[padmrajravi]

I don't think these beverages do anything specific to keep the driver alert. So the title that this is a late night driver's best friend is very misleading. This appeals to people who like the taste of beer. I don't think teetotalers will get tempted by this. Because most of us do not like its taste at all.

[mayankk]

I've been on this for the past 6 months or so having quit all alcohol about 10 years back. The first sip was absolutely joyful, because I was sick of spending 3-4 hundred bucks on drinks with umbrellas and fruits. However I'm still to see it being served at joints.
The bud has a smoother taste, while the Heineken is slightly bitter, but both are true tasting.

[Jeroen]

Non alcoholic beers have been available in the West for at least two decades. However, it is only recently they have become really popular, with many different brands, types and taste being available. Bit of a hype all of a sudden.

Most (Western) European have pretty tough drink and driving laws, with heavy penalties. Also, more and more it is simply considered extremely poor form to drink and drive. In addition, the latest insights into use of alcohol shows that even moderate drinking does pose a health hazard. So more and more people are abstaining from drinking alcohol all together. Which of course, boost the non-alcoholic versions of the traditional alcoholic drinks. So besides alcohol free beer there are a fairly large numbers of non alcoholic wines on the market as well.

I must be honest, I have yet to drink a non alcoholic beer or wine that really taste as well as the alcoholic versions.

I do drink the stuff, if I still need to drive, obviously.

Jeroen

[sai_ace]

On a parallel note - I totally dig the Kingfisher Radler series. They arent beer, but a very hearty, refreshing malt based drink. Obviously non alcoholic as well.

[Gansan]

Not for me. I will either have the real thing or nothing at all. It doesn't bother me. If I am driving I will drink only coffee or tea. I don't touch fizzy drinks either, except when I don't have access to good drinking water.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by GTO

• It's healthier.

Honest Q - How is this healthy?

Note: Healthy != 'not unhealthy'

People who have had this (the branded ones or the local ones) - does this help in keeping you awake while driving (like coffee/caffeine-based options)?

[clevermax]

Zero alcohol beer is gaining popularity real quick in India. During last Christmas season, Heineken pushed it really well - their Christmas tree (loaded with zero-beer) was in display in almost all small scale supermarkets where zero-beer was not yet sold.

I have tasted almost all the zero-beers available here, only Heineken zero tastes somewhat close to the original thing. Last day I tasted Budweiser zero while flying Indigo in domestic sector, it had a very light body, tasted almost like water and I didn't like it.

Zero beer would be a good choice for those who have already acquired the taste of beer. For me, I'd go for a good zero-beer than any of those sugar loaded soft drinks, if I choose to have something other than water during dining. I'm sure teetotalers would laugh this whole idea off.

[RedTerrano]

Originally Posted by GTO

[list][*]It looks like the real thing.[*]It's 0% alcohol, and thus 100% safe to have before driving.

Walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, but not a duck?
I can see a very hard time convincing the cops about this one in case you have a can in the car.
How does it smell (from a cop perspective?) Like beer?

[WorkingGuru]

About 2 years back I came across none other than Mrs. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw's advice on twitter to someone, that Non-Alcoholic Beer can be refreshing as a drink (Link) and that it is infact healthier than soft drinks as it is natural, low sugar & low calorie. It is even good for kidneys (if consumed prudently).

IMPO if you want to have what would be beer as it was meant to be (alcoholic), then its dodgy to consider non-alcoholic-beer as beer. IMO, its abit scammy as a product as its inauthentic & worse, its weird. Maybe just have lime juice. Your wish.

My 2c.

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by GTO

zero-alcohol beer is fast gaining in popularity

With due respect to everyone favoring the use of this beer, I beg to strongly differ, and completely disagree with the very existence of this thread.

We are known for our strong stand against alcohol. The current discussion borders on the inappropriate as it encourages the use of certain supposedly harmless drinks as driving aids at night. Alcoholic or not, anything that alters our natural state must be avoided and discouraged.

The forum shouldn't pass on the message that drinking these non alcoholic beverages is not just harmless but also useful. Youngsters will quickly pick this up and once they get used to this, will actively seek out stronger alternatives.

Should we be doing that?

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

Alcoholic or not, anything that alters our natural state must be avoided and discouraged.
The forum shouldn't pass on the message that drinking these non alcoholic beverages is not just harmless but also useful.

How can zero-beer alter our natural state of mind? Can you please elaborate on the effects of zero-beer on our state of mind?

For me, zero-beer is better than sugar loaded Coke or Pepsi. A can of Heineken Zero contains nearly just half as much of calories in a can of Coke.

Originally Posted by Red Liner

This is just carbonated feel good with an artificial taste of beer.

No, not all of them. Some are brewed in the very same way as that of regular beer, and then the alcohol content is removed from it.

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

This is just carbonated feel good with an artificial taste of beer.

.

Slight correction there. These are denatured, which means that it's brewed in the regular way, but then the "juice" is removed from it.

[Turbo Head]

I have been tasting them since ages, yes now more and more brands are coming up and these things are getting very common in your friendly grocery store or online app, However I don't find any good reasons to have unless you are trying to quit alcohol/beer, due to below mentioned reasons :

1. To an amateur it may taste like real thing, but for a regular the taste is very different. They lack that bitterness of hops.
2. Why intaking unnecessary calories when it won't make you high ?
3. It costs almost similar or slightly lesser than regular beer.

4. Personally I neither drink n drive, nor allow anyone else to drink (or eat) in my car.

So, basically it's tasteless calories, which doesn't get you high and you just have it to get the 'feel' that you are having the real thing.

I would personally prefer to have Black Coffee to keep me alert during my drive or maybe something which tingle my taste buds (milkshakes, lemonade, fresh juice, Redbull etc.).

PS : Yes, I have tasted them a lot, not while driving but in parties, when I am completely 'off' the alcohol and don't want to look stupid while sipping milkshakes at midnight jig.

[TorqueKnight]

Just spotted the Heineken beer in a Shell Outlet in Chrompet - Pallikaranai road, Chennai. Only once I tasted a non alcoholic beer and the was horrible, so I did not have the guts to buy one :-)

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

I wouldn't know, being neither a doctor nor a user. But given that the title refers to these things as The late night driver's best friend, I might not be too off in assuming that it helps the drinker stay awake, acting against his natural urge to sleep.

If I feel like sleeping, I do. I won't even have cups of coffee or tea to force myself to stay awake. I drive only when i am fully alert; i value my life and of others too. So, the drink in question too remains an unpalatable idea for me

About the effects of zero-beer on one's mind - I think it has no effect at all, whereas coffee and tea has (Caffeine).

Should one use zero-beer during a late night drive? Well, it depends on one's taste and preference.

Should one use zero-beer during a late night drive to stay awake? I guess no - zero-beer can't act as a central nervous system stimulant, like Caffeine does.

Should one use tea/coffee during a late night drive to stay awake? My answer is still no. It may help the driver to stay alert as long as his/her brain can function before requiring a micro-sleep, there is no guarantee that coffee/tea can help you stay awake and alert the whole night. I know it from my own experience - in fact, black coffee had helped me to relax and fall asleep during some nights when I was stressed than usual.

If you want to be safe, avoid driving the whole night.