A year and a half without alcohol: liberating, but restrictive

Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be a sermon railing against alcohol consumption. I want to share my experiences, why I quit, how I felt and what I learned. If this improves your relationship with alcohol, great. If it leads to lively discussion with good tips for non-alcoholic drinks, even better.

My abstinence from alcohol, which has now lasted a year and a half, started rather by chance. We were on our way to Denmark for our summer holiday. Even before I left, I didn’t feel completely fresh, and that didn’t change when we arrived at our beach house. So my wife remained the sole enjoyer of the colourful selection of local beers we’d already bought. I wasn’t 100 per cent fit the next day either and decided to forgo alcohol again. Then it spontaneously occurred to me that I could stop altogether. At least as long as I felt like it, or until I felt like drinking again.

Alcohol as a habit

Even though I hadn’t planned to give up alcohol, the idea had been buzzing around my head for a while. Usually after I hear some YouTuber or celebrity raving about the positive aspects. While they definitely drank too much according to their own descriptions – and in my opinion – my alcohol consumption had been limited for a while. Apart from the usual shenanigans in my youth and student days, I’d only been drinking at weekends for ages, almost without exception. And even then usually only two or three beers. According to the official definition (page in German), this is miles away from a problematic amount. Nevertheless, my consumption bothered me.

Drinking had long since become a habit for me. I never asked myself, «Should I have a beer on Friday night?». The question was more «When do I open the first bottle?». I regularly found myself thinking that I’d have preferred to drink something else, but still reached for the beer. It was the weekend, and alcohol was simply part of it. I rarely stopped at one drink. As a friend of mine used to say: «One beer will upset your stomach; it wants more». So my first beer was almost always followed by a second and a third.

Even when I went to the movies, the stadium or met up with friends, a beer was part of the fun 90 per cent of the time. When I think back, I can’t remember not drinking alcohol for a single week – unless I was ill. This repetitive behaviour had bothered me for a long time. In the end, our Danish holiday got my abstinence rolling.

Easy to say, but not without its challenges

I was never really tempted to reach for the bottle again. Although our fridge was full to bursting with Danish beers, I stuck to non-alcoholic varieties. Fortunately, there were still plenty of them. It would’ve actually taken more of an effort for me to drink alcohol and give up my plan to stay sober. And so days turned into weeks and weeks into months.

I was tested a few times, true. At FC Winterthur home games, for example. On the one hand, the club often loses, making it particularly tempting to reach for a beer. But also because it’s a sociable occasion where I like to raise a glass with friends. Turns out this also works wonderfully with non-alcoholic beer. I’m not any quieter as a result either – which I cautiously chalk up as a positive side effect.

I was more worried about our annual LAN party. If 15 people spend two days downing that barley juice, it could get a bit boring for me. But again, my worries were unnecessary here too. I completely filled the vegetable drawer in our fridge with a colourful selection of non-alcoholic beers, toasting with them almost as euphorically as the rest of our gamer gang. Again, I was able to keep my decibel level up, hurling nasty insults when I lost another game – not my fault by the way.

Drinking creates a sense of community

I felt the most negative effects of not drinking alcohol at Badenfahrt, Baden’s town festival. For many, these celebrations consist of visiting various bars. And our walking tours were particularly well-designed for the 2023 anniversary. While my mates ordered a fresh beer at every bar, I spent almost an hour searching in vain for a non-alcoholic alternative. I had no desire for soft drinks.

Once again, I noticed how alcoholised our society is. Alcoholic drinks were available on every corner in all variations. True to the philosophy that parties need alcohol.

Finally, the tenth bar brought my salvation. And the wait was worth it. There were several non-alcoholic beers and various mocktails. I felt much better with a cold beer in my hand, also because I could finally toast with it. Before that, I felt a bit excluded. Toasting, whether with alcohol or not, is something communal.

The dark side of abstinence

Not drinking alcohol any more is liberating. Gone is the agonising choice over whether to have one more beer. And hangovers are a thing of the past. On the whole, I feel better. Any health benefits, on the other hand, are only marginal. I have a bit more energy and am even less tired during the day. But I haven’t lost any weight, although people often claim that happens.

Will I never drink alcohol again? Probably not. I’ve already allowed myself a handful of exceptions. After all, I’m not the Pope, and even he regularly drinks red wine. On a recent holiday in Italy, surrounded by wine regions, I gave in to the desire for a good glass of red wine. And I’ve also treated myself to a sip of rum once or twice at home. To me, alcohol has become what it’s always been: something to be enjoyed. In moderation, not excess 🍻.

But that leads me straight to the bad part of abstinence. If I do have a craving for alcohol, I ask myself: is now the time for an exception? What sets this situation apart from others? To make matters worse, alcohol no longer really appeals to me.

In an ideal world, I could drink as much as I want without ever having a hangover or health consequences. I occasionally miss the fact that I can no longer simply order a fresh draught beer. Tasting different drinks has always been a passion of mine. The sheer endless choice of beers, gins, wines, etc. will never quite be equalled by the growing number of high-quality, non-alcoholic alternatives. They simply don’t feel as good to drink. Fortunately, the dark days when alcohol-free meant Appenzeller Sonnwendlig and Clausthaler are over.

One thing does bother me: depending on the buzz level of the people around me, I sometimes feel more like an observer than a participant. Drinkers and I are no longer on the same mental level. The cosiness tips over into the repetitive, intoxication takes over. However, as people close to me have also drastically reduced their alcohol consumption and I’m rarely the only one toasting with non-alcoholic alternatives, I rarely feel left out.

So I’m not really sad that I can’t have my cake and eat it too. For me, the decision to stop drinking has paid off, even if I have to do without something from time to time. For budding teetotallers or anyone who simply enjoys a non-alcoholic beer now and then, I’ll finish with my current favourites.

• St Laurentius Clear Your Mind Alkoholfrei
• Waldhaus Diplom Pils Alkoholfrei
• Andechs Weissbier Alkoholfrei
• Brausyndikat Alkoholfrei

Header image: Amy Parkes/Unsplash