Non-alcoholic beer

littleandy0410

Another vote for Erdinger. I first tried it at The Bike Show a few years ago, where they were just handing out pints of the stuff.....for free!

As for Becks Blue -more than 3 bottles of that stuff gives me a worse hangover than the alcoholic version! Must be all the preservatives or something, but a few times I've drunk that and then had a stinking headache the next day.

itboffin

free because its horrible, at the Amstel gold finish line a few years back they handed out Amstel which is okay i was freezing cold, tired and totally shattered didnt stop me pouring it into the frozen mud puddles.

I also had to wrap one fella in a blanket who was on the edge of shock (not the beer) - Northern Europe in spring can be uber cold.

haydenm

itboffin wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Why bother at all if you've made the choice to not drink booze, have a diet coke or tonic water

Because sometimes it's nice to have a cold beer - some people like the taste and don't just drink it to get smashed and make ugly women look attractive.

Beer - a winner for ugly women for decades, because at the end of the day you can't have sex with personality.

ah but you've hit the nail on the head, beer tastes good because of the alcohol the getting smashed as you say part is or should be a side effect. I love a well crafted ale and am fortunate enough to live in between three independent small breweries, my step dad when I was growing up became a master of wine as part of his job, so drinking from the start for me was never about getting drunk.

As i said drink for the taste, alcohol free beer is horrible but if you must try go ahead, i'd recommend brew dogs nanny state, its as close to real craft beer as i've found.

I completely agree. They just don't taste 'right'. Due to my prejudice (and an unhealthy love of alcohol) it reminds me of vegetarian bacon or instant coffee, if you don't want the proper article then why have an imitation that is dreadful?

That said, if you genuinely like the taste of it then I'm slightly jealous, it would definitely do me some good. Nanny state is surprisingly drinkable, I had one alcohol free ale rather than ipa (mind blank on the name) a while back that just tasted of the smell of those home brew tins of malt with a watery aftertaste.

On a slight aside, I notice that when I drink lots of hoppy IPAs and things I often get really bad heartburn. Do you reckon a gluten free beer might help? I have had one or two that don't taste horrific...

veronese68

HaydenM wrote:

On a slight aside, I notice that when I drink lots of hoppy IPAs and things I often get really bad heartburn. Do you reckon a gluten free beer might help? I have had one or two that don't taste horrific...

Sorry to take up this tangent but I get heartburn from some beers and haven't been able to work out what it is yet. Guiness does it to me and some real ales, not necessarily hoppy beers. Some bread does it too so I assume it's a type of grain that sets me off.

rjsterry

Veronese68 wrote:

HaydenM wrote:

On a slight aside, I notice that when I drink lots of hoppy IPAs and things I often get really bad heartburn. Do you reckon a gluten free beer might help? I have had one or two that don't taste horrific...

Sorry to take up this tangent but I get heartburn from some beers and haven't been able to work out what it is yet. Guiness does it to me and some real ales, not necessarily hoppy beers. Some bread does it too so I assume it's a type of grain that sets me off.

The grain will be the same across a wide range of beers - barley, mostly - so unlikely to be the problem. It seems it's not a well understood problem.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/19197 ... id-reflux/

rjsterry

Also discussed here

https://www.ratebeer.com/forums/stoppin ... _35835.htm

haydenm

Might be the specific type of hops in those beers which give you a problem? Guinness just says they source hops from loads of places so it's not hugely useful

veronese68

rjsterry wrote:

The grain will be the same across a wide range of beers - barley, mostly - so unlikely to be the problem. It seems it's not a well understood problem.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/19197 ... id-reflux/

Hmm, interesting thank you. I don't think it's the alcohol content or drinking a volume of beer, some will set it off with less than half a pint. Unfortunately a taster isn't enough to know. I really should get more scientific about it and take note of what the beer is that sets me off and what I have eaten or drunk before hand. Unfortunately being in a pub drinking beer and talking bollox is not conducive to thorough scientific research.

Matthewfalle

I think the deciding factor should be: what would TDSD want you to drink and take it from there.

Garry H

Matthewfalle wrote:

I think the deciding factor should be: what would TDSD want you to drink and take it from there.

Lambrini.

BelgianBeerGeek

Veronese68 wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

The grain will be the same across a wide range of beers - barley, mostly - so unlikely to be the problem. It seems it's not a well understood problem.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/19197 ... id-reflux/

Hmm, interesting thank you. I don't think it's the alcohol content or drinking a volume of beer, some will set it off with less than half a pint. Unfortunately a taster isn't enough to know. I really should get more scientific about it and take note of what the beer is that sets me off and what I have eaten or drunk before hand. Unfortunately being in a pub drinking beer and talking bollox is not conducive to thorough scientific research.

Probably wheat. Many beers contain a touch of wheat for reasons including head retention, mouthfeel etc. If you drink bottled beer it normally says so on the label but if you are more of a cask beer person the ingredients are not always obvious.

BelgianBeerGeek

Wallace and Gromit wrote:

andyb78 wrote:

Brewdog do an excellent one - the aptly named Nanny State, although it's another that's 0.5% rather than 'alcohol free' in the strictest sense.

+1 for Nanny State. Got a couple line up for tonight, as it happens!

The Nanny State is probably the foulest liquid I have ever put in my mouth. For NA/LA beers the Germans are about the best. Bitburger and Veltins are acceptable.

Matthewfalle

Garry H wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

I think the deciding factor should be: what would TDSD want you to drink and take it from there.

Lambrini.

Bizarrely I reckon you're right.

