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Also incase anyone is worrying about over carbonated beer being on sale the primary use of the polyester is in the event of an explosion. It stops the glass flying everywhere.
 
Quick update on the last couple of weeks drinking.

Erdinger - pretty good; nice head, aroma of wheat malt and clove. Lacking esters and bite compared to the alcoholic version. But all in all an enjoyable pint.
Birra Moretti - clean flavour resembling the original but without the crisp finish that alcohol brings to the table. I’ll have this again too.
McGuigans ‘Zero’ Chardonnay - renamed McMinging’s. Had half a glass then poured the lot down the sink.

My verdict on Dry January so far is much like what I thought about marathons. I didn’t find either particularly challenging or rewarding, and I won’t be doing either for a second time.
 
I've had no beer since 1st January. Not a conscious effort,just seeing how I feel and how it goes.
Drinking AF would probably put paid to the abstinence.
I don't feel any better for not drinking but one thing is an obvious change I'm on driving duties more often!
 
I will concur with many of the rest of you, the Guinness AF is the best i've had so far, like the others lacks that bit of bite, but I think the roast barley and the creaminess gives it that bit of extra which the hoppier 'beers' have lacked.
 
I've had no beer since 1st January. Not a conscious effort,just seeing how I feel and how it goes.
Drinking AF would probably put paid to the abstinence.
I don't feel any better for not drinking but one thing is an obvious change I'm on driving duties more often!
Abstention: I don't believe it should be seen as a "1 month in the year" thing. In fact, I have nothing to do with "dry January".

I do keep to the Government recommendations of two dry days a week. Not strictly in that I don't count "low alcohol" beers (<0.5%, although UK laws fix "no alcohol" at <0.05%). But it amounts to over three months a year without alcohol! I'm not a saint, when drinking I don't try to stick to the <14 units a week recommendation.

The reason: If it all goes wrong and I end up with alcohol dependance, that may mean NO alcohol from then on (or else die!). That's scary enough for me!

I try to ignore that the recommendations don't mean "no risk", it only ensures "lower risk".

And today ... Tuesday ... I'm in the middle of my "abstinence" days for the week. More lovely low-alcohol / alcohol-free "beer" for tonight then. Don't wind me up! 👹
 
As I said it's not a "planned" thing. Strangely I've never looked at things like you say...adding the non beer days up,as you have into your total off of three months a year. This is quite a lot. For myself based on last year's shift pattern of 4x4,not counting holidays and expeditions I'm probably averaging 3 days or more a week not on the beer. This year I've a new shift pattern which sees me on weekends off but that doesn't necessarily mean more beer opportunities as sometimes going into the week on days on a Monday I'll not be drinking on a Sunday and same applies to in the week.
 
To be in direct,unfiltered sunlight they would have to be outside surely? Tesco windows as all commercial windows will be laminated glass/polyester the glue and polyester have amongst other stuff a UV filter applied. I know this as we make window laminates in work.
I would agree but you could clearly see where the coating had peeled off a number of the top panels and was hanging.
 
Well January is nearly done and my non planned lay off of the beer has been easy. Only once I had an evening,well not a full evening, just a monent or two,when I really wanted a beer and a curry but it soon passed. Strangely I haven't had a curry since new years eve and my normal curry habit is every week!
As for the conclusion...
Do I feel any better?
No. I still feel rubbish in the mornings! My aching bones are more noticeable I think as I definitely feel more relaxed after a few pints!
I think I've been sleeping better,when I can get to sleep that is!
I also think that in beer when thinking about the current events in your life the highs and lows are more accentuated for want of a better description.
As for when I shall drink more beer...when I feel like it I suppose.
 
Just tried a Brooklyn Special Effects hoppy lager. I know they describe it as an amber but it was darker than I expected. Decent hoppy beer smell. The fluffy white head didn't last long.

OK. This actually tastes like a beer. It isn't thin or watery and tastes decent - no powdery aftertaste.

This and Guinness 0.0 are by far the 2 best low/af beers I have tried this January.
 
I’d have agreed with that assessment @Pavros, until I tried the Williams bros AF beers after a recommendation on here. V good, and no thinness or worty flavours that most seem to have.

Erdinger also decent, despite the unnerving description of it being an ‘isotonic drink’ on the label 🤣🤣
 
Finishing off my January low/af beers. I have 3 different ones still to try.

The first is a ddh ipa, Lust for Life by Brulo. Very pale colour with a hoppy pine aroma. Slightly thin but not really noticeable with nice level of hops and bitterness (not surprising with Simcoe, Citra and Mosaic hops). No powdery finish. Not bad at all.

So that makes 3 I would drink again: Guinness 0.0, Brooklyn Special Effects and Brulo Lust for Life.

2 still to try thanks to Northern Monk putting them in the January subscription box delivered on 31 January! One is a chocolate stout and the other is a low alcohol tipa (what nonsense!).
 

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