Sober times

[balti-pie]

I wanna try the Budweiser one now 🤣 got a four pack of the guinness 0.0 just now, they’re chilling in the fridge so I’ll review when they’re cold enough 

[balti-pie]

1 hour ago, balti-pie said:

I wanna try the Budweiser one now 🤣 got a four pack of the guinness 0.0 just now, they’re chilling in the fridge so I’ll review when they’re cold enough 

Guinness 0.0: I tell you what, it ain’t bad at all. I’ve tried a couple of NA/LA stouts over the last couple of months and they’ve tended to be very thin, with a sort of ashy taste - far more like a soft drink in consistency, without the nice rich mouthfeel you get with a decent stout. 
this, however, has that mouthfeel - presumably cos of the added lactose. It’s really not bad at all, it’s quite satisfying! 
 

it’ll go on regular rotation in Pie towers I suspect, I’m going a 7/10 👍 recommended 

[deebeedoobee]

9 hours ago, balti-pie said:

Guinness 0.0: I tell you what, it ain’t bad at all. I’ve tried a couple of NA/LA stouts over the last couple of months and they’ve tended to be very thin, with a sort of ashy taste - far more like a soft drink in consistency, without the nice rich mouthfeel you get with a decent stout. 
this, however, has that mouthfeel - presumably cos of the added lactose. It’s really not bad at all, it’s quite satisfying! 
 

it’ll go on regular rotation in Pie towers I suspect, I’m going a 7/10 👍 recommended 

We did a taste comparison test on Guinness 0.0. Tried the AF one first and thought it tasted good. Then drank some full fat. At that point you could tell the difference. The AF was slightly thinner. But all in all it was a great substitute. If I were a Guinness drinker I’d happily have it. It’s not my typical tipple though.

[Quark]

As I drive to most of my gigs I'm all in on the zero / LA beers, gradually working my way through whatever places happen to have on. 

Absolute no-nos are Peroni (horribly sweet), Brewdog Punk AF (sulphurous nose and tastes ropey when it starts warming up) and, should you be unfortunate enough to come across it, Mash Gang's Unlucky Charms (weird sugary cereal-infused milk with hops).

Acceptable bracket is Beck's Blue and Brewdog Nanny State.

Top tier is definitely the Brooklyn Special Effects lager.

Still need to try Guinness and Ghost Ship, plus whatever else places are selling.

I've come across one on tap in Brighton, but can't for the life of me remember what it was called. Tasted great, but the morning aftertaste was like the Devil had farted in my mouth while I was asleep. Really sulphurous.

It's definitely nice to have something other than fizzy pop available when you're either driving or just don't want booze.

[pilton digger]

1 hour ago, Quark said:

As I drive to most of my gigs I'm all in on the zero / LA beers, gradually working my way through whatever places happen to have on. 

It's definitely nice to have something other than fizzy pop available when you're either driving or just don't want booze.

I drive to a lot of Bristol gigs and have done the same. I have tried a lot AF offerings in Bristol and offer a few thoughts:

Heineken blue - would rather shit in my hand and clap.

Peroni - sweet but I can just about stomach it if desperate.

St Miguel zero - too sweet, aftertaste is vile.

Ghost Ship - No. just No.

Guinness 0.0 - good and can drink more than one with no ill effects.

Lucky Saint - top banana offering. 

Bud zero - pretty awful

Brewdog Nanny State - ok

Brewdog Punk AF - drinkable but no better than that.

Becks blue - only if really desperate.

 

[topmarksbri]

I'm coming up to 6 months without a drink, think I'm going to drink at Glastonbury but will definitely have a few days off - I've had too many occasions over there years where I've been too out of it to remember a band and I look back at footage of the gig and regret not being fully present for it. It's really interesting reading the sober people who still dance/do karaoke even though they're not drinking. One thing I've found from recent period of sobriety is that once you do any of the things you used to do drunk sober you suddenly get a massive rush of self confidence and endorphins - even though it's awkward at first long term I think it's helped with my social anxiety. 

