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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

167 replies

MsJD · 12/03/2023 21:14

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.

OP posts:
BlueMoonCity · 12/03/2023 23:19

I like the taste but since I had brain surgery I can't handle alcohol anymore. Not sure if there's a correlation there but I just want to enjoy the flavour without the alcohol! :)

Crikeyalmighty · 12/03/2023 23:26

@Iwantmyoldnameback totally agree- AF wine all tastes like Schloer- whereas guiness zero is fantastic! As are some of the lagers and spirits

KievsOutTheOven · 12/03/2023 23:28

ticklemepinker · 12/03/2023 23:16

AF beer I like. AF wine I do not.

what i cannot fathom - mainly because it is sooooo ludicrously expensive that I have never tried it - is alcolhol free gin. What IS it?? How does it work?? Is it just a load of expensive flavouring?

Do you like gin in general?

Im quite into gins. I like trying weird and wonderful flavours/artisan/local gins, so I don’t find the price point excessive, tbh.

The alcohol one basically has the same type of flavours as a “normal” gin of the same flavour. They are really concentrated. They aren’t sweet either, which I like.

I like one paired with a nice tonic and garnished properly, like I would gin. Flavour wise, you can’t tell.

I have never tried the non flavoured ones (like Gordon’s) as I wouldn’t drink Gordon’s “real” gin anyway, lol,

skilpadde · 12/03/2023 23:32

The prices for alcohol-free drinks are utterly crazy.

If you buy a bottle of gin, about two thirds of the cost is alcohol duty.

So how on earth is Seedlip's "distilled non-alcoholic spirit" £25 or more?

With no alcohol tax to pay on the contents, are the producers just taking the mickey out of their customers?

KievsOutTheOven · 12/03/2023 23:36

skilpadde · 12/03/2023 23:32

The prices for alcohol-free drinks are utterly crazy.

If you buy a bottle of gin, about two thirds of the cost is alcohol duty.

So how on earth is Seedlip's "distilled non-alcoholic spirit" £25 or more?

With no alcohol tax to pay on the contents, are the producers just taking the mickey out of their customers?

Supply and demand. Seedlip’s target audience are those who are used to spending £35/£40 for a bottle of “real” gin.

They aren’t taking the mickey. They are serving a (previously niche, relatively untapped) market of mostly middle class thirty-somethings/older millennials.

They are a premium product.

HaggisBurger · 12/03/2023 23:46

KievsOutTheOven · 12/03/2023 23:36

Supply and demand. Seedlip’s target audience are those who are used to spending £35/£40 for a bottle of “real” gin.

They aren’t taking the mickey. They are serving a (previously niche, relatively untapped) market of mostly middle class thirty-somethings/older millennials.

They are a premium product.

Show quote history

I do love this Seedlip review on Ocado that is DEFINITELY not written by one of the Seedlip marketing dept in response to tonnes of bad reviews

To Not understand the purpose of alcohol free beer/wine/spirits
pizzaHeart · 12/03/2023 23:54

I was in this situation today. I’ve met for drinks with friends on the way to the theatre. I didn’t want alcoholic drink, cola, orange juice, J2O so my only choice from the menu was alcohol free lager.
I like taste of lager and it’s alcohol free. Simple.

Johnisafckface · 12/03/2023 23:57

I love mixed drinks but only when I can’t taste the alcohol too much. So I would drink alcohol free drinks but sometimes I like to get a little buzz going on 😊

KievsOutTheOven · 13/03/2023 00:01

HaggisBurger · 12/03/2023 23:46

I do love this Seedlip review on Ocado that is DEFINITELY not written by one of the Seedlip marketing dept in response to tonnes of bad reviews

Show quote history

Haha!

I admittedly didn’t pay anywhere near that for my bottle - I got it either when I was pregnant or we were ttc, so around 20/21, and I think it was £11.

PrtScn · 13/03/2023 00:10

I often drink AF lager to give my liver a rest. I like a drink, but it has become a habit at the weekend. I used to replace with squash or soft drink (but the latter leaves horrible feeling of sugar on my teeth if I drink too much). So if I feel I've started drinking too much I buy AF instead.

Daisymae55 · 13/03/2023 00:12

YABU

When I was TTC alcohol free beer and gin were a godsend! Some of us just like the taste of beer but can’t always have alcohol. Simple

starfishmummy · 13/03/2023 00:42

I can't drink alcohol any more due to the meds I'm on, but hate most soft drinks. Used to be a moderate beer drinker. So sometimes I'll have an alcohol free beer because I like the taste.

