Hi folks,

Having been dry now for many months - I've stopped counting, good sign? - I
am still appalled/disappointed/annoyed that so few places offer a decent
alternative to wine and beer. Do the same problems exist in the States,
Australia and South Africa? (I'm thinking of recent posters) Sparkling
water is usually very nasty or ridiculously over priced; coke and lemonade
are either of the hose pipe variety or served out the back from a large
plastic bottle that has invariably gone flat. We have recently been flooded
with J2O in the UK - a Britvic drink that is actually quite nice - although
a litttle sweet - but I can only take so much of it. I have never been
offered alcohol free wine whilst eating out - although it is easy to get to
drink at home. The best places for interesting drinks are veggie
restaurants but I don't get to go to those very often. Any ideas? Should
we form some sort of Soft Drink Alliance pressure group? I'm sure some of
you will come up with a suitable acronym

Deb/Bubba

[On Thu, 20 Nov 2003 16:55:12 +0000 (UTC), "Plug"
<gluggaglug@hotmail.com> wrote:]

> Having been dry now for many months - I've stopped counting, good sign? - I
> am still appalled/disappointed/annoyed that so few places offer a decent
> alternative to wine and beer. Do the same problems exist in the States,
> Australia and South Africa?

In the States, most places -- restaurants or bars -- will
make you a good non-alcoholic drink if you ask for one.
Most bartenders know all about alcoholism. Many of them are
alcoholics themselves. You just need to work up the courage
to ask.

Just tell them what you want. I personally want either a
hot Virgin Mary or a gallon of lemonade. They can do that.
They will respect you for having done so.

in the US, we call alcohol free wine: grape juice.


"Plug" <gluggaglug@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:bpirlf$49r$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> Hi folks,
>
> Having been dry now for many months - I've stopped counting, good sign? -
I
> am still appalled/disappointed/annoyed that so few places offer a decent
> alternative to wine and beer. Do the same problems exist in the States,
> Australia and South Africa? (I'm thinking of recent posters) Sparkling
> water is usually very nasty or ridiculously over priced; coke and lemonade
> are either of the hose pipe variety or served out the back from a large
> plastic bottle that has invariably gone flat. We have recently been
flooded
> with J2O in the UK - a Britvic drink that is actually quite nice -
although
> a litttle sweet - but I can only take so much of it. I have never been
> offered alcohol free wine whilst eating out - although it is easy to get
to
> drink at home. The best places for interesting drinks are veggie
> restaurants but I don't get to go to those very often. Any ideas? Should
> we form some sort of Soft Drink Alliance pressure group? I'm sure some of
> you will come up with a suitable acronym
>
> Deb/Bubba
>
>
>

or coolaid, haa, haa, haa


Shawster wrote:
> in the US, we call alcohol free wine: grape juice.

"Shawster" <shawster@tampabay.rr.com> wrote in message
news:eagvb.17251$86.357198@twister.tampabay.rr.com ...
> in the US, we call alcohol free wine: grape juice.

In the UK, I have never been in a restaurant or bar where they sell grape
juice; it is freely available in supermarkets.
Deb/Bubba

>
>
> "Plug" <gluggaglug@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:bpirlf$49r$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> > Hi folks,
> >
> > Having been dry now for many months - I've stopped counting, good
sign? -
> I
> > am still appalled/disappointed/annoyed that so few places offer a decent
> > alternative to wine and beer. Do the same problems exist in the States,
> > Australia and South Africa? (I'm thinking of recent posters) Sparkling
> > water is usually very nasty or ridiculously over priced; coke and
lemonade
> > are either of the hose pipe variety or served out the back from a large
> > plastic bottle that has invariably gone flat. We have recently been
> flooded
> > with J2O in the UK - a Britvic drink that is actually quite nice -
> although
> > a litttle sweet - but I can only take so much of it. I have never been
> > offered alcohol free wine whilst eating out - although it is easy to get
> to
> > drink at home. The best places for interesting drinks are veggie
> > restaurants but I don't get to go to those very often. Any ideas?
Should
> > we form some sort of Soft Drink Alliance pressure group? I'm sure some
of
> > you will come up with a suitable acronym
> >
> > Deb/Bubba
> >
> >
> >
>
>

