O’doul’s Is Of Drinking Age And Then Some
As the LA Times tells the tale, in 1990, two major brewing companies Miller and Anheuser-Busch kicked off commercial campaigns for their new non-alcoholic beers. The ads kicked up a fuss among pro-sobriety activists.
The era’s rising interest in sobriety was the very reason big brewers were rolling out barrels of non-alcoholic beer. O’Doul’s ads had the catchy theme of “O’Doul’s for Every O’Ccasion.” Their target drinkers were men between their mid-20s and mid-30s, guys who wanted to have a drink and stay grounded through meals with colleagues and clients.
Anti-alcohol activist Ray Chavira had founded a private nonprofit, The Los Angeles County Alcohol Policy Commission. He put his powers to work protesting the release of non-alcoholic beers, with their mandatory ABV of lower than 0.5%.
Speaking of pregnant women, minors, recovering alcoholics, and people on probation who were barred from drinking alcohol, Chavira pushed to have live warnings aired with every ad. This sparked debates and accusations, including that brewers were making non-alcoholic beers to get students to drink as if any teen would waste a fake ID on buying alcohol-free beer.
As for those ads that lit the fires? One 1990 commercial, with its serious voice-over and close-ups of condensed water vapor steaming from a cold bottle, promised that O’Doul’s “taste will win you over.” For once, advertising doesn’t lie.
O’doul’s Was A Drinkable Part Of A Fifth
History can be tough to teach, and finding creative ways to reach students can be as great a challenge. A Michigan schoolteacher was teaching her students about the realities of local life in the 18th century, when water wasn’t always safe to drink and beer was both a healthier choice and a common quaff. To bring the lesson home or to the classroom an inspired student brought O’Doul’s to the fifth-grade class.
The teacher figured it would be okay for the student to share the brew O’Doul’s, after all, is non-alcoholic. A deep read of the label reveals that O’Doul’s weighs in at less than 0.05% alcohol about the same as the commercial kombucha, by Healthline’s measures. Sure, there are parents who pour a bottle of strawberry ‘buch for their kids … but, according to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, it’s a misdemeanor to serve non-alcoholic beer to kids.
No children were forced to taste the beer. Some sampled it. A few took bottles home. In school and at home, MLive reports, no one seemed fussed about O’Doul’s appearance in the class. The student who brought the beer didn’t get in trouble. The teacher’s supervisors described her as a responsible person who wouldn’t put students at risk.
In the end, everybody learned at least one lesson, and a modern beer brought students a taste of history.
Odouls Can Still Get You In Legal Trouble
A New Mexico resident, Gary Southern, was driving through 91-degree heat, with an icy ODouls cooling him down. For a beer-lover behind the wheel, ODouls is a natural choice: get your hoppy happiness with no alcohol attached, right? As a KQRE reported, the law didnt see it that way.
A police officer pulled Southern over, and asked to see the bottle. After Southern handed it over, the officer sniffed it. What did it smell like? Beer. The officer called a sergeant, who administered a sobriety test which Southern, whod been drinking nothing stronger than ODouls, passed. The sergeant read the label. The words contain alcohol determined Gary Southerns fate: a ticket and a court date. Because ODouls contains alcohol and is sold in the liquor section of shops, Judge Joe I. Dominguez found Southern guilty. With a job to get to, Southern missed the 15-day window to appeal.
The conviction wasnt as smooth as ODouls. It stuck in his craw, so he learned the legal standards, and fought back. Five years after the ruling, the Albequerque Journal tells us, Southern was still trying to have his case re-heard trying and failing. Thats enough to make anyone crack open a nice cold ODouls but maybe not on the road.
You May Like: Scotch 3m Double Sided Tape
Don’t Miss: How To Drink Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey
Odouls Is Of Drinking Age And Then Some
As the LA Times tells the tale, in 1990, two major brewing companies Miller and Anheuser-Busch kicked off commercial campaigns for their new non-alcoholic beers. The ads kicked up a fuss among pro-sobriety activists.
