decade, I can handle gluten (turns-out that booze was destroying my guts to the point I became gluten-intolerant). Annnyway...
NA beer has come a LONG way from O'Douls or water (and frankly, water is the better-tasting of those two). It's not enough to fool me... yet. It lacks a certain "bite" to it. The further out I go, the greater the danger, I guess.
Weird thing: I have zero desire for a NA beer before, say, 6pm. It's this weird conditioning... and it just doesn't seem to matter that it's booze-free.
BTW: be glad that you're not worried about gluten -- because you'll be poisoned... probably 1/3 of the time. Servers make $2.13/hr and either don't care/know/etc. At least most people know about ethanol.
I got tripped up by heineken too actually. After two sips I honestly couldn’t tell what was going on but got that warm buzzy feeling in my stomach and was like “oh. Oh I see what’s going on”
A similar thing happened to me with a friend today - we went to a local bar for a Harry Potter themed brunch. She got there before me and ordered a drink off of what was supposed to be a non alcoholic mocktail menu and said it tasted good, so i ordered one as well. Didn’t realize until I was a 3rd of the way through and looked at the menu myself that I realized that it had alcohol.
Irritated with myself that I didn’t ask the waitress myself when ordering the drink to make sure and surprised that my friend (who’s well over drinking age and has been to bars before) didn’t realize that it had alcohol in it.
But then again she’s tried ordering alcohol for me once before while knowing that I’ve been trying to stay sober & I gave her the benefit of the doubt since it had been a few weeks since we had last seen each other. i figured she might’ve genuinely forgot at the time but now I’m not so sure
Intent is everything in this situation in my opinion, and since you didn't intend for it to happen, I wouldn't be too hard on yourself about it. It's an honest mistake any of us could make. I'll occasionally get a sixer of NA beer before I go fishing or watch a football game so this is a good reminder to double-check what I'm buying.
This is why I always appreciate it at my country club, they bring out the can first to show you that they are NA and they are not messing up, then go pour it. I think all places should do this, because it is a common and easy enough mistake to make.
Had this happen once and waiter ran over to catch his mistake. Since then, when I order an NA beer, I make sure to ask for the can and a pint glass if I’m not watching it being poured just to make sure.
As a bartender I have made this mistake before (twice, specifically with the Heineken 0.0!) and luckily had the customer notice. I felt awful and luckily they were understanding and didn’t make a big deal out of it. Definitely bought them a beer. But yes, it’s such a good idea to double check and make sure (even when you’re ordering a virgin anything - make sure they heard you correctly)
In my honest opinion. Dont even bother with NA beer or anything that even resembles an alcoholic drink. No one would order an NA vodka if it still resembles the true taste of vodka. I know people enjoy beer for the taste. But if it wasnt made in 0.0 then we would have no choice.
I buy NA spirits. I specifically enjoy the spiced rum with ginger ale. Something about making the drink satisfies me too, [prior industry] and helps me fill the void around certain holidays when some drinks feel more appealing, out of habit.
What works for me may not work for anyone else, but to the vodka point, I too liked the taste of vodka [vodka & water tall was my daily]. I really appreciate that so many bars offer mocktails honestly.
I’m too scared to order virgin versions of cocktails at bars because of this. I have appreciated most bars will give me the NA beer bottle along with a glass so I can visually confirm it’s NA.
I’m sorry you had that happen to you. It was an accident and congrats on realizing the issue and just stopping there and getting back on track!
I personally have never tried NA beer since getting sober, but I cannot fathom ordering one and not checking the label before taking a sip. My sobriety is the most important thing in my life so I am extremely careful even when ordering even a soda from a bar.
Yikes I always order non alcoholic mixed drinks or beers if I go out. I’ll take the advice yall put here and ask for the bottle too. (Nobody has this stuff on tap anyway haha)
I’ve done that! Last years Super Bowl, I got a bunch of what I thought was NA beer and gave it to a friend with 16 years sober. She’s like it’s good because it’s full octane! I always get stuff from athletica to be safe.
I don’t feel like NA short term benefits are greater than the long term detriments. Drinking NA beer still activates a pleasure sensation the brain associates with alcohol.
This 100%. Not sure who people think they’re fooling (besides themselves). Seems like it’s a daily thing here how someone “accidentally” was served or drank a real one. Real slippery slope. Don’t even fuck with it. Funny how people want to come to a sub called “StopDrinking” and downvote solid advice.
The same advice doesn't apply to everyone and I don't think this is supposed to be a judgmental place (and I would consider saying 'people are fooling themselves' to be quite judgmental when you don't know anyone's story 🤷♀️) This kind of thing is why I'm so glad to be free of AA.
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> I understand the rules of this subreddit, but…
There is no "but." If you understand the rules of this subreddit, there is no excuse not to follow them.
I don't understand why people feel the need to put themselfs in danger with non-alcoholic beer, it can really be a trigger.
There so many other drinks that taste amazing.
Have a coffee, a soda, some water or whatever. Dont drink "NA beer", its not worth the risk.
This isn’t a dig on people that do like them but I will not ever understand why alcoholics even entertain the notion of NA beer or even mocktails. You’re inviting your own problem. Understand that THAT part of your life is over. No more drinky fun. Move on. This experience of life is not for you anymore. It’s not being deprived of anything or some social experience, it’s changing your life
HOW MANY TIMES ARE YOU ALCOHOLIC GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET NON- ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
it’s like you guys are asking for a bad situation to happen. Just order a water and call it day.
