What do you drink when out?

neris

Just wondering what people drink if your out in social situations and not having an alcoholic drink. Ive stopped booze for the last 2 weeks and am planning to get up to the end of a weekly event in mid October (at least) without drinking but alot of the social afters of this event are in the bar and doing a runner every weekend wont be feasible so rather then just a mineral water or 7up looking for ideas of drinks or even drinks to mix. NA beers are available but dont really like them

_Brian

Heineken 0 is as good as it gets.

Water is depressing to drink all evening and as for minerals I couldn’t be drinking 4 or 5 minerals.

Bassfish

_Brian wrote: »

Heineken 0 is as good as it gets.

Water is depressing to drink all evening and as for minerals I couldn’t be drinking 4 or 5 minerals.

I like having a Heineken 0 or an AF Erdinger when out. It kind of gives you th illusion of being on the same level as the drinkers you're with, until they're on the fourth pi t at least
I can't understand how it's so expensive though. €4.50 for a Heineken 0 in Cork City. Surely it should be closer to the price of a mineral than a beer with the lower Vat etc?

MistyLines

I don't drink and I have a cranberry, soda and lime. Not too sweet so it's nicer to sip. I also drink it at home but we buy tonic water instead. Half cranberry, half tonic water, a slice of lime and loads of ice.

Spanish Eyes

I'm in the tonic water group. Love it with ice and a slice. Not sweet or too bubbly either. Grand.

heldel00

Ginger ale with dash of lime.

_Brian

Bassfish wrote: »

I like having a Heineken 0 or an AF Erdinger when out. It kind of gives you th illusion of being on the same level as the drinkers you're with, until they're on the fourth pi t at least
I can't understand how it's so expensive though. €4.50 for a Heineken 0 in Cork City. Surely it should be closer to the price of a mineral than a beer with the lower Vat etc?

Price is irrelevant to me as I socialise so little.
Would usually have a pack of it at home, no idea what it costs.

Bassfish

_Brian wrote: »

Price is irrelevant to me as I socialise so little.
Would usually have a pack of it at home, no idea what it costs.

Got a four pack of the Guinness Pure Brew yesterday in Centra, €6. Its actually really good. Would definitely order it in a pub if it was available.

tedpan

Sparking water all the way

kevohmsford

Some sparkling water with lime and then pints of water.

drydub

Heineken 0 and erdinger N/A if out.
Actually in Dublin went out for food and they had heinken zero on tap. It felt weird having a pint, a bit too weird. Was 5e so good value too

Guinness n/a is nice too and a bit more taste than Heineken 0.
I usually keep a pack in the fridge, in case I was watching sport or a movie or I'd get a couple bottles of tesco Indian Tonic water which is cheap as chips and refreshing over ice on its own

Bassfish

drydub wrote: »

Heineken 0 and erdinger N/A if out.
Actually in Dublin went out for food and they had heinken zero on tap. It felt weird having a pint, a bit too weird. Was 5e so good value too

Guinness n/a is nice too and a bit more taste than Heineken 0.

Where did you get it on tap out of curiosity? I think it's a great option in fairness and with the drink driving laws etc I can see it really taking off.... As long as the beer actually tastes good! Agreed the Guinness Pure Brew is much tastier, it actually just tastes like a mild weakish pale ale. If I was drinking a bunch of pale ales and someone slipped one of them to me I'd barely notice the difference!

TheFortField

Non alcoholic gin and tonic served in large gin glass with garnishes.

(It’s only an elderflower tonic and sparkling water, but I love it. It tastes good and looks the part).

neris

Had the henieken zero yesterday in bottles in a bar and was nice but would have prefered to have gotten in as a pint. had in cans before and didnt like it. 1st time out last week in a number of weeks and 1st time not drinking and didnt go near the non alco beer and was hard after a while just having soft drinks and water

Sigma Force

If giving up alcohol just to give yourself a break from it there's lots of options. Some are very sweet though.

If giving up alcohol because of an addiction then it's not a good idea to go to social events so soon. Non alcoholic beers, being in that scene etc are all too easy triggers. That's just my opinion.

neris

Sigma Force wrote: »

If giving up alcohol just to give yourself a break from it there's lots of options. Some are very sweet though.
/QUOTE]

Im taking a break for a few weeks at least to loose weight and just cut back a bit on the amount I drink. Im involved in something until mid October at weekends that has given me a time to set myself to cut the booze out but there is a side to this event that centres around the club bar after and I cant avoid it. I did try soft drinks & soft drinks mixed together the 1st week and was bit much after the 3rd or 4th. Have had the 0% beers last 2 weekends and theyve done the job both taste wise but also psychologically. They did get the Heineken 0 on draught for this weekend and was nice. Its something I could get to use to

Bassfish

Doing Sober October this year so I'll definitely be getting a few of the NA Pale Ales from Lidl in for the weekends!