The eras rising interest in sobriety was the very reason big brewers were rolling out barrels of non-alcoholic beer. ODouls ads had the catchy theme of ODouls for Every OCcasion. Their target drinkers were men between their mid-20s and mid-30s, guys who wanted to have a drink and stay grounded through meals with colleagues and clients.
Anti-alcohol activist Ray Chavira had founded a private nonprofit, The Los Angeles County Alcohol Policy Commission. He put his powers to work protesting the release of non-alcoholic beers, with their mandatory ABV of lower than 0.5%.
Speaking of pregnant women, minors, recovering alcoholics, and people on probation who were barred from drinking alcohol, Chavira pushed to have live warnings aired with every ad. This sparked debates and accusations, including that brewers were making non-alcoholic beers to get students to drink as if any teen would waste a fake ID on buying alcohol-free beer.
As for those ads that lit the fires? One 1990 commercial, with its serious voice-over and close-ups of condensed water vapor steaming from a cold bottle, promised that ODouls taste will win you over. For once, advertising doesnt lie.
Odouls Can Give You A Good Beer Fix But It Cant Get You Drunk
Things might be different if you were a mouse or the size of one but if youre a human-sized human, wherever you fit on that range, ODouls wont bring you a boozy buzz.
We all know what its like to be tipsy. Muscle ease, thoughts get fuzzy, inhibitions diminish, and reflexes slow so much its dangerous to drive. Most people reach the borders of drunkenness when their blood alcohol level hits 0.4% . Heres a mathematical moment: Theres 0.4% alcohol in one 12-ounce bottle of ODouls. Per the American Red Cross, the average adult has 1.2 to 1.5 gallons of blood in their body. To hit 0.4% alcohol in your body, youd need to make a major donor to sparkly vampires and fill the space in your veins with around 19 bottles of ODouls.
In a 2012 study, researchers tracked 67 people. The volunteers drank no alcohol for five days, and then downed one-and-a-half liters a little over two-and-a-half pints of .04% ABV beer in one hour: a stomach-stunning achievement. When volunteers knocked back all of that alcohol-free beer, the maximum blood alcohol level was .0056%.
Your body is an efficient machine. It can process the alcohol in that ODouls almost as fast as you can drink it, Steady Drinker says but dont try to outpace those volunteers. Your stomach wont thank you. Even worse, you wont enjoy your ODouls.
Also Check: Substitute For Bourbon In Cooking
Does Light Beer Help You Lose Weight
Some studies suggest that it may have slightly more health benefits than regular beer, while others find no difference. The calorie content of light beer is similar to that of regular beer, so it is not likely to promote weight loss on its own.
However, it may be a helpful part of a weight loss plan that includes other calorie-reducing strategies.
When It Comes To Non
Whether you’re bypassing booze to build a healthier diet, clear your mind, or get ready for a triathlon, O’Doul’s means being able to crack open a cold one without breaking your rules. While sober-curious explorations and alcohol-free months are great opportunities to develop tastes for everything from tea to kombucha, O’Doul’s offers beer-lovers a way to keep the alcohol down and enjoyment high: no compromise required.
Yes, non-alcoholic beers have a bad reputation. Do they really deserve it? With a few decades in the market, O’Doul’s has earned its place in beer history. It’s also earned high marks in taste tests run by the full-force beer-lovers at The Growler. What’s the feedback? O’Doul’s trounces non-alcoholic beers’ rep for being thin and flavorless, with the full, well-rounded flavor of a macro amber lager. That’s a beer worth drinking, whether the weather or the month is wet or dry.
Read Also: What Goes Good With Mango Pineapple Vodka
Can I Get Drunk From Odouls
Many people who drink Odouls do not realize that this drink actually contains alcohol. Some people who learn this fact tend to freak out because they think what theyre drinking is alcohol-free. However, theres really no need to panic because a couple of bottles of Odouls will not really affect you blood alcohol levels.The low alcohol percentage in an Odouls beverage and other non-alcoholic beer will not make you drunk. This is the reality.
