Today is day 23 of a 33 day dry period. I had to cut out the alcohol 3 days before starting a Whole30 because of a colonoscopy - alcohol thins the blood, the doc wants maximum clotting should he make a mistake.

I have no problem giving up alcohol for extended periods. The prohibition of added sugar and dairy are also not an issue. But I would kill for a sandwich or even a slice of bread at this point. No grains for another 10 days. I’m running out of snack and lunch ideas.

I'm so full of admiration. I rejected the concept for January as it's the most depressing month of all here in London, and I thought about February, when it's lighter and shorter. But, in the end, being stuck in prison here with no end in sight is depressing enough as it is, without being able to drown my sorrows at the weekend.

I made it through! Wasn’t terribly hard in my case, but I do want some wine come the weekend

I mostly made it as well. I had a couple beers with dinner to celebrate getting an AWS Pro certification, and then over the weekend I just decided I was done with dry and wanted some wine. It wasn't hard to abstain; the hardest part was just deciding to do it.

Regarding the thread title, although I have have been drinking occasionally (i.e. once every week or two), the pandemic has effectively nullified my drinking patterns for the better.
Admittitedly, I am ashamed to say that I was a functional alcoholic pre-Covid. :(

I would have expected the opposite. I thought people were drinking more and starting earlier in the day out of boredom. You might be the exception that proves the rule.

I have 8 days, or should I say 8 nights to go. I was drinking most nights, but only 1 beer or two beers at most. I don’t seem to get addicted to things as easily as others. I’ve quit several vices cold turkey with no problem (alcohol, tobacco, multiple illegal drugs). I’ve occasionally wondered if I could kick heroin as easily. I’m not about to try. I lost multiple friends to heroin OD’s back in the 70’s. But I still wonder.

made chili from Kitchn for tomorrow. It calls for red wine - is this wine now too old to drink? I used a cup for the chili and even used some for onions. Can I drink it okay or should I just use it for more cooking?

It’s FFC 2010 Cab Sav, maybe a $15 retail.
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https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-mak...ekitchn-109352

I’ve heard that heroin is one of the toughest - not sure how it compares to crack for ending the habit.

Why not just taste the wine and if you like drinking it, then do so. What you used the other half of the bottle for is irrelevant ....why would it be too "old"? Why did you choose to buy that wine in the first place?
BTW, my chili cookoff winning chili uses beer as do many other chili recipes. Give it a try sometime.

Cheap California cabs don't really age...they should be drunk on the younger side. Taste it and determine whether you want to drink it. It may just be vinegar by now. Once it's opened it will oxidize and should be used within a couple days (or less). Store it in the fridge.

Actually gaobest has said that he doesn't drink wine so I don't really understand why he is asking. And everyone should always give wine a little sip before adding it to a dish....this goes for red or white or any recipe unless you are very familiar with the wine already. It would be a shame to ruin all of the other ingredients by dumping in a bunch of sour wine.

Thanks!
The chili recipe wanted a cup of the wine/beer to be used for deglazing and then mostly evaporation. If the wine was totally bad, would it badly affect stuff if it mostly evaporated?

We have dozens of wine bottles and zero beer so I chose to use inventory instead of dealing with getting beer, which also isn’t allowed with self/checkout :-)

can I just use this red wine for cooking onions? I guess I really won’t drink it. I’ve zero idea how or when we acquired it. Definitely some gift elements ...

The only answer is to TASTE IT and see if you want that taste in your food. If the wine is past its prime it will probably be ok (but you need to taste it to see if you want that flavor in your food). If it is vinegar you will have a very vinegary-tasting dish.

This. You are the one with the bottle in front of you, not us. Just taste it. You said that you don't drink wine so the drinkability by the glass is irrelevant. But if is tastes ok, by all means use if for cooking. Deglazing and evaporating just evaporates the alcohol...the whole point is the flavor of the wine or beer stays behind. That is the point of using it---to get the flavor. If you have a lot of wines at home that you will never drink why not give them to others who will? And now I am more confused about buying all the horrible cooking wine when you have lots of wine (that you will never drink) sitting in the house.
And as has been mentioned many times...you can use broth or water or juice. There is no reason to use wine in anything. I never use wine when cooking onions (or fish tacos).

gaobest I think you need to give up on keeping wine for cooking. If you need a glug of something to go with tomatoes (alcohol brings out flavours from tomato that other liquids do not) then some brandy or vermouth will do it. However, I’ve found that sake takes care of all my alcoholic cooking needs, that and Mirin(JP) or Mirim(KR). Sake doesn’t go off and and it doesn’t need to be the good stuff. Last year I was able to pick up some bottles of decent Sherry for half of what sake costs me and use that for Western dishes, but sake is the number one choice for us, works with everything, brings together everything. It’s the ultimate relationship councillor for surly, argumentative foods, a bit of sake and all is harmony.

