Can Non Alcoholic Beer Get You Drunk: All the Answers

The question, “Can non alcoholic beer get you drunk?” is often asked by many beer drinkers. While there are many benefits of nonalcoholic beer, like the low calories and the lack of a hangover, many people still wonder whether or not it can get you drunk.

Since you might be drinking beer for the buzz, this can cause you to wonder if drinking non alcoholic beer is worth it.

In this article, we will answer this question in detail, so continue reading below. 

Will You Get Drunk on Non Alcoholic Beer? 

No, you won’t get drunk on non-alcoholic beer because it barely contains any alcohol. It is near impossible to get drunk, unlike with normal beers. These non-alcoholic beers have an ABV of 0.5 percent or less, and even if you drink 20 cans of beer, you won’t feel drunk.

In 2012, a study was carried out in Germany to test this. A total of 78 individuals were told to abstain from consuming alcohol for five days. After all that, they drank 1.5 liters of NA beer within an hour.

However, the maximum recorded value of their blood alcohol level was 0.0056 percent after this, which is lower than the drunk driving limit in most countries.

How Many Non Alcoholic Beers Do You Need To Get Drunk? 

You will need 40 standard cans of non alcoholic beer to get drunk. This is because ten standard servings of non-alcoholic beers equals one regular beer. Even with this, the body will be consuming the alcohol quickly, so it is almost impossible. However, since it is still doable, minors are not allowed to buy non alcoholic beers.

Since the standard serving of beer has an ABV of 5 percent, which is about 0.6 oz of alcohol, this makes it equal to ten non-alcoholic beers with 0.05 percent ABV. Drinking this quickly won’t allow you to reach the alcohol level that you need to feel drunk. The only thing it will do is make you full.

Why Won’t You Get Drunk on Non Alcoholic Beer? 

You won’t get drunk on non-alcoholic beer because your body will process the alcohol very quickly. Since the alcohol level is very low, your body is absorbing and processing it as you are drinking it, so your BAC won’t reach the required level to get you drunk.

For example, NA beer with an alcohol content of 0.5 percent only has about 0.28 units of alcohol. Your body will process this in 16 minutes. If this was a standard beer with 5 percent ABV, your body would need three hours to process it instead.

The body processes NA beer the same way it does for other foods that naturally contain tiny amounts of alcohol, like bananas, rye bread, kombucha, fruit juice, yogurt, and more. Even if you drink multiple cans of NA beer quickly, your body will digest it as you drink. 

– Getting Drunk

To get drunk means to be intoxicated by alcohol. Alcohol first makes you feel tipsy, especially when the alcohol concentration in your blood is between 0.03 and 0.12 percent. But, when you reach up to 0.25 percent, you begin to feel unstable, excited, and generally drunk.

The more alcohol you drink, you feel drunk. It can also lead to a hangover the next day, which manifests in tiredness and drowsiness. If you’re drinking NA beer, it will be very hard to reach a BAC of 0.04 percent. 

– Metabolizing Alcohol

The body metabolizes alcohol as fast as 0.6 fluid ounces per hour. This is the average rate, and it usually depends on other factors like age, weight, and gender. When you drink alcohol, it goes into your bloodstream and is circulated to the liver, brain, and other parts of the body.

Based on this standard, the body metabolizes alcohol at 0.01 fluid ounces per minute. So, when you find NA beers with an alcohol content as low as 0.05 percent, the alcohol will be ingested in about five minutes. It’s impossible to get drunk on nonalcoholic beer based on these calculations.

– Breathalyzer Results

NA beer might not show on the breathalyzer, depending on how much you consumed. If you consumed only a few cans, it wouldn’t show, but if you consume a lot of NA beers in a short time and take the test immediately after, it will flag your alcohol level.

Is Your Non Alcoholic Beer Really Alcohol Free?

No, your non-alcoholic beer is not really alcohol free. NA beer can contain up to 0.5 percent alcohol by volume, so it is not completely free from alcohol. As for alcohol-free beers, they still contain an ABV of 0.05 percent or less. 

If you want to avoid alcohol altogether, you can’t drink NA beers. There are only a few truly alcohol-free beers, like Heineken 0.0. In the USA, anything with less than 0.5 percent of alcohol can have an NA label

 In the UK, beers can remove 0.5 percent ABV from the label, so what appears as 0.5 percent might be 1 percent of alcohol.

Why Do Some People Drink Non Alcoholic Beer? 

Some people drink non-alcoholic beer to stay sober. The main reason why people enjoy drinking non-alcoholic beer is that they want to reduce their alcohol intake but can’t quit cold turkey. So, these beers act as a way to transition to soberness before quitting alcohol.

NA beer also contains fewer calories than regular beers. Drinkers on a diet or interested in health benefits usually opt for NA beers so they can reduce their calorie intake. It also promotes hydration, unlike standard beers, because there is no alcohol to keep you dehydrated. However, you should know how many calories you will get after drinking your favorite beer, especially if you are on a diet!

Nowadays, there isn’t much of a difference between NA beer and standard beer. You can drink with your friends without feeling left out and sleep better without being affected by alcohol. Plus, you can drink as much as you want without getting a hangover.

You can drink NA beer and still drive since it does not get you drunk. Keep in mind that the open container law might still apply, so you can get in trouble if authorities see an open can of NA beer in your car.

How Many Standard Beers Do You Need To Get Drunk? 

You will need four cans of standard beers to get drunk. An average man needs to consume 2.4 ounces of alcohol to reach or surpass the alcohol level of 0.08 percent. This is equal to four standard beers.

The drunk driving limit in most states is 0.08 percent, and this can be achieved with four beers. This calculation presumes that the drinker weighs 160 pounds.

FAQs

1. Why Is an NA Beer Making You Feel Drunk? 

NA beer is making you feel drunk because of the placebo effect. You might be expecting to get drunk from a NA beer, and this causes you to feel drunk. This is even more prominent when you’re drinking in a place where other people are drinking alcohol and getting drunk.

2. Is NA Beer Suitable for Alcoholics?

No, NA beer is not suitable for alcoholics. Alcoholics in recovery should not drink NA beer but go for beverages that are completely alcohol-free, like soda or juice. It can also contribute to liver damage, so it is not suitable for those suffering from medical issues related to alcoholism. 

Conclusion 

With our guide that fully answers the question, “Can non alcoholic beer get you drunk?” you can freely drink your NA beers without feeling tipsy.

Here’s a recap of what we looked at:

• Non alcoholic beer will not get you drunk because of the very low ABV.
• The body metabolizes the alcohol in NA beers very quickly, as fast as 16 minutes.
• You need to drink up to 40 cans of NA beers in a short time to feel drunk, but this is near impossible.

Based on this guide, you can safely drink NA beers without getting drunk. There’s no need to hesitate when you buy your favorite NA beer today.