"It's an Acquired Taste."

[McElroy]

But then, why add alcohol to the drink at all if the drink's more delicious on it's own? If the alcohol brings it down? I can understand people wanting to add alcohol because they'd like to get drunk, but if that's not your aim and the taste of alcohol is unpleasant, than why not simply drink something non-alcoholic, or take the drink without alcohol?

This tastes better than grapefruit soda. Ask anyone. Also wine and beer both have alcohol in them by default. You are right about a boozy drink maybe tasting bad. For that we have White Russians.

 

[RedDeadFred]

I think acquired taste is just getting used to a strong flavour that you've never been exposed to before. People refer to alcohol a lot with this phrase, but I think it can apply to just about any food that you don't normally eat. For example, I really did not care for curry when I first tried it. Now I thoroughly enjoy it. To the question of "why put yourself through that to begin with" I say that experiencing the unpleasantness several times is vastly overshadowed by enjoying yet another variety of food. If I had decided that "suffering" though the first few encounters wasn't worth it, I would never have come to enjoy sushi which is now one of my favourite foods.

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

...All that being said, some things you need to try more than once to really understand. The first time you have any kind of booze, you're likely going to be more focused on just the taste and sensation of the alcohol and you'll miss the rest of the drink, which is often delicious.

But then, why add alcohol to the drink at all if the drink's more delicious on it's own? If the alcohol brings it down? I can understand people wanting to add alcohol because they'd like to get drunk, but if that's not your aim and the taste of alcohol is unpleasant, than why not simply drink something non-alcoholic, or take the drink without alcohol?

It's not that the taste of Alcohol is unpleasant. At least, I personally don't think it's unpleasant. As much as I like 7UP and Coka-Cola, I find I enjoy a good Rum and Coke more than the soft drink on it's own.

It's just kinda overpowering the first time or two, so you don't taste the rest of the drink. So instead of getting the full taste the first time, you're distracted by the stronger, new-to-you taste of alcohol.

You know, kinda like the first time you play a bullet-hell Shmup, you're kind of overwhelmed by the bazillions of bullets on the screen and often miss the smaller nuances of the game that you only start to see on your second or third time playing.

Once the alcohol isn't a surprise to you, it becomes easier to appreciate the mix of flavors. That said, if you've had several kinds of alocholic drinks, and the taste of alcohol always ruins it for you, by all means, don't keep trying it, because you know what the problem is, and just changing the other ingredients around won't do much for you.

 

[WolfThomas]

Wow a lot of people just drinking to get intoxicated. You can drink wine to appreciate it's flavour and it's pairing with good food. And not get drunk because hey you need to drive back from the restaurant. Or have a cold beer after a hard hot days work to unwind with your feet up and stop at one.

However with the acquired taste part I never really understood until I started drinking scotch and other whisky/whiskey. When you first try scotch it's just fire and alcohol taste. But when you take time, you can appreciate the smell, the flavour. The various differences in regions (Highland/Lowland/Islay/Islet/Campletown/Speyside) or nations (Irish Whiskey, US bourbon/rye). It take time to be able to appreciate the nuances of each.

As I started tasting, I realised what I liked and didn't. Focused on what I liked. My favourite drink at the moment is Knob Creeks 100 proof Rye Whisky. I really like the smooth spicey aftertaste. But most people I offer it too can't get past the initial harsh burst at the start (from the high alcohol content).

But heck when I'm drinking 100proof (or 50% whiskey) I tend to get intoxicated slower than on beer. I hate a warm beer and I find I sip a standard of whiskey over the time I might have had 2-3 beers.

 

[Saelune]

As a kid my parents made me and my sister eat our food. Being picky was simply not tolerated. The phrase "you'll learn to eat it" has been ingrained deep into our mind. Much more than any taste it's parents who let their children be picky in the dinner table that make me sick. Acquiring a taste for something is never bad for you bar extreme cases like glue and shit. Don't want to get drunk? There's a time and place for everything and one's "in moderation" can be just that one glass of bubbly wine. Abstaining completely is fine too as long as one understands it's not admirable in any way (unless they're an alcoholic).

We should never go anywhere with food or alcohol together. We wont get along.