There was a time when alcohol free beer was just dreadful. Anyone in the UK or Ireland remember Kaliber beer in the 90s?

Now that brewing techniques have evolved, there are some lovely craft beers available. My personal favourite is Lucky Saint. Its 0.5% - so not completely alco-free, but very tasty.

I'd recommend you try out some of the specialist sites like Sobersauce to try a few varieties.

Longest thread on Flyer Talk for many a month and it's got nothing to do with flying! My the world really has changed.

I remember the Billy Connolly ads...

I tried them all during my 16 years of voluntary sobriety ‘82-‘98. I thought Kaliber was about the worst of the lot. Yes, it was available here in the US, however I never saw any advertising. Most of the time, I drank O’Doul’s because it was stocked in bars. But at home, Carling, when I could find it, made a drinkable non alcoholic brew.

Whole30 won’t let me drink anything made from grain and 0.5% alcohol sounds like cheating, even if I wouldn’t feel it. I’d try one of these non alcoholic beers if I could buy a single. I’m not wasting $10-15 on a six pack, although I do that all the time on real beer I’ve never had.

I do occasionally see someone with a six pack of non alcoholic beer at the check out counter and wonder if they’ve actually read the label. This is the home of Florida Man, after all.

I drink very little anyway out of deference to others around me (some alcoholics, some who learned long ago that yes, Virginia, it is possible to drink too much and get horribly sick!). I just tend to drink a lot of iced tea (cue the collective gasp from my friends in the UK!) and flavored sparkling water (La Croix is usually the best; one local supermarket's house brand tastes like it came from the Chicago Sewage Canal). For something special I like a good ginger beer, which I was drinking long before it became an "in" drink.

Gin and Tonic Without the Gin
 

My wife and I opted for a dry January. During 2020 we had added a gin and tonic almost daily to our routine and then had about a half bottle of wine with dinner. We figured we could each skip about 200 calories each day from eliminating the alcohol. We also eliminated virtually all snacks, including chips, popcorn, and ice cream/dessert, as well as lunch, and implemented smaller portions at dinner. We made an exception for January 20, when champagne was served with dinner.

We also walked 159 miles during the month, with almost 19000 feet of elevation gain, and 133000 steps.

The results were quite impressive. Before the end of the month, I had fully achieved my target weight reduction, and my wife was happy with her progress as well (she had not established a specific goal). I have now created two further tiers of weight goals for myself.

We substituted diet tonic water with a squeeze of lime for the gin and tonic, and found that for our purposes it tasted essentially the same.

This worked out so well for us that we have extended the no alcohol program into February, with exceptions to apply on the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, a late arriving Christmas package from Europe arrived on 2/1, with various holiday sweets.

In the future, we will continue to adhere to the smaller portions concept, and may limit wine to the weekends and for special occasions, and when we're travelling. During 2020, our average cost per bottle has gone up substantially given the reduction in travel-related expenditures.

Like many commentators, water has been a good beverage for us as well.

Much more than 200 calories. Half a bottle of wine is about 300 calories alone, and a gin and tonic is about 140 for 12 oz/355ml of tonic and another 100 for a shot of gin.

It's the snack and sugar elimination that I struggle with. Even just now, though I wasn't hungry I still had way too many Trader Joes chocolate chip cookie things and some graham crackers with milk. I couldn't skip a meal though, especially lunch.

I applaud your accomplishments. If you can maintain this, it has benefits that may extend your healthy life.

I’m thinking you miskeyed the steps. I walk about 2,200 steps to the mile. Dividing your steps by your miles, I get 836. That’s some long stride! Maybe it’s 333,000?

Of course, you are entirely correct! It was 313,000 steps, not 133,000. Another interesting stat.: we were out on the trail for 57 hours in January.

Thanks for the encouragement!

We are in the same class. We are pretty consistent with 6 miles a day. I can’t match you for elevation. We don’t have many hills in Florida. With most activities here shut down, we walk. It’s pleasant. And I’ll keep it up until I can’t but I’m looking forward to a change of pace.

Last night I drank for the first time in 33 days. I decided to start slowly and had a pre-dinner bottle of Grolsch. Then another. Then Mrs BV and her dad started raving about a bottle of Spanish garnacha they were drinking so I had to have a couple small glasses of that. In all, it was fun but too much too soon.

