The laws across the country can be hard to keep up with, especially since they are subject to change every year. In addition, when new products come onto the market, sometimes the laws have not caught up to give us an understanding of what is illegal and what is not. For most of human history, there has only been water and alcohol to consume.
Now in the 21st century, we have various products and drinks. We even have a product advertised as non-alcoholic beer. The tricky thing about this drink is that the taste is the only thing that makes it a non-alcoholic beer. From the outside, anyone would believe you were drinking regular beer.
So if a cop were to pull you over and see the beer in the car, they would be inclined to believe it is alcoholic beer and think you are drinking and driving. But is it illegal to drink non-alcoholic beer while driving? The answer is no; it is not unlawful, and you can drive while drinking a non-alcoholic beer; if the police were to pull you over, once they realize it is a non-alcoholic beer and you have not had anything else to drink, they would simply let you go.
Below we will speak more about non-alcoholic beer.
Can you drive after drinking non-alcoholic beer?
When you drink an alcoholic drink, the alcohol will affect you and your motor skills. This lack of motor skills is why when you see people driving after a night of drinking, they are not driving straight or are swerving back and forth. With non-alcoholic beer, this is not the case as non-alcoholic beer, by its very name, does not have any alcohol in it, so it will not be able to affect your motor skills.
Non-alcoholic beer is often held to the same standard as coffee or water because it does not affect a person’s behavior. This categorization is even more accurate by the fact that once a police officer sees you are drinking a non-alcoholic beer, you cannot be charged with a DUI. So you are safe to drive if you have only drunk non-alcoholic beer.
The one caveat about non-alcoholic beer or any non-alcoholic beverage is it is not entirely free of alcohol. It usually has about 0.5% ABV, a meager percentage, but it is alcohol nonetheless. So if you drink an incredible amount of non-alcoholic beer, you can start feeling “drunk.” At that point, it would be advisable not to drive as now your motor skills have been affected, and you are at a heightened chance of being a danger to the public.
Will non-alcoholic beer fail a breathalyzer?
As mentioned before, non-alcoholic drinks do possess some alcohol content within; however, it is tiny, and if you only drink one or two, they will not significantly affect you. But if you are taking a breathalyzer, it is possible that it could detect that small quantity.
Therefore, this failed test is a rare possibility you should keep in mind. Furthermore, this failed test becomes even more plausible if you have a mixture of non-alcoholic drinks and alcoholic drinks. Therefore, even though run-ins with the police are random, it would be best not to drink the beer if you are concerned about it.
Are non-alcoholic drinks good for your health?
Of course, if you are someone suffering from addiction or just the extra calories brought on by drinking alcohol, then it will be a huge boost to your health to replace regular beer with non-alcoholic beer. However, non-alcoholic beer is not a diet drink. It still will add a few extra calories to your diet, although not as much as alcoholic drinks. Some health benefits you may want to be aware of regarding non-alcoholic beverages are.
- Reduced inflammation
- Better sleep
- Less stress and anxiety
- An alternative when you are concerned about your liver health
So non-alcoholic drinks should not be put into your diet routine. Still, they have their health benefits and provide a good alternative for those trying to eliminate alcoholic beverages.
How is the alcohol removed from the beer?
There are several ways to remove alcohol from beer; ultimately, it comes down to the brand producing the alcohol. Some of the most common ways to do this are during the brewing process to stop the emergence of alcohol while it goes through fermentation. The other way is to remove the alcohol from the alcoholic beer simply, and there are many ways to do that which are specific to the company that is making the beer.
Are non-alcoholic beers popular?
Alcoholic consumption has been decreasing nationwide, especially amongst the younger generation. This decline may be temporary or take a similar path to cigarettes. Now that people are becoming more aware of the ill effects of alcohol, it may be turning the younger generation off and driving them to non-alcoholic drinks, which may still have a similar taste and smell.
Some of the top brands for alcoholic beverages are now offering this alternative because they see the trends, with some estimates putting the non-alcoholic branch of the economy at 29 billion dollars. This could be good in the long run because, with fewer people drinking alcohol, fewer violent incidents will take place, such as drunk driving or physical altercations.
Non-alcoholic drinks could provide society with the same benefits they were looking to create with prohibition in the early 20th century. Instead of taking away alcohol, they are educating and providing people with alternatives.
I am a passionate beer connoisseur with a deep appreciation for the art and science of brewing. With years of experience tasting and evaluating various beers, I love to share my opinions and insights with others and I am always eager to engage in lively discussions about my favorite beverage.
