[Drinking] Alcoholic/like a beer or two too much?

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I don't think you've failed. Alcohol % rules aren't that tight - you get a 0.2% leeway anyway. FYI - Fruit Juice can contain around 0.7% alcohol per litre.

Also I think, but beers advertised as 0.0% - very likely have had alcohol removed from them chemically - which probably isn't that great. Something with a very low volume of alcohol content naturally occurring will be less so.

Sorry but they are tight and Brewdog are being investigated as their labelling is misleading

 

[Springal]

Sorry but they are tight and Brewdog are being investigated as their labelling is misleading

They are not tight - there is a 0.2% allowance.

Who is investigating? Do you have a source?

 

[Bozza]

I will be mostly not drinking between now and the marathon but I will certainly be having a beer or two at home games and when "out out". And that's probably it. I think [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] once called it "event drinking" and I'm ok with that right now.

Yep - that's my ongoing intention, but I recognised that I'd fallen away from that ambition some time between September and December last year, and this period of resetting things again is certainly helpful for me.

I am surprised at how easily I've been able to just "switch off" from alcohol, given the excesses of the whole Christmas/New Year period - I wonder if last year's dry spell has helped with that.

 

[Hotchilidog]

So that's basically what I've learned for myself. Setting a time line or target is pointless - I always fail at them and once I've had one drink that might as well be it. On the other hand a long period of abstinance (I have otherwise been AF so that's 23 days with no booze in total) seems to mean for me that I do not want to carry on in to a session, whereas before I'd have gone back to the pub on a Saturday after dropping the kids off, had another couple in Brewdog or finished the bottle of wine. In other words, the less I drink, the less I want to drink, but at the same time I'm not cut out for total sobriety. I will be mostly not drinking between now and the marathon but I will certainly be having a beer or two at home games and when "out out". And that's probably it. I think [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] once called it "event drinking" and I'm ok with that right now.

After Dry January I'm very much hoping to become a more moderate drinker. I've really enjoyed this month, I've saved loads of money and got fitter. I am not keen to throw away the progress I have made by getting back to being wasted all the time.

Like yourself I too am not cutout for total sobriety but I did do an awful lot of what I would call unnecessary drinking that I really got no pleasure from, just a headache possible regret. I do enjoy a decent beer and a good wine, and I want to continue to enjoy them but without getting drunk all the time. I think December was the tipping point for me and I discovered you really could have too much of a 'good thing'.

 

[knocky1]

I only managed until the 9th January. Got back on the wagon after a couple of days and then back off again last week. I think even my very modest achievements hitherto have shown me that I can 'go without' for a block of time and I feel more relaxed about it now. To re-cycle a ghastly and overused phrase, I feel that I've 'taken back control'.

For 3 years I've tried to go from 7th January (friend's Birthday) to Brighton Marathon getting a 100 days free.
2018 55 days.
2019 70 days, was going well but a trip to Wembley put paid to that.
2020 20 days and counting. I am going to make the 100 this year.

After that I'll have to fight to keep in control of my alcoholic input. If Keith Richards can do it, I'm sure I can.

 

[Grombleton]

Went for a few weeks and felt really good and positive, but had a bit of a slip over the weekend when work stress gave me a (weak) excuse to slip. Felt really bad about it, as if I had failed but trying to tell myself that slips are just that, and I'm now planning to last even longer.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Had some low alcohol/alcohol free/adult soft drinks at a mate's birthday on Saturday as was driving. Here's quick review of my findings.

https://shop.cloudwaterbrew.co/collections/soda/products/green-tea-simcoe-soda - Bit weird but actually quite pleasant when you get in to it a bit. 0% 6/10

https://drydrinker.com/product/big-drop-sour/ - I hated this at first but ended it wanting another but I had research to do. Would buy again but it does trigger my wankerometer a bit. 0.5% - 7.5/10

https://www.hoganscider.co.uk/high-sobriety - Does this count? Probably not. Decent enough but you'd expect a 1% cider to be serviceable. The best of the bunch and will enjoy these when driving during the cricket season. 8/10

So there you go.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

For 3 years I've tried to go from 7th January (friend's Birthday) to Brighton Marathon getting a 100 days free.
2018 55 days.
2019 70 days, was going well but a trip to Wembley put paid to that.
2020 20 days and counting. I am going to make the 100 this year.

After that I'll have to fight to keep in control of my alcoholic input. If Keith Richards can do it, I'm sure I can.

I find that having a chest infection is a great aid to sobriety, but wouldn't recommend it.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

I guess it's not what happens during dry Jan that really matters, but what happens after it.

 

[knocky1]

I find that having a chest infection is a great aid to sobriety, but wouldn't recommend it.

Sounds like the coronavirus, the soft drink strain.

Get well!

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

They are not tight - there is a 0.2% allowance.

Who is investigating? Do you have a source?

0.5% Beers are achieved using pasteurization, 0.05% alcohol free beers uses reverse osmosis, passing the liquid trough a filter that only allows water and alcohol to pass. This is then simply distilled removing the alcohol the remaining water is then added back to the syrup. Because the "flavours" haven't been treated in anyway they are not compromised, supposedly! This is a labour intensive and expensive procedure.

I'm not going to say who is investigating other than they regulate the law. Source? Put it this way I'm a quality manager for one of the Worlds largest Brewers.

