Let's Talk About Booze:

[Chewster]

Ah, how could I forget my beloved martinis?? I won?t go as far as to say I thought they?d make me seem cool, but something about their apparent elegance in popular culture (particularly films) intrigued me. The first one I tried, I was disgusted and pretty disappointed; I hate olives and should have guessed. But the bartender offered me a Gibson martini, gin and vermouth with a cocktail onion instead of an olive; LOVED it and have loved them ever since. But back to their ?elegance,? yeah? after two, I?m pretty tanked. It?s become a joke between me and my drinking buddies; everyone sticks to their ?normal? drinks, but when I?m feeling feisty, I?ll order my Gibson. They?ve dubbed it the ?Oh Shit,? so named after the phrase invariably uttered when they see me coming with one?

When I was in high school, during my underage drinking days we always used to drink hard liquor because smuggling a 6-pack of tallboys was more of a nuisance than a 26 of cheap rye or vodka. I think that is where my taste for martinis came from. In first year I used to, no joke, carry a small duffel bag with my gear to house parties. It had a box of martini glasses, a shaker, bottles of vermouth, vodka and olives and I used to just mix them all night. It was super lame in retrospect but seemed cool at the time. If only I'd been smart enough to start wearing suits too but that dumb phase didn't show up until grad school.

I wonder if I'll think all the stuff I do now is stupid when I'm 40. Probably.

I still drink them now and then but usually only at cocktail bars or something. Last one I had was at an Italian restaurant in Shanghai while on vacation. It was good but the waitstaff were visibly amused that a homeless looking white guy in a Hawaiian shirt ordered such a classy cocktail. I'll have to try a Gibson next time I'm somewhere classy. Not a massive gin fan but I mean, I'm not that fussy if I'm being truly honest.

 

[Kyrian007]

I don't drink much. The occasional draft cider (Strongbow or Angry Orchard) or snakebite made with the same. I generally have a small bottle of Bombay Sapphire around (gin being the only liquor I drink anymore.) I enjoy gin with a lemon twist, a g&t, gin and ginger ale, or (one of my own creation) gin and Jones berry lemonade soda. That last one winds up being a bright enough blue I refer to it as a Nuka Quantum. And I was drinking those before Jones actually bottled some berry lemonade AS Nuka Quantum for the release of Fallout 4.

 

[SckizoBoy]

IPA's predominantly... but I'm partial to a good brandy, dry wine, other ale types (Ghost Ship and Doombar being the bigger named brewery products I like best), the odd cider and whiskey. Sweet wines always seem off to me.

However, as with all things... best in moderation. Haven't gotten myself pished in many a long year now.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Synthetic alcohol, though being talked about within the last year or so, was something I had about over 5 years ago now, along with some other stuff too young to be regulated into illegality that might make the average human who desires a long and healthy life scratch their long and healthy head at. Not sure why they took their time reporting on that squiffy chestnut. It's the future, like synthetic meat orchids! Ok, theoretically the future, if we don't all drown ourselves in blind, burning capitalist greed while desperately squealing it's all God's plan or some shit.

Err...other than that, spirits and wine, wine and spirits, nectars of illusion ply thy vegan fillets. Sweet dessert wine is most appreciated, though I'm certain there's something that limits the level of inebriation in them, as higher percentages do not accompany higher drunkages. Are they cutting this shit?


[small]if I were to make a synthetic alcohol brand for space, it would be called nectars of trajectors[/small]

 

[Rangaman]

I drink, fairly regularly to excess (I'm a uni student, it's practically a given).

That being said, I don't like beer that much. Corona and some German beer aside, the beers I've tried range from "a bit too bitter" to "rancid ball sweat"[footnote]Never EVER drink Swan Draught, that shit is repulsive[/footnote]. Tequila can be pretty hit-or-miss too, one of my first experiences was with Senior Jose's Agave-flavored Petrol. Suffice to say, it took a while before I was ready to try tequila again.

If I'm just drinking at a family or semi-formal event, generally I'll go with cider or wine (red or white). Scotch and Irish Whisky are good too. I don't have any particular brand preference though.

