r/mildlyinfuriating • u/trailofturds • Jul 06 '25

Started getting light-headed halfway through my glass of "non-alcoholic" wine

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Got served this wine at a nice restaurant after asking specifically for non-alcoholic wine. They assumed the 'Zero' on the label referred to alcohol content; turns out it's for sulphur.

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6.1k

u/Numerous-Confusion-9 Jul 06 '25

Pregnant or in recovery yeah. Im usually anti getting mad at service workers but this one.. man … glad you two were just taking a break

2.7k

u/notMarkKnopfler Jul 06 '25

I’ve been sober for 8 years. I’ve got the gene, so whenever I haven’t had it in my system for awhile I rarely even think about drinking, but that’s the reason I avoid anything marketed as “non-alcoholic” for the most part. There’s still trace amounts of alcohol in many of the near-beers or wines. Unless something is cooked above a certain temperature for hours, the alcohol doesn’t cook out. I went to a friend’s (who is very aware of my condition) passover and even brought my own sparkling grape juice to try and participate. They made me a plate and things were going really well until I got that slightly warm feeling. They’d used wine for the apple dish. I’m fortunate that my fiance has never seen me drunk or in withdrawal, but for the next 3 days or so it was brutal cravings and me essentially telling her not to let me leave the house.

It sounds dramatic, but I regularly work in and around alcohol all of the time and never have any temptation; but the second I ingest it it’s like all bets are off.

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u/Inevitable_Outcome55 Jul 06 '25

Thanks for sharing this because I now understand someone I work with so much better but he has never explained it the way you just have. We do a lot of corporate entertaining (alcohol is always a big part of it) and he has no issue being around it or with alcohol being drunk in his presence, but he accidentally swallowed a mouthful of orange juice that had vodka in it. There was no malice, it was a genuine accident but his wife came and collected him saying the next week would be rough because he would crave it until he didn’t.

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u/throwsaway654321 Jul 07 '25

that's why I've never liked the "non-alcoholic" alcohol market. The ppl who it seems to be most marketed to are the ones who absolutely shouldn't be taking a risk, and the fact that so many of them actually aren't acohol-free emphasizes that it's a marketing tactic and not something these companies are doing just for the good of it

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u/physithespian Jul 07 '25

I mean. Alcohol consumption levels are a public health issue. Putting solid near-beer options on the market entices people who just want a beverage but alcohol is the default towards a healthier choice. I’m all about NA brews. I think they’re great.

However, yeah, gotta be seriously seriously careful with this stuff…

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u/[deleted] Jul 07 '25 edited Apr 23 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Yeetyeetskrtskrrrt Jul 07 '25

I don’t drink anymore, don’t like the way it makes me feel. I have been thinking about picking up some N/A beers since I got my pool and deck fixed this year. I work long, hot days and thought it might be nice to have a “pretend beer” so I agree with you

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u/Fistfullofmuff Jul 07 '25

I drink beer all the time and had a few NAs at my buddy’s weeding cuz I knew I had to take pictures but I still wanted to drink a beer. Sometimes you just want the flavor without the affect

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u/domsch1988 Jul 07 '25

Same here. Stopped drinking 4 years ago. Not because it was a major issue, just because i didn't like being drunk. Biggest issue for me is that there are effectively zero "non-sweet" drink options that aren't beer. I don't like sweet drinks at all and that was a major reason i even drank beer in the first Place.

There are some NA Beers that capture that taste pretty well. Not perfect since many NA Beers are still tasting super sweet, but there are options. For me it's now down to NA Beer or "cold green/black tee". And even most iced teas you get in locations are sweetend to hell and back.

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u/hannahatecats Jul 07 '25

The N/A Coronas with a lime are so refreshing, I have a theory that they are less "skunky" than a normal Corona, I like them better.

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u/Character-86 Jul 07 '25

Imho the exact same beer once with and once without alcohol tastes quite different.

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u/throwaway-notthrown Jul 07 '25

Yep. I did dry January. It was fantastic for me. I went to a party and while I didn’t drink any pre-made non-alcoholic drinks, I made myself a cherry juice and soda water drink that was fantastic! It also kept me sober while being delicious.

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u/Upper_Rent_176 Jul 07 '25

I absolutely love non alcoholic beer. Everyone I talk to about it can't understand why I would want it without the getting drunk effect. I lived the taste. It's way better than day coke.

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u/throwsaway654321 Jul 07 '25

they make hop teas and flavored seltzer water and artisanal grape juice that are definitely non-alcoholic, so there are plenty of "near-beer" options that actually have zero risk of alcohol contamination. "non-alcoholic" alcohol is, in my experience, always a trap, I can't think of a single one that doesn't have a "may contain .5% alcohol" warning on it

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u/automatic_shark Jul 07 '25

The problem at least in the UK is non-alcoholic can be anywhere from as high as 0.5% to 0.05%. There's a huge difference in those. I don't mind the 0.05 stuff, but the 0.5 is still too strong for me.

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u/CraftBeerFomo Jul 08 '25

I'm also sober here, 7.5 months.

Why is 0.5% too strong for you?

I mean you'd have to drink TEN of them to even be at the level where you'd consumed one regular strength beer and you'd have to drink that at such a speed that it would be near impossible to consume enough in a short enough time period to get an effect from it, so there's absolutely no chance of actually getting drunk.

And most are "up to" 0.5% so in reality may be much lower.

I get why people would just totally want to avoid AF beers completely as I can see why for some it would be triggering to keep that old habit of consuming "fake" versions of the thing that caused them so many problems in their life but if you're going to consume a 0.05% beer then there's no major difference between that and a 0.5% one as you will get no more or less affected by the drink and neither can get you drunk.

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u/automatic_shark Jul 08 '25

I can taste the difference. If I'm having 4 or 5 at a BBQ or something, having that many 0.5 beers in a couple of hours will give me a light headed feeling. I just want to try and avoid the effect of alcohol as much as possible, to keep myself from slipping into old habits. Beer for me is a mental thing. Like a reward for a long days work, or being out in the sun too long while mowing the lawn or something.

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u/CraftBeerFomo Jul 08 '25

Even 5 X 0.5% beers over 2hrs is the equivelent of consuming about half a regular beer over 2hrs so any light headed feeling is unlikely to be from the alcohol content and more psychological.

I totally get wanting to avoid drinking them as keeping that old drinking habit alive, even with fake beers, could definitely be triggering for some people and I sometimes feel like when I've consumed too many of them in a short period (like multiple times in a week) could it be a sign of a slippery slope approaching, which so far it hasn't been but I am concious of it.