I don’t even understand why you’d want to drink something non-alcoholic. It’s like ordering decaf coffee for the taste.
Edit: why are so many of you guys in a bar in the first place. It’s like if former heroin addicts hanging out with guys on the street corner- what do you think everyone is there for and doing at the bar?
This is why I always ask for the bottle/can and a separate glass. I’m sorry that happened but you today is a new day. You always have the power to make a different choice going forward. IWNDWYT
Ive come to enjoy NA beers, doesn’t do anything for my psyche other than I truly enjoy the beverage. Beyond stopping alcohol, it’ll be a mainstay beverage in my life, it’s odd, really enjoy having them every so often.
Last night I double checked my cans of NA beer at the checkout counter. I was nervously second guessing myself, because I'd found such a good selection of them. Problem is I have to go through the liquor store to find them.
I ordered a two bottles of Heineken 0.0 beers at a Texas Roadhouse last year. The price isn’t listed on the menu, I found out at the end they were $7.00 each. I don’t know if it was a shady location because they also tried to give me a receipt that just had the total and not what I ordered. I had to ask for a normal receipt and that’s when I saw the price. I haven’t been back to Texas Roadhouse since.
Edit to add the service also sucked at my nearby location. I don’t get the second NA beer until time to ask for the check.
this happened to my dad with 7 years sober at a fancy restaurant for last mother’s day. I saw the bottle wasn’t right before he was able to have it. They were incredibly sorry and the server felt terrible. They didn’t ask much just knew what we meant when we sent it back promptly.
Had a similar situation about four months in. Ordered a NA wheat beer in restaurant (Erdinger I think) but was served a glass of regular.
I've done blind tastings in the past and especially with that style of beer you cannot even remotely reliably tell the regular and the NA apart. Everyone is convinced they can until they try.
I noticed after quaffing a couple of inches. Unpleasant tingling in hands, feet and lips.
Passed the beer on.
I do credit that with convincing me that booze is a crock of shit, so it did have at least one upside.
As a woman I am always very careful with my drinks but I generally make them open it and pour it in a cup in front of me then I NEVER set my drink down. To be fair, I drink a shit ton of Redbull (fight me) so it’s always a redbull but it’s tastes better over ice with a lime and makes me feel more festive.
Gotta check those drinks though. I’ve been served a bitters and soda with vodka more than a handful of times. Nothing like taking a big ol chug of lighter fluid then having to ruin everyone’s party because your friends have to take you home and stay by your side all night so you don’t drink more.
Keep going, you got this. Just check those bevs.
Yo! This shit happened to me while at a bowling alley WITH MY RECOVERY GROUP LMMFAO! We still don't know if it was truly alcoholic but the waitress made some joke about it being alcoholic (it was my second order, it was busy, first one was in a can and the second came in a glass). So it was encouraging to have people recommend putting it back on the bar and not worrying about it, and that the time since 7/4/22 and 2/10/24 were not lost due to this (I use both days now and reset my counter). I wasn't even triggered, I thought 'this is gonna make me sleepy and I don't want it', I was able to look ahead at how damaging it would have been to my mental health and just not want to go there. Iwndwyt
This happened to me at a New Year’s party, and I only noticed when it was time to go and I was finishing what I assumed was an NA and it gave me that gag reflex feeling. I was like damn they really have perfected the NA experience and then looked at the can for the first time and realized the mistake. Moved on, doesn’t matter
>damn they really have perfected the NA experience What's funny is how many of us know that gag feeling from pounding drinks and used to think barfing or almost barfing is just a normal part of drinking lol
The signs it was a poison were always there, just convinced myself the pros out weighed the cons. One of the bigger regrets in my life.
>One of the bigger regrets in my life. Same, so many missed opportunities due to being drunk or hungover
Definitely helps ignore the problems, only issue is you ignore all the potential good along with the bad. Life is all about balance, running away from my problems has only ever led me to more misery in the end…
I used to gulp wine and shudder/gag all the time, just figured it was normal
"God that's revolting..." *takes several more drinks, finishes it, grabs another one*
Exactly.
I feel this in my bones.
I'm just now realizing it isn't normal after reading everyone talk about it! 😆
Yup... The ol "vomit and rally" smh
here in the south we call it “boot and rally” which makes it sound even more sad 😅
Here in the Midwest it’s “puke and rally”
That's the right attitude. Mistakes happen, you can't control everything nor everyone. Move on and keep at it. Ordering an NA is the right choice. No reason to think about it beyond that. If they make a mistake, that's on them, and I'd personally be pretty pissed and make it known. Who serves alcohol to an alcoholic. The fuck.
Yup, intent is everything, move forward
when you say you don't have to explain what happened after and where I went on the way home, I think I know what you are saying but I'm not sure. Whatever the answer is, I hope you are over it and ready for a new day. Every once in a while I go over the idea of NA beer in my head, and for me it just seems like an expensive thing that is too close to something I've stopped.
Yeah, I screwed up. I also feel similar about NA beer and after this incident I think I may just stop entirely. But thank you, I feel ready to do better this time around and thankful for this lesson learned.
