0.0% Beer - Safe or Not?

[ImmyMc]

I've read a lot about this, and some pages say that non-alcoholic beer isn't really safe as it still has trace amounts, but some say that one beer so long as it is 0.0% should be fine, as 0.0% beers contain less alcohol than a ripe banana. What are everyone's thoughts on this?

I'm not so much desperate for a drink as desperate not to let people know that I am pregnant. I'm scared of losing the baby, and I really, really, really do not want to have to tell people if I do. But I normally drink when I socialise with friends, and they will know immediately if I am not drinking that I am pregnant. If I could have even a bit of a non-alcoholic beer (over Zoom) then I think it would keep people off my back. I hate how people immediately try to guess!

I've been having plenty of 0% beers and I've got a "rum" that's 1.2%. Try not to worry OP and enjoy your beers

Oh, that is good! I expected an influx of comments saying that it would be totally wrong to drink them! :)

Over Zoom this'll be so much easier than in real life! 0% beer is absolutely fine. Tonic without gin/vodka and pretend champagne via fizzy elderflower drinks!

I wouldn't be drinking 10 pints but one or two will be fine. Congrats!

I'd say the 'gin' and tonic one is an easy one - chuck some pink grapefruit or some limes and ice in it and no-one notices. My partner goes and makes mine at home or at others, so it looks like he's putting gin in, but he's not

I think it’s absolutely fine! I drank elderflower and soda out of a Prosecco glass on zoom... no one noticed!

IME non-alcoholic beer doesn't taste very nice. Could you make yourself a virgin cocktail and pretend there's alcohol in it?

Some non-alcoholic beers are lovely and even if you have a few, there is minuscule amounts of alcohol in them. What are the sources where you are reading they aren’t safe to drink?

I sampled loads when pregnant, they used to be awful but are improving now (still not the same as a proper beer but needs must!). I found the best was the Cobra (Sainsbury's stock it). There's also a stout called something like "St Peter's Without" which is excellent.

Well I don't think theres a problem with that if you're going to tell people afterwards so they dont think you were really doing it....! You could get DP to have a bottle of actual beer and then use the bottle if you just want to do it online?

Alcohol free cider is amazing, not talking about koppaberg either, stowford press do one and thatchers and they’re lovely!

Anything less than 0.5% is considered alcohol free :) I ate ice cream last night that was 1% but I figured even that is still soooo tiny!! I'm 26 weeks now and I've had alcohol free wine/prosecco/cider throughout! Although I was surprised to learn that you shouldn't drink too much tonic as the quinine isn't good for the baby

Over the last few years there ha been a huge increase in alcohol free beers and loads are absolutely lovely! I still drink them now and I’m not pregnant. Look out for some Big Drop brewing ones.

I had 3 0.0 Heineken’s at the bank holiday (although they say on the back more more than 0.5% in a bottle) tasted the same as a real Heineken tbh and was nicer than just having a lemonade when everyone else was having a drink on the sunshine, I’m not a massive drinker so it won’t be a regular thing but makes you feel more part of what’s going on haha

The non alcoholic rose wine its really nice in fact when i had my first sip and made my hubby check the bottle because i thought I picked up the wrong one it tasted like the real thing and looks like it roo

Oracle juice actually contains more alcohol (0.5%) than many of the non alcohol drinks so you'll be fine

Orange juice

What about it being pasteurised? Is that an issue, do you think?

Emily Oster has written some excellent writeups on the science of alcohol in pregnancy. The risk is for regular, daily drinkers, or people having a serious drunken binge. The odd beer occasionally in pregnancy doesn't have much impact.

Quinine in tonic IS dodgy in pregnancy, go for sparkling water instead of tonic.

I really like Robinson's Lime and mint. With sparkling water, ice and a slice, it looks and tastes very much like a mojito. I really enjoy it, especially in hot weather.

Unlike alcohol-free beer/cider etc, which just tastes grim.

@ArchbishopOfBanterbury wow I didn't know you couldn't have tonic water even. Might be better off with a beer or wine even 😳 Soda water it is them for me going forwards

The Heineken 0% are really enjoyable 🍺
I'm quite glad of the imitation alcohol drinks so that we can still enjoy the nice weather with the family.
I've had some nosecco which tastes really nice, 0% Heineken/Peroni and just the other day whilst in cornwall had a very scrummy 0% thatchers cider

😋