Would be great if the festival could get some kind of LA/NA beer on tap - I definitely get some kind of placebo affect from it of feeling relaxed but without any of the nasty bits!

[lessthanwill1]

I genuinely prefer the Brooklyn Special Effects lager to most other lagers.  Need to try the Guinness  one as have heard great things.

These are the holy grail in my opinion though, which you can buy from Ocado: 

 

[pilton digger]

interested in the Clausthaler, will look out for it. I lived in Germany for a period, Clausthaler was just a bog standard lager, nothing special but OK.

Forgot that Brooklyn Special Effects is good.

Also forgot that Erdinger is not.

[philipsteak]

1 hour ago, pilton digger said:

interested in the Clausthaler, will look out for it. I lived in Germany for a period, Clausthaler was just a bog standard lager, nothing special but OK.

Forgot that Brooklyn Special Effects is good.

Also forgot that Erdinger is not.

Either Erdinger has changed its recipe or I was just grateful for any old shit that wasnt Becks Blue cos I used to like it when I first stopped drinking. Had it again recently for the first time in ages.

It is not good

[lessthanwill1]

1 hour ago, pilton digger said:

interested in the Clausthaler, will look out for it. I lived in Germany for a period, Clausthaler was just a bog standard lager, nothing special but OK.

Interesting!!  I wonder whether not knowing the brand previously has had an effect on my enjoyment of it (hopefully not!). 

[pilton digger]

9 minutes ago, lessthanwill1 said:

Interesting!!  I wonder whether not knowing the brand previously has had an effect on my enjoyment of it (hopefully not!). 

nothing wrong with Clausthaler, there were always better options available.

[hodgey123]

On 4/24/2022 at 9:13 AM, John the Moth said:

I’ve done dry periods a few times, either for weight loss/fitness or for charity.

The most annoying part is always the ‘mates’ nagging you to have a beer (“go on / one won’t hurt / boring fucker”) while using you as a free taxi service.

I have stopped drinking for about 9 months now and STILL get this from my mates. Often get it at about 11pm - midnight as well when we are on the way to a club or something as if having not had a drink all day suddenly something clicks in me at 11pm that I will decide to have one.

[Quark]

Just remembered this one, local brewery just up the road from me and the LA offering at the rugby club.  Great post-training pint when I want something refreshing but I'm driving home.  I'd put it up there with the best ones I've had.

Sparked up some interesting conversations about drinking as well, as we've got your traditional rugby drinkers plus one guy who just doesn't drink, at least one recovering heavy drinker, and a good few who mix and match like me.

[Chrundle The Great]

Apologies if this has already been asked but do they serve any 0.5%ers at the bars on site?

I’ve bought some cans of Lucky Saint and Brooklyn Special Effects but ideally would only take a couple of each out with me during the day.

[hodgey123]

How did everyone get on? I was surprisingly nowhere near as tired as I thought and lasted until 3am ish most nights, only thing I really noticed being sober was how much your legs and feet ache towards the end of each night. The prices for soft drinks cans were a bit of a joke though but to be expected I guess!

[Ryan1984]

7 minutes ago, hodgey123 said:

How did everyone get on? I was surprisingly nowhere near as tired as I thought and lasted until 3am ish most nights, only thing I really noticed being sober was how much your legs and feet ache towards the end of each night. The prices for soft drinks cans were a bit of a joke though but to be expected I guess!

The rugby club, Proper Coffee (Williams Green) and Tibetan Kitchen (Other Stage) all did cans for £1.50 each.

[balti-pie]

11 minutes ago, hodgey123 said:

How did everyone get on? I was surprisingly nowhere near as tired as I thought and lasted until 3am ish most nights, only thing I really noticed being sober was how much your legs and feet ache towards the end of each night. The prices for soft drinks cans were a bit of a joke though but to be expected I guess!

