Struggling with craving for a beer in the sunshine

[TinyTerror1]

Anyone else? Before I got pregnant I drank pretty regularly. I've been completely sober since 4+4 when I found out I was pregnant but this weather just makes me want to sit in the sun with a nice cold beer. It's driving me nuts

Just have a beer!

I went on my honeymoon at 19 weeks pregnant and I had a couple of small glasses of wine. Drunk with food and plenty of water you will be fine. I'm pretty sure it was after reading a HUGE long thread on her I decided on the balance of probabilities it would be okay.

Alcohol free wine is vile! Sweet sugary crap. I threw it away!

Just have a beer ladies! One won't hurt. The same goes for a glass of wine.

I'd recommend the book "expecting better" if you want to read more about the many many things us mothers to be are told will kill our unborn immediately if we do them. It's eye opening.

I found Bavaria the best of the alcohol free beers, and I'm not usually a lager drinker. Rawsons retreat alcohol free wine was surprisingly OK - I missed white wine when pregnant. We also tried the sparkling and it wasn't bad either! Available at my massive tesco.

For me the first few months of going alcohol free were the hardest, after a while I think you get more in the way of it.

I feel your pain! No good wine substitutes but seedlip plus tonic is an excellent G&T replacement. I am drinking a little bit, one unit a week ( thank you Emily oster!) So a bit of wonderful wine. Is going down a treat.

@isthismummy

I love that book! I wish everyone would be issued with it upon conception. It takes away so much of the paranoia. Nothing is risk free but at least if you know the stats you can make informed choices.

Becks Blue is OK, but Brewdog Nanny State is undrinkable.

If you are near any shops which sell Middle Eastern food, there's a brand of alcohol-free beer called Lavazza which is very nice and refreshing, and which comes in different fruit flavours (the plain isn't great, but the apple one in particular is lovely).

Waitrose do a very nice low-alc own-brand cider.

If you were a lager drinker before then you probably won’t like Nanny State. It’s a very hoppy craft beer which is great if you’re used to drinking ales but if you’re used to the very different taste of lager then it may be a bit much for you. I know quite a few beer drinkers who have switched to Nanny State midweek, mostly because it’s lower calorie.

A can of Becks Vier or similar 4% alcohol is 1.8 units, and a bottle is 1.3. I would rather have just one, drunk slowly with something to eat, than most of the alcohol-free options available, but I appreciate that this is a very personal choice.

Seedlip is ok but if you drink it thinking it's a gin alternative you will be very disappointed. On hot days I go enjoy soda and lime on the rocks with a slice of lime and some torn up mint leaves.

Yes, Seedlip is alright (although I've only tried the herby garden one, not the spice one) but it is unbelievably expensive when you consider that it's a similar price to gins like Tanqueray and Hendricks - the purchase price of which is about 60% duty and VAT, which isn't payable on alcohol-free Seedlip.

I cannot bear sweet drinks. I am very into angostura bitters and tonic (the bitters are alcoholic but as you literally use three or four drops, this is essentially alcohol-free) and my preggo version of an Aperol Spritz, which is one measure of Aperol with ice, tonic or soda, and a big wedge of orange or grapefruit. 25ml of Aperol is less than half a unit, and it feels like a proper, grown-up drink.

I had a G&T at a BBQ yesterday at 40 weeks pregnant. A bit of me wanted a half cider but had a gin instead took me a long time to decide though. Im fed up of sweet drinks so then had water for rest of the night.

I’m an ale drinker rather than a larger drinker, which is more difficult, I’d agree with the wheat beers being most tolerable.

St Peter's Without has been keeping my ale craving somewhat satisfied - it's definitely the best one I've tried. It's quite widely sold around me but then it's reasonably local (right region, at least) so maybe harder to get hold of if you're not in the south-east.

Foxtrot I know what you mean, that's part of what made me want a beer I think. Fed up of sweet things! Milk is good though, you need a lot of calcium. Otherwise it's pretty much water or non-alcoholic beer 😏

LisaSimpsonsbff they do have the St Peter's in my local Sainsbury's. I am a golden ale person so fall between the ales and lagers a bit! I found the wheat beers ok though.

Echo falls infusion is a fairly decent non alcoholic sparkling wine, it's green tea and grape juice I think, just having one with some lavender syrup because I'm fancy 😎

Otherwise I also vote for the Heineken 0%

I feel your pain O.P. After work on Friday, all I wanted was a nice cold beer.

Luckily for everyone, the world’s best beer (in my opinion!) has a non-alcoholic version which has kept me almost sane for the past months! Thank me later .

I’ll be drinking this soon when I’m back in Cologne, but I also have a full fridge from here:

www.beersofeurope.co.uk/fruh-kolsch-alkoholfrei

My friend works in a trendy beer bar and let me try what apparently has won awards. The company only do alcohol free and the stout has won against alcoholic stouts without realising the lack of alcohol.
I had the lager and was perfect - its "Big Drop brewing co."

I tried Nanny State. I like craft beers, but I agree with a previous poster that said it tastes a bit chemically. Definitely an aquired taste I think, might be better with lemonade.

So far Heineken is winning for me. Still have a selection of other 0% to try next time I go shopping though!

Ordered some San Miguel 0% today to try!

I'm finding the not drinking terribly hard in this weather as well... And the temperatures rose just as my morning sickness eased off haha... However, I am planning to enjoy the occasional (as in not more than once a week) small beer or cider once I am in the second trimester.

My best non alcoholic mix at the moment is rose and elderflower cordial with tonic and sliced cucumber. The tonic makes it much less sweet. You can do the same with ginger and lemongrass cordial too. Maybe add some fresh mint too!

I just had a cobra 0% and it was discusting! Had to throw it away
🤢