When you drink Odouls and other non-alcoholic drinks, the small alcohol amount will be processed by your body immediately, almost at the same moment you drink it. This means it will not really go into your blood and your brain to make you feel intoxicated. In fact, according to one experiment, you would have to drink more than 50 bottles of Odouls within 60 minutes for you to be considered legally drunk. So, unless youre binge drinking or playing an Odouls drinking game, the possibility of getting drunk is slim to none.
So, if you cant get drunk from drinking Odouls, why do some people discourage alcoholics in recovery from enjoying this drink?
Recommended Reading: Most Popular Rum Based Highball
Kirkland Kolsch German Ale
With over 500 Costcos in the US, its easy to think of it as our store even though its a global brand. Things get equally tricky during discussions about American coffee or American beer. But in this case, Kirkland makes a convincing Kolsch. Its ABU is 4.8% and its IBU is 25. Plus, our favorite beer wholesaler has successfully captured the fruity hints of hops from Tettnang.
Also Check: How To Make Whiskey Sour Mix
Folks In Recovery Shouldnt Reach For Odouls
Maybe you realized giving up alcohols a smart thing to do. Maybe you just earned your six-month chip. Maybe you went through alcohol rehab. Whichever way, congratulations! Alcohol is one of the toughest substances to beat.
There are solid reasons why, if youre in recovery, you shouldnt be reaching for that frosty bottle of alcohol-free ODouls. ODouls has an ABV of 0.4%. Some people in long-term recovery say its best to steer clear of the slightest temptation: even one thats less than 1%. Why choose a trigger when its safer to stay away?
The pros at Lakeview Health, an addiction treatment and recovery center, note that drinking is linked with habits and lifestyle choices. Maybe thats going out for drinks with friends after a game, or tipping back a few brews with colleagues to celebrate closing a hard-won deal. With an ODouls in hand it looks the same as everyone elses beer, tastes like good beer, and feels like good beer going down. It can feel like everythings fine, and the sweet, worry-free days are back. What youre drinking is non-alcoholic, and youre in control. One evening, instead of going to a meeting, you decide to hang out for another round. Thats fine, and so you do it again and again.
That high-risk roads recovery experts say we should stay away from old habits and hangouts. From nicotine to whisky, hazardous habits have ways of winning us back.
Recommended Reading: The Glenlivet 12 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Beer Brands Sold At Costco
Beer seems a pretty generic term. It feels casual and non-fussy, unlike Pinochet or Sauvignon. But beer lovers can get rather specific in their zymurgy. Thats a topic for another day though. Today, were more interested in the flavors, sizes, and varieties of beers sold at Costco.
We want to know what draws you to them, and whether youd rather get a can or a bottle. Of course, Costco is a local venue, so a lot of its beers will be regional. And all its in-house products bear the Kirkland Signature, so youll see that a lot. But else is on their shelves in terms of beer?
Recommended Reading: What Us Tequila Made Of
O’doul’s Might Sound Like A Family Name But The Brand Is All Anheuser
When you think of Anheuser-Busch, you might think of anything from Bud Light to Four Peaks to Stella Artois. You aren’t likely to think “cutting edge.” Think again. Anheuser-Busch has been around since 1852, but it isn’t old. It’s savvy. Just look at non-alcoholic beer. For many people, non-alcoholic brews are a brand-new trend or a bundle of brands jammed in something sparkly and fresh. Those people don’t know about O’Doul’s.
As the last millennium faded into the past, Anheuser-Bush brought a complex, flavorful beer into the market. Not astounded? The new beer was non-alcoholic. It was brewed in a traditional fashion, with respect for the rich history and traditions of brewing. After that, the alcohol was removed, or most of it was. , non-alcoholic beers must have under .05% alcohol by volume. Lean and anything but mean, O’Doul’s has 0.4% ABV.