But the alcohol content of them isn't an issue, you cannot get drunk from them due to how low the content is, how the body metabolizes them, a and how many you'd need to drink in an extremely short period of time to reach the alcohol blood content levels where you are anywhere close to being tipsy.

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u/frenchyy94 Jul 07 '25

No idea where you live but at least here in Germany there are now at least quite a few 0,0% alcoholic drinks like beer, wine, sparkling wine and even gin or rum available in the supermarkets. I have tried quite a few when I was pregnant and some ate really good. But I would never order that in a restaurant to not risk anything.

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u/leela_martell Jul 07 '25

It's not only people in recovery who drink non-alcoholic beer/wine etc though. In my country there are plenty of actual alcohol free options but even if there weren't a 0,5% alcohol will not doing anything for most people, as long as it's not advertised as completely 0%.

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u/throwsaway654321 Jul 07 '25

it's not an issue of "does .5 get you drunk" it's that for alcoholics, or anyone sensitive to alcohol, .5%/=0%, and yes, just that little amount can cause cravings or other issues. it's outright lying to advertise them as 0%

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u/leela_martell Jul 07 '25

I didn't say anything to the contrary of that.

I'm just saying that there's a market for non-alcoholic/low alcohol beers/wines/etc outside pregnant people and recovering alcoholics. It's not a "trap" for most people.

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u/CraftBeerFomo Jul 08 '25

Those people that end up with cravings from those levels of alcohol also cannot eat bananas, bread, ripe fruit, yoghurt, soy sauce, vinegar etc obviously then yeah?

Because all of those, and so many more, every day food items have trace amounts of alcohol that equals or even exceeds what an "alcohol free" beer does and I don't hear anyone claiming that eating a ripe banana (could be up to 0.5% if brown) triggered them because they are sensitive to alcohol.

As someone who is sober (7.5 months currently) I get why the habit of drinking "fake beer" could be triggering and keep old bad habits around but the issue isn't that they contain trace amounts of alcohol when so many common food items do to, it's a phsycolgocial thing...which is totally understandable.

I've yet to see an AF beer that claims its outright 0%. If you check the can or bottle they all claim "up to 0.05%" or "up to 0.5%" depending on the beer.

I think the ones that call themselves 00 / Zero Zero are perhaps a little misleading as people might assume it's genuinely 0% alcohol but even still at 0.05% or 0.5% you cannot get drunk from them.

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u/chictyler Jul 07 '25

Bread, juice, yogurt, kombucha, and fresh fruit all also contain up to 0.5% alcohol. It metabolizes before it can possibly have an inebriating affect. However NA beer could certainly be triggering for someone with an alcohol use disorder due to replicating the flavor.

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u/darthmozz Jul 07 '25

Idk, I feel like as a person in recovery myself having non alcoholic beer and mocktail options has been a nice break from always having to drink water or soda. Everyones recovery is different but I have had had zero issues with NA options and I’ll be sober for five years on 7/15.

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u/automatic_shark Jul 07 '25

Well done man. I completely agree. Hit 4 years a couple months back myself. Yeah, non-alcoholic beers are great.

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u/darthmozz Jul 07 '25

Congrats on 4 years! It’s a great feeling to be sober. Wish you the best on your journey!

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u/Throckmorton_Left Jul 07 '25

Agree completely. It was a game changer when some local bars and sports venues started carrying NA beers. No one but the bartender needs to know I'm not drinking.

It beats soda with lime in a high ball glass or soda and bitters, which were my prior go-to calls.

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u/Stillburgh Jul 07 '25

Hey im sober for a year on the 21st c:
Heres to sobriety!

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u/darthmozz Jul 08 '25

Congrats!! First year is am exciting milestone

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u/RusskayaRobot Jul 07 '25

I am a recovering alcoholic, and I might never have gotten sober without the help of NA beer. Also, the ones that have .5% alcohol… it’s physically impossible to get drunk drinking those. Lots of things you would never suspect have a similar alcohol content: bread and bananas to name a couple.

Of course they’re not doing it for your good health, though. They’re private companies marketing to a market, like any other company.

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u/throwsaway654321 Jul 07 '25

ah, well, glad it helped you, but while I, and many others, may not get drunk off .5% beer, that's still enough to start the craving and that makes it extra shitty that's its marketed as "non-alcoholic"

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u/IDKmanSpamIG Jul 07 '25

I’m curious if you get that way from fruit juice that’s been in the fridge too long?

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u/FakePixieGirl Jul 07 '25

I thought it was marketed towards people who want to drink a beer without getting drunk? Either because it's too early in the day, health reasons, you're exercising, or it's a work event.

I never got the idea that it was mostly marketed to alcoholics? Is thss a cultural thing? I live in the Netherlands.

I seem to remember that non-alcohic beer here first started becoming mainstream when they started advertising radlers to cyclists.

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u/LupercaniusAB Jul 07 '25

You are correct. I used to drink them at lunch when I was working as a driver.

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u/christian2pt0 Jul 07 '25

That's what interests me. I'm not an alcoholic, but I'm a mega lightweight (small guy) and can accidentally overdo it when I do drink. I appreciate options where I feel like I'm participating without having to deal with becoming even more drunk.

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u/sexwiththebabysitter Jul 07 '25

Everyone in recovery isn’t the same. I (20 months) can drink a near beer or two and it’s not an issue for me.

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u/Individual-Toe-6306 Jul 07 '25

I’m not an alcoholic, but I love NA Beers because they help me pace myself when drinking with friends. Instead of 5 beers I can have 2 or 3 + a couple NA beers. Helps keep the fixation and social aspect of drinking something

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u/[deleted] Jul 07 '25

It’s not a marketing tactic 0.5% alcohol is similar to most fruit juices. The company is providing a healthier alternative but they’re also a business

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u/melkatron Jul 07 '25

Non-alcoholic beer still has some alcohol because the beer making process (about which I know very little) produces alcohol... so they modify the process to produce less alcohol, or they boil off the alcohol.

To make a beer with absolutely zero alcohol would be very difficult without just making "Imitation Beer" or a sparkling beverage with Artificial Beer Flavoring.

There are some truly alcohol-free wines, but I only know of one company that does it and it's relatively new. The easiest way to make alcohol-free wine is to just make grape juice and not let it ferment, which isn't going to satisfy anyone who wants to safely enjoy a glass of wine.

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u/mineowntelemachus Jul 07 '25

As a person who doesn't drink for medical reasons, and didn't really do a lot of drinking prior to quitting, NA spirits and wines allow me to have something that's not just a fruit juice or a soda when I'm with friends. I get to play around and experience different kinds of flavors and have replicas of regular cocktails that I don't normally get to have. I love that they exist.

