As I mentioned a few days back, I've become a connoissuer of NA beer (and spirits...) in my ripe old age. I see lots of posts on social media asking, "What's the point of NA beer? I don't get it!"
At least for me, having a healthy supply of NA beer at my disposal prompts me to answer the question, "Why am I opening a beer?" I've found there are two answers:
- I want the warming, socially lubricating effects of alcohol or....
- Life would be more chill if I was holding a beer right now
I've discovered that roughly 50% of the time, I don't care about the effect of alcohol, but having a beer sounds delightful. Go on a mental journey with me...
It's Sunday at 1pm. I've done the dishes, walked the dog, folded the laundry and just created a grilled cheese sandwich that has leftover brisket in it from last night. Scott Hanson is kicking off NFL Redzone, and there is a winter nip in the air. Having a beer would make the experience delightful, but I've got work on Monday and I've got to help my kid with a Science Fair project that evening. This is firmly use case #2 as described above, and I'm here for it.
The other subtly benefit of NA beer is that at no point have I ever accidently had 14 of them over the course of an evening...
Now when I was growing up, NA Beer was limited to O'Douls which I think everyone agrees is terrible and Coors Edge which also compares favorably to monkey piss. However, in the past decade Athletic Brewing and a bunch of other NA products have burst onto the scene that either taste good on their own, or taste like actual beer. Guiness 0.0 is the latter.
I haven't tried this yet, but I don't think I could tell ther difference between NA Guiness and the leaded product. They nailed the creaminess, the cascase and the roasty taste. Guiness has always been an awesome beer to start the session with, and NA Guiness builds on that. It's great for watching football, standing around a fire or relaxing after a run. I get all the dopamine of holding a beer that I've enjoyed for almost 30 years without wondering if I'm cool to drive home, or if I'm going to feel like hell the next day.
The other element, and this may be unique to me, is that I feel like I'm getting away with something. I get all the mental benefits of drinking a beer, without paying the physical price. It's like stealing from the universe....
With Guiness 0.0 available at my grocery store and every where else, I've retired from stalking regular Guiness in the house. I can save my alcohol consumption for IPA's and when I need Guiness for strength I'll grab a 0.0
(While writing this, I had the insane idea of whether it was possible to make an NA Irish Car Bomb which was a favorite drink of my crew in college and earlier life. NA Whiskey exists, and now I've got some homework to do...)
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