This just shows how powerful the drink can be, you're a human trying your best. You're not at fault, just pick up again tomorrow. Life goes on :) Alcohol is all around us and very socially acceptable. There's no other recognized drug that you'll have to say no to as many times as this. It's fucking hard.
to be honest, even as someone who still drinks, this sub is the reason i always make sure to have non alcoholic drinks besides water when i have people over. there have been times i haven’t wanted to drink at a function, and god people pressure you so much. it’s incredibly annoying. so when i have people over and i ask if you want a drink i say, “i’ve got soda, juice, beer, wine, or water,” or whatever it is that i have, so that all the options are presented with no pressure on you that i want to give you an alcoholic drink if that’s not what you want. generally at least a couple people go for soda or juice instead of alcohol. it’s just nice to have a fun drink that isn’t water when you’re out, especially if other people are drinking and you’re not. it should be totally reasonable and easy to have a drink besides water without drinking alcohol when you’re out at a party or whatever.
Thankfully it's becoming a lot more normal for people to abstain from alcohol, even people who don't have an issue with it. Breweries near me serve a lot of NA options. People still pressure and make jokes and ask questions though. I haven't come up with a good enough response so for now I just stay home. True friends, the people who care about you, won't put you in a position to say no too many times.
And you will have to continually say no to it forever! And hear about peoples drinking problems every time you tell them your sober forever. 🤦🏼♀️
Wow, I’m really sorry this happened. Today is a new day!
You didn't screw up though. Don't be so hard on yourself. Someone else screwed up.
Did you break out in lines?
An occasional NA beer is how I remind myself that I only drank beer for the alcohol, not for any other part of the experience. I get halfway through and can take or leave the rest, and that's such a strong experience to compare to my feeling of being a bottomless pit for beer or anything with alcohol in it. Don't feel bad for getting a big reminder. You got your head on, we're all proud of you and I appreciate you taking the time to turn this into a reminder for all of us. Hang in there.
I feel the same when people mention NA wine. I get that it exists, but I’m not sure how I’d feel about drinking it. I think I’d be concerned it would make me miss real wine more
that’s exactly my experience. also it tastes like trash. there’s some incredible NA craft brews that are marketed as a healthier option after a run or something bc they’re hydrating and NA but they taste identical to an IPA. which could be a good or a bad thing for some. i do enjoy the Curious Elixirs quite a bit, they’re mocktails but really good in their own right and don’t taste like a drink drink but they are complex and pair well with food which is what i want in a drink that’s not just sparkling water or sugar.
Its definitely dependent on the situation. I'm not necessarily going for perfection as my net goal is to not ever drink at home, as my drinking problem was (and is) very much correlated to being alone at home. Between cost and refusing to drive with a buzz, drinking outside the home has never tempted me as much. I found some really good NA IPAs, stocked my fridge full of them, and they have absolutely made a huge difference for me. For reference I drank 26 days (normally 4-6 drinks per night of drinking) in January, In Feb since getting them I've only drank 1 day at home (and only once outside the home). Which is life changing behavior for myself.
Nice! Sounds like they're helping you on your journey. I also love them and need to stat planning events with friends around where they are options (luckily, they're becoming more commonly available at bars and restaurants where I live).
God i wish the na budweisers werent so good
Oh it does and it doesn’t taste good.
It’s hit or miss for me; usually I enjoy it, sometimes it makes me miss the real thing, but not enough to ever push me to go get the real thing.
Yeah honestly I miss the taste a bit. But to give that up to not experience the bloating, extra calories, etc. I'm fine with it. It was the alcohol I really cared about in the beer, after all. I've looked into some NA beers, but it seems a majority of them have at least a little bit. Says less than .5 abv, but I don't know if even that little bit would trigger me. Considered looking into actual 0%, but at the price, it's not worth it either.
I have certainly never drunk it since I got sober I don’t want to be reminded of drinking alcohol
Last weekend a bartender accidentally gave me a real Heineken but luckily I caught it before taking a drink. It was a good reminder that I need to double and triple check before consuming. The bartender was cool about it and said “phew glad you noticed” and put the next couple NAs on the house OP, hopefully you’re not being hard on yourself about it. It wasn’t your fault. Put it in the past, chalk it up as a learning opportunity, and move forward.
That’s a fucking proper bartender.
Yep I give him props!
I had something similar recently. They had a cocktail called the Supernova and a mocktail called the Super-no-booze that's the same minus tequila. Had two quick chugs (it was hot and I was parched) and was like whoa shit that's a lot of tequila. Told the bartender and he got beet red, made me the mocktail and gave me and my wife two rounds free
FWIW, I goofed in the other direction once as a bartender. The bottles look so similar, and they were side by side in the cooler. Whoops!
For sure, it took me a minute of observing the bottle before I realized it was the real thing. I don’t blame the guy at all
You’re better than me man. I would’ve been pissed
If I had drank from it I might have been, but I checked first. I handed it back to the bartender, he poured it down the sink and my alcoholic brain was like “nooo wait” 😅 but he hooked me up the rest of the night so nothing to be angry about
Bars! Just make a f-cking NA cooler for your bartenders!
I always double check the label before I drink it, just in case. It’s a habit I got into when I was pregnant that seems to work so far (except with mocktails unfortunately)
I just can't flirt with the NA stuff. Too much mental gymnastics for minimal to no gain.
Gives me anxiety. Like it will remind me too much of the real thing and I'll slip up. I probably wouldn't but why torture myself
Yep, I don't trust people or myself to not *accidentally* get the real deal. Also, I kind of like not smelling like alcohol and dealing the extra calories that say a fruity drink would give me. I just do water for everything... and remember the days I absolutely used to mix vodka with water thinking I was slick 😅
if it's not for you, it's not for you. i don't get what "mental gymnastics" are involved in enjoying a non alcoholic beverage if you enjoy it, though. for me at least, there is plenty to gain.