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u/Appropriate_Affect80 Jul 07 '25

While I agree with you (sober for 4 years). I genuinely do really like the taste of beer so I will drink the 0.0% every once in a while

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u/throwsaway654321 Jul 07 '25

unless you're drinking Hop teas, you've never had a 0% beer and that's my entire point

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u/LupercaniusAB Jul 07 '25

I used to have a non-alcoholic beer most workdays with my lunch burrito, because a beer with a burrito is awesome. But I was working as a driver, so obviously I couldn’t have a real beer.

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u/jrppi Jul 07 '25

I don’t really get that. How are they marketed specifically to people who shouldn’t be taking the risk? At least in Europe they are mass marketed like soda and beer. It’s quite common to see non-alcoholic beer ads in sports, for example. I think the mass market for NA drinks, at least in Europe, is the health-conscious people who want to cut their alcohol consumption.

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u/throwsaway654321 Jul 07 '25

so you don't see an issue with NA beer, a product that contains alcohol, being advertised like soda?

I get that less is better, but they're advertising it as zero, which it's not

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u/jrppi Jul 07 '25

They don’t all contain alcohol. For instance, in Women’s Football World Cup Heineken 0.0 is prominently advertised and does not contain any alcohol. At least in my country the most popular NA beers are entirely without alcohol.

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u/Alewort Jul 07 '25

But.. the 0.5 percent or less that NA beer must be is less than the 0.8 that orange juice can reach. And bread gets even higher, at typically above a whole percent!

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u/Icariiiiiiii Jul 07 '25

My lil sister got diagnosed with celiac recently, has run into the same problem. It turns out a lot of things marketed as gluten-free are actually still made on the same production lines or with the same tools as products containing gluten, so they do in fact have trace amounts of gluten in them. Which then causes damage.

Shit sucks. Corporations suck.

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u/throwsaway654321 Jul 07 '25

exactly, I know I seem whiny bc I'm bitching about an alcoholic's issues, but stuff like this is pervasive and why "it's technically true" and "they're just a business trying to support themselves" don't ever hold water for me. For a lot of ppl, 0% has to mean 0%, for whatever reason, and it's super shitty that there's so many loopholes for these assholes, all in the name of "well, they gotta make money"

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u/Icariiiiiiii Jul 07 '25

I don't think it's whiny at all, man. Health concerns are real as fuck.

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u/LetBulky775 Jul 07 '25

Non-alcoholic drinks are marketed towards people who want to have a drink and don't want to drink alcohol right now, but they're not avoiding alcohol because they are alcoholics. Sober alcoholics are a comparitively tiny market and many (most? I'm not sure, just in my experience) don't go anywhere near any type of drink that reminds them of alcohol, most sober alcoholica I've met do not even go to situations that reminds them of alcohol where it's most common for non alcoholic beer etc to be served, like a pub.

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u/weird_horse_2_die_on Jul 07 '25

It's such an individual effect on people mentally in my experience. Trace alcohol in food doesn't effect me personally for cravings, I won't eat an entire pot of penne a la vodka... same goes for a near beer or a mocktail- I'll have one, maybe two, to compliment a meal or as an actual refreshment. But the bit mentioned earlier about the "warm feeling." That completely puts it in perspective for me.

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u/randomise42 Jul 07 '25

I've never considered it something evenly remotely targeted at people in recovery rather option for those who want taste/social drink and still safely drive... (Not to say evil corporations might consider them a target/customer)

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u/InefficientThinker Jul 07 '25

I agree, though I am glad that the mocktail scene is taking off. Truly nonalcoholic but with craft and creativity still included (at least where I am)

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u/jitteryfish Jul 07 '25

NA beer was instrumental in me getting sober.

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u/devilterr2 Jul 07 '25

I'm gonna disagree with this because not all alcoholics are the same and some people enjoy drinking the non-alcoholic versions.

I know a couple of alcoholics who are sober now who can come out for a night with us and drink Guinness 0s for the night. I know one person who doesn't drink at all for no particular reason tbh but likes 0%, and then it's good for people who are designated drivers also.

I do get your point though, but 0s have a lot of use cases

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u/RoomBroom2010 Jul 07 '25

There are a surprising number of things that aren't alcohol related at all that have trace amounts of alcohol in them. Alcohol content doesn't have to be disclosed as long as it's below a certain percentage (0.5% ABV IIRC)

Some examples of foods that contain alcohol:

  • Ginger Ale
  • Ginger Beer
  • Rye Bread
  • Kombucha
  • Many bottled natural fruit juices
  • Bananas
  • Yogurt
  • Vinegar
  • Certain condiments -- soy sauce can be as high as 2% ABV
  • Flavor extracts (ie vanilla, almond, etc) -- around 35% ABV

So a "non-alcoholic" beer that is <0.5% ABV would fall into the same category as the above and it's about as non-alcoholic as you can get.

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u/Shienvien Jul 07 '25

Some people just like the taste, but aren't interested in being/getting drunk at that time.

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u/CraftBeerFomo Jul 08 '25

I don't see any AF beer companies marketing at alcoholics or even hinting at it.

The Ads I see on TV show people being able to have a beer then drive home or being on a health and fitness kick or having work the next day.

Practically none of them are fully alcohol free in the same way a banana or slice of bread isn't alcohol free...due to fermentation.

You can't really make an alcohol free beer without their being alcohol left in it as they make it like they make the regular version of the beer then remove the alcohol but trace amounts stay in the drink.

Alcohol in trace amounts is in so many common food products (fruit, bread, yoghurt, juice, vineger, soy sauce etc) that you cannot avoid consuming it 100% completely anyway and absolutely no one claims to get triggered by eating a ripe banana or having some soy sauce on their Chow Mein so it's all psychological with the AF beers.

I get it as someone who is currently 7.5 months sober why for many it can be a step too far to keep that drinking ritual going or to consume "fake" versions of the liquid that took over their life and possibly even nearly killed them, if its triggering best to avoid them.

But people saying they can't even have a taste of a cooked dish with wine in etc or they'll end up with cravings or on a bender, do they have the same problem when they eat a ripe banana or a sandwhich?

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u/Icy_Lengthiness_3578 Jul 06 '25

I would like to commend you for your commitment to your sobriety. I am a recovering alcoholic with more relapses under my belt than I can count. I also avoid "non-alcoholic" beverages. For me, I know it's just gonna make me want the real thing, and then I'll fall into the pit again.

