To drink alcohol free beer from tap

[HedgehogintheFog]

Currently pregnant. I enjoy an occasional alcohol free beer. We went to a pub and, unusually, they had an alcohol free beer on tap, so I ordered it. DH said wasn’t I worried about it, in case the barrel was connected wrongly, or they used the wrong tap, and I accidentally got a “real” beer. I think it was a bit of a ridiculous concern. It’s a pub we got to a lot. It’s very clean and organised, and surely they must have procedures in place for allergies etc. anyway. Just to clarify, he would have been fine if I’d had a bottle or can, it was purely because it was from the tap.

Just to add: I know there are divided opinions on drinking alcohol free drinks in pregnancy, so just want to say that I have done my own research and am very comfortable with having one from time to time.

No, seems a bit over the top and surely you'd notice after a few sips (which would be unlikely to do any harm!)

Sorry that's no YANBU! Think your husband is being a bit over cautious!

Does your husband think you're an idiot, or that you have no taste buds? It's not possible to confuse a real beer and an alcohol free one.

Why are there divided opinions on AF free drinks in pregnancy? There is no difference to drinking a diet coke?

Also there is a nearly zero per cent chance of them connecting the wrong barrel.

They have strict protocols on these things. It's all good hygiene isn't it.

Seems OTT and I'm pretty sure you would notice! Even the nicest alcohol-free beer I've had is obviously not the same taste as the alcoholic kind. And even if by some tiny chance they had connected it wrong (doubtful as they would surely lose money so are probably pretty careful about that!) and somehow you didn't notice and drank it all, it's one beer, which tends to be pretty low alcohol content anyway.

Jeez, totally neurotic.

I very much doubt one REAL beer during pregnancy would do any harm.

What's the problem with drinking alcohol free drinks during pregnancy, incidentally?! Never heard that.

Alco-free beer tastes different, you'd notice the difference surely.

Your husband is being ridiculous. That is all.

Just to add: I know there are divided opinions on drinking alcohol free drinks in pregnancy

Are there?

Why?

I know there are divided opinions on drinking alcohol free drinks in pregnancy, so just want to say that I have done my own research and am very comfortable with having one from time to time.

Why would anyone be bothered about a pregnant woman drinking alcohol free booze (not doubting you, OP, I just can't see what the 'divided' opinion is on this).

But yes, you'll be fine. The staff know what they're doing and you'll have a few punters complain pretty sharpish if their beer turns out to be alcohol free in a mix up. It will be clean but even if there's any residue it'll be miniscule.

I think that maybe his real concern is he's worried about what other people will think if it looks like you're drinking a pint of beer while pregnant, but he just doesn't want to say it.

If there had been some completely implausible mix-up you’d have realised soon enough; it’s not as though you’d have gone on to accidentally have eight pints of Stella.

I know there are divided opinions on drinking alcohol free drinks in pregnancy

eh?

The divided opinion thing: In the UK you can describe something as alcohol free if it is less than 0.05% and “no level of alcohol is known to be safe in pregnancy”. Also, there is a concern that fermentation can continue in the bottle/can/barrel so the level might be higher than the published one. In my personal opinion, though, so can fruit juice.

In terms of tasting the difference, there are lots of craft alcohol free beers which have appeared in the last five years and honestly I cannot tell the difference with the really good ones. (Emphasis on “good” - looking at you 0% Peroni, which went down the sink!!)

Good to have the reassurance that I’ve not taken an unreasonable risk from the responses so far!

Orange juice natural contains c. 0.5% alcohol. You’d give that to children.

My money is on the ‘people will think she’s drinking real beer’ as the real worry in this situation.

You sure about that?

If you husband is so stressed, he could give up beer himself for the duration of your pregnancy and breastfeeding . That might help him feel more relaxed and would be moral support for you.

He could also think of some place for you both to go out that are not the pub.

American style burger rolls apparently contain 1.28% ABV.

Standard wheat rolls contain 0.31%

Pears and bananas contain small amounts of alcohol. The riper a banana is the more alcoholic it is.

There’s a good reason non-alcoholic is defined with a tolerance. It’s hard to avoid alcohol entirely because it’s the product of natural processes that occur in food.

So there should be no debate about non-alcoholic beer whatsoever.

100% this was actually a problem with the optics of “pregnant woman with pint in her hand” vs “pregnant woman with bottle or can clearly labelled 0% in her hand”. Next time, order some shots of water and do them as slammers.

Ridiculous. There would be a huge risk for the pub in connecting the barrel incorrectly. Imagine the drink driving🤦‍♀️

Enjoy your beer. Ignore your husband.

Alcohol free gin shots would be better. No chance of anyone seeing the bartender fill them from a tap. That stuff comes from a bottle that most people wouldn’t realise was not alcoholic. 🤣

It’s ridiculous. If people spend more time on doing the right thing themselves and far less on making assumptions and policing others on that basis, the world would be a better place.

I bet he felt the need to keep saying LOUDLY how it was alcohol free 😂

I think he needs to relax. A lot.

That’s crazy. Of course they can’t connect it wrong - imagine all the drivers staggering out and getting arrested for drunk driving!!!

Good grief! Even if you did accidentally drink a real beer, it’s not going to do anything terrible. Drinking regularly to excess throughout your pregnancy carries a risk and one that should be avoided. The best way to do this is to avoid alcohol completely. But one beer, by accident, wouldn’t harm your baby.
That’s putting aside how ridiculously unlikely it is that the taps got mixed up and no-one noticed

Does he also have strong views on whether you expose your ankles in public?