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I'm in a similar boat. I stopped, but without a timeframe for how long. I just knew I had to cut back, but that wasn't working well, so I just stopped, and when

I'm in a similar boat. I stopped, but without a timeframe for how long. I just knew I had to cut back, but that wasn't working well, so I just stopped, and when I was offered a drink, I'd say "I don't drink", because here in Australia, I find if you say no to a drink, it's mostly forced on you. The statement put an end to that. However, I also internalized being an non-drinker. It became part of my identity. I don't notice a measurable difference in my life, which is also part of the reason I didn't pick it up again. It wasn't enriching my life, but I'm also not a better person without it. Having said all that, I am still looking for a replacement for what to drink when I do go to a bar. So far nobody has hit the right mixture of a drink that isn't defined by being non-alcoholic, but replaces the "I deserve this" attitude of having a drink .

lemonberry 5y ago
My favorite non-alcoholic beverage is equal parts soda water and tonic water, a couple of splashes of orange juice and a few dashes of bitters. Tweak as necessary. At the holidays I like non-alcoholic sparkling apple juice. I also find soda water out of a can to be a good beer replacement on hot days. I think part of this is the sound of opening the can and the carbonation. No idea if any of those will fit your needs.
- Marsymars 5y ago
  Having tried many drinks, I try to trend away from acidic ones for the sake of my teeth. Doesn't leave much though. Peppermint tea.
- pedalpete 5y ago
  Yeah, it still feels like "soda", which is what I'm trying to get away from. I've been speaking to a friend about creating something new. My requirements are: - not trying to be alcohol/imitation alcohol - not soda/juice/kombucha - has the "occasion" attitude of alcohol I admit this is probably 90% branding and 10% the drink itself. As I was mentioning to my friend, you probably wouldn't feel strange ordering a redbull at a bar without the vodka, because of the marketing and how it isn't considered a soft-drink. I don't know anybody that drinks redbull every day (though I'm sure there are people that do). Something more mature than a soft drink in flavor profile, something that I hopefully don't chug, so it lasts like a cocktail or beer. Keen to hear others thoughts on that. There's Lyres https://lyres.com/ https://lyres.com/ - which pretends to be gin/wisky/etc And Non (https://non.world https://non.world) - which is very juice, but at the price of wine.
  - kenneth 5y ago
    I'm a regular drinker, but I do a dry month every year. I make it a point to not let it change my social life at all — which means still spending plenty of time at bars and socializing with people drinking. I typically drink non-alcoholic beers (there are good ones that taste like beer) or ciders when available. When not, I go for soda-bitters, sometimes with a splash of lime juice. Lyres, Seedlip, and other non-alcoholic spirits just don't do it for me. They taste like water.
  - acjohnson55 5y ago
    I drink a prodigious amount of decaf coffee. I buy quality, whole bean, Swiss Water Process stuff and make it in a French press. I drink it black, and the combination of good beans and a lot of effort in tuning my brew process makes for a palatable, sophisticated taste. The routine of making it in the morning makes drinking it through the day feel earned. As far as I can tell, it's a pretty healthy drink. Another suggestion would be to get into quality teas. I particularly like Tie Guan Yin.
    - pedalpete 5y ago
      I drink coffee every day, unfortunately I can't stand tea, I can't stomach it at all! I'm thinking more along the lines of how we "use" alcoholic drinks, and something to replace that. It doesn't need to be healthy. More about getting the right mood and taste, and likely not the typical every day drink.
prawn 5y ago
I'm also in Australia, and though I do drink alcohol, I have wondered recently if it couldn't be a federal or state mandate that restaurants/bars/etc serving beer/wine/spirits must also have alcohol free equivalents - 0% beer, alcohol free wine, etc. If not a directive, maybe something strongly encouraged.
mhaberl 5y ago
> when I was offered a drink, I'd say "I don't drink", because here in Australia, I find if you say no to a drink, it's mostly forced on you I just avoid it as much as I can, but for me saying I don’t drink wouldn’t always work. People would just insist “just one drink”. Friend of mine said, as joke, I should start telling people that I am an alcoholic (which I am not) so they leave me alone. I actually tried this and it works every time.

lemonberry 5y ago

My favorite non-alcoholic beverage is equal parts soda water and tonic water, a couple of splashes of orange juice and a few dashes of bitters. Tweak as necessary. At the holidays I like non-alcoholic sparkling apple juice. I also find soda water out of a can to be a good beer replacement on hot days. I think part of this is the sound of opening the can and the carbonation. No idea if any of those will fit your needs.

Marsymars 5y ago
Having tried many drinks, I try to trend away from acidic ones for the sake of my teeth. Doesn't leave much though. Peppermint tea.
pedalpete 5y ago
Yeah, it still feels like "soda", which is what I'm trying to get away from. I've been speaking to a friend about creating something new. My requirements are: - not trying to be alcohol/imitation alcohol - not soda/juice/kombucha - has the "occasion" attitude of alcohol I admit this is probably 90% branding and 10% the drink itself. As I was mentioning to my friend, you probably wouldn't feel strange ordering a redbull at a bar without the vodka, because of the marketing and how it isn't considered a soft-drink. I don't know anybody that drinks redbull every day (though I'm sure there are people that do). Something more mature than a soft drink in flavor profile, something that I hopefully don't chug, so it lasts like a cocktail or beer. Keen to hear others thoughts on that. There's Lyres https://lyres.com/ https://lyres.com/ - which pretends to be gin/wisky/etc And Non (https://non.world https://non.world) - which is very juice, but at the price of wine.
- kenneth 5y ago
  I'm a regular drinker, but I do a dry month every year. I make it a point to not let it change my social life at all — which means still spending plenty of time at bars and socializing with people drinking. I typically drink non-alcoholic beers (there are good ones that taste like beer) or ciders when available. When not, I go for soda-bitters, sometimes with a splash of lime juice. Lyres, Seedlip, and other non-alcoholic spirits just don't do it for me. They taste like water.
- acjohnson55 5y ago
  I drink a prodigious amount of decaf coffee. I buy quality, whole bean, Swiss Water Process stuff and make it in a French press. I drink it black, and the combination of good beans and a lot of effort in tuning my brew process makes for a palatable, sophisticated taste. The routine of making it in the morning makes drinking it through the day feel earned. As far as I can tell, it's a pretty healthy drink. Another suggestion would be to get into quality teas. I particularly like Tie Guan Yin.
  - pedalpete 5y ago
    I drink coffee every day, unfortunately I can't stand tea, I can't stomach it at all! I'm thinking more along the lines of how we "use" alcoholic drinks, and something to replace that. It doesn't need to be healthy. More about getting the right mood and taste, and likely not the typical every day drink.

prawn 5y ago

I'm also in Australia, and though I do drink alcohol, I have wondered recently if it couldn't be a federal or state mandate that restaurants/bars/etc serving beer/wine/spirits must also have alcohol free equivalents - 0% beer, alcohol free wine, etc. If not a directive, maybe something strongly encouraged.

mhaberl 5y ago

> when I was offered a drink, I'd say "I don't drink", because here in Australia, I find if you say no to a drink, it's mostly forced on you I just avoid it as much as I can, but for me saying I don’t drink wouldn’t always work. People would just insist “just one drink”. Friend of mine said, as joke, I should start telling people that I am an alcoholic (which I am not) so they leave me alone. I actually tried this and it works every time.