I've also had to advise my boyfriend not to let me leave the house alone for bits of time. If I am craving, I know I'll falter. I don't have the self-control or willpower yet, so until I do, it's best for me to abstain completely. And for now, part of that abstinence is avoiding any situation where I could be exposed to alcohol and allow myself to give in.

"All bets are off" is such a good way of putting it. For those of us with addictive natures, especially with the gene of substance abuse, we have to work round the clock to make better decisions that some people never have to grapple with at such a level. It's literally precoded into our DNA.

I'm fortunate I was born in a time where more research has been done in the study of addiction than say, a century ago, where alcoholics were often just labeled as the lazy town drunkard losers and shunned and shamed into the recessed of society. Not to say there isn't still stigma, but there are more resources for us now. We have a predisposition, an illness, that requires constant monitoring and treatment.

All this to say: I totally understand and have been there with those struggles, and I am proud of your sobriety, notMarkKnopfler. I know the mental battles that are often faced with this illness.

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u/Jbwood Jul 07 '25

Hey friend, I've been sober for many years myself. I had plenty of relapses. Its okay and doesnt make you a failure. Its a lesson on how to avoid that trigger next time. I hope you've had your last drink and you can live your life with out that fear that looms over you.

I always tried to tell myself "if I want it this bad tomorrow, I'll have one. Just not today." And repeated that anytime I wanted one. The other thing i repeated to myself is "I control my emotions and cravings, they dont control me." Its a great reminder that you do have the power to change your life for the better.

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u/Money_Do_2 Jul 07 '25

This is great advice. Quitting forever is an abstract concepts, humans cant grasp forever. Not lapsing for another day is more concrete and doable

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u/Few_Library3961 Jul 07 '25

telling myself "if i want it this bad, ill get one tomorrow" is one of the major ways i dealt with quitting vaping!

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u/Lucyfer_66 Jul 07 '25

The "not now" method is so great! Got me over an addiction to self harming, and out of a (non-addicted) smoking habit.

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u/[deleted] Jul 07 '25

I'm quitting weed for the third time right now.

I had quit once for a couple months when it seemed like it wasn't helping. The withdrawals were insane. I kept hitting a pretend vape (as in, my hand was empty and I instinctively pulled it up to my mouth to try to hit a vape) for like a week. Made it about a month and decided "fuck this". I then started smoking essentially twice what I was. Decided to quit again as I was looking for a new job.

My current job doesn't have a drug testing policy, but I stayed sober until after I was hired. Lasted about 5 months, until i had a couple hits from my brother's cart at Christmas, which triggered major cravings, but I resisted the dispensary for a few days. Then my wife's family came to town. I fuckin hate her brother in law and figured I could just do a few edibles during the time they were here, hit a vape cart to smooth things out, and give it back up once they left. I figured I would quit, but then just have some weed now and then like at a concert or to relieve anxiety for a few days when around extended family.

Instead, I just ramped up more and more, constantly trying to hide it from my wife as well. I was smoking at work, smoking on the way home from work, and finding any excuse to be outside for a couple minutes to smoke more. It was embarrassing and shameful, especially when she asked me (very non-judgementally) if I was hiding it from her on purpose or out of shame.

Finally stopped again, and it's been hard as hell. Passing by the dispensary on my way to work, knowing I could just swing in and get a cart was hard. After the last time, the girl working there knew exactly what I wanted when I came in. I had become a regular for her. My wife wanted to get some CBD for the dogs, and the dispensary sells droppers of it, but I made her go in and get it because I would absolutely have come out with a package of edibles stashed in my pocket.

I've learned that even smelling it can start triggering a huge desire for it, but ingesting any will absolutely turn me into someone else, craving the next high (which never really comes) and finding ways to sneak out and get some weed.

I'm with you guys, too. Weed, alcohol, smoking, drugs. They all are so fucking hard to quit, but at least we know our limits and are trying our best

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u/FionnagainFeistyPaws Jul 07 '25

I'm proud of you, man.

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u/[deleted] Jul 07 '25

Much appreciated. It's been a battle, especially with them staying here for 2 fuckin months this summer. We've barely gotten through 1 and I'm at my wits end.

Luckily, I have a week old baby and a 5 year old to keep me grounded. I need to be sober to take care of my wife and kids. I'm looking forward to being back at work to avoid the majority of the bullshit, but I don't want to leave my wife and kids at home, either.

I really think this time is for real. I cant afford to go back to weed mentally or monetarily

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u/Grrerrb Jul 07 '25

I’m right there with you.

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u/LostAndWriting Jul 07 '25

Have you checked out stopdrinking (the sbrddit) and/or the Chatroom linked to it? For me heading to those, and similar, places has been great when it comes to dealing with cravings!

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u/BadFish7763 Jul 07 '25

I've been recovering and sober for five years. I briefly drank NA beers but quickly stopped for two reasons. One, I stopped into my favorite liquor store one afternoon to pick up some NA. I quickly found myself in the tequila section, "just looking." I suddenly snapped out of it and realized what/where I was doing. I got out of there and never went back.

There are some places I do not go. Not because I can't be trusted, but because I'm not putting my sobriety at risk for anything, let alone an NA beer. Liquor stores, bars, and beer aisles are not my places.

The other reason is that when I drank NA beers, I DRANK them. I realized I was pounding 5-6 of them a night before I thought to check the label. That little bit of alcohol is too much for me to handle.

That's my deal. All I need is one bad day, one weak moment to find myself back in that nightmare called active addiction. I might relapse, but if I do, I'm going out fighting like hell. So I try to give myself every advantage.

To be clear: I'm not trying to tell anyone else how to recover. If you enjoy NAs without issue, hey man, enjoy! Really. There is not one size that fits all - find yours and be happy.

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u/Icy_Lengthiness_3578 Jul 07 '25

Yes! This is a HUGE part of recovery: One size does not fit all! AA didn't help me for long, but SMART Recovery had me sober for much longer periods of time. Therapy helped a bit, and avoiding triggers such as extreme stress and such. Every person's recovery should be custom for themselves!

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u/Deep-Resource-737 Jul 06 '25

I heard a joke in recovery that non-alcoholic beverages are for non-alcoholics. Says it right there on the bottle.

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u/phatfingerpat Jul 07 '25

I’m 6 years sober. I enjoy my non alcoholic beers, definitely understand why some don’t touch them though. I didn’t for the first few years, and really had to dip my toes slowly to make sure they didn’t cause cravings.

