Life In The Saddle

Alcohol free and low alcohol beers are finally catching on in the UK. I have been enjoying low alcohol or zero alcohol beers for many years now, and thought it would be nice to share three of my favourites. Alcohol free and low alcohol beers allow you to have a guilt-free drink—enjoying the taste and pleasure of having a beer, without the repercussions of a hangover or dehydration. Low alcohol beers also tend to be lower calorie, and some beers even claim to be isotonic to help you rehydrate. Small Beer Company Dark Larger The Small Beer Company are specialists in brewing classic styles of beer, below 2.8 percent ABV. The Small Beer Co. Dark Larger is just 1.0 percent ABV, but still delivers a beautiful taste and texture. Smooth and dark, with hints of coffee and dark chocolate; the Original Small Beer Dark Lager drinks like a stout lager and leaves a roasted toasted finish. At just 60 calories and 7 grams of carbohydrate per 350ml bottle, this beer is dark in colour and strong on tas...

Summer months mean (hopefully) hotter weather, longer rides, and post ride BBQ beers. The issue with all three of those, is that they will likely leave you dehydrated. Dehydration negatively affects performance and recovery, so to get the most from your cycling, you really need to avoid it. Luckily, Erdinger have a solution... Erdinger Alkoholfrei is an alcohol free weissbrau beer, which actually has isotonic properties. That means it officially classifies as a recovery drink. Here's the technical side... What are isotonic drinks? Isotonic drinks are those that have a similar osmotic pressure to blood; that means a similar number of dissolved particles per litre. This characteristic means they can be absorbed into the blood stream faster than other liquids. Dissolved particles include polyphenols, vitamins, electrolytes, carbohydrates, sugar, and protein particles. If the concentration of these particles is correct, then isotonic drinks can be absorbed up to four time...

There has long been a tradition for a 'recovery beer' amongst amateur bike riders, and even many professionals. The refreshing chilled beverage has the ability to revive, rejuvenate and relax you after a hard effort. The positive effects of alcoholic beer after exercise, are primarily psychological though; its benefits in terms of real physical recovery are very limited, or even negative. What you really need after a prolonged effort, is a drink that will re-hydrate you, and replace depleted muscle glycogen stores; so you're ready to fire on all cylinders again, sometime soon. Erdinger Alkoholfrei is the only 'beer' that can actually be labelled an effective sports drink; aiding re-hydration and re-fuelling through isotonic benefits. What are isotonic drinks? Isotonic drinks are those that have a similar osmotic pressure to blood; that means a similar number of dissolved particles per litre. This characteristic means they can be absorbed into the blood stre...

With hundreds of different 'sports drinks' on the market, it can be a bit daunting to the consumer. How do you know what works best for recovery? What tastes best? What is the best value? A lot comes down to personal preference; but, the ingredients and quality of the product are also paramount to getting the most from sports drinks. In this blog post, I've picked out five of my favourites… The 'Everyday Hydration Aid' Drink: O.R.S Hydration Tablets First up, a drink which you can use every day; whether or not you are out on the bike. These simple effervescent electrolyte tablets from O.R.S. are the best that I've tried. They're not too strongly flavoured, and not too acidic; but most importantly, they do a great job of replenishing lost salts. They'll help ward off cramp, and probably encourage you to drink more than if you were using water alone. View O.R.S Hydration tablets at Wiggle (Link) The 'During Exercise' Drink: Optimum...

Most of us know (deep down) that alcohol and endurance sports don't mix. Alcohol dehydrates your body; it reduces your reaction times and suppresses your immune system; it contains empty calories and lots of sugar; it even affects hormone production. Whether consumed before or after exercise, alcohol can negatively affect your performance, and your recovery. I first sampled Erdinger Alkoholfrei at the Mallorca 312 Challenge  last year; you got a refreshing pint of the stuff at the finish line! It instantly surprised me; both because it tasted great (not normally the case for alcohol-free beer), and it also genuinely seemed to help with rehydration, after a tough 10 hours in the saddle. Erdinger Alkoholfrei is a German Weissbier, it is made in the Erdinger brewery, which also produces a great range of normal strength beers, and they use the same skills and expertise to make the alcohol free version. Although it is branded as alcohol free, it actually contains less than 0.5% vo...