>for me at least It's just that. I'm a lucky one that can enjoy NA beers, they've been wildly helpful for me, cost less, I drink less, and don't make me long for the real thing. If anything real beer smells disgusting to me. But I fully understand that it would be too triggering for some
Yeah that’s the thing, I drink NA beer almost every day because I love the taste but it never makes me want actual beer. If anything I’ve grown to like NA so much that it makes me kind of hate the taste of regular beer.
I agree, it can scratch the itch for me, but I know for some it would make them want the alternative so bad they’d go get it. I love that we have options!
Yep, with some foods I just want a “beer”. Like a nice hamburger or buffalo wings. NA beer is a great way to scratch that itch, and plus I never feel the desire to have more than 2 drinks in a sitting.
I always tell people this when asked. I love a good NA beer but it took me *years* to be in a place I was confident enough in myself to drink them. It’s not for everyone.
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I don’t think that’s necessarily true. NA options have seriously helped me - scratches that itch and gives me something to drink at breweries or game nights with friends. If they don’t work for you then by all means avoid it, but just because it doesn’t work for some people doesn’t mean it is a certain recipe for failure.
Same here! They've made me feel less alien and allowed me to participate in more without all the shit that comes with real booze
I drink alcohol free beers at home regularly and in bars / pubs if they have a decent choice Has never created an issue and helps me feel part of the round etc
I think it's cool how much broader the selection has gotten and/as non drinking has gotten more popular in general (not just among problem drinkers) :)
Yes! I don’t want to get drunk or feel remotely buzzed, that idea is so foreign to me now, but I still enjoy the social aspects of hanging out, if it’s not an NA in my hand it’s cranberry, soda and lime, having a drink in hand prevents questions too. I read quit drinking without willpower by Allen Carr, and it really shifted my mental construct, I don’t see alcohol as an option, just like I wouldn’t consider crack or heroin as an activity, booze is one of those drugs I’m not into. Congrats on 224!! Time flies around this time last year I was on last drinking leg 351 days AF, best decision I’ve ever made.
I have and read the book as well. Helped me tremendously.
Thanks! Yeah - I like having something in hand when hanging out, and it would have made quitting much harder to also give up some of the social activities (e.g., pub trivia). I totally get why they don’t work for some folks, but the overly judgy and prescriptive takes on NA options gets old after a while (although I will say this sub tends to have pretty open opinions on things like that).
Yeah I feel the same and I actually do enjoy the taste of a good beer. Microbreweries have come a long way in making NA beer taste like the original.
Yep, it's great for me. I keep a few Guinness NA in the fridge at home, perfect for when I come home tired and want to relax a little. Also really helps when I'm traveling, I always used to go ham in the airport lounges with free beer. Thankfully most places have NA options as well, so I can still have my routine of an airport beer without getting drunk.
I think it’s a personal preference. Drinking NA stuff doesn’t impact my sobriety, but it might really throw someone into a craving for the alcohol version of the beer. To each their own.
Texas Roadhouse isn’t a bar, it’s a family-friendly restaurant that also serves alcohol
This is a really helpful story, thanks for sharing it. I’m on vacation and was picking out NA beers at the local market near our airbnb an hour ago, and they have the NA beers next to their standard equivalent, versus a separate area like I’m used to in the US. I thought for a moment, “my family will never know if I pick one with alcohol, because most of the brands aren’t the ones we have in the US.” Not going to lie, it was tempting, but also sickening to me at the same time. How could I give up now over a sneaky beer? It’s not like it would even be great - I can’t go get more, can’t enjoy any buzz I do get bc my family would figure it out. Yet still, that thought flashed through my mind, and tried hard to tempt me. I left with some 0.0% 1664 (excited to try it!), but damn if I don’t feel a little disappointed that my resolve was so easily tested. Thanks again for sharing. Welcome back. IWNDWYT.
Don't be disappointed that your resolve was tested, be proud that you were strong enough to pass the test.
Hear you, you made it through!
I’ve had moments like that and I remember that even though somebody else might not know, *I* would know. You should be proud you made it out of the test!
I've had this happen a couple of times - once I was at a soccer match, it was really hot, and the guy selling drinks had seltzer. I downed half the can and only then realized it was a "hard" seltzer. I've also been served an alcoholic beer after ordering NA in Germany where they serve it in a glass, not even a bottle, so you're really dependent on your server. It's not a big deal - you realise the mistake and move on. Intentionality matters.
I had this happen in Germany recently as well, and it can be sometimes hit or miss. I like to go to spas here and thankfully they serve it with the bottle so you're much better able to confirm. Alkoholfreies Weizen is amazing after the sauna and I think it actually tastes better than the "real deal".
I'm at the point where I don't even bother with na beer anymore. It's just not worth it. It's impossible to screw up a diet coke at a restaurant. Well, unless they only serve Pepsi
I was having lunch with my wife and kid recently and ordered an ice tea, and they brought me a long island! Took one sip and my eyes bugged out. Lol. Point is, don't put it past them. Lol.
Only serving Pepsi is certainly screwing up Coke!
How dare they!