She'd look even more lush with a Lambrini, especially one of the cabriolets. Or that one from the Italian (pre crash). Deffo that one. Me and her, cruising along in her Lambrini through the Alps. Bliss.

itboffin

this thread is making me thirsty

haydenm

itboffin wrote:

this thread is making me thirsty

Same, I've got another Flavourly box waiting at home, along with about 9 others I got from a shop in Peebles last week. There won't be many left this time tomorrow...

the_hundredth_idiot

Thanks for the alcohol-free website tip.

I've been booze-free for a year now and I don't miss it as much as I thought I would - the only time is when I go to the pub or parties, and a couple of diet cokes followed by a fizzy water doesn't feel very sociable (oddly mostly because it seems to make other people uncomfortable if I don't have the "driving" excuse, but also partly because I did really enjoy beer). Alcohol-free beers might be the ticket and that website looks like a good place to try some.

daniel_b

Heading out on my Langster to pick up some brewdog nanny state (And other shopping) shortly :-)

rjsterry

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

The grain will be the same across a wide range of beers - barley, mostly - so unlikely to be the problem. It seems it's not a well understood problem.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/19197 ... id-reflux/

Hmm, interesting thank you. I don't think it's the alcohol content or drinking a volume of beer, some will set it off with less than half a pint. Unfortunately a taster isn't enough to know. I really should get more scientific about it and take note of what the beer is that sets me off and what I have eaten or drunk before hand. Unfortunately being in a pub drinking beer and talking bollox is not conducive to thorough scientific research.

Probably wheat. Many beers contain a touch of wheat for reasons including head retention, mouthfeel etc. If you drink bottled beer it normally says so on the label but if you are more of a cask beer person the ingredients are not always obvious.

Could be but more likely related to what's just been eaten, and the beer just helps things along.

Thick Mike

Inspired by this thread I tried Nanny State and Erdinger AF last night. Nanny state was horrible, like drinking hairspray and talcum powder. Erdinger was good though, a bit like shandy without being sweet. Only problem with the Erdinger was how bubbly it is. It foamed like shampoo in my mouth, though that could be because I was drinking from a bottle rather than from a glass.

Garry H

Thick Mike wrote:

Inspired by this thread I tried Nanny State and Erdinger AF last night. Nanny state was horrible, like drinking hairspray and talcum powder. Erdinger was good though, a bit like shandy without being sweet. Only problem with the Erdinger was how bubbly it is. It foamed like shampoo in my mouth, though that could be because I was drinking from a bottle rather than from a glass.

Savage! Get a glass man, and make sure it's cold. Thought you taught chemistry?

daniel_b

Sainsbury's were out of stock.
Going to try Waitrose later.

Hoping it tastes better than hairspray and talcum powder :shock:

vimfuego

Tried the Nanny State over the weekend. Nearly vommed - 'orrible stuff. Didn't get hints of talcum powder, but the overtones of hairspray were apparent

dinyull

Was on stag do this weekend in Glasgow, first real "session".

Full day on sat from 9am till mid afternoon yesterday and felt fine and dandy. Was expecting at least some gut rot and possibly a headache, but nothing. Happy days.

Spent most of the time drinking Erdinger which I've had before and is pretty good. Had to venture to Nanny State, Becks Blue and San Miguel. Nanny State (like most IPA's I find) is like drinking perfume and Becks Blue is like drinking Pi$$.

Bigger test is going to be Krakow stag do in June...

ugo.santalucia

I find the cheap Bavaria pretty good... in fact I like it more than the Becks Blue

voodooman

I really like the Erdinger stuff (they were handing out pints to all finishers at the marathon, 1/2 and 10k in So'ton yesterday) and it really tastes even better after a run! Always have a few cans handy.

Bizarrely I quite like Seedlip Spice with tonic. Looks like a highbrow spirit, smells amazing, everyone thinks you're drinking some kind of artisan gin (oxymoron alert - gin to me tastes like sick... and cabbage), but zero alcohol and zero sugar. The spice is flavoured with cardmom, allspice and citrus peel. Quite aromatic / sour and goes really well with tonic and a wafer thin slice of lemon peel.

Has recently been reviewed in papers so probably tougher to get hold of. And cheapest off amazon.

itboffin

off to Mallorca in the morning, no alcohol free beers will be harmed in the making of this holiday

dinyull

itboffin wrote:

off to Mallorca in the morning, no alcohol free beers will be harmed in the making of this holiday

Get on the Sullerica!!!

wallace_and_gromit

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

Wallace and Gromit wrote:

andyb78 wrote:

Brewdog do an excellent one - the aptly named Nanny State, although it's another that's 0.5% rather than 'alcohol free' in the strictest sense.

+1 for Nanny State. Got a couple line up for tonight, as it happens!

The Nanny State is probably the foulest liquid I have ever put in my mouth.

More for me if you're not drinking it! Each to their own.

ugo.santalucia

voodooman wrote:

I really like the Erdinger stuff (they were handing out pints to all finishers at the marathon, 1/2 and 10k in So'ton yesterday) and it really tastes even better after a run! Always have a few cans handy.

.

Nice, but pricey

daniel_b

ugo.santalucia wrote:

voodooman wrote:

I really like the Erdinger stuff (they were handing out pints to all finishers at the marathon, 1/2 and 10k in So'ton yesterday) and it really tastes even better after a run! Always have a few cans handy.

.

Nice, but pricey

Is it though?
£1.20 for 500ml is pretty good I think, compared to other quality offerings out there imho.

I like Abbot Ale, and you rarely see that for less than £1.25 for a 500ml can.

@Voodooman - where have you seen it in cans?

Didn't manage to lay my hands on some nanny state at the weekend, but the polarised opinions means I am even more determined to now try it, but I'll probably just buy 2 bottles in case it's not my, umm bottle of beer.