You used to be able to buy a zero alcohol beer in NZ called Clausthaler. Not sure if you still can. It was pretty good. Obviously not like the real thing but pretty good.

I've always wanted to know if that works, poor my mate rum essence & coke all night and see if he gets drunk from it.

Agree with what you said though about the BBQ, what's the point of getting trolleyed all the time? You're not gunna remember it the next morning and if you need to be trolleyed to have a good time either you're a massive loser or your mates are all boring.

I have seen men rate the quality of an alcohol purely on its % for $. Taste having nothing to do with it. Bizarre.

"don't know about you, but I'd rather be compos mentis at the end of a barbecue than absolutely blathered" - I agree! Especially over a long event like a barbecue as with one wine I feel tiddly, any more and I might as well just go home. If I stick with just one, after an hour I'm tired, then sleepy, then grumpy and by the end of the night headachy. Much prefer to drink softdrinks and enjoy the company and the atmosphere.

Theres a fair bit of no alcohol wine available, haven't seen any beer though. The wine even tastes alright.

Placebo beer, I like it.. I wonder if they hadn't have told you whether or not it would have impaired your ability to drive.

@Sher .. you mean you know men that think that Codys 12% premixes are good?

Look for Clausthaler. It's a German low (<0.5%) alcohol beer you can get in most supermarkets up here. Very good quality and taste.

Wilbur I remember Clausthaler....I bought a 6 pack of it as a Xmas pressie for a boozy boss once! ;)

My sis in law was given a bottle of zero alcohol 'champagne' to celebrate the birth of their first bubba and we all agreed that it actually tasted pretty alright. I'm not a huge fan of bubbly in general myself, but sis in law is and she loved it. She's now stocked up on it

Personally it depends on what I have a hankering for as to what I drink. Could be red wine, cider, cranberry juice, cocktail or mocktail (if made well eg Monsoon Poon in Wellies). I dont really rate drinks based on their alcohol content :P

@sher, I remember those earnest discussions from uni tramping days - how to get as drunk as possible when you have to carry everything in on your back & can't afford to shell out on whiskey. We usually ended up distracting those guys by tricking them into running outside naked.

I've definitely been known to volunteer as driver for the night just to experience the atmosphere. Some of our best nights have been fuelled just by pizza & soft drink.

@Thalia #5

No alcohol wine you say... Hmmm do you know any brand names so I can have a look for it? I'm quite interested in trying it out :)