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

[Herr Tubthumper]

They are stretching the truth here in a big way.

They are not alcohol free beers

Alcohol-free beer = no more than 0.05% ABV
De-alcoholised beer = no more than 0.5% ABV
Low-alcohol beer = no more than 1.2% ABV
Alcoholic beer = contains more than 1.2% ABV


View attachment 119063


You will see on the board a number of beers above 0.05% so by law they are not alcohol free

Looking on the internet it seems the U.K. definition is as you say. But, the EU and many other countries, definition is 0.5. And confusingly, they can market these 0.5s in the U.K. as AF. Have I got this right?

Is Brewdog “stretching the truth in a big way”? Or is it more the laws are not joined up?


As an aside, Brewdog are being quite open about the beers being =< 0.5 in their AF bar, so I’m not sure they’re being untruthful.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Looking on the internet it seems the U.K. definition is as you say. But, the EU and many other countries, definition is 0.5. And confusingly, they can market these 0.5s in the U.K. as AF. Have I got this right?

Is Brewdog “stretching the truth in a big way”? Or is it more the laws are not joined up?


As an aside, Brewdog are being quite open about the beers being =< 0.5 in their AF bar, so I’m not sure they’re being untruthful.

They can market them as AF but not as alcohol free. You have to make the assumption what AF stands for.

Mainly it's due to the tax levy, as 0.5% will not get you over the limit as you body will process it before it takes affect. It does make a difference to people intolerant to alcohol.

The industry is seeing this as a huge growth area with all the major players bringing out their versions. I have been involved in introducing our 0.0% beers into the country and we will be introducing a mainstream product later this year on draught. The issue is not to replicate an existing brand but to relate the name to a new one. Due to the process used, whether it be by heating or reverse osmosis, the flavour is compromised, usually giving an unwanted after taste. Serving temperature is critical.

Interestingly the trends are showing the consumption of beer is diverging, the premium beers with a higher abv% and low/non alcohol beer are both growth areas. Your session beers such as Carling Fosters etc are declining year on year. Craft is only about 4% of the alcohol market.

The drinking demographic has changed culturally with people tending to incorporate their drinking as part of another activity such as a meal where traditionally in this country we have just gone down the pub to get drunk! Also people are becoming more selective to where they consume their alcohol, bars are far more popular than the traditional pub. These bars do generally accommodate people better where there's less pressure on the need to drink alcohol compared to a "pub".

Interesting times in the brewery game.

 

[Wilko]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/ee7aa735-492c-42da-9ff2-e46adebf7a9e?xtor=CS8-1000-[Discovery_Cards]-[Multi_Site]-[SL10]-[PS_BBC_THREE~C~~A_DryJanuary]

 

[Iggle Piggle]

This caught my eye today - 99p special for the Kindle version.

I'm going to risk that money and give it a read as the reviews are pretty good: https://amzn.to/2r7PpdS

I bought and read this off the back of this. It's very good at the factual explaining why people are 'pringles' drinkers, the benefits of quitting and the mental side of things. For a quid you can't go wrong.

On the negative, It is firmly aimed at the quit rather than the cut down model and was written by an ex forces chap that clearly drunk shit loads regularly. It'll help you quit in the same way anyway anyone who read Alan Carr's smoking book did for me many years back but it won't help anyone cutting down much.

 

[Bladders]

Not had an alcoholic drink this year.

Its very boring.


Sleep well though

 

[Grombleton]

Not had an alcoholic drink this year.

Its very boring.


Sleep well though

I can attest to that. Granted my last drink was after the Sheff Weds game (we needed a night out after that, even if it was strolling out of Pryzm at 3.30am...) but none since, so just the 10 days for me. Sleeping better than I have in a long while. Still have some occasions where i like the idea of sitting back with a drink and a film, but not as much as I thought I would. Much more alert in the mornings too.

 

[Wilko]

They can market them as AF but not as alcohol free. You have to make the assumption what AF stands for.

Mainly it's due to the tax levy, as 0.5% will not get you over the limit as you body will process it before it takes affect. It does make a difference to people intolerant to alcohol.

The industry is seeing this as a huge growth area with all the major players bringing out their versions. I have been involved in introducing our 0.0% beers into the country and we will be introducing a mainstream product later this year on draught. The issue is not to replicate an existing brand but to relate the name to a new one. Due to the process used, whether it be by heating or reverse osmosis, the flavour is compromised, usually giving an unwanted after taste. Serving temperature is critical.

Interestingly the trends are showing the consumption of beer is diverging, the premium beers with a higher abv% and low/non alcohol beer are both growth areas. Your session beers such as Carling Fosters etc are declining year on year. Craft is only about 4% of the alcohol market.

The drinking demographic has changed culturally with people tending to incorporate their drinking as part of another activity such as a meal where traditionally in this country we have just gone down the pub to get drunk! Also people are becoming more selective to where they consume their alcohol, bars are far more popular than the traditional pub. These bars do generally accommodate people better where there's less pressure on the need to drink alcohol compared to a "pub".

Interesting times in the brewery game.

Agree with this. The Windmill sell Becks blue on tap which tastes much nice than the bottled beers mainly because it is served very cold and feels refreshing like a proper beer on a warm summer day.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Not had an alcoholic drink this year.

Its very boring.