O’Doul’s was a wise investment of time and talent. With more and more people interested in living more healthfully, lowering their alcohol intake, and enjoying every possible pleasure, non-alcoholic beers are cool commodities in restaurants, shops, sports stadiums, and bars. Newcomers have to prove themselves. O’Doul’s has three decades of delicious low-proof behind it.
Keep an eye out for ice-cold O’Doul’s art. As Beverage Daily shows, Anheuser-Busch sometimes dresses their ’90s baby extra-well, with limited edition designs by artists across the nation. That’s right: Your non-alcoholic beer can look as good as it tastes.
What Do Drinkers Think Of Odouls Non
People consider ODouls to be a low quality beer and tend to only drink it because it has been around a long time. The beer got a bit of a bad reputation and became the butt of jokes for a while, but the truth is, this is largely because of the widespread drinking of ODouls by people looking for a replacement for alcoholic brew.
One of the nicest things about ODouls is how readily available it is you can get it at almost any bar or restaurant or even at the local convenience store or grocery market. Also, because it comes from a major distributor, it looks like what everyone else is drinking.
Everyone reviewing ODouls loved the look of the crystal clear golden beer. It has a nice cap and white foam, although this isnt long-lasting. The flavor is not specifically strong or pronounced, but the grainy wheat flavor certainly comes through.
Some people tasted grain flavors, calling it cookie-like or like Honeycomb cereal or roasted corn. However, no one really seemed to find it to be bitter or have much of an aftertaste. As far as mouthfeel, ODouls is almost always reported to be light, crisp, and refreshing. It has a nice feel similar to any other American-style beer with alcohol.
Don’t Miss: How Many Carbs In Bourbon
How Is Odouls Non
ODouls is an American beer brewed in Saint Louis, Missouri, by Anheuser Busch. All Anheuser Busch beers are aged and fermented to full maturity, which is true of ODouls. They began production of ODouls in 1990.
The difference in the brewing process with ODouls, as opposed to its alcoholic counterparts, is that a very gentle, low temperature, low-pressure distillation process is used to remove the alcohol. This leaves a beer that tastes as good as all other Anheuser Busch beers, but without the alcohol.
Kirkland India Pale Ale
Were going to list a lot of Kirkland Signature Craft Brews here. Partly because thats the stores in-house brand. And partly because you can find Kirkland Beer at all Costco outlets while other beers might be regional. Kirkland IPA has an ABV of 6.9% and an IBU of 77. Kirkland isnt known for its aromas, but this hoppy IPA has floral and citrus elements, mostly grapefruit.
Don’t Miss: What Flavors Does Vodka Come In
How To Make Non
How non-alcoholic beer is made varies widely from brand to brand. Techniques and recipes for these other malt beverages are sometimes guarded. Odouls is made and fermented the same as traditional premium beers. The only difference is that it goes through a low temperature and low-pressure distillation process to remove the alcohol.
This extremely gentle process attempts to retain all the flavors in the beer while removing the alcohol. Does it work? At the end of the day, if it tastes like a drink that you enjoy, the answer is yes.
Is It Ok To Drink Non
ODouls, a near-beer, produced by Anheuser Busch, is considered by state and federal regulations to be a non-alcoholic drink. It has a reported 0.4% alcoholic content level. In the scheme of alcoholic beverages, this level is considered low. Federal levels consider 0.5% alcohol content to be defined as an alcoholic beverage.
In a 2010 study conducted in Germany, participants were asked to consume 2.5 liters of non-alcoholic beer or near-beer. Researchers were interested in seeing if urine and blood samples would come out positive for the presence of ethyl glucuronide and EtS both used as markers for the presence of alcohol.
EtG, a biomarker is produced when alcohol is metabolized. EtG remains in the body at detectable levels for up to 80 hours. EtS also a marker reflects recent consumption of alcohol. Both of these markers are found in the blood and urine after consumption of near-beer beverages.
You May Like: What To Mix With Tennessee Honey Whiskey