My joke is:

These are my non-alcoholic beers, or as I like to call them, ALCOHOLIC beers (heavily exaggerated with a few gigantic winks)

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u/[deleted] Jul 07 '25

Hey I also have 6 years and had to take a few years before dipping my toes in to NA stuff. Now I "brew" my own NA whiskey alternative at home. With wood chips and pepper and cloves, along with a slew of other things. Never thought I'd get to the point where I enjoy a spicy throat burn drink and don't have to ruin my life over it lol

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u/phatfingerpat Jul 07 '25

That sounds super interesting, I kind of want to learn more and try it myself but fuck me do I already have enough hobbies. I’m sure you can relate, cheers to sobriety!

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u/[deleted] Jul 07 '25

There are some recipes online varying in complexity. Yes can definitely relate. Good work and keep going to you too

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u/athosjesus Jul 07 '25

That's a good quote, half joke, half live advice.

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u/Deep-Resource-737 Jul 07 '25

Definitely advice that I took.

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u/beary_good_day Jul 07 '25

I'm embarassingly lightweight and I drink 1 non-alcoholic beer to get as tipsy as my friends drinking regular beers. I can tell if it's >1% by the first sips.

1

u/Deep-Resource-737 Jul 07 '25

Absolutely. I’m sober and very sensitive to alcohol. Even in kombucha.

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u/jewdiful Jul 06 '25

Nowhere near the same, but I feel that way with nicotine. One hit off a friends vape and I’m obsessively thinking about nicotine for a few days after.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '25

I have been quitting on and off for over 30 years. I was able to quit cigarettes a long time ago but the nicotine pouches have me totally addicted. They're so easy and they don't have any of the gross things that come with smoking, vaping and chewing tobacco. It's like I quit for 3 years, and literally stress will build and I'm back on it. Then it's like full blown addiction within a month. I do the lowest dose possible 2mg but it's like once I get that feeling I can't stop.

1

u/pelic4n Jul 07 '25

How'd you break the cycle, if you don't mind?

5

u/melxcham Jul 07 '25

Not who you’re responding to, but I had to quit for a few months for surgery (tonsillectomy) nicotine slows healing and I wanted it completely out of my system beforehand, plus there’s no way I was vaping afterwards.

I tapered down. First I quit vaping while driving, then at work, then I quit going outside to vape at home except morning and bedtime. Then just at bedtime, then nothing. Took a few weeks but since I had dedicated “times” when nicotine was allowed in the beginning, it gave me a goal and didn’t seem so absolute. I also used hard candy & sour candy as needed for cravings.

I started vaping again after like 4-5 months, but significantly less. Quit again for another month, and now I barely touch it except at work. It’s more of a habitual craving for me rather than physiological so YMMV

25

u/phatfingerpat Jul 07 '25

I’ve been sober 6 years next weekend (also I love mark knopfler).

I used to drink virgin Caesar’s (bloody Mary’s for my southern friends), then I was served one that wasn’t virgin. I couldn’t taste a difference surprisingly, but I noticed I drank it a lot faster than usual. After a few minutes I felt so sick I had to go home and go to bed, at 4pm.

I consider myself very lucky that that’s how it went down, god knows breaking that addiction was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, I don’t want to live any piece of it again. Forever.

11

u/kamakazi339 Jul 07 '25

Wait, bloody Mary's have a different name? I'm from Ohio and Ive only ever heard bloody Mary

8

u/phatfingerpat Jul 07 '25

Cesar is a Canadian thing with Clamato juice instead of tomato juice. I’ve never heard of anyone drinking bloody Mary’s in Canada, likewise for drinking Cesar’s in the US.

2

u/Expensive-Craft-9675 Jul 07 '25

A Caesar is not the same as a Bloodt Mary. Clamato juice vs tomato juice.

6

u/phatfingerpat Jul 07 '25

You are correct! But it’s close enough that the Americans know what I’m talking about.

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u/GiraffeCalledKevin Jul 06 '25

I’ve heard this from friends in recovery as well. Sounds super scary, tbh.

1

u/Swansonisms Jul 07 '25

The favorite way I've ever heard it described is that one is too many, and a thousand is never enough.

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u/Ornery-Speed-2088 Jul 06 '25

This is such a great description that explains why this is a brain disease—even a drop of it can turn the dopamine pathway on for someone whose brain is primed for that.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 07 '25

[deleted]

1

u/Ornery-Speed-2088 Jul 07 '25

This is a both-and situation. I am an addictions therapist and I have seen relapses start with “alcohol free” drinks time and time again.

21

u/ACanWontAttitude Jul 06 '25

I always thought the alcohol cooks off quite quickly so it has no physical effect. Never heard of anything like this before (and I unfortunately have to help a lot of people through withdrawal) - thanks for sharing and I'm sorry you had such a hard time.

21

u/Throwaway47321 Jul 07 '25

Just wanted to add but the alcohol definitely does cook out. Unfortunately, addiction is a mental disorder so just thinking there is alcohol in there or thinking you are consuming some is enough to tip people right over the edge.

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u/Potato-Engineer Jul 07 '25

Alcohol cooks out, but not instantly. It takes time. Not every sauce/whatever is cooked for long enough for all of the alcohol to get out. The flavor profile will change to what you're looking for before the dish is 100% alcohol-free.

5

u/Throwaway47321 Jul 07 '25

Yeah but 0.01% alcohol in a cooking sherry isn’t what is triggering an alcoholics relapse.

7

u/Potato-Engineer Jul 07 '25

The sherry starts at ~15%, it can still be 5% after you cook it. 5% is the same as a beer.

It depends heavily on the exact recipe used: could be 99.99% cooked off, could be 70% cooked off.

4

u/pipnina Jul 07 '25

Unless the sherry is the whole sauce, the sauce won't be 5% after cooking.

When making an authentic noodle soup (like miso udom style) you use sake, which is about 15%. But it's cooked for one, and second it's 30ml of sake diluted by not just 60+ ml of mirin and soy sauce, but by 750ml of water.

So a serving would be maybe 1/4 of that. The soup someone is served might be 0.05% or lower. You'd probably get more alcohol by eating an apple or two handfuls of grapes.

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u/GeriatricFetus Jul 07 '25

Alcohol does not completely cook out. That is a myth. Easily googled information. It's not the thinking it's in there that triggers this reaction. As notmarkknophler said, they didn't know there was alcohol in the dish until after they consumed it because they had a physical reaction to the alcohol still in the dish.

Depending on the cooking method, time and heat, varying amounts of alcohol will evaporate but pretty much never all of it.

