Translation (I think): My brother is getting over a drinking problem. What are some suggestions for bad-tasting alcohol for him to carry around in an "airplane bottle" so that he will be reminded not to drink when he wants to?
this post was submitted on 22 Mar 2026
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Basically yes
This is just his way to keep drinking and sell it to himself and others as "doing something against it".
Don't encourage or enable him in this. The only way to stop drinking is to STOP. DRINKING.
You don't fix a drinking problem by carrying alcohol with you wherever you go.
Spot on. I tried to quit smoking once by switching to menthols, and telling myself that they’d be horrible enough to make me quit. It did not work. I just adjusted to the change and kept smoking for another two years.
He could actually believe it will help and just be wrong.
That is entirely possible however plenty have found it doesn't work. I know a girl who drank hand sanitizer because she 'needed' her alcohol so much (it was not the kind that had alcohol in it, she just barely realized that and call 911 in time before she passed out, somehow they saved her life)
i don't have any suggestions, by the way (im a child)
(im a child)
I see someone already is doing the age verification system, but that's not how this works...
I read that twice and I'm at a loss as to the meaning of most of it.
Anyone wanna play the guessing game bot/tism/drugs/hungover?
You forgot concussion, and having a stroke.
OP....hey, we care about you. Do you smell toast? Well, let me know if you smell toast. I'm making toast, so if you smell it, it's probably popped up and ready.
I see you've played before. ;)
This is a bad idea. He will just acquire a taste for whatever "tastes bad". This isn't going to be some magic trick that nobody has ever thought of.
I was lucky enough to be able to quit without any programs, but in my worst, I was choosing things that were "harder to drink" because of their taste (like the most bitter beers I could find) so that I would "drink slower". All it did was make me acquire a taste for really bitter beer and I drank as fast as ever.
Nothing. That’s not how alcoholism works.
Tell him to get on Naltrexone if he wants to drink himself sober. Its legit and one of the most effective approaches known, actually retrains you so alcohol doesnt get you what you expect from it
I didn't know there was pickle tasting booze but how about you modify his idea and give him some straight up pickle juice? And just tell him it's alcohol. I'm pretty sure if your bro ingests alcohol again he'll just form an attachment no matter how bad it tastes. Because the body craves ethanol.
So it's important to put as much time/distance between him and drinking as you can, so the body forgets it's dependency on alcohol.
Also helps to have a nice drink that replaces the alcohol. I think pelple use soda, kombucha, tea or coffee. This way you replace the habit and break the association of "i need a drink -> alcohol time."
In summary, what your brother thinks he needs isn't necessarily what he does need. It's the alcohol craving talking. Always double-check with someone who's recovered from it themselves or is a medical professional before you try out ideas like that.
I've found kombucha helpful to cut down my cider drinking. It doesn't do much for wanting beer or liquor, but it's a surprisingly good cider replacement.
Yeah, i expected the fact it's fermented would help. Non alcohplic ginger beer is probably a great beer replacement but i'm pretty sure the best kinds are alcoholic so it might be no help - you could just relapse to alcoholic version or you could pick up an alcoholic one accidentally.
Definitely not what op is looking for but an NZ brewery did a pickle sour beer for a while (they might still be doing it, not sure.) link
It wasn't bad! It was novel, and it was sold as a paired beer for just about every burger in an annual burger competition in Wellington one year. Unfortunately that meant everyone that participated in the competition got real sick of it though lol
So your brother's solution to the drinking problem, is that every time he thinks of drinking alcohol, he drinks a little bit of alcohol? And by drinking a little bit of alcohol, it prevents him from drinking a lot of alcohol?
I think the premise is to drink a capful of foul liquid like say Castor Oil (so says cartoons, never had it myself) whenever he gets the urge to drink, to associate them in his mind and help him quit. Tbf he didn't invent the technique, it's old as sin, and it has worked for some people.
I think the confusion comes from English not being a first language for OP, possibly.
Ah, a non-alcoholic foul liquid makes sense to me. The post originally said alcoholic but the post has been since edited to change that.
Jepson's Malört. Famously bitter. I think it's nice, but it's often served on a dare in bars in the Chicago area.
Backup option would be straight Campari. He will need to be ok with probably dying his mouth red when he takes a sip. Mix 1:1 with some Fernet Branca to add some menthol and bitter herb flavors.
If he finds bitter flavors tasty then idk.
Chytown home of the brave and enough able body americans to tell the government to get the fuck out after 3 days. Ill save this thank you
Malort is so much worse than just bitter though. It's like a mix of cheap artificial mint and burnt rubber. It's probably one of the most disgusting things I've ever tasted, and that includes pure Bitrex.
What in the hell is this word salad?
Are you having a stroke OP?
Nope going on my last 8 hours of a 72 hour run where I am stationed at.
Well that sure sounds healthy.
Also, get your bro some thc to kick the booze.
And I ran.....I ran so far away......
Maybe don't post?
Bitrex and water
How about instead of gross alcohol, he punches himself in the balls when he wants to drink? He'll still get the Pavlovian response but without having to continue drinking.
Bitrex is a substance you put in poisonous stuff (like antifreeze) so that kids and animals don’t drink it.
This is also used as nail polish to make children stop chewing nails.
I actually loved the taste of that stuff - it made it worse.
I seem to recall this not being very effective, but I can't find any studies right now either way. Lots of marketing, and a little bit of anecdotes, but no studies.
The idea being that they get used to it and just ignore it, because they want to bite their nails. At best it serves as a reminder when they do.
Akvavit
Underberg?! Or other incredibly bitter and foul liquid? It's a novel idea but I don't think it would really work. Maybe if you made it even more potent with sucrose octaacetate or denatonium benzoate (active ingredients in those nail varnishes that are supposed to stop you biting your nails).
Say what? Is this from grok?
Bitrex
Aviator gin?