I'm saving my jumbo bottle of imperial stout for Sunday night. Tonight will be dry.

I keep finding myself thinking about drinking, or setting (fairly arbitrary) dates for starting drinking again. I’m also drinking a lot of alcohol free beers most evenings, all of which tells me I’m probably not ready to start drinking again.

Thoughts?

My start date was 5 days ago. I was looking forward to it and overindulged. I’ve had two smallish glasses of wine since and no real desire for more. I don’t know if you’re ready or not, but I can tell you to start out slowly when you do. If you do.

My first attempt at not drinking lasted 16 years. My wife’s grandmother had stopped at about the same time. She had a genuine problem and was warned to get it under control or forfeit visiting with her grandchildren. We made a contest out of it. I won when she passed away. I know that sounds bad but she and I had discussed it and she complained that I had an unfair advantage being so much younger. There was nothing at stake but her sobriety and I felt like I was giving her encouragement. I kept it up another 7-8 years longer because I enjoyed being the only non-drinker at functions. Mrs BV’s grandmother wasn’t the only one in the family with a drinking problem. I know it shouldn’t have been entertaining but there was nothing I could do to stop them so I might as well enjoy the show.

After abandoning sobriety I found that my drinking had changed in its nature. Of course I was now 45 instead of 28. I now drink, when I do, to enjoy what I’m drinking, not just the buzz it provides. I have fewer drinks, less often and I’m never drunk. I never felt I had a drinking problem in my 20’s, I initially quit to lose weight, but I could imagine one developing.

Everyone’s different. If I had remained a non-drinker I think of all the craft beers I’d have missed, all the breweries and wineries I wouldn’t have visited, all the barfly conversations I would have missed. You’ll eventually realize you’ve made a decision even if nothing changes.

For me the first few days to a week I think about alcohol often and then it tapers off to the point that I don't think of it at all. I do think of it when it is an occasion (like VD or st pat's day or we have a street concert etc) but day to day it doesn't cross my mind. Maybe you need to give it more time. I don't know if the fake beers are contributing to your thoughts but probably.

I started out drinking club soda when I went to bars. I graduated to non-alcoholic beers and even bought some for the fridge. You may be right. Ultimately, it was the draft beer revolution that got me drinking again. Friends would come by and we’d sit out on the front porch. I’d have a bottle of Sharps and they’d have a six pack of Sam Adams cherry wheat. I’d be “Wha...? They make beer in cherry flavor now?” Eventually I decided to try some for myself. I’m not sure I would have if I was still doing the club soda.

Baby steps...

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During the early throes of the pandemic, I was definitely drinking more often--2-3 drinks every day. After two weeks, and an empty large gin bottle, that's when we decided to cut back to pre-pandemic levels: no drinking on Monday-Wednesday nights, except if there was some social Zoom call (which was rare)--some weeks I'll also not have a drink an additional day or two.

Since going low carb (20 grams of net carbs or less / day, 25 grams total carbs):
I've made the following changes:

Wines: lower carb / lower alcohol wines via a Dry Farms Wine subscription.

Beer: I was drinking mostly Clausthaler, my absolute fave non-alcoholic beer. Tastes like a good craft beer to me. My friends were not able to pick it out of a single-blind taste test as the non-alcoholic beer :-). However, it has too many carbs.

For a while I switched back to low-carb lite beer when I really wanted something carbonated that tasted vaguely like beer. Now I've found Lagunitas Hop. It would never be confused for alcoholic beer. However it IS exactly what it says, a "hoppy refresher" and I've developed a taste for it.

Liquor: zero carb liquors - gins and whisky, with a preference for gin. I used to think gin was boring but now I dig it. Even at zero carbs, liquor adds a lot to total calories though. No free lunch.

I tried an expensive non-alcoholic gin. Brand name D___. It tasted awful just by itself. When mixed with fizzy water it's OK.

I am one of those strange people who truly want to drink for the interesting taste, for the social camaraderie, and I am fascinated by how alcohol is labeled. So much design into each one. not for the head feeling I get.

But I actually don't like the feeling from drinking. My brain works perfectly well as-is and I don't need or want something messin' with it. Plus if all the latest health news is true, there is no healthy amount.

I really wish there were great non-alcoholic versions of everything.

For tonight and my recent concert at a favorite dive bar, I’ve committed to driving my friend home after the event so I’m impeded from alcohol. It requires post-concert time and is a nice chatter since it’s hard to talk (hear) in a loud bar. Mixed feelings. I love getting wasted and such a venue is perfect for getting wasted.