 

[MysticSlayer]

I remember my first drink. It was awful. Then again, it was Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale, which is a pretty bad beer in its own right.

To me, I really came to tolerate alcohol simply by trying alcoholic beverages. I wanted to try Samuel Adam's Cherry Wheat because a cherry-flavored wheat beer with low alcohol sounded good, and it was awesome! It's still one of my favorite beers.

Then I decided to try Weihenstephaner Heffeweissbier at the recommendation of a friend. That too got me hooked.

Along with those, I also came to like Samuel Adam's Blackberry Whitbier.

Eventually, I just sort of forgot about the alcohol and started liking most good beers I tried. There was still the matter of getting used to hops, and I still don't like really hoppy beer that much. I also despise most really malty beers.

So for me, acquired taste was finding a few alcoholic beverages I liked, and eventually I could tolerate the alcohol in other drinks.

I also don't drink to get drunk. It has always been for the flavor, and while beer certainly doesn't top my list of favorite beverages, I still enjoying having it occasionally, especially when I'm with friends.

 

[Kolby Jack]

I'm not a very social person so I don't experience much pressure to drink. Everyone in my family drinks, but they respect my choice and don't question it. I'm not against drinking, in fact I've had a few beers with my Dad and brother a couple of times in the past on the occasional "man night." But while I can drink beer, I don't like it. It's a strongly bitter taste and I can barely tell the difference between any two brands.

Wine is even worse. I can't even drink wine, it's so terrible. You would think years of communion would get me used to the taste but nope. I haaaaaaaate it.

What little liquor I've had I actually kind of liked. It's a real punch in the face, but you drink it in sips and you don't drink very much of it. I can see the appeal of liquor more than any other kind of alcohol. But I still don't go for it because I'd rather just have a sweet, bubbly soda than a punch in the face.

Off the topic of alcohol, I've recently heard someone claim that Dimetapp is "delicious." I took Dimetapp many, many times over my childhood and it NEVER grew on me even a little. At one point I actually threw up BECAUSE of how bad it tastes. That anyone could find it "delicious" just baffles me completely.

As a kid I hated squash, collard greens, and turnips. As an adult I only somewhat dislike collard greens, and I actually like squash now. Still can't stand turnips though. Shit's gross. It also took a while for me to start to like Dr. Pepper, which was unfortunate because it was my siblings' favorite drink. It's still far from a favorite, but I enjoy it enough now.

 

[Pseudonym]

Well, it might at least be an explanation for differing tastes for some people. And sometimes aquiring certain tastes can be useful. If I lived in a country where everyone ate food that I didn't like, it might be better for me to aquire a taste for that food, as it might be what I'm stuck with for a while.

As for the shit people say to get others to drink. Ignore it. They want you to drink because drinking with a group is more fun than drinking alone. Also if everyone drinks you can be less insecure about your own drinking. As a non-drinker I've hardly ever met anyone who tried to convince me to drink who didn't quite transparently not give a fuck about how I felt about it and only about how they felt about it. (occasionally they already had a couple of drinks making it even harder for them to hide their intentions) That is why their arguments are ussually so thouroughly unconvincing. If you want a more honest conversation, you should take the initiative and push them about why they drink. Not only will it shut a lot of them up, but if it doesn't they will ussually come with much more plausible reasons for why they drink than the nonsense they try to convince you with. (#notalldrinkers)

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

If you want to drink for the sole purpose of getting drunk, then you're either a drunkard or aged 19-26 and don't yet know better Alcohol should be treated as a compliment to the food you're eating rather than a goal in and of itself. This is not to say you shouldn't go for the odd pub crawl or on a decent wine tour, but these events should be semi-regular, like once every two months or something. Longer for the wine tours.

Also, alcohol has been used as a social lubricant ever since we figured out how to make the stuff, so it isn't going anywhere.

 

[Fox12]

Well they say this because the point of drinking alcohol is to get drunk, or at least tipsy. The ends, justify the means kind of mentality. the goal, is to be in an altered mental state, the method to reach that goal, is to consume alcohol. Since this isn't always pleasant for everyone, you must acquire a taste for it.

