As someone who loves nothing more than sitting on a glorious sunny patio by the river with a glass of the latest seasonal drink from a local craft brewery or cidery, this is getting really hard.
There’s two “me’s”…the ME that can have a gorgeous, quality beer or two and good conversation with a friend on a summer day, and the me that buys and downs 1.5 ltrs of cheap wine after work because something not-so-great happened, or because something great happened, or because Wednesday.
There’s the ME that loves good food and drink, has a genuine interest in learning how to home-ferment, and can proudly sip on a thimble-full of my first ever homemade mead without being triggered and without going overboard or even getting tipsy. Then there’s the me that drinks 6 cans of ****ty, sickeningly sweet cider and pops a tylonol and zantac 75 before passing out on the couch.
I’ve always believed that the ME who appreciates and values quality food and drink and imbibes moderately will one day have a chance to shine. But for now until the other me can get her ***t together, I’m not drinking, period. Going on 30 days. It’s getting tough. Summer’s here and there’s a great new raddler out.
I was more of a wine pairing guy, but I absolutely loved going to the local microbrewery and doing beer pairings, etc. I’ve come to find that the true pleasure came from the food not the booze. I can still go enjoy quality food without drinking. In fact it’s better. Even a little bit of alcohol numbs the senses. Taste is a sense. If you really love creating your own drinks you can always look into NA options. NA options wouldn’t work for me bc I’m an alcoholic, but it might be a good outlet for your creativity
Yup, I did. Sitting outside on my balcony with a glass of a good red wine in my hand, waiting til the sun goes down…but then the drinking did not stop, I mostly had the whole damn bottle and some beers on top.
There are so many great alcoholfree beverages out there that do not harm your liver, or alter your mind, or poison you from head to toes!
Never forget, it’s the moment that counts, not the drink in your hand
I am brewing kombucha! And good news, one of my local microbreweries has fizzy kombucha on tap, so I can enjoy a “special” drink with a friend now and then. That said, I need to tred carefully. Getting in the habit of hanging out where booze is served had led to me letting my guard down in the past. This has to be a rare treat, for now.
Even when you’re not hanging around with friends. It was a whole new experience for me sitting on my balcony without alcohol, just enjoying the moment, the birds, the wind, watching the clouds and so on. Or reading a good book, I can get totally lost in it.
Yes! I definitely have struggled with this over the years, though my issue was fine wine, not craft beer. It took me a long time to realize that no matter how much I wanted me to be the ‘savor the delicious Amarone’ me every time I drank, there was no telling when the swill the Amarone and chug a couple more bottles me would show up. Once I finally got that I had a problem with alcohol period, it was easier to step away altogether. Reading the book The Naked Mind helped shift my beliefs about alcohol and drinking…as did the thousands of blackouts, hangovers, bad decisions, lies, suicidal thoughts and hell over the years.
I have found a more peaceful existence without the alcohol. The sun still shines, food tastes great, friends are friends and I feel positive and proud of myself. It is a good feeling.
Good call about recognizing it as a not so good idea. We have a saying that goes something like “if you go to the barber shop enough times, you will eventually end up getting a haircut”.
A rare treat is a good idea. Have a plan if you do end up going. A plan for the “why aren’t you drinking” question. An escape plan if you need to bail. Shit like that😉
I found an explanation on a website. They explain it way better than I ever could.
the following can be potentially triggering
“The right drink can enhance a dining experience and the wrong drink can ruin an entire meal. For some of us, it may seem a little odd to pair a specific drink with something to eat. But here’s an example: Let’s say you have a chocolate brownie. It’s deep and chocolaty and quite sweet. You could put a scoop of ice cream on it, or a drizzle of hot fudge. You could add some berries, or a raspberry sauce, or a little salted caramel, or quite a few other delicious things – this would make the brownie even MORE delicious. But would you add a spicy pesto or some rich gravy? Probably not as the flavours simply don’t complement one another. And it’s exactly the same principle when it comes to pairing drinks and food.”
@Mephistopheles do you not (or did you not at one point) sometimes feel that a piece of you was lost when the knowledge became obsolete? I’m the girl that loves good beers. Sometimes I feel sad that that won’t be part of me anymore. I’m sure I’ll get over it…its just one of those parts that sucks for now.
This absolutely resonates with me. I have spent my career and adulthood defining myself through my passion and knowledge of craft beer. I have worked for craft breweries, blogged about beer, and worked at high end cocktail and beer bars.
Coming to terms with never drinking again feels like I am mourning a friend. I am continuously thinking about the moments that I will miss. The joy of bottle sharing a Prairie Bomb with my dad on Father’s Day, the pride of having expertly matched a scotch to a beer for a customer, and the raised eyebrow look of pleasure that I give to a bloke when my knowledge of hops and malts outweighs his.
I have worn the badge of honour of a craft beer girl for my entire adult life, and at age 31, I’m not sure how else to define my life.
I’m trying to remember the other things that make me unique. A love of Everton Football Club, and walking along the beach while it rains. Reading Stephen King books and gazing upon brutalist architecture. Op shopped vintage pieces and French Nu Wave films.
My passion for craft beer and the pleasure that it has bought me does not define me. If I’m being honest, what started defining me was the booze blues, and hangovers. Too much makeup covering sunken eyes and dark purple bruises that I could not remember getting. The fear of what I had said in a blackout haze, and if I needed to make amends with someone.
My brother in-law’s and I are proficient consumers of craft beers. Last month I survived a weekend camping trip with nothing more than iced tea. I have also found most Brew pubs also do craft cream sodas and root beers. And on the good side the food actually begins to taste better. So keep doing what you’re doing, until you figure out what you need/want to do.
@cait the sadness is real. This made me want to cry. Nonetheless I’m also aware, deep down, that I only really got “into” good beer after I had to give up another love of mine…boxing. I think defining myself based on what I do that sets me apart from others is maybe a bit of a problem. This has got me thinking deep. If we define our selves based on what we do, who are we when we don’t or can’t do that anymore? I spent some time at a Buddhist monastary once. I appreciate in some ways what they teach about there being “no self”. In some ways it’s also scary. Meditation helps, but I need to do it more. Anyways, I’m standing strong with you. For today
Meditation is helping me too. It is going to be an interesting journey learning who I am without focusing on what I do, so I certainly hope it’s worth it haha!
I live in some of the best wine country on the east coast (Northern Virginia). You cannot throw a rock without hitting a vineyard/winery. “Wine culture” is HUGE in my area. My city has become a microbrewery mecca. There are two within 10min walking distance of my front door, both with tap-rooms. Because it’s economic activity, the city celebrates this, having events large and small to bring in the tourists. Two distilleries have opened up as well, and locals are pretty proud of our potent potables.
So yeah, it could potentially be a challenge, except sober is just who I am. This wasn’t easy when I was drinking, but now, it’s like voodoo: I don’t believe in booze, so it has no power over me.
