Does Drinking Non-Alcoholic Beer Break Sobriety?

Often viewed as a nation of drinkers, changing attitudes in the UK towards alcohol and moderation have meant that the low and non-alcoholic beer market has grown. This changing of attitudes and habits hopefully will bring in a generation that is more aware of the dangers of drinking and help lower the risk of addiction overall.

For people who have gone through rehab and are amid aftercare, the question of non-alcoholic beer and sobriety is a tough one.

Does non-alcoholic beer break sobriety? Or is it a perfect alternative for people in recovery, helping them to not feel apart from their friends and family?

The debate rages on and if you are curious about it then you need to know both sides, the physical and psychological considerations when it comes to non-alcoholic beer and what support there is for you.

What is Non-Alcoholic Beer?

Non-alcoholic beer is a beverage that is made to match the look, taste and feel of alcoholic beers. The main difference between alcohol-free beer and normal beer is the alcohol content. A normal beer will usually contain around 4.4% ABV (alcohol by volume) whereas a non-alcoholic beer 0.05% ABV or less.

They can also differ slightly in taste but due to rising popularity, more money and time has been put into the production of alcohol-free beer, making it very hard to tell the difference.

Another difference is the amount of calories. Beer contains around seven calories per gram and with next to no alcohol in them, non-alcoholic beers have less. They have some calories though due to sugar and carbohydrates.

Non-alcoholic beer is usually made using one of four methods:

Controlled Fermentation

This is the most common way and involves fermenting the beer as you would an alcoholic one but stopping the fermentation process before it starts to produce alcohol.

Dealcoholisation

This method involves removing the alcohol from the liquid. You do this by adding water or steam and boiling it, so the alcohol is released as vapour which is then collected and removed. What’s left is the non-alcoholic beer.

Dilution

With this method, water is added to dilute the beer. This reduces the alcohol content.

Simulated Fermentation

Simulated fermentation means skipping the usual fermentation process entirely. Instead, particular ingredients and enzymes are added to imitate the effects of fermentation. Through this method, no alcohol is produced.

The Debate: Non-Alcoholic Beer and Sobriety

So, is non-alcoholic beer safe for sobriety? There is a debate to be had and ultimately you need to be sure of your answer before making the next step. Addiction recovery is a deeply personal journey and you need to make the choice that is right for you that won’t lead you to needing an alcohol intervention.

For Non-Alcoholic Beer:

• Mindful drinking ­– not all alcoholics started drinking to get as drunk as possible. Being in recovery then makes it seem as if you can never touch another drop again. Non-alcoholic beer allows you to enjoy the taste and feel of a beer while still staying on your recovery journey.
• Path to recovery – switching to low and non-alcoholic beer could be the first step towards total abstinence.
• Socialisation – stopping drinking may leave you feeling left out. Drinking non-alcoholic beers can allow you to be back in the pub setting with your friends. If you can manage the potential triggers then why shouldn’t you enjoy yourself?

Against Non-Alcoholic Beer:

• Risk of relapse – a study of the literature around non-alcoholic beer and alcoholism in 2022 found that drinking this type of beer increased cravings. Molly Bowdring, a clinical scholar from Stanford who studies addiction has looked into this subject. She has talked of alcohol cues and said that “the beverages come with a lot of alcohol cues. They contain the taste; the look; and, in many cases, even the brand, and that experience could lead someone to have cravings for alcohol and to pursue the full-strength version.”
• Still contains alcohol – most non-alcoholic beers contain some alcohol. If you suffer from a severe alcohol addiction then any alcohol is not helpful for you.
• Romanticisation – engaging back in drinking behaviours may make you only see the good side of drinking alcohol. You may go back to old haunts and old friends that led you down a path that resulted in addiction.

Psychological and Physical Considerations of Non Alcoholic Beer

If contemplating trying non-alcoholic beer, you need to understand the physical and psychological implications of that choice.

Physical considerations:

• Interrupt liver recovery – you’ve put your body through the ringer and any amount of alcohol can disrupt the healing process of your liver.
• Gut health – it can cause inflammation that disrupts your digestion and affects the absorption of nutrients.
• Physical response – it has been suggested that people with alcohol problems are more sensitive to it so any amount could ignite a desire for more.

Psychological considerations:

• Psychological triggers – as non-alcoholic beers so accurately mimic the taste, smell and feel of a normal beer, it could act as a trigger.
• Disruption of routine – being in recovery means making many lifestyle changes. By practising relapse prevention, your life may have become more ordered and dipping back into drinking may interrupt the changes you have made.
• False ideas of tolerance – getting past denial and understanding you have a problem is a huge part of overcoming addiction. Going back to drinking, even non-alcoholic beer, could give you a false sense of security around your ability to control yourself.

Guidelines for Making an Informed Decision

With no clear answer on whether non-alcoholic beer for recovering alcoholics is safe, the decision rests with each person. You need to think and ask yourself some important questions.

You should reflect on your reasons for considering non-alcoholic beer, whether drinking it would fit into your idea of sobriety and decide how comfortable you are about dealing with the potential physical and psychological effects.

Most importantly, you need to be honest with yourself, your support network and consult your healthcare provider. While it’s not definite, drinking non-alcoholic beer could undo all the progress you’ve made and send you back to alcohol rehab.

Alternatives to Non-Alcoholic Beer

If you have concerns about non-alcoholic beer and sobriety, there are other beverages you could try instead that don’t carry the same risk.

• Flavoured sparkling water and seltzers
• Mocktails
• Craft fizzy drinks
• Hot or cold herbal teas

Seeking Support and Staying Committed to Sobriety

Going from addiction to sobriety is hard. Even after the difficult addiction treatments, the road you face is a long one.

It’s not one that you should walk alone.

Beyond the lifestyle changes you should make along with stopping drinking – exercising, eating a balanced diet, practising self-care – you should build around you a strong support network. This network doesn’t have to just include your family, it should be a wide range of people that understand what you are going through.

A support network can help you feel less isolated, provide emotional and practical help, hold you to account and help you work on coping mechanisms.

Even after you have completed detox and gone through rehab, there are many resources available to you. These include:

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Change Grow Live
• We Are With You
• Alcohol Change UK

If you are worried about your sobriety and non-alcoholic beverages – you are unsure of them or feel tempted to try – then you should reach out for help. A relapse is not inevitable and support is there if you ask.

Stay Strong in Your Sobriety Journey

It’s helpful to know both sides of the debate around non-alcoholic beer and sobriety but you must make the right decision for you. Addiction Advocates can help you on your addiction recovery journey, providing support and advice whenever you need it.

For anyone struggling, there is help out. Beyond the services we offer, support services such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Alcohol Change and We Are With You offer invaluable help.

To learn more about us at Addiction Advocates, call now at 0800 012 6088.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9571501/

https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2024/02/27/non-alcoholic-drinks-and-alcoholism/