I personally never bothered with it, and would always tell people "I'm sure drinking piss is an acquired taste too, it doesn't mean I want to do it." And I just went for other drugs when i wanted an altered mental state. No bad taste to deal with, just pills or tabs of acid, or mushrooms, or smoking a joint or two. Much easier to manage in my opinion

By "acquired taste" do they mean addiction? I know people who like to smoke because it calms their nerves, which I can get. The same with alcohol, actually.

Actually it only calms your nerves because you have developed a need for the nicotine to be calm. You develop an agitated sense of anxiety if you go too long without a smoke, and smoking just resets you back to zero state. Though I'm assuming you are talking about people you know who have a smoking habit? And not just like a cigar every few weeks when out with friends kind of smoking?

Yeah, they have a habit. They told me the reason they started was because their friend told them it would calm their nerves. Maybe they were fudging the details a little bit.

I've smoked a few cigars before, and while it was an interesting experience, I could take it or leave it. Then my grandfather died of lung cancer, and I decided I'd had enough of that.

 

[Ogoid]

But while I can drink beer, I don't like it. It's a strongly bitter taste and I can barely tell the difference between any two brands.

There are sweeter-tasting beer styles, like German wheat beers or Belgian Trappist ales; the former, in fact, was actually what made me go from drinking beer just to get drunk to full beer geek.

 

[Sonmi]

I don't know, I don't think I've ever learned to like something I disliked at first. I've always liked coffee and certain types of beer (lagers are awful though), and the things I loathed as a child I still detest.

But while I can drink beer, I don't like it. It's a strongly bitter taste and I can barely tell the difference between any two brands.

There are sweeter-tasting beer styles, like German wheat beers or Belgian Trappist ales; the former, in fact, was actually what made me go from drinking beer just to get drunk to full beer geek.

Not a fan of German wheat, but Trappist ales are absolutely to die for. Quadrupels are usually a bit too sweet, but tripels are my jam.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Fruit.

Basically any raw fruit that isn't lychee or mango. Unless it's wine I don't see the point.

I mean, I'll eat a banana or apple because that's all there is in the kitchen. I hate shopping or cooking ... I've gotten used to eating raw oatmeal mix for breakfast solely because I can just pour it from a glass into my mouth and I'm done, but I can't imagine ever wanting to eat a piece of fruit.

I don't get the appeal. I tried once having three serves of raw fruit each day, but 99% of fruit is horrible. It has seeds you have to deal with, pips, skin ... I loo at a punnet of strawberries ... eat one ... think it's okay. Then have another and that one tastes horrible. Fruit. Pointless and bitter sweet by itself and most likely zero sum for the time you spent doing all the needlessly fiddly things like eat around the white and green bits.

And the experience is always fleeting. Because if you get a particularly nice strawberry, you feel compelled to eat more of the flesh and chance getting a hit of that bitterness as you work your way up from its tip. Thus ruining the experience.

Raw fruit. Never ends on a high note. It's all diminishing returns or you feeling guilty about being wasteful.

 

[sanquin]

The only example I can speak of from my own experience is Whiskey. I liked the taste of it right from the start, but the burning sensation really bothered my at first. I slowly got used to it though, and now I actually like that burning sensation, as long as it's not too strong. A good whiskey gives a light burning sensation and a slight warmth with it's after taste after all.

I smoke too, but I never understood how people start liking it. Sure, rolling that first cigarette from a new pack of tobacco tastes great, but only in comparison to how the last few cigarettes from the old pack tasted. Apart from that I only got used to the taste, never truly started liking it.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

I smoke too, but I never understood how people start liking it. Sure, rolling that first cigarette from a new pack of tobacco tastes great, but only in comparison to how the last few cigarettes from the old pack tasted. Apart from that I only got used to the taste, never truly started liking it.

I smoke occasionally with wine. Alcohol and cigarettes always go well together. It is scientifically proven with rats! Give a rat a shot of nicotine, boosts interest in alcoholic beverages (and vice versa). But I agree ... that new rolling tobacco smell when you open a new pouch, also? Oh... it's glorious.

By its inverse, tailors smell like shit to me. I'm not sure what the difference is, but it's there.