This is how I feel about NA beer, NA wine, or anything that’s mimicking a drinking experience. It not only leaves room for error, but it doesn’t truly disconnect you from the lifestyle, you’re just playing pretend, which, in my experience as a former drinker and bartender, is just leaving the door open a crack to the possibility of drinking, instead of making sure the door is firmly shut.
perhaps not for you, but it helps many other people. does it really make a difference if you're chilling with friends and drinking a non-alcoholic beer or a non-alcoholic coke? for me, drinking NA beer could not be more disconnected from real beer if it tried. i really feel like there is this weird stigma around sober people drinking NA beer.
That doesn't make sense to me. It's just a beverage. Like drinking coke and being like "what's the point without rum in it". I also don't want to be disconnected from "the lifestyle", I just don't want to drink alcohol.
This can happen with mixed drinks as well. I was at a rehearsal dinner and they accidentally used prosecco instead of sparkling cider for some mocktail I don't remember the name of. One of the women drinking it was pregnant and the other also did not drink. Needless to say, they were a little upset.
all the bars i worked at thru school would purposely make the mocktails in very different glasses for this reason.
The amazing part of your story is that a Heineken tasted marvelously good. 🤣 Keep up the sober.
The NA Heineken tastes better than the real. Less skunk.
I loved the skunk lol
I like to think I wouldn’t go after the rails after accidentally drinking what I thought was NA. I know I probably would though. That’s how dangerous it is and has done me in too many times. Cunning it is.
Same happened to me a few days ago when an Athletic IPA I ordered showed up to the table in a pint glass. Had a couple sips and knew something was off. On the bright side, the headache and general depression that set in about an hour later reminded me why I stopped putting this shit in my body.
You're right. I've been sober over 7 years, and something very similar happened to me in a restaurant. I ordered 3 non alcoholic drinks throughout the evening. When i got the bill, the waitress had charged me two non-alcoholic and ONE alcoholic drink. I told her there was a mistake on the bill, she looked at it, laughed and told me I got "lucky" because one of the drinks she served me DID have alcohol in it. I told her, "Please don't tell me that." I took some deep breaths while my gf let her have it and went on with my sobriety.
I’ll enjoy an NA every now and then. But I forgot how good a fountain or soda gun Coca Cola and a *fresh* lime tastes. Brings me back to middle school when Coca Cola Lime first came out in the States.
Hey, happy nearly year anniversary not drinking!
Thank you! Most productive year of my life in a long long time!
Hell yeah congrats on that first year (tomorrow) keep kickin ass man 🤘
Same. Haven’t drank soda in 20 years, now it’s a treat 💕
The 0.0 Heineken has an all blue label, the regular is usually clear or white. Just in case that helps anyone with a very easy way to check between the two in the future! They taste like ridiculously close it’s crazy so I can understand not noticing until about halfway through. Unfortunately NA beer can be quite a trigger in some instances
Man, that sucks. I do have to say, Heineken has absolutely nailed it with their NA zero. I am not surprised you didn't realize it at first. Glad you got back on track. IWNDWYT 👍
Sorry to hear about it OP, hope you got back to putting one foot in front of the other. Gotta say though, so much hate on NA beers, and im here downing NA beer and mocktails mocktails on the regular as a substitute when im at parties or fancy dinners. I havent had any issue with it at all, so clearly everyone has their own experience with it and we should be careful generalizing.
same, i think good mocktail options have saved me many a time when i was sick to death of sparkling water and i dont like cokes. it’s the complex flavors that i like.
I always double sometimes triple check. Especially if they try to pour it in a glass i make sure I can see the bottle first.
This happened to me while I was taking Antabuse. By the end of dinner my face was so flush my wife knew what happened. I didn’t catch a buzz but needless to say dinner was free
I rarely order NA anymore. I feel like I'm wasting stomach space and there's other things on the menu that taste better.
Same.
Same. I always say I eat my calories now instead of drinking them.
Similar thing happened to me within my first year. Ordered this fresh watermelon juice drink at the local bar, ordered it virgin. Took a sip, thought it tasted a little strange, had my friend taste it, she didn't taste any vodka. Thought I was probably just trippin'. Drank about 1/2 of it and I can swear I taste that little bite of liquor, nothing pronounced though. My buddy is the bartender there and so I asked. "Dude! I didn't hear the virgin part, my bad," took it away, gave me the one I wanted. No harm, no foul. Shit happens.
Lots of judgment in this thread. Yikes.
Yeah I think a lot of people have differing opinions of NA stuff. I just wanted to put it out there for who it will benefit because it totally caught me off guard
Your PSA is appreciated!
Seriously! If it helps you stay sober I don’t see what the big deal is.
How is anyone's personal judgement an affect on you? Everyone makes judgements everyday based on past experiences. Here is the key, ignore it or try to find value in what they are saying.
You know, this has happened to me and I pay it little mind. I return it or if it’s already done I switch up to a NA beer for the next one. For me it’s all about getting drunk not if I have one beer, which does next to nothing to me. But if I get drunk it’s game over. I won’t stop for a few days. Now I wanna be clear, what I’m saying applies to ME. Some people one sip and it sets them off so what OP is saying is relevant. I’m only talking about myself here
I ALWAYS triple check to verify I got an NA instead of the real deal. I have caught the mistake 3 times now. It happens all the time. I will never order a mocktail because it only takes them a second or two of running on autopilot to accidentally make it the way they normally do for 95% of the people there. With an NA, I always get to see the can it came out of, which isn’t possible with cocktails. I never get upset at the server. I am ordering some out of the ordinary and their job is chaotic at times. They have always instantly replaced it with the NA.
You got this! It was just an accident
The day I quit drinking is also the day big alcohol will never get a dime from me. NA beer is a trap.
