Alcohol free options

[Quark]

4 minutes ago, Alvoram said:

If none of the bars are selling alcohol free beers, ciders and lagers, then they're completely 'off trend.' and missing a trick.

Our alcohol free beer sales have absolutely sky rocketed in the last year, to the point that we now stock multiple options, and we're a small pub.

I hope they do have low alcohol or free beers. It's a great way of regulating. I'm a sod for excess, I just don't know when to stop, but will more than happily chug a few zero alcohol beers in between proper ones. I learnt to do this with shandy many years ago, alternating between pints and shandies, but there's too much sugar in lemonade, makes it too sweet. 

Was thinking about this earlier, and I'm not sure how many will be.  With everything on site being sold in pints (no glass bottles or single-use plastic bottles right?) they'd have to invest in getting it on tap.  With it being much less widely consumed than normal beer, and thinking that a festival is likely to see that number reduced even further, it'd be a gamble for the bars to invest in it that much.

Sadly I think that if there is anything it'll be an incredibly limited range, although I'd be happy to be proved wrong.

[irnkrtn]

I wont be entirely booze free as I will have to have some hot spicy cider, but generally for the past 4 years - in which time I haven't been to Glasto - I have been. Two years entirely, and the next two so few drinks I could tell you units per year!

I'm bringing some Lyres alcohol-free aperol spritz cans to have something bougie for some days. Hoping there will be some decent AFs and pretty sure there will, especially with the growth over the past few years. Good luck with your festival! 

[Alvoram]

Just now, Quark said:

Was thinking about this earlier, and I'm not sure how many will be.  With everything on site being sold in pints (no glass bottles or single-use plastic bottles right?) they'd have to invest in getting it on tap.  With it being much less widely consumed than normal beer, and thinking that a festival is likely to see that number reduced even further, it'd be a gamble for the bars to invest in it that much.

Sadly I think that if there is anything it'll be an incredibly limited range, although I'd be happy to be proved wrong.

I fear you're probably right, but it is a shame, as it absolutely would sell. 

Out of interest, are the bars allowed to take glass products and decant? Or are they allowed to decant from cans?

There are low risk options on tap though (kind of) lot of pubs use the blade system to offer 0.0 Heineken on tap (kind of) https://www.beerwulf.com/en-gb/blade and there are other options too. Many of the low alcohol beer kegs are sold in 30s for example. 

As you rightly point out though, all of our own options that we offer are glass bottles. I think we sell enough that we could install a 0% lager tap now, and buy in 30s, but it'd take up valuable real estate. 😞

[irnkrtn]

Lucky Saint do tap and they do cans. There's quite a few AF in cans now, including Budweiser and Heineken, so hopefully we'll see some knocking about. I'd be super surprised if we didn't, at least on the more eclectic bars. 

[ProperTea]

17 minutes ago, Alvoram said:

If none of the bars are selling alcohol free beers, ciders and lagers, then they're completely 'off trend.' and missing a trick.

Our alcohol free beer sales have absolutely sky rocketed in the last year, to the point that we now stock multiple options, and we're a small pub.

I hope they do have low alcohol or free beers. It's a great way of regulating. I'm a sod for excess, I just don't know when to stop, but will more than happily chug a few zero alcohol beers in between proper ones. I learnt to do this with shandy many years ago, alternating between pints and shandies, but there's too much sugar in lemonade, makes it too sweet. 

Hard agree - there's a growing number of sober and sober curious people so a chance for the bar operators to line their pockets! Certainly in Manchester everywhere has at least one alcohol free beer it seems these days.

For those interested there's a Facebook group for sober Glastonbury: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1702687816761098/?ref=share

[Bucketsquad]

1 hour ago, balti-pie said:

There's many good things about going no alcohol/drastically cutting down on drinking (im the latter): and my number one benefit is the fact that it just gives you more festival.

Less time spent hungover, so you can get up of a morning and see stuff - and as youre not getting falling over drunk, you can actually recall all sorts of details of an evening that are otherwise lost in a drunken fug. Good all round! 

Also you don't need the toilet every 30 minutes.

[Quark]

27 minutes ago, irnkrtn said:

Lucky Saint do tap and they do cans. There's quite a few AF in cans now, including Budweiser and Heineken, so hopefully we'll see some knocking about. I'd be super surprised if we didn't, at least on the more eclectic bars. 

I only tend to drink pints of cider at Glasto (yeah I know 😄) so not familiar with whether bars sell / decant from cans in general. Is that a thing across some of them?

[Ryan1984]

Already thinking there’s a space at festivals for an alcohol-free stall - the So-Bar maybe? 

 

[deebeedoobee]

44 minutes ago, irnkrtn said:

Lucky Saint do tap and they do cans. There's quite a few AF in cans now, including Budweiser and Heineken, so hopefully we'll see some knocking about. I'd be super surprised if we didn't, at least on the more eclectic bars. 

Lucky saint is good. I also love Clearhead by Bristol Beer factory.  Local and in cans. I would quite happily drink this all night.

[deebeedoobee]

11 minutes ago, Ryan1984 said:

Already thinking there’s a space at festivals for an alcohol-free stall - the So-Bar maybe? 

 

Bristol have started doing alcohol free gigs. They seem quite popular.

[philipsteak]

11 minutes ago, Ryan1984 said:

Already thinking there’s a space at festivals for an alcohol-free stall - the So-Bar maybe? 

