Can You Get Drunk Off Non-Alcoholic Beer? Solved (2022)

Whether you are the assigned driver who still wants to have some little fun or you want to get through the night without getting wasted, non-alcoholic beer can be a good option. But can you get drunk off a non-alcoholic beer?

Before you chug down a can of non-alcoholic beer, read this post. 

Can Non-Alcoholic Beer Get You Drunk?

Not really. Non-alcoholic beer generally does not get you drunk because it contains up to 0.5% alcohol per can. Your blood alcohol concentration will not rise high and quickly just by drinking alcohol-free beer. 

Depending on your metabolism rate, the 0.5% ABV can be processed within 6 minutes after consumption. The amount of alcohol will not get you drunk or push you over the drunk driving limit even if you consume ten cans. 

How Much Alcohol Does It Really Have 

In the US, many breweries offer non-alcoholic beers that contain 0.5% or less alcohol. Since it contains lower than 0.5%, drinking ten cans in an hour will be quite the feat, but it still does not get your blood alcohol content to rise.

Non-alcoholic beers have low alcohol by volume because of the alcohol produced in the brewing process. 

Why It Can Make You Feel Drunk 

You will not get drunk on alcohol-free beers, but it can make you feel drunk, and it is because of the placebo effect. The association between the two events formulates an expectancy for the second event. 

It is a psychological effect even if you drink NA beers. If you associate the taste of beer with intoxication, drinking an alcohol-free beer with a slightly similar taste can make you feel drunk. 

In addition, if you are drinking alcohol-free drinks with a group of people who consume alcohol, your body is generating the expectancy of getting intoxicated. 

How Many Non-Alcoholic Beers Will Get You Drunk? 

If you plan to get drunk on non-alcoholic beers, you may need to consume at least 40 cans of non-alcoholic beers. Before you get drunk on non-alcoholic beer (low-alcohol beer), your stomach will be full, and you will feel sick with it. 

Based on our calculation, ten non-alcoholic beers equal one real beer. A healthy adult can get intoxicated with four cans of beer with 5% ABV and reach the maximum blood alcohol content to be legally drunk. 

Our researchers measured their blood alcohol levels when conducting the experiment about NA beers, and drinking ten in an hour does not reach the legal limit of drunk driving. 

Does Non-Alcoholic Beer Give You A Hangover? 

No, non-alcoholic beer will not give you a hangover. Your body processes alcohol quickly, and the alcohol content of a NA beer is not high enough to get you intoxicated. A regular beer may dehydrate you, but low-alcohol beers will not, so you won’t experience a hangover. 

In addition, if you drink beer, your body will experience negative effects. Alcohol-free beer is lower in calories, carbohydrates, and sugar than regular beer. 

How Many Non-Alcoholic Beers Equal One Beer? 

Ten alcohol-free beers are equal to one beer. By serving definition, a standard serving of beer is 12 oz, and it contains 5% ABV or roughly 0.6 oz of alcohol. Since NA beer has low alcohol content, you will need to drink non-alcoholic beer ten times an hour to reach the blood alcohol content of one beer.  

If you mean to get drunk on non-alcoholic beers, you will need forty cans for at least an hour which can harm your body and well-being. 

Does Non-Alcoholic Beer Taste Like Real Beer? 

No, alcohol-free beer does not taste like real beer. Alcohol-free beers taste flat and watery compared to real beer due to the lack of hops. It tastes more like tea than beer. 

In addition, since the brewers use heat to remove the alcohol, it kills the aroma of the hops [1]. Removing the alcohol in NA beers removes a real beer’s taste, aroma, and mouthfeel.  

FAQs 

Does non-alcoholic beer register on a breathalyzer?

Yes, non-alcoholic beer can register on the breathalyzer. However, it can depend on your alcohol consumption and how long your alcohol intake is. It would be better to wait for at least two to three hours to ensure no trace amounts of alcohol in the breathalyzer test.

Does non-alcoholic beer dehydrate you?

No, drinking alcohol-free beer will not dehydrate you but instead hydrate you. Breweries in many countries add electrolytes when making it. Since it is not a diuretic, it will not dehydrate you. 

Final Say

You cannot get drunk off an alcohol-free beer, but if you intend to get drunk with it, you will need to drink at least 40 cans in an hour. However, you will feel full before even getting intoxicated.

A can or two cannot get your blood alcohol content to rise. Non-alcoholic beer can be a good option if you want to drink but stay sober. 

Reference:

1. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10503311/Scientists-make-non-alcoholic-beer-taste-like-regular-beer.html