Drinking at a party is generally the only time I have mixed drinks, usually Vodka plus something sweet. It's cheap and nice enough that I can down it without having to brace myself first. And before anyone says anything I'm a happy drunk who goes around giving everyone hugs, so I'm not really a threat to other people.

I don't drink but I'd like to give some stuff a shot. You guys got any suggestions for someone that wants taste over simply getting shitfaced?

Cider is good staring drink. Most of it is sweet and no more alcoholic than beer. Definitely avoid mixed drinks though; that stuff is made for binge drinking.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

Senior Jose's Agave-flavored Petrol

You sure that was tequila, and not a glass of biofuel?

 

[Xprimentyl]

Ah, how could I forget my beloved martinis?? I won?t go as far as to say I thought they?d make me seem cool, but something about their apparent elegance in popular culture (particularly films) intrigued me. The first one I tried, I was disgusted and pretty disappointed; I hate olives and should have guessed. But the bartender offered me a Gibson martini, gin and vermouth with a cocktail onion instead of an olive; LOVED it and have loved them ever since. But back to their ?elegance,? yeah? after two, I?m pretty tanked. It?s become a joke between me and my drinking buddies; everyone sticks to their ?normal? drinks, but when I?m feeling feisty, I?ll order my Gibson. They?ve dubbed it the ?Oh Shit,? so named after the phrase invariably uttered when they see me coming with one?

When I was in high school, during my underage drinking days we always used to drink hard liquor because smuggling a 6-pack of tallboys was more of a nuisance than a 26 of cheap rye or vodka. I think that is where my taste for martinis came from. In first year I used to, no joke, carry a small duffel bag with my gear to house parties. It had a box of martini glasses, a shaker, bottles of vermouth, vodka and olives and I used to just mix them all night. It was super lame in retrospect but seemed cool at the time. If only I'd been smart enough to start wearing suits too but that dumb phase didn't show up until grad school.

I wonder if I'll think all the stuff I do now is stupid when I'm 40. Probably.

I still drink them now and then but usually only at cocktail bars or something. Last one I had was at an Italian restaurant in Shanghai while on vacation. It was good but the waitstaff were visibly amused that a homeless looking white guy in a Hawaiian shirt ordered such a classy cocktail. I'll have to try a Gibson next time I'm somewhere classy. Not a massive gin fan but I mean, I'm not that fussy if I'm being truly honest.

Oh, you meant THAT kind of ?made me seem cool.? Not sure what level of cool you were shooting for, but anybody who brings booze and the tools to mix and serve at a party is pretty damned cool with me. about 17 years ago when my cousin was 19 (and I was 21,) he threw a party while his mom was out of town; my job was to supply the booze. I spent +$300 on a bunch of rot-gut crap (expecting 10 to 15 18-19 year olds, so booze was booze,) and +50 unexpected guests later, I was a friggin? hero? of a panicked, hungover 3-hour clean up job the next day. Fun fact: we thought we got away with it only to learn about 2 years ago that she?d known the whole time; neighbors ratted us out. Lolz.

I think there comes a second age of reason, at least for me it was right bout 30, where your 20s were just dumb enough to prevent your later years from getting too ridiculous, so I doubt you?ll find your ?now? relatively stupid at all. The thing to worry about is the mid-life crisis where you might dismiss your learned reason, and your future gets irrationally stupid, i.e.: with a comb-over, cracking joints and brand new Corvette you can?t afford, you?re breaking your martini gear out again to try to impress women half your age?

As for the Gibson, it?s personal preference; wont? try and sell it on you, but hope you at least don?t hate it. I?m told the right way is to drizzle the vermouth down the sides of the glass with the gin chilled, shaken and poured in last, but I prefer the vermouth chilled and shaken with the gin; I find this cuts the ?bite? of the gin a bit and it taste less like straight gin.

?or (one of my own creation) gin and Jones berry lemonade soda. That last one winds up being a bright enough blue I refer to it as a Nuka Quantum. And I was drinking those before Jones actually bottled some berry lemonade AS Nuka Guantum for the release of Fallout 4.