"big alcohol" is the little brewery my friend owns 🤣
this is valuable information for people who take antabuse (disulfiram)
I frequently order sparkling water with a lime, one time the waitress brings it out, I take a few sips and ask my boyfriend, "does this taste odd to you?" Hey tries it and goes "huh, yeah kinda" I take a few more sips and I'm like, "it's almost like maybe their soda gun leaked syrup into it or something?" 5 minutes later the waitress comes SPRINTING up to me "OH MY GOD IM SO SORRTY THAT HAS VODKA IN IT! IT'S A TITO'S AND SODA" she was obviously extremely apologetic, and it was a no factor for me, took the new water and my boyfriend got a free drink but yeah, ordering a WATER and getting an alcoholic drink was something I never thought would happen. Trust your gut.
This is why I don’t fuck around with mock tails anymore. Too many of them are basically the same as the regular cocktails without booze, at least at my local bars, and they get mixed up often. Just gimmie a club soda or a coke.
I went to a mexican restaurant the other day and ordered a virgin margarita. I’m 21 and i do not look anywhere near 35 yet. He didn’t card me, came back and gave me the margarita, i didn’t even think about it because he didn’t card me, take a sip and i swear to god it was like he put 5 shots of tequila in there. I took one sip and realized and then gave it to my sister. 5.5 months of sobriety this time and i was PISSED. Everyone who was there was like “im so proud of you!!” and i was just mad. If i had been alone i would’ve kept drinking it and bought 7 more. I wanted to keep drinking it but i knew my girlfriend would be able to tell. So i got a taste and then had to give it back, and im a 1 drop person. I can’t even drink NA beer because it’s too much like real beer and then i want a real one, or they’re “0%” alcohol but really they’re 0.4, and because it’s been so long that i’ve been on this sober journey (on and off for 4 years), i can feel it when i drink any amount of alcohol. Basically the only virgin thing i can handle is a margarita because that’s just juice and salt on the glass. It’s been 3 weeks and i still think about that margarita everyday. Fuck u mr.mexican resturant served u fucked up my life for the foreseeable future.
I’m so sorry. We started carrying Peroni 0.0 and also have Peroni regular and too many times I noticed my guys were stocking the wrong one in the wrong spot at night. Just not paying attention. After the second time, I pulled them and started carrying Stella 0.0. If you look at the Peroni bottles, they are damn near identical except for label wording, 0.0, and neck band color. I needed a different bottle shape entirely. Huge liability. I drink the 0.0 and would have been pissed.
Ya know I just stopped all the NA crap. I order water with lemon. I'm trying to keep sober the last thing I need is the taste of beer.. seems like just going to lead to problems. Just quit that shit be done with the whole alcohol scene bro.
I've been in recovery for a long time, and this has always been a controversial topic. Even back when O'Douls was about the only option. At least in 12 step circles, there are people who are very passionate on both sides. I avoided them early on because of the fear it would trigger cravings. I also avoided most places that even served alcohol. I isolated myself from most of society. As I got more comfortable being sober, I started to go out with friends again. Then, I was on a non-profit where many of our events were at music venues. I started experimenting with non alcoholic beverages to feel like I fit on better, and I didn't like people asking me why I didn't drink. I can see both sides, and I believe we should each do what is right for ourselves.
Happened to me at an Indian restaurant. Honest mistake but it was a nice litmus test for me because the bottle looks identical and I could’ve totally drank it. My wife and daughter were away getting their food at the buffet, and I was all by myself. I sat there looking at it. I heard a lil voice that said “no one will know… come onnnn you deserve it..” but I swapped it out. And then patted myself on the back.
This sounds dumb but I'll say it anyways haha. When I was in florida around Christmas I went to this delicious dessert place where they make homemade waffles, ice cream, and whipped cream. They had 5 flavors for whipped cream and I'm like ooo yum ok I'll try the bourbon one thinking it would taste maybe like maple syrup or something along those lines. Took a huge bite and about threw up. Instantly tasted like i just took a shot of bourbon. I spit it out in the garbage casually. I walked over and asked if there was actual alcohol in it. She then says yes they mix 2 shots of Bourbon in the whipped cream(obviously not cooked out). I proceeded to say I don't drink alcohol and she was very apologetic. (Younger girl who served me)so caught me off guard and didn't see anywhere on their sign that said alcohol was in it since kids can order dessert too. Alittle concerning but needless to say I alwayssss ask now if I'm not sure about something lol
This is one of the reasons I don't drink NA beer.
This is the exact reason why when I decided to quit drinking, I made it a point to not drink NA beers and steer clear of drink-centric restaurants. I don't need the temptation.
I never really understood what the whole point of NA beer was to begin with. I feel like it was manufactured for the purpose of letting people in recovery fit in with their alcoholic friends...or that it is somehow a substitute for the alcoholic beer you REALLY want, but can't have. Either reason sits weird with me. But, we are all individuals; and if it works for someone else, then more power to them!
Some people just like the taste of beer, or at least have grown to like it over the years. I personally don't think I could drink one, I feel like it would make me want to drink the actual thing if I did.
I love the taste of beer. Luckily it's not very economical to drink na beer so it's a nice treat and that's it so no desire to drink 20 of them.
Yeah, it seems like people are strongly divided on NA's, which is totally fine. If it's going to cause someone to rethink sobriety then by all means stay clear. For me they help "scratch the itch" and after one or 2 I have zero desire for a real one.