I found that my legs and feet ached at the end of the day, but that can be countered by cake and sweet things 🤣 and in the mornings, I felt a hundred times better physically. I had maybe 2/3 beers on the wed, thurs and fri, and nothing at all sat and sun. This was absolutely perfect for me, I just can’t see how I would go back to drinking to excess. But it’s what suits each person 👍

[hodgey123]

7 minutes ago, Ryan1984 said:

The rugby club, Proper Coffee (Williams Green) and Tibetan Kitchen (Other Stage) all did cans for £1.50 each.

Annoying, was paying £2.50 - £3 whenever I went! Oh well

[gigpusher]

Husband got one of these at Gloucester services on the way down to try. He kept checking that it definitely was alcohol free as he couldn’t believe how good it was. 

[hodgey123]

3 minutes ago, balti-pie said:

I found that my legs and feet ached at the end of the day, but that can be countered by cake and sweet things 🤣 and in the mornings, I felt a hundred times better physically. I had maybe 2/3 beers on the wed, thurs and fri, and nothing at all sat and sun. This was absolutely perfect for me, I just can’t see how I would go back to drinking to excess. But it’s what suits each person 👍

Yeah I'm in the same boat but had nothing except a few swigs of mates' drinks when I was desperate for something to drink mid-set and didn't have any soft drinks or water on me. Feel fine today too and drove everyone home which would otherwise never have happened, and mood is just a lot better than it was the previous 5 festival Mondays.

[elgatonegrofabricwardrobe]

Really considering not taking anything with me next time as my hangover yesterday ruined it for me. Couldn't bring myself to stand up straight til about 8 o'clock. No fun whatsoever. 

[balti-pie]

Just now, hodgey123 said:

Yeah I'm in the same boat but had nothing except a few swigs of mates' drinks when I was desperate for something to drink mid-set and didn't have any soft drinks or water on me. Feel fine today too and drove everyone home which would otherwise never have happened, and mood is just a lot better than it was the previous 5 festival Mondays.

No suicide Tuesday! Woop! It’s really nice to have a clear and concise memory of loads that happened, including setlists (not completely, but mostly) and info, etc. it’s just so much nicer not having to deal with hangovers at all. Good work us 👍

[hodgey123]

3 minutes ago, balti-pie said:

No suicide Tuesday! Woop! It’s really nice to have a clear and concise memory of loads that happened, including setlists (not completely, but mostly) and info, etc. it’s just so much nicer not having to deal with hangovers at all. Good work us 👍

Yeah that's the added bonus as well, remembering everything and taking loads of other details in I probably have missed stumbling around pissed!

[philipsteak]

10 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

Husband got one of these at Gloucester services on the way down to try. He kept checking that it definitely was alcohol free as he couldn’t believe how good it was. 

Took a few of those with me. Very tasty, not great warm though. 

This was my 8th or 9th sober Glastonbury so really not a big deal for me now (the idea of being drunk just seems so weird, and the idea of having a hangover seems horrific). I'm lucky in that my friends don't make a big deal of if. Some are impressed that I go nearly as hard as they do. Still going 22 hours after getting up for an early shift on Thursday and seeing the sunset this morning after my evening shift Sunday. Felt every step of that walk back up Muddy Lane though. 

Well done to anyone who managed their first sober one. Hope you still managed to have an amazing time. 

[kingbadger]

Had a sober Sunday bar a couple post-PSB chillout beers. Think I might do more of them. Managed to keep myself low key buzzed when drinking and never tipped into silly territory- enough to enjoy a drink and take the edge off the foot pain more than anything. More surprised at how I could still dance like a twat at PSB despite it being Sunday night and sober, and still had the inclination to go SEC for Elvana to end the festival. But then again I didn't experience any of the issues others have and thought it was a vintage year. Think next time I might have a 50/50 split on the boozing/soberness though.