To Not understand the purpose of alcohol free beer/wine/spirits

[MsJD]

I am almost as afraid of buying alcohol free beer/wine/spirits mistakenly as I am of putting diesel in my petrol car. Why would anyone buy alcohol free gin? If I dont want booze, I drink orange juice. Dont get it.

Went out on Saturday night for a family meal, fancied a beer but was driving. Had an alcohol free San Miguel ( or two ) and it was great!!

I don’t like sweet drinks. I drink tea, water, or wine/beer/gin. If I’m out and not drinking I will have either sparkling water or an alcohol free lager or beer.

So you haven't even tried it?

How do you know you don't like it if you haven't even tried it?

You're judging the wine on the fact it's AF, so do you only drink alcohol because it's alcoholic not for the taste?

Personally I would try it, if you don't like it then you know you don't like it but if you like it then you've found a new option to drink.

Haha, I knew as soon I clicked 'post', several people would say they like the taste of lager

I don't see the point of them but if people like them I can't see any problem with them being sold. They are massively overpriced though, especially the alcohol free "spirits".

I had a really nice alcohol free gin when pregnant. I wouldn't have it normally, but when pregnant it felt like I was having something special over Christmas, I was so bored of juice and water! Alcohol free wine on the other hand was vile.

I notice on other threads about not drinking most people say they don't judge if someone doesn't drink. Here though, those of us who don't drink and prefer soft drinks are like children.

I might try an AF wine as drinking too much pop gives me wind !

I do!! I love a nice chilled beer in the summer. So glad the no alcohol beers are actually nice and taste like beer. Alcohol free wine is rank.

I didn't say I've never tried alcohol free wine?

I have tried it in the past and thought it was awful.

I'm happy with alcoholic wine or a soft drink.

I like beer. If I drink it my cheeks and nose go bright red and if I drink within 3-4 hours of bedtime I can't sleep. Thanks peri. So AF beer is a blessing.

Tbh I like AF stuff because I don't drink due to medications I'm on and since I had bariatric surgery last year I can no longer drink fizzy drinks and I'm not supposed to have anything high in sugars ... So no coke/lemonade/fresh orange juice but I can have wine or a cider.

Also it's the social stigma - when you're not drinking on a night out people will notice and I'm sick of being asked "Why aren't you drinking?" Or "You can just have a small one" if I say I'm driving (I usually offer to be the designated driver since I can't drink anyway) and having to either deflect the question or divulge my personal information. But if I order an AF wine or cider then nobody can tell the difference between regular wine and an AF one once it's in a wine glass, it saves all the questions and we all get to have a lovely night.

Why should that be a bad thing?

@XenoBitch well yes. You only have to go out on a Saturday night to see lots of people drinking lager.
I’ll let you do a lager shandy though if you’re not that keen.🙂

@MsJD

Then I don’t think these drinks were made for you in mind!

People who like the taste/texture of meat like vegetarian alternatives. For those that don’t - it’s not for them.

I love the taste of wine, but the alcohol free versions are too sugary. I’ll happily drink water, or tonic, or Coke Zero, but they don’t complement my steak as much as a lovely red wine.

I like beer, and the two alcohol free versions I like are great for me. To some they won’t be.

It’s like saying, who buys sugar free coke! Well I do and I prefer Coke Zero (hate Diet Coke now and I used to drink a lot of it).

I can’t drink because of medication. I’ll never be able to drink alcohol again. I want a grown up drink, not sweet, not fizzy. If my friends are having cocktails or wine, I don’t want to sit there with a coke!

can you not even imagine why people might want an alcohol free drink? Also the beers are good so it does feel like drinking beer.

Yes, I have the same when I tell people I hate Yorkshire pudding and gravy!!

I also like the taste of lager, but drink alcohol free when I don’t want to get the effects of alcohol: driving/working/up early/already had a drink but don’t want to get drunk. Are you saying that you DON’T like the taste, but just drink it to get drunk? Why don’t you drink something you like the taste of then and stop commenting on what everyone else is having.

I don't want to drink sugary drinks or water. I like the taste of AF beer and cider, and they make a refreshing long drink when I don't want to drink alcohol

I absolutely loathe soft drinks. Can't stand coke/pepsi, lemonade etc., they're just hideous.

I don't drink fruit juice much and don't want to spend the night on soda water.

I value AF lager as an option and like it.

Don’t buy it then

Because you don’t like sweet soft drinks

This.

I love the taste of alcoholic drinks but don't always want to drink alcohol. Some alcohol free lagers are really pretty good. Sainsbury's own brand low (not 'no') alcohol cider is delicious, with just the right amount of dryness.

It's just a shame that I can't find decent alcohol free wine anywhere...

I used to agree but I went out and drove for the first time in ages recently and was bored to death of sparkling water by the end of the night. I‘m definitely going to try the fake booze next time.

YES!!! If someone could invent this. They’d be multimillionaires!! I’ve spent a lot of time working in wine and unfortunately you can’t get that hit of richness and acidity without the alcohol. But, we’ve invented so many things - this can’t be a great stretch surely?!! 🙏