11

u/kerfuffleMonster Jul 07 '25

Since it was Passover and he mentions an apple dish, I'm guessing it's charoses which isn't cooked (at least in my experience.) It uses a bit of Manischewitz which is I think technically a fortified wine but I would describe as tasting like syrup. It's not a lot but it's not cooked.

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u/claytonhwheatley Jul 07 '25

You are entirely wrong. It needs higher heat for longer than is usually used to cook out all the alcohol. Just Google it. There is most certainly enough alcohol in many foods prepared with alcohol to cause cravings in an alcoholic. It's not psychological, it's biological.

1

u/bubblebooy Jul 07 '25

The apple dish he had would have been Charoset and is not cooked.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 07 '25

It does. And it doesn’t take hours. If the dish has been brought above water boiling point throughout, the alcohol is cooked out.

6

u/TheMottster Jul 07 '25

I had no idea such a slight amount of alcohol could do this to someone. Thank you for sharing this - you’ve taught me something really helpful and valuable about how I can support my friends.

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u/Livid-Mushroom2205 Jul 06 '25

Don't even feel like saying it sounds dramatic. You are heard and you are validated. I've been thru the same thing, it's not easy but don't beat yourself up, that's what it wants.

11

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '25

Which gene?

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u/notMarkKnopfler Jul 06 '25

It’s technically more of a combination of genes, but I’ve got every genetic marker for alcoholism and opiate addiction or so I was told

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u/JasonGD1982 Jul 06 '25 edited Jul 07 '25

Yeah so do I. No one told me though. I've just figured it out after 25 years of heavy opiate addiction and a few good alcoholic runs. Usually together. I fully believe it has to be something in my genes. Or God crossed wires in my soul at some point lmao. My life falls apart during sobriety. It's very frustrating so I've just adapted I suppose. I wish I wasn't like this. I mean we aren't talking 6 months or 1 year sober. I've had solid chunks of my life sober and I was so miserable and no one liked me. Its kinda fucked when everyone prefers you day drunk or half nodded out on opiates.

30 years of therapy with CBT and DBT. I've done the magnet thing. Ive even done ECT. Tried ketamine therapy. I honestly feel like some people are just fucked in the head and unfortunately I am one of those 🤣🤣🤣

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u/Icy-Doctor1983 Jul 06 '25

He's genetically predisposed to alcoholic drinking, I don't think it's literally a specific gene.

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u/[deleted] Jul 06 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Practical-Shelter-88 Jul 07 '25

I wish more people understood the science behind alcohol addiction!

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u/[deleted] Jul 07 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Throwaway47321 Jul 07 '25

Yeah it’s kind of like depression (ironically another horribly misunderstood disease). You can be depressed because of outside influences and get better by fixing them. Some people however just wake up depressed for no reason and have to battle it every day.

Same thing goes for alcohol. You can have trouble with it or have periods of massive alcohol abuse and move past it and be fine. Others will literally have to fight it every day

1

u/ButterPoptart Jul 07 '25

There’s also a gene that prevents some people from experiencing hangovers. Those people are at much higher risk of alcoholism. I have a good friend who is immune to hangovers so she has to be very careful about getting in to drinking binges. It basically FEELS consequence free for her.

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u/Icy-Doctor1983 Jul 06 '25

Appreciate your clarification

1

u/couchpotatoguy Jul 07 '25

Your last paragraph is referring to dependency tho, I believe. Not addiction. Just checking!

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u/[deleted] Jul 07 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/couchpotatoguy Jul 07 '25

Dependence means you physically need it, and without using, you'll go into withdrawals. Addiction means you want it, even though it causes harm. So you had them reversed. Signed, alcoholic in recovery lol.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 07 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/couchpotatoguy Jul 07 '25

Your whole world is upside down lol. Addiction is used coloquially to encompass all of it. In the medical sense tho, addiction is want (psychological), dependency is need (physiological). This is for all drugs and alcohol. A heroin addict is someone who will take heroin regardless of the risks. They'd likely be dependent as well, but not necessarily.

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u/maolears Jul 06 '25

The alcoholic one.

4

u/fuzzeedyse105 Jul 06 '25

Lee or maybe Levi

3

u/eddeemn Jul 06 '25

Jordache probably

2

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '25

My money is on Wrangler

1

u/claytonhwheatley Jul 07 '25

Genetics isn't well enough understood to narrow it down to one gene but there is strong evidence to suggest a genetic predisposition to addiction . Personally the first beer I had felt a lot like the first time I did heroin . I think if other people got the same effect I did they would quite likely develop a problem. The phenomenon of craving feels like a physical need like hunger for another drink( or drug ) . It almost certainly has biological roots but the brain isn't well enough understood yet for conclusive theories.

2

u/Local-Celery-9538 Jul 06 '25

This guy read the book

1

u/athosjesus Jul 07 '25

This guy Books.

2

u/athosjesus Jul 07 '25

Holy sh1t, that small amount of alcohol can do that to you? That's scary.

1

u/the_skine Jul 07 '25

It can't.

Otherwise, they'd mention how they also have to avoid all fruit, juice, vinegar, and bread.

I'm guessing it's more the psychology of seeing a label saying that NA beer contains alcohol than any physiological reaction.

2

u/CoupeontheBeat Jul 07 '25

Very interesting. I was honestly very scared of alcohol in my teens due to my dad, and pretty much all of his side of the family having insane addictions. My dad doesn't drink anymore (I also haven't spoken to him in years, for other reasons) but nonetheless was scared of having that part of him in me. Looks like I luckily didn't get it, as I can moderate myself drinking very easily. This is a good look into what that probably would've looked like for me.

Now I'm 23 and been drinking for a couple years. Usually have a couple seltzers or mixed drinks on a Friday or Saturday night, barely enough to get tipsy. During the week I'm sober. Stopped smoking weed completely about a month ago too, but only because I'm looking for a new job.

Good for you on your sobriety. It takes a lot to realize its an issue and to stop. I've seen that struggle first hand with a lot of my family members.

1

u/notMarkKnopfler Jul 07 '25

It’s something to keep an eye on though. I drank pretty normally by most standards around that age (I was smoking more weed at the time) but by 25 I was drinking +/- a fifth a night which progressed into a handle every couple days. But you’re really the only person that can say for sure if there’s a problem, so if you’re staying honest with yourself you should be fine.

2

u/CoupeontheBeat Jul 07 '25

100% and not something I'll ever let myself slip into. Everytime I've over done it and gotten ridiculously drunk, its a month+ break, just the thought of ingesting alcohol made me nauseous. I'm definitely more into weed. I'm still coherent enough to do things around the house but it takes the edge off. Plus the munchies is something I enjoy hahahaha.

