It started in 2017. I was a binge drinker, every Friday and Saturday without fail, I would get drunk with my friends down the pub. I’m in my twenties, so not getting drunk was something unheard of!
After all the years of downing pints and doing shots, I gained the dreaded ‘beer belly’. Not only did I get a ‘beer belly’, but I became lazy, unmotivated and would question if I really enjoy the lifestyle I’m living. And the answer, was no. Waking up with a hangover and spending the rest of the day recovering was something I did not enjoy anymore. The amount of hours wasted was starting to piss me off.
So, this year, I decided to cutdown on beer. I knew it would be tricky, but I had to do it, I knew I needed to change my lifestyle. I wasn’t going to become unsocial and not go out with my friends to the local pub, but if I did go to the pub, I would obviously choose a soft drink over a beer. But, there's only so many soft drinks you can have!
I would look behind the bar and noticed the lack of choice for alcohol free beers. And it got me thinking. Why is there such a lack of choice for alcohol free? Surely, there must be some drinks out there. So, I went to Google, searched for ‘alcohol free beers’ and found a range of European alcohol free beers. Ah ha! I ordered a few samples, tried and tested them with my friends and brother and realized that these beers taste exactly the same as any other beer you would buy.
This got my thinking. I knew there would be people who would have made the same choice as I did and cutdown on the booze. And people would still want to enjoy the taste of beer, without the alcohol. It was then when I thought of opening an online store, that sources and sells great tasting non alcoholic beer. This is where LightDrinks was born.
I bought the domain and started off with a few brands such as Heineken, BrewDog and Stowford Press, ect. To my surprise, the site kicked off! I had orders come through and people requesting whether we would sell other brands of beer or would consider selling non alcoholic wine.
After searching Google, I found a brand called Eisberg Alcohol Free and decided to stock two of their wines. I thought maybe we could sell non alcoholic spirits. Back onto Google and I discovered a brand called Teetotal GnT, an alcohol free gin and tonic.
We now sell over 40 different types of low and alcohol free drinks, with the list growing! If you think its hard to go alcohol free. You’re wrong! It’s never been easier. The alcohol free industry is booming in the UK.