Can you drink non-alcoholic beer if you’re sober?

It’s a question that gets asked frequently in the recovery community, and it always sparks (often heated) debate.

I had a few friends over on New Year’s Eve this year, to play games, laugh, and celebrate the start of another sober year together.

And yes – I served non-alcoholic beer.

There’s something special about it, because I don’t drink it often. The same way normal drinkers pop a bottle of champagne to celebrate – not to get drunk, but to add a bit of celebratory flair to an event. The four of us went through less than one twelve pack of NA beer, and when I cleaned up later that night there were two cans still half full. If those were real beers, we all know that would have been a different story. No good alcoholic drinks two beers on New Year’s Eve and calls it a night.

I’ve been drinking NA beer since 2020. It’s never been a problem for me. However…

What’s right for me isn’t necessarily right for you.

It’s important for you to feel informed and confident when you decide what’s best in your situation. The information available online can often be conflicting, so I’m going to clear a few things up.

Here are 5 myths about non-alcoholic beer, debunked:

Myth #1: Non-alcoholic beer always leads to relapse

Can non-alcoholic beer lead someone back to drinking after they’ve given up alcohol? Absolutely. Is that always the case? Absolutely not.

There are plenty of stories that go something like this: “I once knew a guy who had twenty years sober. He had one NA beer, and then went right to the liquor store, bought a 24 pack of real beer, and got drunk that night.”

But there are also stories like this: “I used non-alcoholic beer in my early days to help curb alcohol cravings. I’d have one or two, and that would get me through the roughest part. Now, I have one occasionally on a holiday or when I’m out with friends. I’ve been sober for many year, and it’s never been an issue for me.”

For every story of relapse and despair, there will be a story of success and fulfillment. Anecdotes are a valuable part of the recovery community, but remember that no anecdote is indicative of everyone’s truth.

Myth #2: You can still get drunk from non-alcoholic beer

Many non-alcoholic beers are not completely alcohol free. In America, a brew is required to have 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) or less to be considered non-alcoholic. So the question is – can you get drunk (or buzzed) from drinking na beer?

It takes 20 non-alcoholic beers to equal the alcohol content of one regular beer.

I know some pretty hardcore drinkers, but I don’t know anyone that could drink 20 beers in quick succession. Just sayin’. Reality is that the human body metabolizes the trace amount of alcohol more quickly than it can take effect in the body and the brain.

There are many foods that are part of a normal diet that also naturally contain alcohol.

• A ripe banana contains up to 0.4% ABV
• Bread, such as rolls or rye bread contain up to 1.28% ABV
• Condiments, such as mustard and soy sauce, contain up to 2% ABV
• Kombucha, a popular probiotic health drink, contains up to 0.5% ABV (more if it’s homemade)
• Vinegars contain up to 0.4% ABV
• Yogurt and kefir contain up to 0.2% ABV
• Fruit juice can contain up to 0.5% ABV

Small amounts of alcohol are present in almost every person’s diet. You’re as likely to get drunk on NA beer as you are from eating a whole pile of ripe bananas. Which is to say – you’re more likely to get sick than you are to get drunk.

Drinking a non-alcoholic beer can absolutely trigger an urge in some people, but it’s not due to the alcohol content of the drink. It’s due to the dopamine surge that results from opening the can and going through the motions that feel so similar to the old ones.

Myth #3: All non-alcoholic beer contains some amount of alcohol

In fact, many breweries produce zero-alcohol beer.

Zero alcohol beer (often labeled 0.0%) does not, by definition, contain alcohol. It is produced using different techniques than “non-alcoholic” beer, and is required to meet a different set of standards. See this link for more information about the standards required for the production and labeling of each.

Zero alcohol (also called alcohol free) beer is becoming increasingly common, with many of the world’s largest beer producers now offering a 0.0% option:

• Heineken 0.0
• Corona Cero
• Guiness 0.0
• Budweiser Zero

Myth #4: There are no good reasons to drink non-alcoholic beer

For some people, there are plenty of good reasons to drink near beer.

• It creates a sense of inclusion in social events, making them more comfortable
• It helps curb a craving for alcohol
• It has the feeling of being “special” for celebrations, something to look forward to.
• For people who just like the taste, it allows them to enjoy that.

There are some people that don’t have a need for these things, so drinking NA drinks doesn’t make any sense. But for those that do, NA beer can be a safe and fulfilling alternative to alcoholic drinks. Many people are left feeling a void in certain situations once they choose to go sober, and non-alcoholic beverages can safely fill that void.

Myth #5: There’s one right answer

Is non-alcoholic beer safe if you’re sober?

Is NA beer going to cause a relapse?

Will NA beer trigger you to have cravings?

You’re the only person who can answer that question.

This is where it gets important to be honest with yourself – which is, of course, a necessary practice in recovery anyway. You already know, in your heart, if non-alcoholic beer might trigger a craving. You already know if your intention is to use it as a replacement for the escape that alcohol gave you.

You already know if you can trust yourself to try it, and walk away if you realize it’s not a safe option for you.

It’s up to you to make wise, informed choices when it comes to your recovery. If you’re not in a place where you feel you can safely try non-alcoholic drinks, then the right answer for you is – don’t try them. Maybe there will come a day when that changes. Maybe there won’t. The only thing that matters is that you continue to honor what you know to be right for you.

More than anything, it’s important to stop attacking others in discussions about whether or not alcohol free beer is a safe alternative for recovering alcoholics. What is true for you is not true for everyone. If there’s one wonderful thing we’ve learned in the past couple of decades when it comes to addiction recovery, it’s that there are many right answers, many pathways – and none of them is more right than any other. It’s all about finding what works best for YOU.