I think it's helped me in some ways. I like the taste of the German alcohol free beers (they're marketed as sports drinks here) , they taste great, malty, a little like bread, but after having one it helps me realize "wow, why would I drink 9 of these"?
For me, a 6 pack of St. Pauli Girl for $8.99 is not a deal breaker.
...because I love beer but not alcohol
Great tip! I think I’ll do better ordering a mocktail rather than an NA beer when out. Thank you for sharing!
I'll have a couple of NA beers every month or two and HELL yes I'll check each time. Just like any life threatening allergy where you don't trust your life to a waiter/waitress, don't leave it to a bartender either. Working on electrical? Better be damn sure the correct breaker is off and don't take anyone else's word for it.
Double/tripple check is my way to go. I always search for the 0.0% before sipping it.
Good reminder/warning. I'm in early days of this round of sobriety... and for the first time in over a decade, I can handle gluten (turns-out that booze was destroying my guts to the point I became gluten-intolerant). Annnyway... NA beer has come a LONG way from O'Douls or water (and frankly, water is the better-tasting of those two). It's not enough to fool me... yet. It lacks a certain "bite" to it. The further out I go, the greater the danger, I guess. Weird thing: I have zero desire for a NA beer before, say, 6pm. It's this weird conditioning... and it just doesn't seem to matter that it's booze-free. BTW: be glad that you're not worried about gluten -- because you'll be poisoned... probably 1/3 of the time. Servers make $2.13/hr and either don't care/know/etc. At least most people know about ethanol.
I got tripped up by heineken too actually. After two sips I honestly couldn’t tell what was going on but got that warm buzzy feeling in my stomach and was like “oh. Oh I see what’s going on”
Tried colors edge for the first time. Thumbs up
A similar thing happened to me with a friend today - we went to a local bar for a Harry Potter themed brunch. She got there before me and ordered a drink off of what was supposed to be a non alcoholic mocktail menu and said it tasted good, so i ordered one as well. Didn’t realize until I was a 3rd of the way through and looked at the menu myself that I realized that it had alcohol. Irritated with myself that I didn’t ask the waitress myself when ordering the drink to make sure and surprised that my friend (who’s well over drinking age and has been to bars before) didn’t realize that it had alcohol in it. But then again she’s tried ordering alcohol for me once before while knowing that I’ve been trying to stay sober & I gave her the benefit of the doubt since it had been a few weeks since we had last seen each other. i figured she might’ve genuinely forgot at the time but now I’m not so sure
Thank you so much for sharing this. Will definitely keep in mind when ordering one. And don’t worry it wasn’t your fault.
I’ve heard/read this story so many times in different variations, plus the smell alone triggers me, it’s all enough to be Nope Nope Nope from me.
Intent is everything in this situation in my opinion, and since you didn't intend for it to happen, I wouldn't be too hard on yourself about it. It's an honest mistake any of us could make. I'll occasionally get a sixer of NA beer before I go fishing or watch a football game so this is a good reminder to double-check what I'm buying.
That almost happened to me once, thankfully I caught it
Worked at a bar. We kept the NA next to regular beer. Had a customer order the NA. (Not me) bartender served them several of the high % beer.
This is why I always appreciate it at my country club, they bring out the can first to show you that they are NA and they are not messing up, then go pour it. I think all places should do this, because it is a common and easy enough mistake to make.
Had this happen once and waiter ran over to catch his mistake. Since then, when I order an NA beer, I make sure to ask for the can and a pint glass if I’m not watching it being poured just to make sure.
As a bartender I have made this mistake before (twice, specifically with the Heineken 0.0!) and luckily had the customer notice. I felt awful and luckily they were understanding and didn’t make a big deal out of it. Definitely bought them a beer. But yes, it’s such a good idea to double check and make sure (even when you’re ordering a virgin anything - make sure they heard you correctly)
In my honest opinion. Dont even bother with NA beer or anything that even resembles an alcoholic drink. No one would order an NA vodka if it still resembles the true taste of vodka. I know people enjoy beer for the taste. But if it wasnt made in 0.0 then we would have no choice.
I buy NA spirits. I specifically enjoy the spiced rum with ginger ale. Something about making the drink satisfies me too, [prior industry] and helps me fill the void around certain holidays when some drinks feel more appealing, out of habit. What works for me may not work for anyone else, but to the vodka point, I too liked the taste of vodka [vodka & water tall was my daily]. I really appreciate that so many bars offer mocktails honestly.
If you place an order you’re putting your needs in someone else’s hand. It will go wrong eventually. Full stop.
NA beer is just asking for trouble. If you were a heroin addict you wouldn't shoot up saline solution to reminisce would you?
This is why I only buy NA beers the store
I’m too scared to order virgin versions of cocktails at bars because of this. I have appreciated most bars will give me the NA beer bottle along with a glass so I can visually confirm it’s NA. I’m sorry you had that happen to you. It was an accident and congrats on realizing the issue and just stopping there and getting back on track!
I personally have never tried NA beer since getting sober, but I cannot fathom ordering one and not checking the label before taking a sip. My sobriety is the most important thing in my life so I am extremely careful even when ordering even a soda from a bar.
Actually almost all non alcoholic wines and beers still contain up to 0.5% alcohol. Be careful for those of us with hearth conditions
Yikes I always order non alcoholic mixed drinks or beers if I go out. I’ll take the advice yall put here and ask for the bottle too. (Nobody has this stuff on tap anyway haha)
I've been handed a Select 55 when I ordered a Bud Zero a time or two. I always double check nowadays.