In message <bpirlf$49r$1@titan.btinternet.com>, Plug
<gluggaglug@hotmail.com> writes
>Hi folks,
>
>Having been dry now for many months - I've stopped counting, good sign? - I
>am still appalled/disappointed/annoyed that so few places offer a decent
>alternative to wine and beer. Do the same problems exist in the States,
>Australia and South Africa? (I'm thinking of recent posters) Sparkling
>water is usually very nasty or ridiculously over priced; coke and lemonade
>are either of the hose pipe variety or served out the back from a large
>plastic bottle that has invariably gone flat. We have recently been flooded
>with J2O in the UK - a Britvic drink that is actually quite nice - although
>a litttle sweet - but I can only take so much of it. I have never been
>offered alcohol free wine whilst eating out - although it is easy to get to
>drink at home. The best places for interesting drinks are veggie
>restaurants but I don't get to go to those very often. Any ideas? Should
>we form some sort of Soft Drink Alliance pressure group? I'm sure some of
>you will come up with a suitable acronym

Actually there are many NA drinks on the market that do not fit the -
norm. Next time you're in the supermarket ask for the adult soft drinks
section: Aqua Libra, Purdeys, etc. Hope you found one you like.
--
Jonathan Bratt

"Jonathan Bratt" <jonnybratt@aol.com> wrote in message
news:FMNyiSP12iv$Ewcm@aol.com...
> In message <bpirlf$49r$1@titan.btinternet.com>, Plug
> <gluggaglug@hotmail.com> writes
> Actually there are many NA drinks on the market that do not fit the -
> norm. Next time you're in the supermarket ask for the adult soft drinks
> section: Aqua Libra, Purdeys, etc. Hope you found one you like.
> --
Hi Jonathan,
I am familiar with both Purdeys and Aqua Libra - but have you tried to get
them in a pub or restaurant?
Deb/Bubba

In message <bplmss$ru9$1@sparta.btinternet.com>, Plug
<gluggaglug@hotmail.com> writes
>
>"Jonathan Bratt" <jonnybratt@aol.com> wrote in message
>news:FMNyiSP12iv$Ewcm@aol.com...
>> In message <bpirlf$49r$1@titan.btinternet.com>, Plug
>> <gluggaglug@hotmail.com> writes
>> Actually there are many NA drinks on the market that do not fit the -
>> norm. Next time you're in the supermarket ask for the adult soft drinks
>> section: Aqua Libra, Purdeys, etc. Hope you found one you like.
>> --
>Hi Jonathan,
>I am familiar with both Purdeys and Aqua Libra - but have you tried to get
>them in a pub or restaurant?
>Deb/Bubba
>
>
Aqua Libra I have. Course if it's a local bar you could always ask them
to keep small stock for you ;-)

I've developed a drink for when I go out that most bars could make
easily: 2/3 glass of cranberry juice topped up with a dash of lime and
soda water.

Maybe you could experiment and develop a couple.
--
Jonathan Bratt

also in the US, we have a thing called water with a twist of lemon.

it was VERY interesting, to go for dinner a couple times, and drink ice water
with a little lemon in it. very intesting indeed, as that hadn't happened for
a couple years! I didn't remember how good it was, or how good it was not to
wake up and puke my guts up, or have the runs.

Just take a healthy leak, lay back down, and my guts weren't on fire!! I
remember that fist dinner without my Foster's! I didn't think I would be able
to do it, but when I did, i learned that you CAN eat without a couple pints,
and that, at least for me, it's better just to NOT go to pubs! even today, I
don't think that i could say no, in a good blues or jazz joint. better to just
not even go there.