You, sir or madam, have piqued my interest with this little concoction; I shall be trying it myself, keeping the ?Nuka Quantum? designation and telling people I invented it. Wait, you?re not Stateside, are you? I was counting on a very large pond keeping you from ever being able to regularly refute ?my? ingenuity when this drink become a national phenom. MODS, please delete this and Kryian007?s original post. Thanks in advance to all involved.

 

[Schadrach]

I'm a cider guy, mostly. Especially fond of Strongbow and Woodchuck (Ace in a close third), though Woodchuck is hard to find around here anymore. Angry Orchard is OK, but if I've fallen far enough to be drinking it the local discount grocer carries an off brand called "Wicked Apple" or some such that tastes identical to Angry Orchard and is cheaper.

Also sweeter fruit wines. My fianc? is particularly fond of a locally produces raspberry wine that I also quite enjoy. They also make a currant wine that's good but quite tart. And a peach win she likes but I think is overly sweet.

 

[Sonmi]

Beer and red, red wine are the stuff I drink the most, occasionally cider when the desire to make a Black Velvet comes to me.

Chouffe/Achouffe are my go-to "cheap" beer, but about once a week I'll try a new microbrew. Dubbels/Trippels are historically my favourite type of beer, but I've lately fallen for New England-style IPAs.

I'm absolutely crazy for port wine, but the fact that absolutely no one I know likes it leads to me drinking it only very rarely now, usually when it's offered at restaurants. I've been thinking of getting a bottle for my place to get a glass for dessert for myself alone. Ice cider, ice wine, and honeymead are all also very palatable dessert drinks, but they're much expensive than a bottle of port.

 

[Kyrian007]

?or (one of my own creation) gin and Jones berry lemonade soda. That last one winds up being a bright enough blue I refer to it as a Nuka Quantum. And I was drinking those before Jones actually bottled some berry lemonade AS Nuka Guantum for the release of Fallout 4.

You, sir or madam, have piqued my interest with this little concoction; I shall be trying it myself, keeping the ?Nuka Quantum? designation and telling people I invented it. Wait, you?re not Stateside, are you? I was counting on a very large pond keeping you from ever being able to regularly refute ?my? ingenuity when this drink become a national phenom. MODS, please delete this and Kryian007?s original post. Thanks in advance to all involved.

I'm stateside, but in flyover country so you are probably OK. Use Bombay Sapphire, or for a slightly spicier experience Sapphire East. I'd go somewhere between 3/1 Jones to gin. Garnish with a lemon peel if you want. Its basically an easier to make... slightly sweeter Electric Lemonade.

 

[Agema]

What I have to say about my booze habits is that I drank beer with my friends, almost everyone did. Sometimes I had too many beers, sometimes others did. I liked beer, I still like beer. Yes, we drank beer. My friends and I. Boys and girls. Yes, we drank beer. I liked beer. Still like beer. We drank beer.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

I drank occasionally as young as 14. When I started drinking properly at 16, I started on cheap, nasty cider. By 18 I was drinking stout. I then moved more towards bitter and ale, and started drinking whisky (Scotch) in my early 20s. Gave up the whisky in my early 30s as it started giving me godawful heartburn, but around this time I was drinking a lot more wine (alongside bitters and ales, which I've continued to drink).

Thus these days generally I mostly drink bitters / ales or wines (red or white); and occasionally just about anything else - cocktails, cider, spirits, better quality lagers, etc.

I prefer traditional British bitters and ales - something like Timothy Taylor's Landlord is a great, beautifully balanced pint - compared to newer, fashionable, ultra-hopped, craft beers. And lots of traditional European beers (mostly Belgian, German and Czech) are good stuff too. Craft brews are nice to have in moderation, but they're jarring for regular consumption.

Honestly, I just don't drink much generally. I work about 45-50 hours a week and my commute takes over 5 hours a day. I'm too damn tired to drink booze, even at the weekend: I need to catch up on sleep then but alcohol screws sleep quality up.