Whenharrymetsmelly · 13/03/2023 01:23

It's the taste, although alcohol free doesn't ever seem to do a good alternative

gelatogina · 13/03/2023 01:58

You are just showing your own ignorance here - can’t understand why people like different things? Really?

as other posters said, if you don’t want to drink alcohol for whatever reason - you also can’t drink litres of orange juice on a night out. Then these drinks are a good option and the AF beers can be delicious.

steff13 · 13/03/2023 02:03

I don't drink alcohol-free cocktails, etc., but it's no stretch of my imagination to think of reasons why people would...🤷‍♀️

Nat6999 · 13/03/2023 02:12

I drink alcohol free drinks because I am 5 years clean & intend to stay that way. I love McGuigan Rose alcohol free wine, Heineken 0 lager or Guinness 0.0, it is better than drinking pop.

2023forme · 13/03/2023 02:26

PinkFizz1 · 12/03/2023 21:17

Because everyone is different and not like you?

I am an addict in recovery and let me tell you, the difference it makes to be able to have an AF gin & tonic/wine/nosecco at a wedding reception or a meal out instead of drinking Coke all night like a child MASSIVELY helps with my sobriety. Not for everyone, for some it can be a trigger. But personally I am so glad the AF market is picking up. I couldn’t be without it. Ironically, I’d probably be back drinking again if it didn’t exist. Don’t underestimate how bloody brilliant it is. Especially to us addicts.

100% this.

BritInAus · 13/03/2023 02:32

Can you really not think of any ideas at all why? Someone might like the flavour, but not want to drink alcohol (for many reasons). Someone might do it to look socially like they're drinking alcohol (peer pressure/disguising early pregnancy). Someone might be trying to cut down how much alcohol they drink.

There's lots of things I'd never do, but it's not hard to understand why. For example, I'd never ever spend loads of money on a flashy, expensive car - but I can understand that for some people, they want the status of driving around a nice new BMW, so they prioritise that.

ThinWomansBrain · 13/03/2023 02:44

I tried alcohol free wine and found it mostly tasted dire (for when lunching/ evening meal at relatives and driving home.)
I find most soft drinks too sweet to want them with meals, so stuck with sparkling water, although more recently I've switched to drinking Kombucha.

I think that what's on offer for AF has improved though - work often has a selection of alcohol free wine when we have a social event, and they've typically been a big improvement on compared to the ones I tried a few years ago.

I got given a load of the seedlip "gin" - wasn't too impressed with that - if driving I'd be as happy drinking a decent tonic water. A bottle of the seedlip stuff costs more than gin.

704703hey · 13/03/2023 05:12

Personally I don't like the taste of AF? It's great some people do.

It's a shame venues don't do more of AF alternatives with a bite, like fiery lemonade or ginger beer.

Ex accidentally bought me AF wine years ago and it only took a couple of sips before I said "what filth is this? It tastes funny" and picked up the bottle to take a look. Hope it's better nowadays :)

RebeccaCloud9 · 13/03/2023 05:24

What I don't get is the paying a similar amount for a bottle of alcohol free spirits eg gin - for £20 ish quid a bottle you could get loads of delicious cordial instead!

boboshmobo · 13/03/2023 05:46

Bit like sausages that no one has to die for me to enjoy isn't it ..

I like the taste but don't want to eat meat

I don't drink alcohol but sometimes want something that taste's similar

Why do people start such daft posts ??

Bepis · 13/03/2023 05:50

My father in law had cancer and was on a lot of medication where he wasn't allowed to drink alcohol. The alcohol free versions gave him a bit of what he enjoys before he passed away.

BT11 · 13/03/2023 06:00

I do mostly agree with OP. Can't beat an ice cold Coke with lemon. Much rather that.

I am partial to the odd shandy though - would love to try an alcohol free one now I think about it 😋

gloriousmulch · 13/03/2023 06:00

Hi OP, I drink non-alcoholic beers and ales because I like the taste of them. I also like the ‘feel’ of having an alcoholic drink without the risks of getting drunk, not being able to drive or the compulsive behaviours that made me give up alcohol.
I wouldn’t normally choose sugary non-alcoholic drinks such as orange juice instead because I don’t like them as much.

Non-alc gin feels like more of a gimmick but I sometimes have one at home to be convivial if a friend’s with me having a ‘real’ gin. I guess some psychological factors are involved, linked to my previous relationship with alcohol and socialising.

Hope this thread has helped you to ‘understand’!