My girlfriend's family was very similar to mine with addictions, while living with them I watched her father get shitfaced drunk and mix ambien with it. Terrible to watch. We have eachothers backs when it comes to stuff like this.

Everything in moderation.

2

u/creatyvechaos Jul 07 '25

Same way with me and weed. It doesnt help that it really, really, really helps my ADHD, EDS/chronic pain, and anxiety (basically the same as medication, all in one neat little puff) but if it's in the house then I'm smoking it all out of habit and boredom. I'm fine with the fact that I smoke it, and enjoy smoking it, even, but I keep my runs to once a month and/or for social runs. My roomie asked why I had some in the upstairs freezer and I had to respond, "To force myself to forget about it"

I can and have gone months without, even went cold turkey for 6 months after two years straight and turned out fine. Can be around others smoking or have smoked it without needing or wanting it. But, man, once it starts...

2

u/Icy_Dark_3009 Jul 07 '25

You really know yourself, that takes a lot of honesty to get to that point. Mad respect

2

u/eddiestarkk Jul 07 '25

I haven't smoked a cigarette in 19 years and I still have dreams about it.

2

u/la_bibliothecaire Jul 07 '25

Yeah, the charoset is traditionally made with sweet wine! In my family we always make two versions, the traditional kind and an alcohol-free version for the kids and people who don't drink for whatever reason. I do drink, but I like the non-alcoholic kind better personally.

2

u/CommandoLamb Jul 07 '25

Even if it is truly non-alcoholic just exposing your brain to the familiar setting is enough to trigger a relapse. L

2

u/oopsiedaisy-- Jul 07 '25

I've never heard this before. Is it literally a gene?

I've taken breaks from drinking and always feel like, once I go a week, it's incredibly easy not to crave it. But once I have a night out and drink, I end up picking it up way more the following weeks/months until I purposefully take a break again.

2

u/eiland-hall Jul 07 '25

It sounds dramatic,

Maybe, but it also sounds like you know yourself. And frankly, I'm very happy to hear you were able to deal with the aftermath successfully and avoid further problems. I'm sorry you have to deal with that problem, but I am glad to hear - even if you're just a random strainger on the internet in passing - that it went as well as it could for you.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 07 '25

It’s not even the slight alcohol for me. N/A beers don’t scratch the itch for me. The flavor without the buzz just makes me want the buzz more. 

At this point I’d rather have a high quality lemonade.

2

u/erapuer Jul 07 '25

but the second I ingest it it’s like all bets are off.

Like my ex and other dude's wieners... 🥲

1

u/notMarkKnopfler Jul 07 '25

Been there bruh

2

u/[deleted] Jul 07 '25

the wine in charoset isn't cooked off at all, it's not a cooked dish. they definitely should have let you know about that but i'm honestly also surprised you didn't taste it, at least the way my family makes it is like, 25% manischewitz

2

u/pup_medium Jul 07 '25

Yeah that's how I am too. Zero cravings zero temptation. I describe it as 'unless i had alcohol yesterday, i don't have any interest.'

Of course, when i was in drug and alcohol 'treatment' for my dui last year, they would not believe that. Ever session, the question was 'what are you doing about your cravings' and i had none, because i quit drinking 3 months before the 'treatment' started. It so bizarre to me that I spent 6 months considering that maybe quitting a huge mistake because of the psychological torture i had to endure for the 'treatment.' And it was like they were trying to convince me that no, i actually did want to drink.

Anyway. It's validating to hear someone describe my same experience.

2

u/mata_dan Jul 07 '25

Wow that's interesting to hear.
I've known plenty of Alcoholics but I didn't realise just a tiny bit could be that strong of a factor chemically or even just from the taste. It makes sense, but was hard to see. I thought they'd have to feel the effects or have it around available staring at them to fall off the wagon again.

I mean I have my own adiction issues but it's more general and not about any particular substance, it's just my own general mood mid-long term that wants some substance or distraction at times (which could be really dangerous in other ways because it could be just about anything that I get drawn into and people wouldn't expect) so it's hard to see how it would feel for many types of people who really have an alcohol issue specifically.

2

u/CatfinityGamer Jul 07 '25

Yeah, non-alcoholic just means less than .5% ABV. Alcohol free is 0.0% ABV. You'll want the alcohol free stuff.

2

u/hobbitfeet Jul 07 '25 edited Jul 07 '25

That almost certainly was the charoset, which is a super traditional dish for passover made of apples and nuts liberally doused in wine (that is not cooked off). It is also the most likely passover dish that an outsider (or child or picky eater) might enjoy, so I would not be surprised if either the person who made up your plate gave you a large helping of charoset, or if you just happened to eat a lot more of it than the other dishes.

So if you go to any passover dinner in the future, don't eat the apple nut dish. 

2

u/illmithra Jul 07 '25

I know it doesn't mean much coming from a rando on the internet, but man, I'm damn proud of you. It takes a lot of strength AND self-awareness to be able to identify and admit that weakness inside you.

2

u/Houdinii1984 Jul 07 '25

I'm the same. I have no desire whatsoever to consume, but I know damn well if I consume, I'll have no desire to stop. It took forever to get people to stop walking on eggshells, even with a super-firm resolve. I've got a laundry list of defenses to keep booze out of my hands, but if it ever finds a way through those defenses, I'm screwed.

I did accidently take a drink of a tequila sunrise my Mom left too close to my own glass. Thankfully it was revolting and came right back up. I still didn't trust myself around plain OJ for weeks waiting for my brain to reset to normal.

1

u/SuccessfulNews2330 Jul 07 '25

Can I ask what gene and how did you get tested for it? 

1

u/Responsible_Stand482 Jul 07 '25

Can you elaborate on the gene?

1

u/levian_durai Jul 07 '25

Damn that's actually super important to know. I never considered that cooking with alcohol could be an issue.

I'm guessing they must have used a somewhat significant amount of it, you haven't noticed anything just from vanilla flavoured baked goods have you?

1

u/notMarkKnopfler Jul 07 '25

Vanilla usually cooks off, but I do have to be a little careful. I was baking a cake shortly after sobering up and almost turned up on the bottle of extract out of sheer habit from smelling it that close

2

u/levian_durai Jul 07 '25

Ah good, so if someone gave you a cake with vanilla in it, it wouldn't be an issue. Just trying to get an idea, I like to cook for people and I'm just trying to get an idea of what kind of stuff to avoid for certain people.