Sleep well though

Well, I started on 2 Jan, but otherwise this. Sleep is great, feel good in the mornings, runs are going well and........I’m bored off my tits. Currently wouldn’t trust myself in a pub but then no one’s going because many of my mates are skint or dry or both, so the long winter evenings are being spent on jobs round the house, stretching and cross training and trying to drown out the awful drivel my Mrs watches on tv.

I don’t trust myself at football on Saturday in this mood and I’ve remembered exactly why I last about two weeks every year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bozza]

11th straight day dry here (and 13th in total for 2020), and I've just slotted straight back into where I was for the first seven months of last year - I've not even considered having a drink at any point, and I'm now in that zone of "how long will I go this time?'

 

[Hamilton]

11th straight day dry here (and 13th in total for 2020), and I've just slotted straight back into where I was for the first seven months of last year - I've not even considered having a drink at any point, and I'm now in that zone of "how long will I go this time?'

Fancy a pint?

 

[Whitechapel]

Haven’t had a drink this year.

I’m still fat, fuming.

 

[Wilko]

11th straight day dry here (and 13th in total for 2020), and I've just slotted straight back into where I was for the first seven months of last year - I've not even considered having a drink at any point, and I'm now in that zone of "how long will I go this time?'

Same. Plan as I do every year is dry January. If I still has no desire or temptation to drink beyond January then I will stick with it.

 

[Napier]

Haven’t had a drink this year.

I’m still fat, fuming.

Day 15 for me as well. I do fancy one most evenings and have to convince myself not to succumb!

 

[chaileyjem]

They are stretching the truth here in a big way.
You will see on the board a number of beers above 0.05% so by law they are not alcohol free

They aren't but as i understand it they are all 0.5% or under - so the alcohol volume is negligible (legally in the UK they can be called "de-alcoholised" and in other countries can be legally labelled as "alcohol free". The UK has different regulations - thus the confusion.
Normal everyday food/drink also contains low levels of alcohol sometimes as much as that contained in a 0.5% drink. Bread, Ripe bananas or fresh fruit can also contain similar low level traces of alcohol. I'm teetotal - 18 months now - but drink the odd bottle of 0.5% beer from time to time.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

They aren't but as i understand it they are all 0.5% or under - so the alcohol volume is negligible (legally in the UK they can be called "de-alcoholised" and in other countries can be legally labelled as "alcohol free". The UK has different regulations - thus the confusion.
Normal everyday food/drink also contains low levels of alcohol sometimes as much as that contained in a 0.5% drink. Bread, Ripe bananas or fresh fruit can also contain similar low level traces of alcohol. I'm teetotal - 18 months now - but drink the odd bottle of 0.5% beer from time to time.

https://assets.publishing.service.g...e/763840/low-alcohol-descriptors-guidance.pdf

As I have posted I work for a large brewing company and we follow the guidelines unlike Brewdog

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Well, I started on 2 Jan, but otherwise this. Sleep is great, feel good in the mornings, runs are going well and........I’m bored off my tits. Currently wouldn’t trust myself in a pub but then no one’s going because many of my mates are skint or dry or both, so the long winter evenings are being spent on jobs round the house, stretching and cross training and trying to drown out the awful drivel my Mrs watches on tv.

I don’t trust myself at football on Saturday in this mood and I’ve remembered exactly why I last about two weeks every year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This. Without the decent sleep. Woke up this morning at 5.30 after a vivid dream that I'd called someone a nonce on a work email and got sacked for it. Couldn't drop off afterwards.

Bored off my tits. Well done to all who stay off the booze for any length of time.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Day 380 off the booze (last Jan 1). It does get easier.

I can highly recommend St Clements - available in Asda, Saino and a few others (Ocado). It's sparkling apple and pear and at a pinch it could pass for one of those fruity ciders. Nice alternative to soft drinks, water and so on.

 

[zefarelly]

Did January last year, and (possibly) caused PMR. . . . Still weaning off steroids. . . . 2 weeks dry so far and as has been said, evenings are ****ing dull as shit, TV is utterly dire, have been busy some evenings down the workshop tinkering with scooters/car or doing band stuff, but Christ, I don't know how some people survive watching tv every evening. Feels like a slow lobotomy.

PMR is a bit worse since I stopped drinking, apparently red wine is an anti inflammatory, although sleep seems better this week, and once up in the morning I definitely feel more on it.

Big challenge for me is drinking in moderation, as opposed to sliding into the old routine. I've been to the pub twice late afternoon whilst the lad does drum lessons, had an aF beer, a pleasant 40 minutes. Not sure how I'd cope with a whole evening. Football would be ok. I quite enjoy having a clue what's going on these days.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Day 14 it’s the longest I’ve done without alcohol in about 34 years (I managed 11 days last year)
As everyone says sleep the first week or so I had some bat shit crazy dreams, that had me waking up in a cold sweat checking I actually haven’t murdered the wife....
Last few nights slept straight through but waking up at just before 6 full of the joys of spring, running out of jobs I’m willing to do around the house, anything to avoid the mundane tv programmes or a film the wife wants to see when I know I will need a drink just to get through it.
Big life changing decision coming up for me this weekend, that could lead to drink, but I actually don’t fancy one at the moment.

Good luck everyone, and remember if you can’t be good, don’t get caught....

 

[seagullwedgee]

PF, I am also on Dry January, and have suffered some horrendous violent nightmares in the last couple of nights, I mean so bad that I have not been able to get myself together for the whole day. Hope it passes soon. I tried Dry January in 2011, and got to day 27. Other than that I have been a habitual and heavy drinker for over 40 years. Good luck, keep going.