 

Bearded Theory had one, although it was a branded Lucky Saint one and that was all they sold. Nice to be able to get a pint for once though. The bars had a few options too, all in cans. 2 or 3 beers and a cider if I remember correctly. Around £4 a pop though so not cheap unfortunately. 

[bobsacamano]

After giving up booze in lockdown I can't drink more than 4 beers without being a total mess so am largely going sober.

Went to Green Man last year and took a few bottles of Kombucha which were an absolute festival delight in the sun with some ice scrounged from the bars, feels like a proper drink as it's gone through a fermentation process. I'm going to take a box of them to Glastonbury and would highly recommend. Other options I have in mind are the Lemonade fella that wanders the site and some Chai late on with coffee in the morning. 

[fred quimby]

50 minutes ago, bobsacamano said:

After giving up booze in lockdown I can't drink more than 4 beers without being a total mess so am largely going sober.

Went to Green Man last year and took a few bottles of Kombucha which were an absolute festival delight in the sun with some ice scrounged from the bars, feels like a proper drink as it's gone through a fermentation process. I'm going to take a box of them to Glastonbury and would highly recommend. Other options I have in mind are the Lemonade fella that wanders the site and some Chai late on with coffee in the morning. 

Kombucha is certainly on my list to go

[reallife]

Hey, this year, I am looking to be drink free for medical reasons.  I have decided to get a reusable cup with one of those baskets inside.  I reckon one dose of fancy cold diffuser teas in the morning and topping it up all day at the water kiosks will make for an interesting cold brew all day.  I use Bird and Blend Tea which ironically I came across at Glasto one year.  Hope you have a great festival.

[dmedxb]

I'd just like to say how comforting it is to see so many fellow AF people this year. 

I've been dry for the last 6 months, enough was enough, and have been feeling like I'd be the only person on site without a pint. The minority, definitely, but nice to know there's a few of us! 

[Blueberry]

I’ve done two sober Glastonburys (due to pregnancy) and honestly they were fab. Made me realize I really didn’t need to get hammered to enjoy it. I didn’t find a truest good beer alternative but I did spend more on food as a treat to myself to make up for it.

[Blueberry]

Sorry meant to add well done on facing your demons and turning things around. Huge congratulations. 

[chibukushakeshake]

Thank you all so much for the feedback and discussion. I've obviously read like many about the rise and rise of no and low and the sober curious either through choice or, like myself, necessity but to actually hear human stories is a real boon. 

I've mostly lurked on the forum for years but over the last two have struggled to get involved with everything I had going on. To come back and get this sort of response has been truly uplifting so you all have my sincerest gratitude xxx 

[Davepickett82]

I've tried a fair share of alcohol free beers over the last year too, my favourite are probably Big Drop Brewing Co. A bit expensive but the Citra (green can) one is almost as good as the real thing in my opinion.

[rivalschools.price]

Can recommend the alcohol free Guinness 

[irnkrtn]

9 hours ago, Quark said:

I only tend to drink pints of cider at Glasto (yeah I know 😄) so not familiar with whether bars sell / decant from cans in general. Is that a thing across some of them?

Some do. The main ones no, but some of the smaller ones do from my very hazy memory!

[DeanoL]

There will sure be options but also, Glastonbury isn't a pub. You don't have a buy a drink to sit in it. You don't have to constantly be drinking something, alcoholic or not. It feels weird at first, especially if your mates are, but you can like, drink nothing. 

I know I sound like I'm pointing out the bleeding obvious but it does seem like people sometimes don't even consider this! Obviously you need to hydrate but if you don't like drinking plain water try and find a nice fruit squash or cordial you can just add to a water bottle.

[Quark]

13 hours ago, Davepickett82 said:

I've tried a fair share of alcohol free beers over the last year too, my favourite are probably Big Drop Brewing Co. A bit expensive but the Citra (green can) one is almost as good as the real thing in my opinion.

I had one of their Pine Trail pale ales at the weekend, very nice.

[hodgey123]

30 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

There will sure be options but also, Glastonbury isn't a pub. You don't have a buy a drink to sit in it. You don't have to constantly be drinking something, alcoholic or not. It feels weird at first, especially if your mates are, but you can like, drink nothing. 

I know I sound like I'm pointing out the bleeding obvious but it does seem like people sometimes don't even consider this! Obviously you need to hydrate but if you don't like drinking plain water try and find a nice fruit squash or cordial you can just add to a water bottle.

Haha this has been a challenge I have noticed since stopping - I always feel the need to have a drink in my hand and I find myself going to the toilet every 30 mins as a result!

[gigpusher]

28 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

There will sure be options but also, Glastonbury isn't a pub. You don't have a buy a drink to sit in it. You don't have to constantly be drinking something, alcoholic or not. It feels weird at first, especially if your mates are, but you can like, drink nothing. 

I know I sound like I'm pointing out the bleeding obvious but it does seem like people sometimes don't even consider this! Obviously you need to hydrate but if you don't like drinking plain water try and find a nice fruit squash or cordial you can just add to a water bottle.

Yep this. I mainly jut drink water at Glastonbury. If it's a really hot one I treat myself to a lemonade or a milkshake occasionally but time spent queuing is time wasted for me so I usually stick to the water that is freely available around site for the vast majority of my time.