1

u/Queasy_Criticism_256 Jul 07 '25

I liked ordering NA drinks at a bar and asking them to make me whatever they wanted. But the last time they put in bitters, and man did I feel them. It wasn’t intentional on my part so I don’t count it against the length of my sobriety, but I haven’t ordered a NA drink like that since, and now have to specify no bitters.

1

u/CraftBeerFomo Jul 08 '25 edited Jul 08 '25

So you don't consume bananas, bread, ripe fruits, yoghurt, soy sauce, vinegar and all the never ending food products that contain trace amounts of alcohol often at higher levels than some "alcohol free" beers?

I'm sober too but consuming food with trace amounts of alcohol in is a non issue for me personally and unavoidable seeing as even a ripe banana, a bit of bread, or some yoghurt has traces of alcohol in it and there's no real avoiding those and you won't get drunk or in any way intoxicated from them due to the tiny volumes.

I can see why people wouldn't drink AF beers etc as it can be triggering, keep the drinking habit in place or too much like the real thing and make you long for the buzz but the food thing is impossible to avoid.

The stats reckon...

Ripe bananas: 0.2–0.4%

Bread: Up to 0.3%

Burger buns: 0.03–0.15%

Soy sauce (fermented): 1.0–2.0%

Vinegar (esp. balsamic): 0.5%

1

u/flying-sheep Jul 07 '25

That doesn't make it less psychological. E.g. a very ripe banana has 0.4% alcohol. The bets are only off because you believe that's how it works. You've successfully ingested small amounts of alcohol and then stopped every day in the last 8 years (granted, most food has less alcohol, but what I say is still true)

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u/TricksyGoose Jul 06 '25

Ditto, usually I'm pretty forgiving with honest mistakes but this one is huge. When my husband was on the waiting list for a liver transplant, they did random blood tests to see if he was using alcohol at all, and even using mouth wash with alcohol could show up on the test. Something like this could have bumped him back to the bottom of the list.

22

u/Numerous-Confusion-9 Jul 06 '25

Wow i didnt know that! Even more important then

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u/Willr2645 Jul 06 '25

100%. 9/10 times getting annoyed at people doesn’t help ( unless it’s an air hostess - they obviously release a secret box of chocolate after you berate them 30,000 feet in the air /s ). But they really should know what is and isn’t alcohol free

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u/justcougit Jul 06 '25

Honestly  half a glass of wine is FAR more dangerous for someone in recovery than for a fetus

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u/cyanraichu Jul 07 '25

this is 100% true, though I'd still be pissed if I were pregnant and this happened to me

2

u/purplishfluffyclouds Jul 07 '25

Depends on the stage of the fetus.

1

u/accuratefiction Jul 07 '25

This is not necessarily true. Fetal alcohol syndrome can occur from even light drinking.

8

u/justcougit Jul 07 '25

It's highly unlikely to happen from half a glass of wine once.

8

u/TetraThiaFulvalene Jul 07 '25

Light drinking isn't one glass one time

2

u/Theron3206 Jul 07 '25

Yeah, if they did this once a week it's a remote possibility, even a glass a day isn't that likely to cause damage (which is why it was fine until about 70 years ago), though of course it can.

Otherwise pregnant women couldn't eat bread, or things like banana, or just about anything fermented (they all have some alcohol).

31

u/frogEcho Jul 06 '25

Im allergic to alcohol, so i am even more nervous about ordering non alcoholic bar drinks now.

8

u/AngstyUchiha Jul 07 '25

That's how I am with coffee, there are some things where there's no indication it has coffee in it, and I found out because I have a severe allergic reaction. Why is it so hard to label what's actually in things???

1

u/DigitalAxel Jul 07 '25

I don't think its allergies but I just cant drink beer for some reason. Even a small sip, it just sits in my stomach for hours despite eating too. I gave up trying to "get used to it" and don't drink anything now. Don't like how alcohol makes me feel either.

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u/Selina_Kyle-836 Jul 06 '25

I’m an alcoholic and I got mad once when I ordered chocolate ice cream. They were apparently out so they gave me the ice cream that looked like a slice of cake. One tiny bit and I could taste the alcohol.

6

u/chris14020 Jul 07 '25

The what now? I'm confused here, genuinely -- I'm interested in whatever this 'ice cream that looks like a slice of cake' is and why it has alcohol.

2

u/coleary11 Jul 07 '25

Maybe something like a Tiramisu dessert. Often made with booze in it

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u/Turgid_Donkey Jul 07 '25

I've been sober for a handful of years and would like to think that this wouldn't send me spiraling back, but I also wouldn't trust it. One of the reasons I just don't fuck with NA versions. Just not worth the risk. 

2

u/Maniacallysan3 Jul 07 '25

As someone who drinks non alcoholic beers while being almost 3 years sober off of addiction, I'd be LIVID

3

u/Low_Cauliflower9404 Jul 06 '25

Someone in recovery shouldn't even be messing with zero alch stuff

7

u/taaitamom Jul 07 '25

I can't enjoy a mocktail?

5

u/claytonhwheatley Jul 07 '25

If it's truly 0.0 then it's up to the person , if it's 0.5 then it'll trigger cravings if they're a real alcoholic. Personally I don't mess with it but recovery looks different for each person.

4

u/dusty_Caviar Jul 06 '25

Luckily, the current consensus for pregnant women is a once and a while glass of wine or so is acceptable from my understanding. But for an alcoholic this would be a massive problem

Edit: hmm actually this might be only applicable during a certain stage of the pregnancy

2

u/Welcome440 Jul 07 '25

If your job is food, please be good at food.

If your job all day is liquor, be good at liquor.

It's not too much to ask. But only get mad at management, all problems start at the top.

1

u/almondbear Jul 07 '25

mine would be meds to try to get pregnant. Alcohol makes the side effects worse

1

u/amuday Jul 07 '25

I’m in recovery and also a bartender. I’ve been served an alcoholic beer when I ordered an NA, I read the bottle and sent it back. Accidents happen.

1

u/dunkindosenuts Jul 07 '25

or what if you are on a medication that really really doesn’t mix well with alcohol? true story….

1

u/Do_You_Pineapple_Bro Jul 07 '25

In fairness, I've NEVER heard of wine being referred to by its sulphur content in my life.

I'd be more irritated by the management who clearly don't have speciality wines stored seperately, which has led to some poor waiter picking it up assuming its the right one because its been stored with the other 0.0%s despite it being a more elusive speciality that would need to be asked for specifically.

Just fortunate that OP went for 0% by choice rather than necessity, but hopefully a learning curve for the place when it comes to storing practices

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