If beer had no alcohol...

Why can't people (like me) actually simply like the taste of beer and honestly say that we wouldn't care whether or not it contained alcohol? I don't like to get drunk very often, nor do I even like to get a buzz going very often. I would much rather be able to drink beer without becoming even the slightest bit impaired. Now, of course, this is hypothetical since beer would not taste the same without alcohol, but if it could, I'd prefer it that way 90% of the time (meaning yes, sometimes I do enjoy the buzz/drunk). It's arrogant and presumptive that you feel you can be correct in saying that those like me are lying. What do I have to gain by lying to strangers on the Internet? It's genuinely how I feel, not "bullshit."

 

The way I see it, alcohol is the main limiting factor of how many beers, and how often I drink them (the other one is obviously price.) If I daydream about the alternate universe the OP invites us to imagine, where you could enjoy all day long the looks, smell, flavor, mouthfeel of what we love... I would sign up for this.

 

Yes

 

No I wouldn't. I'd switch back to Gin & Tonics during the week & bourbon, tequilla & vodka on the weekends.

 

It wouldn't be beer.

 

Good wine got me into good beer.

 

I drink a lot more.

At work, with the kids, while,driving, etc....

 

I didnt mean to insult....it's not that you're lying, per se, but I wonder if youve underestimated the intoxicating power of alcohol. Noone likes to "get drunk". That's too far....but the brain is instantly turned on by even small amounts of alcohol. We humans think we're so smart, de-emphasizing our biology. Biology says your body enjoys the buzz 100% of the time.

 

If alcohol is the majority of the reason that anyone's drinking craft beer, then why even bother to pay the money? There's cheaper crap that can do the job. I view it as a high form of culinary artistry, and alcohol is the last reason I drink it. The last time I got completely and utterly drunk was Extreme Beer Fest 2014, and that's only because I wanted to taste everything.

 

Or maybe I would spend more time with Port wines....

 

I'd drink less because I drink a beer sometimes to relax, wind down, and I also want my beer to taste good. If beer had no alcohol I would most likely skip it and have a some tequila or whiskey.

 

I don't know if I ever would have gotten into beer if it wasn't for the alcohol, since initially that was the only reason I drank it

 

i think most BAs started out drinking shitty BMC in their teens and twenties before switching to craft. I think it's pretty safe to say we drank that stuff for the buzz. Now we have masterfully crafted brews that adequately give the buzz and appeal to our taste buds as well. Best of both worlds...what's the problem?

 

I would drink it every once in a while. I would probably drink it more with meals, as opposed to just drinking it freely.

 

I'd have coffee in the morning and beer in the afternoon at my desk.

 

May seem odd to some, but alcohol is a major break on me drinking beer, not a driver. I like beer because it is tasty and interesting. I don't mind a mild buzz, but most of the time I am actually trying to avoid anything more serious. If beer without alcohol were otherwise identical, I'd be drinking more of it. Unfortunately, the only zero-percent beer out there tastes like the worst kind of adjunct lager, and I'd never drink beer if that were all that was out there.

In this scenario, calories would become my main break, I suspect, but that's another story.

 

I'd definitely still drink some, since beer tastes really awesome, and without the alcohol it'd have practically no calories and basically be a really tasty health shake. But the alcohol definitely plays a part in the habitual aspect of drinking.

I'd probably drink the most of 'Synthenol' from Star Trek existed. Tastes like alcohol and gives you a buzz but doesn't make you drunk or have negative health effects.

 

I like beer for the taste so it wouldn't bother me too much without it as long as it didn't lose any characteristics. If I just wanted to get drunk I'd slam some vodka.

 

I was mentioning that if it was the majority of the reason that people were drinking craft beer was to get drunk, why even bother?

 

if the majority just wanted to get "drunk" they would drink cheap spirits or steel reserve type beers. That fact that buzz loving assholes like myself and have evolved to appreciate fine beer craftsmanship is the reason the craft industry has progressed to this point. Go start a non alcoholic craft brewery and see how long it lasts. Go check out some famous beer quotes from the greatest minds in history, I guarantee most of them would have never been spoken if the beers were alcohol-free. In proper doses, beer is medicine for the mind not just some gourmet beverage. Cheers!