Heineken 0.0

Recovery
#1

Anyone in recovery drink non alcoholic beers? I'm talking the true 0%....not the gross Odouls which still have some alcohol.

I'm just curious because I do and I have no intention on ever stopping. I personally love beer and the alcohol free variety is a perfect fit for social engagements, BBQ's, or a refreshing sunny day grass cutting break.

Here's my thing...I'm a happily recovering alcoholic who willingly chooses to work a 12 step program and continue to work on myself and keep upstairs clean. I have a sponsor and life is great.

My body doesn't react well with alcohol, to me a Heineken 0.0 is no different than having a coke but I get to enjoy a cold beer with friends once in a while..

I'm a little salty for being criticized for this by someone in the program. I'm not flaunting it or drinking 25 of them chasing the dream of being able to drink again. I simply enjoy them and there is no alcohol whatsoever!!

I'm interested to see what you have to say. Let the opinions fly....

Thanks for letting me vent.

Nick

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#2

I tried an odouls the other day and it did make me pause. I don't really know if it almost "triggered" me or not. It was pretty good though and yes I know that's largely because I haven't had the real thing in so long. I don't know if I will do it again.

#3

Dude if it’s working for you who cares, right? What people think of you is none of your business. lol For me I don’t fu(king experiment, unless I am extremely confident (people, places, things wise). I would not feel confident at all about consuming something that reminded me of drinking.

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#4

Hi Nick, my suggestion to everyone with this question is to do what works for you. What works for me is sometimes having NA beers (good ones, like you said, haha), but I don’t drink several in a night, I have one maybe two, and it’s probably a few times a month, not every night. Drinking mocktails and other NA beverages isn’t triggering, so it works for me. I don’t let other people’s opinions shift something that I know works for me. Everybody’s sobriety is their own, and what anyone tells you is a suggestion, usually based on their personal experience.

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#5

Appreciate it everyone, I don't see anything wrong with it and Jenn I'm with ya, I'm not shotgunning NA's lol but for some reason I felt like I was doing something wrong or frowned upon in AA.

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#6

You will find a lot of people who feel it is dancing too close to the cliff. I'm not going to weigh in on if it is right or wrong, just going to say be careful. If you ever have a moment where the idea of a 0.0 not being enough, it might be a line you may consider not walking. Any road that has using at its end or possibly has it at its end is a turn off I'll gladly miss. I am a chef, and use alcohol a lot to cook with. For example I use beer to smoke pork shoulder with. For me buying a bottle or a six pack isn't a trigger because I use it immediately. But putting in my pantry might become an issue. That said, there are some that walking down the beer isle is too much. Know your limit and put a fence as far away as you need to to feel safe.

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#7

Perfectly stated.

#9

Just to let you know, Heineken 0.0 DOES contain a trace amount of alcohol ranging from 0.01 to 0.03% ABV, per their website. Please tell us: When were you born?

Not telling you it’s right or wrong, just sharing the information.

#10

Full disclosure, O’Doul’s contains 0.4%

#11

Thanks Brad but if anyone criticized about 0.03%, I could only laugh. In this case bread would need to be wiped from an alcoholics diet..

#12

Excellent research! Odouls just tastes funny to me. Supposedly Bells Brewing is coming out with a 0% IPA I'm pretty curious about. I do appreciate everyone's comments. I feel better talking about it :metal:

#14

DFD is great.:grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:..

#15

Do what works for U! Sounds like ur doing amazing!

#16

I don’t disagree. Just wanted to make sure to point out that it isn’t completely alcohol free.

#17

Well, I didn’t like skunky Heineken when I did drink… but I have tried a few that I really enjoyed and did not feel triggered by! I was at a Christmas party a few weeks ago and my friend brought some N/A cranberry spice beer from World Market. I find the ones that have a little beer taste with an additional flavor most pleasant. I even had a N/A coffee stout recently!

#18

I personally can’t and will not do it.. others can if that’s their choice.. so be it.
If it works for ya then do it. If for some reason you find that it hinders the whole “people places and thing things.”
That’s your business as well.
I guess I’m just not willing to play charades with a disease that’s far greater than me.
Like I said though it’s your business, there are plenty of others on this app that do the same.. they appear to be doing ok.
This is a touchy topic for many and I have seen emotion etc. flare up.. which is a shame :disappointed:
I’m just another member in a twelve step fellowship living life on life’s term’s. No authorities thank GOD :laughing:
it’s good to hear life is great for you :+1::hugs:

#19

If it works in your sobriety than so be it. I just got to the point that I had no interest. I drank for alcohol not taste or a beverage. So for me there is just no point. If you have one and enjoy it, that’s your business.

#20

Well said. I can even buy a bottle of wine and bring it to a housebound friend (who is a healthy drinker) and have no issue, it’s going right to her house with her groceries. Would I put one in my pantry…… not so much.

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#21

I think the issue is that for some it can be a slippery slope. But no one can tell you how to do your recovery. No one can even tell you your an alcoholic except you. I drank non alcoholic beers when I was pregnant but it was to replace what I was missing. I know now that if I drink them it will make me want the real thing. But that’s my own experience. Not necessarily someone else’s. There are people who are California sober and it works for them while I know people who got back on heroin after smoking weed. Everyone is different and there’s no one way to do recovery in my opinion.

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#22

The responses to this post alone prove how awesome our community is! I appreciate you all. Stay strong in humility and gratitude! :metal: