Drinking alcohol as a social activity is probably the most important one for me—our culture has a variety of social practices for drinking that can lead to fun results if followed (and some others that are less good). This often blurs with social lubrication (do I enjoy talking at the pub because the pub is a socially useful place devoted to providing a space for people to meet and talk? Or is it the booze? Probably some combination, but leaning towards the first one). My family drinks a lot more (where ‘a lot more’ means average 3 drinks over the course of the afternoon for a few days running) when we have big gatherings, and it’s almost entirely as a social ritual and activity, as indulging in a tasty luxury, and then as a psychoactive drug, in decreasing order of importance (though all somewhat important).
Drinking just to relax is generally not worth it for me, I’ve done it only rarely. As for getting trashed, I recommend avoiding it altogether.
When I drink alcoholic drinks for the taste (the same way that I might drink fruit juice), it’s usually beer or wine. Particularly if I’m cooking with wine—because hey, can’t just put it all in the food without reserving some. I am absolutely okay with the bitter and herbal flavors—it’s just one of those things I’ve become acclimated to over time that would be weird and bad if I had to try it without acclimation, like mushrooms or strong cheese or hot peppers. Now I perceive those elements as important parts of an interesting flavor.
There’s definitely also a burning sensation associated with spirits, and it can put fire in yer belly (in a bad way) if drinking on an empty stomach. But, similar to spiciness, there’s a tolerance that is partly innate and partly built up through exposure. There’s also an aromatic flavor/smell to alcohol that is another one of those things I’ve become acclimated to and now perceive as an important flavor element—this is also the part of tasting that detects non-ethanol organic solvents as bad booze.
Drink recommendations for someone who doesn’t like bitter flavors or the taste of alcohol: try some non-hoppy beers like milk or oatmeal stouts (e.g. left hand milk stout), and wheat lager (weissbier) (e.g. hacker pschorr hefe weiss). There’s also hard cider (tasty and with fewer complications than beer), and low-alcohol mixed drinks like shandy and wine coolers / spritzers.
thanks for the reccomendations! I don’t know if I will find them here. I can drink ciders, but they sometimes are bitter as well.
I reccomend getting drunk-trashed once in your life (in a safe environment). For the feeling of what everyone else harps on about. also some interesting superpowers were conveyed to me the first time I understood “drunkedly getting away with things”
Drinking alcohol as a social activity is probably the most important one for me—our culture has a variety of social practices for drinking that can lead to fun results if followed (and some others that are less good). This often blurs with social lubrication (do I enjoy talking at the pub because the pub is a socially useful place devoted to providing a space for people to meet and talk? Or is it the booze? Probably some combination, but leaning towards the first one). My family drinks a lot more (where ‘a lot more’ means average 3 drinks over the course of the afternoon for a few days running) when we have big gatherings, and it’s almost entirely as a social ritual and activity, as indulging in a tasty luxury, and then as a psychoactive drug, in decreasing order of importance (though all somewhat important).
Drinking just to relax is generally not worth it for me, I’ve done it only rarely. As for getting trashed, I recommend avoiding it altogether.
When I drink alcoholic drinks for the taste (the same way that I might drink fruit juice), it’s usually beer or wine. Particularly if I’m cooking with wine—because hey, can’t just put it all in the food without reserving some. I am absolutely okay with the bitter and herbal flavors—it’s just one of those things I’ve become acclimated to over time that would be weird and bad if I had to try it without acclimation, like mushrooms or strong cheese or hot peppers. Now I perceive those elements as important parts of an interesting flavor.
There’s definitely also a burning sensation associated with spirits, and it can put fire in yer belly (in a bad way) if drinking on an empty stomach. But, similar to spiciness, there’s a tolerance that is partly innate and partly built up through exposure. There’s also an aromatic flavor/smell to alcohol that is another one of those things I’ve become acclimated to and now perceive as an important flavor element—this is also the part of tasting that detects non-ethanol organic solvents as bad booze.
Drink recommendations for someone who doesn’t like bitter flavors or the taste of alcohol: try some non-hoppy beers like milk or oatmeal stouts (e.g. left hand milk stout), and wheat lager (weissbier) (e.g. hacker pschorr hefe weiss). There’s also hard cider (tasty and with fewer complications than beer), and low-alcohol mixed drinks like shandy and wine coolers / spritzers.
thanks for the reccomendations! I don’t know if I will find them here. I can drink ciders, but they sometimes are bitter as well.
I reccomend getting drunk-trashed once in your life (in a safe environment). For the feeling of what everyone else harps on about. also some interesting superpowers were conveyed to me the first time I understood “drunkedly getting away with things”