The tolerances you state are incorrect for beers under 1.2%

 

[Springal]

I'm not going to say who is investigating other than they regulate the law. Source? Put it this way I'm a quality manager for one of the Worlds largest Brewers.

I'm not sure I'd be advertising this given how poor the Asahi 0.0% beer seems to be compared to other AF options, or how crap Hophead was when it moved to Chiswick ;-)

 

[Springal]

0.5% Beers are achieved using pasteurization, 0.05% alcohol free beers uses reverse osmosis, passing the liquid trough a filter that only allows water and alcohol to pass. This is then simply distilled removing the alcohol the remaining water is then added back to the syrup. Because the "flavours" haven't been treated in anyway they are not compromised, supposedly! This is a labour intensive and expensive procedure.

I'm not going to say who is investigating other than they regulate the law. Source? Put it this way I'm a quality manager for one of the Worlds largest Brewers.

The tolerances you state are incorrect for beers under 1.2%

In all seriousness.. If I use https://assets.publishing.service.g...e/763840/low-alcohol-descriptors-guidance.pdf as a reference.

It says Alcohol free – this should only be applied to a drink from which the alcohol has been
extracted if it contains no more than 0.05% abv, and the products should also include the
abv (or state that they contain no alcohol) on the label in order to use the descriptor.

But if BrewDog are brewing it to 0.5%, rather than the alcohol being extracted to achieve that ABV then it isn't applicable is it?

 

[The Oldman]

Still on dry January but looking forward to the weekend. I miss the wine with a meal and whisky in the evening.
Cannot say I have been desperate for a drink but just enjoy.

I have lost 7lbs in weight so that is nice but have not noticed any other benefits forecast such as better sleeps, better skin, or feeling more alert.

Might have another go for lent but not in the mood to abstain permanently. Cheers!

 

[Bladders]

Still on dry January but looking forward to the weekend. I miss the wine with a meal and whisky in the evening.
Cannot say I have been desperate for a drink but just enjoy.

I have lost 7lbs in weight so that is nice but have not noticed any other benefits forecast such as better sleeps, better skin, or feeling more alert.

Might have another go for lent but not in the mood to abstain permanently. Cheers!

Probably depends on how much you used to spank on a daily basis

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I'm not sure I'd be advertising this given how poor the Asahi 0.0% beer seems to be compared to other AF options, or how crap Hophead was when it moved to Chiswick ;-)

We don't sell Asahi 0.0% and Hophead was moved prior to us buying Fullers.

 

[Springal]

We don't sell Asahi 0.0% and Hophead was moved prior to us buying Fullers.

Oh OK. Maybe I'll give it another go if it has improved. FYI I don't think the 0.5% / Alcohol Free thing will get very far.

Alcohol descriptors in England & Wales are covered by the Department of Health & Social Care guidance.
The DOH guidance is only guidance and isn’t law. Also, it only applies to England (see section 1.13 of the DOH Guidance). BrewDog are a Scottish based producer, where the guidance doesn’t apply.
The law (in England & Scotland) states that “Alcohol” is defined as a product containing more than 0.5% abv.
Accordingly, a product produced in Scotland at 0.5% can legally be described as “alcohol free” and is not in contravention of any applicable guidance or legislation.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

In all seriousness.. If I use https://assets.publishing.service.g...e/763840/low-alcohol-descriptors-guidance.pdf as a reference.

It says Alcohol free – this should only be applied to a drink from which the alcohol has been
extracted if it contains no more than 0.05% abv, and the products should also include the
abv (or state that they contain no alcohol) on the label in order to use the descriptor.

But if BrewDog are brewing it to 0.5%, rather than the alcohol being extracted to achieve that ABV then it isn't applicable is it?

But you can't call it Alcohol Free. There's no way Brewdog are brewing to 0.5%, they are extracting the alcohol.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Oh OK. Maybe I'll give it another go if it has improved. FYI I don't think the 0.5% / Alcohol Free thing will get very far.

Alcohol descriptors in England & Wales are covered by the Department of Health & Social Care guidance.
The DOH guidance is only guidance and isn’t law. Also, it only applies to England (see section 1.13 of the DOH Guidance). BrewDog are a Scottish based producer, where the guidance doesn’t apply.
The law (in England & Scotland) states that “Alcohol” is defined as a product containing more than 0.5% abv.
Accordingly, a product produced in Scotland at 0.5% can legally be described as “alcohol free” and is not in contravention of any applicable guidance or legislation.

https://www.gov.scot/publications/a...-steps-changing-relationship-alcohol/pages/6/

Same as in England/Wales.

Not law but can be considered misleading under guidelines from TS.

The relevance to it (i'm not really bothered myself), is that a friend had a reaction to 0.5% beer which he thought was Alcohol Free and he is allergic to alcohol. A mild reaction but still a reaction.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

But you can't call it Alcohol Free. There's no way Brewdog are brewing to 0.5%, they are extracting the alcohol.

This article suggests Brewdog, plus Thornbridge and Adnams are all brewing to 0.5 and are not extracting alcohol. I went to a Brewdog AF tasting and they said similar.

https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk...ight&utm_medium=OnSite&utm_campaign=copyright

There are other articles relating to brewing at 0.5% as well.

How can you be so sure how these brewers are making their beer?