 

[sanquin]

I smoke occasionally with wine. Alcohol and cigarettes always go well together. It is scientifically proven with rats! Give a rat a shot of nicotine, boosts interest in alcoholic beverages (and vice versa). But I agree ... that new rolling tobacco smell when you open a new pouch, also? Oh... it's glorious.

By its inverse, tailors smell like shit to me. I'm not sure what the difference is, but it's there.

I agree on the cigarette and alcohol part. They seem to go very well together. Same with coffee and a cig. As for the smell of a fresh pack being 'glorious'... Well, I wouldn't call it that. But it smells/tastes great compared to the last bit from the old pack as least.

 

[Saetha]

(As well as not run the risk of getting addicted/drunk.)

Why are you pretending to not get the argument when you clearly understand it and your issue is a seemingly childish view of intoxication?

Dude, it can easily be infered that people are only saying this to you because you give shitty excuses of not liking the taste or something when the effect (and likely a uninformed view of it) of alcohol is your actual hang up.

And just to play along, strong tastes can be overwhelming at first and require repeated exposure to truely be able to enjoy them.

Thanks for the psychoanalysis, but no, my biggest problem with it is that I don't like the taste of any alcoholic drink I've tried. I am not pretending to not get the argument - I stated in the OP that I understand the mechanics of it, but I don't understand the logic of doing it when there's no harm in just drinking something I like.

Like - what is your problem? I've had alcoholic drinks before. I didn't like the taste of them. That's not an excuse. I don't understand why you've taken it as such, and I don't understand the hostility over this either.

 

[Saetha]

Fruit.

Basically any raw fruit that isn't lychee or mango. Unless it's wine I don't see the point.

I mean, I'll eat a banana or apple because that's all there is in the kitchen. I hate shopping or cooking ... I've gotten used to eating raw oatmeal mix for breakfast solely because I can just pour it from a glass into my mouth and I'm done, but I can't imagine ever wanting to eat a piece of fruit.

I don't get the appeal. I tried once having three serves of raw fruit each day, but 99% of fruit is horrible. It has seeds you have to deal with, pips, skin ... I loo at a punnet of strawberries ... eat one ... think it's okay. Then have another and that one tastes horrible. Fruit. Pointless and bitter sweet by itself and most likely zero sum for the time you spent doing all the needlessly fiddly things like eat around the white and green bits.

And the experience is always fleeting. Because if you get a particularly nice strawberry, you feel compelled to eat more of the flesh and chance getting a hit of that bitterness as you work your way up from its tip. Thus ruining the experience.

Raw fruit. Never ends on a high note. It's all diminishing returns or you feeling guilty about being wasteful.

Yeah, fruit can pretty hit-or-miss. I love eating apples (Unpeeled, so it's no-fuss.) - but the quality of apple varies from one to another. Sometimes it's good and crispy, and sometimes it's just mush. It can be hard to tell which category an apple falls under before trying it, and unfortunately the grocery store doesn't appreciate me taking random bites out of the produce. :\

 

[Level 7 Dragon]

Spoiler: obligatory

 

[Kyrian007]

Sometimes an acquired taste is not your fault.

I worked at a supermarket, the owner used to let us have whatever drinks were past sell-by dates. That sounds like a good deal, but frankly only the least ever purchased liquids remained in store that long. Like Key Lime Sunny Delight. Its horrible, awful... I can't stop drinking it. Its hard to find these days, but whenever I see some I almost always get it. My friends, "If its so bad, why are you drinking it." Me, "I really don't know."

Then (and still actually) I worked at a radio station, well actually for a company that owns 6 stations in this market. We get free promotional stuff from... lots of different places actually. And often we get cases and cases of whatever "new" flavor of drink or snack that some company is trying out. The worst... Pepsi Blue. Imagine a forklift dropping off 2 pallets of cases of Pepsi Blue. And around a radio station... there are lots of people who don't make a lot of money, trust me. So something has to be really terrible if its not gone by the end of the day. Cases of Pepsi Blue were available for over a year. So, last month I'm in a store and see... Pepsi Blue. I bought a couple of bottles. The terrible taste of the 2000s.