Personally, I like to be in control of myself. We had dinner last night at Miller’s Ale House. Normally I would order and drink two different beers before and during dinner. But I had donated blood earlier in the day and felt enough loss of control after one. TBH, Miller’s beer offerings are pretty pedestrian and I don’t think I could have found anything new on the menu to try anyway. No doubt we will be back at the local brewery tonight for one or two and they pretty consistently have a new beer on tap every Friday. And that’s why I drink - same reason I travel - for the sake of trying and tasting something new and different.

Had my first glass of wine in ~18 months, very rare bit of outdoor dining with family. What little tolerance I had is gone; enjoyed about the first half, the rest just made me sleepy.

It’s quite fun to be in self-control while wasted. 2-3 glasses max will do it. Maybe 2 :-)
I too enjoy new and different things despite liking the same things. I still try hard to order restaurant meals of things that I can’t yet cook at home.

Ditto - hotel house “free” Cabernet and Pinot Grigio. I’m getting 2 coupons per night and I want to use them. I got very enthusiastic about the menu for today’s luncheon as it includes wild game chili - something I’ve never had.

I'm fortunate in that I don't "enjoy" (or even know I feel) the reputed buzz alcohol gives one so I don't have any (signs of) addictive tendencies to it. I can easily stop drinking and not miss it (did it for a few weeks earlier this year when my wife wanted to dry out after X'mas) and also tend to abstain when off to a country where the stuff is bad and/or expensive (e.g., Thailand and Malaysia). I primarily drink wine, and almost always dry ones so there's a lot of stuff, primarily cheap and underfermented that I'd rather not drink.even if there was no alternative. Even so, I find I enjoy sharing 1/2l of wine rather than a full bttle (3/4l - though 1/2 is too little to be enjoyable). Beer, hardly ever. I've only bought 2 cans this year and it was meant for a beef carbonade. One was drunk during a heat wave (nearly 40C day) and the other is still in the fridge (never used the beef for carbonade). Again, I drink good beers or not at all (have never drunk many of the U.S. - or even domestic - mass-market beers)..Spirits, hard ever too.

I do pity those who have a predisposition to developing a physiological addiction to alcohol (or say, worst things such as nicotine, opiods, etc. - none of which I've tried and not in a hurry to ever try). I can't fathom the pain they go through.

what is the benefit of drinking alcohol if you don’t enjoy or feel any buzz from it? For me, The taste will NEVER be as pleasant as iced tea, coffee, certain sodas, or sparkling water. I drink water with all meals and it’s rare to have another beverage other than morning coffee.

Wine. You taste (and often with quite a bit of complexity - from the flavonoids), smell and even feel texture in your mouth. I usually don't drink anything other than dry wines as I can't stand any sweetness. I can't say I've ever tried dealcoholized wine but i imagine the fractional distillation process would likely not do the wines any favours.

As for soda, iced tea, coffee and sparkling water, I don't consume much sugar or other sweeteners (says the person with Kgs of fresh honey in the garden and buys dozens of Kgs of sugar to pour into wooden boxes in the same garden) so that's off except for unsweetened water (installed a chloramine filter that make the tap water much, much better). I bought two 6 packs of 710 ml (i.e., equivalent of 2 cans) Coca Cola in plastic bottles and was wondering why they were flat last year. I guess buying them 3 years ago doesn't help. Great for consumption during bike riding though.

Iced tea (and indeed tea in general) is best off without sweeteners (or any other additives); if it's bitter enough it isn't pleasant to drink without sweetener, it means it's overbrewed.

I know people who like coffee that way, and sparkling water (or seltzer) is generally distinguished from sodas specifically because it's unsweetened (and most often, unflavored, although flavored waters are certainly a thing as well.)

There's no accounting for taste. I don't enjoy wine or beer as much as many, but in their place some of them are every bit as enjoyable to me as the things you mentioned that I enjoy (basically, not coffee; there's no accounting for taste but that's one I truly don't get.)

I agree re: sweeteners. I guess living in cooler climes and culturally, I just prefer hot teas, which is usually crappily and weakly made in N. America for the most part. Black (I drink bulk Indian market tea, loose leaf) in the afternoon (or occasional morning) beverage and green only with appropriate meals (e.g., Chinese, Japanese). No tea bags, ever. Water is always refreshing (even the filtered tap water - the unfiltered leaves a nasty aftertaste) but offers little complexity. Also try not to contribute to plastic waste and the hassle of returning bottles for the deposit return (I'm cheap and want it all back on principle, which few places give)....

Everyone tastes things differently, or in some case have no capability to taste. e.g., I don't have the receptor(s) for whatever's in black truffles so that's totally wasted on me. My cats also don't have the receptor for cat nip.