My summer of sobriety

Or, how I learned to love Heineken 0.0

Earlier this summer, I went a week without drinking because of a bout of stomach flu. I decided to see how long I could go without drinking. A few weeks later, my baby brother entered hospice and then died. I knew that if I started drinking with a broken heart, I would not be able to stop.

And, well, here I am. It’s August.

Not drinking hasn’t held me back. Chicago summer is very short, and I am sailing, seeing friends, and having a good time, funerals notwithstanding. I have been to a bar crawl, an Independence Day blowout, a bunch of Cubs games, and a few fancy restaurants without drinking. The secret? The availability of good-quality non-alcoholic beers. Most bars serve at least one NA macrobrew these days: Bud Zero, O’Doul’s, Labatt Blue NA, Coors Edge, Heineken 0.0. Several microbrewers also make NA beers, and one, Athletic Brewing, only brews the NA stuff.

I’ve also discovered non-alcoholic versions of hard liquor. Ritual’s tequila alternative is really good over ice. Last night, I had a tumbler full of it, and my husband was giving me a hard time. But it isn’t real tequila! It’s a light beverage with a nice bite, although it’s a bit too expensive to drink by the tumblerful every night.

Chicago even has a few sober bar/liquor stores. Your city might have them, too. It’s a thing!

I’m sleeping better and reading a lot more. But mostly, the overall effect seems neutral, and neutral is good. It’s no secret that alcohol really isn’t all that good for you, and the French Paradox (the idea that the French had low rates of coronary disease despite a high-fat diet because they drank red wine) has been debunked. If I don’t miss alcohol, then I shouldn’t drink it, right?

I have not lost weight. That’s not a surprise, because as far as I can tell, the only sure-fire ways to lose weight are Ozempic and cancer. I would rather not deal with either.

By the time December rolls around, I might be ready for all the spiked holiday beverages (although Trader Joe’s ginger brew is a mighty fine NA holiday treat). For now, though, I’ll stick to Heineken 0.0.