Pete Moss

Bassfish wrote:

Doing Sober October this year so I'll definitely be getting a few of the NA Pale Ales from Lidl in for the weekends!

Probably the tastiest NA out there in my opinion, and only €1 per bottle. Can't go wrong if you're after a decent NA.

Bassfish

Pete Moss wrote: »

Probably the tastiest NA out there in my opinion, and only €1 per bottle. Can't go wrong if you're after a decent NA.

Definitely the nicest one I've tried. Also goes well with a curry! It's funny how you can be satisfied by the feeling of 'having a few beers' even without the intoxicating effects as long as it tastes nice. Not sure I could drink six pints of it mind

Pete Moss

Bassfish wrote:

Definitely the nicest one I've tried. Also goes well with a curry! It's funny how you can be satisfied by the feeling of 'having a few beers' even without the intoxicating effects as long as it tastes nice. Not sure I could drink six pints of it mind

True, 3 or 4 of them is just nice and can help nip the urge for something stronger in the bud

cj maxx

I'm just after being in tesco.
20 btl Heineken €15
12 btl Heineken 0% €17
I know for some price is irrelevant but seriously how can that be justified ?

Bassfish

cjmc wrote: »

I'm just after being in tesco.
20 btl Heineken €15
12 btl Heineken 0% €17
I know for some price is irrelevant but seriously how can that be justified ?

How they can justify it in pubs is beyond me given the Vat is less than the alcoholic versions. Had the alcohol free bulmers in a pub the other night which cost €5 and I wound up thinking I should have just got a cidona!

cj maxx

Bassfish wrote: »

Doing Sober October this year so I'll definitely be getting a few of the NA Pale Ales from Lidl in for the weekends!

Was in lidl today look fr that. I didn't see any NA beers

Bassfish

cjmc wrote: »

Was in lidl today look fr that. I didn't see any NA beers

They're usually with the other craft beers. Brown 330ml bottles with a blue label.

GrayFox7

Doing sober October as well because my liver should be prepared for a local booze fest in November.

Simmer down

Personally I stick to a bottle of sparkling water, then free pints of tap water. I gave up the drink to be healthier and to have alot more money in my pocket (I couldn't justify paying over a fiver for a pint of pissy beer). I find all this NA stuff just gives me a goo for a proper drink so I don't ever bother with them. I can see their place though, but not for me. The price point is all wrong on most of them as well. Should be much cheaper.

Breezer

Where in Dublin are people getting the Heineken Zero on tap? I wouldn’t mind trying that.

BKWDR

Breezer wrote: »

Where in Dublin are people getting the Heineken Zero on tap? I wouldn’t mind trying that.

In Swords it's in Hogs and Heifers and the Old Schoolhouse.

You can message them on twitter and they can send you a list of locations in your area.

Quite a shock drinking a pint not having drank one in so long. Kept it to one all the same

Sigma Force

Simmer down wrote: »

Personally I stick to a bottle of sparkling water, then free pints of tap water. I gave up the drink to be healthier and to have alot more money in my pocket (I couldn't justify paying over a fiver for a pint of pissy beer). I find all this NA stuff just gives me a goo for a proper drink so I don't ever bother with them. I can see their place though, but not for me. The price point is all wrong on most of them as well. Should be much cheaper.

If someone is just cutting back for health reasons or something then grand but if someone has a serious addiction then the AF beers and being in a pub environment is a recipe for disaster. Just my opinion. Not saying a recovering alcoholic can't go to a pub but sitting with the same bunch of people and drinking AF free beer just makes it harder I think. We only go to a pub for a lunch and sit in the lounge, most restaurants these days are just glorified pubs anyway,

MoMo2020

Most pubs serve tea and coffee but that might be unusual choice in. I'd recommend ginger ale with lime or tonic water and lime for a healthier option.

tusk

heineken 0 usually. But there's a lovely white wine non alco called natureo or something along those lines, if anywhere has that, i will have it.

Drumpot

Usually sparkling water and maybe dash of lime.

If I’m feeling particularly exotic I love virgin mojitos. Always get them when on holidays with my family (I buy an extra sparkling water as I love dragging the flavour out!)