 

[Xprimentyl]

?or (one of my own creation) gin and Jones berry lemonade soda. That last one winds up being a bright enough blue I refer to it as a Nuka Quantum. And I was drinking those before Jones actually bottled some berry lemonade AS Nuka Guantum for the release of Fallout 4.

You, sir or madam, have piqued my interest with this little concoction; I shall be trying it myself, keeping the ?Nuka Quantum? designation and telling people I invented it. Wait, you?re not Stateside, are you? I was counting on a very large pond keeping you from ever being able to regularly refute ?my? ingenuity when this drink become a national phenom. MODS, please delete this and Kryian007?s original post. Thanks in advance to all involved.

I'm stateside, but in flyover country so you are probably OK. Use Bombay Sapphire, or for a slightly spicier experience Sapphire East. I'd go somewhere between 3/1 Jones to gin. Garnish with a lemon peel if you want. Its basically an easier to make... slightly sweeter Electric Lemonade.

Thanks for the tips and the tacit permission to usurp your cocktail; I?ll probably give this a go this weekend! Just have to track down some Jones soda; can?t recall seeing it anywhere that I frequent, then again, I haven?t looked for it. I?ve never had an Electric Lemonade, so this?ll be all new to me.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Socially I drink beer. I never got into wine. Nothing against the taste but I like my beverages cold.

On my own I occasionally fix myself a Spritz. I picked up the habit in Italy some years ago and I fucking love it.

 

[Agema]

Socially I drink beer. I never got into wine. Nothing against the taste but I like my beverages cold.

Try putting your wine in a fridge for a few hours before drinking it.

 

[madwarper]

My current favorites are Gose (Prairie Flare) and Cider (Farm Flor).
Unfortunately, PA's laws suck. And, the only places to buy them are in DC or NYC.

However, a good Lager (Yuengling) will always do. Especially when it's inexpensive and local.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Socially I drink beer. I never got into wine. Nothing against the taste but I like my beverages cold.

Try putting your wine in a fridge for a few hours before drinking it.

I think red wine trastes better lukewarm.
White's good cold. I guess my "problem" with wine is a lot rides with what you're eating, whereas beer is the jack of all trades of alcohol.

 

[gorfias]

Bombay Saphire martini straight up with a lemon twist, hold the Vermouth.

 

[Agema]

I think red wine trastes better lukewarm.

White's good cold. I guess my "problem" with wine is a lot rides with what you're eating, whereas beer is the jack of all trades of alcohol.

Maybe. But you need to pick the right beer to go with the right food just like you need to pick the right wine to go with the right food.

Unless, I guess, you're drinking soulless, multinational, mass-produced, characterless pish, in which case it's so insipid it probably would go with anything.

 

[Xprimentyl]

I don't drink much. The occasional draft cider (Strongbow or Angry Orchard) or snakebite made with the same. I generally have a small bottle of Bombay Sapphire around (gin being the only liquor I drink anymore.) I enjoy gin with a lemon twist, a g&t, gin and ginger ale, or (one of my own creation) gin and Jones berry lemonade soda. That last one winds up being a bright enough blue I refer to it as a Nuka Quantum. And I was drinking those before Jones actually bottled some berry lemonade AS Nuka Quantum for the release of Fallout 4.

I tried your Nuka Quantum this week (with Beefeater, though, not Bombay Sapphire.) Quite tasty!

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

Spirits: My go-to is a Bourbon and Tonic, though I'm a sucker for drink specials with no pineapple juice. I also make a mean Moscow Mule with Cock and Bull ginger beer, which is really nice on a 90+ afternoon.

Beer: I like a good Pilsner or Blonde Ale. I tend to prefer lighter, less-bitter varieties.

Cider: My taste in Cider is limited to Rose (not a fan of much else, especially sweeter ones)

Wine: Rose is my favorite, especially if I can get a sparkling rose, but I tend to prefer the drier varieties of the white wines. Not as big a fan of red (the nitrates do interesting things with my guts), but do enjoy a good glass of port when the occasion calls.