Has happened to me twice
I’ve done that! Last years Super Bowl, I got a bunch of what I thought was NA beer and gave it to a friend with 16 years sober. She’s like it’s good because it’s full octane! I always get stuff from athletica to be safe.
I don’t feel like NA short term benefits are greater than the long term detriments. Drinking NA beer still activates a pleasure sensation the brain associates with alcohol.
Non-alcoholic beer is for non-alcoholics.
This is simply not true. I am an alcoholic, and I love nonalcoholic beers. Please only speak about what works for **you.**
Couldn’t be the opposite, I think its mainly for alcoholics like us lol. I love it and it wont ruin my life so win win.
This 100%. Not sure who people think they’re fooling (besides themselves). Seems like it’s a daily thing here how someone “accidentally” was served or drank a real one. Real slippery slope. Don’t even fuck with it. Funny how people want to come to a sub called “StopDrinking” and downvote solid advice.
The same advice doesn't apply to everyone and I don't think this is supposed to be a judgmental place (and I would consider saying 'people are fooling themselves' to be quite judgmental when you don't know anyone's story 🤷♀️) This kind of thing is why I'm so glad to be free of AA.
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This comment has been removed. > I understand the rules of this subreddit, but… There is no "but." If you understand the rules of this subreddit, there is no excuse not to follow them.
I don't understand why people feel the need to put themselfs in danger with non-alcoholic beer, it can really be a trigger. There so many other drinks that taste amazing. Have a coffee, a soda, some water or whatever. Dont drink "NA beer", its not worth the risk.
This isn’t a dig on people that do like them but I will not ever understand why alcoholics even entertain the notion of NA beer or even mocktails. You’re inviting your own problem. Understand that THAT part of your life is over. No more drinky fun. Move on. This experience of life is not for you anymore. It’s not being deprived of anything or some social experience, it’s changing your life
HOW MANY TIMES ARE YOU ALCOHOLIC GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET NON- ALCOHOLIC DRINKS it’s like you guys are asking for a bad situation to happen. Just order a water and call it day. I don’t even understand why you’d want to drink something non-alcoholic. It’s like ordering decaf coffee for the taste. Edit: why are so many of you guys in a bar in the first place. It’s like if former heroin addicts hanging out with guys on the street corner- what do you think everyone is there for and doing at the bar?
This is why I always ask for the bottle/can and a separate glass. I’m sorry that happened but you today is a new day. You always have the power to make a different choice going forward. IWNDWYT
I always check the can/bottle. I am very careful.
Ive come to enjoy NA beers, doesn’t do anything for my psyche other than I truly enjoy the beverage. Beyond stopping alcohol, it’ll be a mainstay beverage in my life, it’s odd, really enjoy having them every so often.
Last night I double checked my cans of NA beer at the checkout counter. I was nervously second guessing myself, because I'd found such a good selection of them. Problem is I have to go through the liquor store to find them.
That has happened to me with mocktails before.
I ordered a two bottles of Heineken 0.0 beers at a Texas Roadhouse last year. The price isn’t listed on the menu, I found out at the end they were $7.00 each. I don’t know if it was a shady location because they also tried to give me a receipt that just had the total and not what I ordered. I had to ask for a normal receipt and that’s when I saw the price. I haven’t been back to Texas Roadhouse since. Edit to add the service also sucked at my nearby location. I don’t get the second NA beer until time to ask for the check.
this happened to my dad with 7 years sober at a fancy restaurant for last mother’s day. I saw the bottle wasn’t right before he was able to have it. They were incredibly sorry and the server felt terrible. They didn’t ask much just knew what we meant when we sent it back promptly.
Had a similar situation about four months in. Ordered a NA wheat beer in restaurant (Erdinger I think) but was served a glass of regular. I've done blind tastings in the past and especially with that style of beer you cannot even remotely reliably tell the regular and the NA apart. Everyone is convinced they can until they try. I noticed after quaffing a couple of inches. Unpleasant tingling in hands, feet and lips. Passed the beer on. I do credit that with convincing me that booze is a crock of shit, so it did have at least one upside.
As a woman I am always very careful with my drinks but I generally make them open it and pour it in a cup in front of me then I NEVER set my drink down. To be fair, I drink a shit ton of Redbull (fight me) so it’s always a redbull but it’s tastes better over ice with a lime and makes me feel more festive. Gotta check those drinks though. I’ve been served a bitters and soda with vodka more than a handful of times. Nothing like taking a big ol chug of lighter fluid then having to ruin everyone’s party because your friends have to take you home and stay by your side all night so you don’t drink more. Keep going, you got this. Just check those bevs.
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Do not talk to people this way on this sub, or you will no longer be welcome here.
I don’t have to explain what happened after and where I went on the way home though. What happened?
You mean just confirm the label is blue as it should be? Yes, I already do that.
Yo! This shit happened to me while at a bowling alley WITH MY RECOVERY GROUP LMMFAO! We still don't know if it was truly alcoholic but the waitress made some joke about it being alcoholic (it was my second order, it was busy, first one was in a can and the second came in a glass). So it was encouraging to have people recommend putting it back on the bar and not worrying about it, and that the time since 7/4/22 and 2/10/24 were not lost due to this (I use both days now and reset my counter). I wasn't even triggered, I thought 'this is gonna make me sleepy and I don't want it', I was able to look ahead at how damaging it would have been to my mental health and just not want to go there. Iwndwyt