| Alternatives to alcohol | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 5 2012, 01:44 PM (2,685 Views) | |
| rumbaba | Mar 5 2012, 01:44 PM Post #1 |
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I gave up drinking 'for Lent' (it's nothing religious, just a convenient time period). I did drink a lot and regularly. I haven't been drunk in decades and I never suffer any 'morning after' effects, except tiredness but, in terms of the recommended units, I was in serious multiples. It's been 10 days now and, to be honest, I don't feel any different - all that stuff about vim and vigour and being full of energy is a load of tosh. If anything, I feel more tired than I did before and am prone to nodding off. I don't actually miss it much but the problem is finding something else to drink, particularly with food. I have sampled most options and my conclusions are as follows: De-alcoholised wines are rubbish. I don't see the point of going to the trouble of making wine then taking the alcohol out to get something that tastes like grape juice. You may as well just have the grape juice. A fizzy white is okish if you put some cassis in it De-alcoholised beers are slightly better, some are better than others e.g. Erdinger and Sainburys Czech beer. A wedge of lemon or lime makes a big difference. However, both beers and wines will give you a headache, if you drink more than a couple due to all the toxins the de-alcohol process seems to produce. J2O is ok with ice and a wedge of something, depending on flavour but not really with food. The best thing I have found are M&S 'Soft brews'. Naturally brewed without yeast and then flavoured with a range of things: apple (the only one I've tried to far), ginger, elderflower. This was very pleasant and no funny chemical tastes. It is like a flavoured beer. I will try the others and get back on this. Edited by rumbaba, Mar 5 2012, 06:44 PM.
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| waiting4atickle | Mar 5 2012, 01:54 PM Post #2 |
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Have you tried water? |
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| dai Cottomy | Mar 5 2012, 02:37 PM Post #3 |
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I accidentally swallowed some once; I'm glad to say I suffered no ill effects.
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| Aware-Adult | Mar 5 2012, 04:59 PM Post #4 |
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Did you consider the ‘middle way’? Shandy can be very pleasant on a hot summer day. Use a small amount of proper bitter in the lemonade and you even have the flavour sneaking in there still I’m not convinced there is much point in ‘lager shandy’ as lager is fairly flavourless at the best of times. |
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| Norm Deplume | Mar 5 2012, 05:31 PM Post #5 |
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As the man said (was it W.C. Fields or W.G. Grace?) Water? I never touch the stuff...fish make love in it! |
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| rumbaba | Mar 5 2012, 06:51 PM Post #6 |
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I have always drunk a lot of water, sometimes on it's own and I still do. I drink various infusions, teas, mint, camomille and spiced apple, all that stuff. My favourite thing is a 'cream tea'. Mrs R made some scones at the weekend. I make a nice pot of Darjeeling or Ceylon, proper china cup and saucer, scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam, lovely! Anyway, with food or on the ocassion when I might fancy a beer, the soft brew is just the job. They are made by Hopper Brewery and you can get different flavours in Waitrose under the Hopper brand: my wife bought some citrus flavoured ones today, I'm looking forward to trying it. |
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| waiting4atickle | Mar 5 2012, 09:03 PM Post #7 |
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The point of lager shandy, presumably, is that the lemonade gives it some flavour. Edited by waiting4atickle, Mar 5 2012, 09:06 PM.
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| rumbaba | Mar 5 2012, 10:17 PM Post #8 |
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What do you mean by 'lager'? I worked in Munich for a while and they have excellent beers, brewed under very strict regulations and, unlike the UK, always served in the correct, branded glass. A lot of these beers would be described as 'lager' in the UK although the Germans would call them 'Pilsner', 'Weiss Beer' or whatever. |
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| Caro | Mar 5 2012, 11:48 PM Post #9 |
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I think it's all a con, rumbaba, to make us do healthy things. I have never had to give up alcohol but I stopped smoking about 25 years ago and all those great effects were never obvious to me. I didn't breathe better - in fact I only got asthma after I stopped smoking and I'm not fitter - I have just eaten more and therefore got fatter and much less fit. And then there's exercise - I have been doing a little aqua-aerobics this season and people say you will feel better. No. I don't. I feel virtuous, but mostly the next day I feel tired and have sore legs. At the time it is quite fun though I do find myself clock-watching and thinking 'There's only twenty minutes to go.' My dil says I would feel better mentally - releasing endomorphs or whatever the word is. Perhaps I don't do it vigorously enough or something - these highs don't seem to reach me. I like the company and the laughter and I have always liked water and swimming and I go with a friend who I don't other see all that often, so all that is good, but the exercise itself doesn't make me feel better. Others say it does - I can't help wondering if this is imagination or wishful thinking. Caro. |
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| waiting4atickle | Mar 6 2012, 12:11 AM Post #10 |
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It all depends on the liver, I suppose. I've always found that vigorous exercise makes me feel better, but I'm not sure swimming falls into that category for most people - although it can be quite relaxing. I suspect you have to exercise long and hard before the endorphins kick in, though - in my experience, anyway. You could try coca tea as an alcohol alternative, rum. |
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| rumbaba | Mar 6 2012, 10:21 AM Post #11 |
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I don't need an alcohol alternative, Tick. I don't really miss the alcohol itself, which is strange, I really expected to. After this, I think I will probably drink a lot less and appreciate the odd glass of wine or nice beer a lot more. I enjoy 'proper coffee' (I have an espresso machine at home). I have a 'flat white on my way to work (I'm toying with 'Flat White Slim' as a professional blues name ). I don't drink instant at all. I drink 'infusions' during the day (not actual tea), which is nice too. I just miss something with food. Water is fine but a glass of wine, beer or cider, depending on what I'm eating is rather nice. http://www.juicebrewery.com/Edited by rumbaba, Mar 6 2012, 10:24 AM.
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| rumbaba | Aug 17 2012, 11:09 AM Post #12 |
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I'm afraid, despite my good intentions, I went back to drinking too much and not doing enough exercise
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| Mobson | Sep 1 2012, 11:09 AM Post #13 |
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Always on the look out for a good non-alcholic beer (for my father!), in Covent Garden last week a friend & I were given promotional cans of a non-alcholic beer called Bavaria...tagged as premium, original, imported ingredients pure mineral water, barley malt, wheat, hops. Brewed and canned in Holland by Bavaria NV @ www.bavaria.com . I liked it!
Edited by Mobson, Sep 1 2012, 11:10 AM.
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| AmosBurke | Sep 1 2012, 12:58 PM Post #14 |
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A nice and very nearly non-alcoholic drink that I used to drink when I lived in Australia, was Claytons, lime and lemon with a dash of bitters. I've never seen Claytons on sale in the UK but the official site says it is available. Here in Blighty, I opt for green lime and soda, heavy on the lime, when I'm driving. |
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). I don't drink instant at all. I drink 'infusions' during the day (not actual tea), which is nice too. I just miss something with food. Water is fine but a glass of wine, beer or cider, depending on what I'm eating is rather nice.

12:24 AM Jul 11