It doesn’t really say anything about you. But that may be good. Mixed drinks are too open to “interpretation.” One person’s “classy” martini is another person’s “pretentious and annoying” martini.
Also, if you are with real muckety-mucks, it might be better to err on the side of moderation. Or to at least look like you are moderate–in other words, no hard liquor. Plus, if you end up with something you don’t like, or is stronger than you anticipated…
Beer (in a glass) is just fine, too, but might seem a tiny bit out of place in a fancy-schmancy restaurant. If you like it, though, and it seems like it would not be inappropriate, order it. Order a Bass Ale or something. Normally, I would say “just order Bud if you like it,” but there are some beer snobs who would look askance at it, so it might be safer in this case to order something else.
Bean
P.S. White Zinfandel is the Kool-Aid of the wine world.
Don’t drink beer (and certainly not Budweiser) when you are out to dinner with some muckety-mucks on Friday.
Beer: “I’m still think I’m in college.”
Cheap/Generic Wine of any color: “I don’t really know what I wanna’ drink 'cause I usually drink beer, but I’m not going to tonight.”
Decent Wine: “I like wine because it’s classy, I’m classy and gosh darnit, people like me.” Use this option only if you know what you’re talking about.
Mixed drink or straight: “I’m mature and I’ve been around enough to know what I like.” Nothing too sweet or fancy and you’ve got to not mind drinking it. If you order something and only drink 1/2 - 1 that’s no good. 1 1/2 - 2 drinks over dinner is the window (unless the muckety-mucks don’t drink) which is hard to pull off if you actively dislike what it is you are drinking.
All of this is subject to review once it is decided where you are going. If the muckety-mucks want to go to the honky-tonk then it’s definitely either a beer, margarita or straight tequila night depending on your tolerance. Oh, there’s no maximum at the honky-tonk either though the minimum of two is still applicable.
that’s excellent, inertia…exactly what I was talking about.
What mixed drink do you suggest? I like martini’s, but they’re a little strong for dinner and I think they make the drinker look a desperately cool - you know, trying to hard.
A friend of mine drinks Cosmopolitans, which sound good (vodka, cuantro, simple syrup, cranberry), but I don’t want to look like a wannabe Sex in the City chick.
I could go with a basic vodka tonic…nice and simple, classic.
Possibly a microbrew in a glass?
I definitely live beyond my means when it comes to alcohol. Some may find the drinks to be pretentious–I may be an arrogant SOB, but I drink what tastes good.
If you want to go with a beer and the event is conducive to imbibing beer, you’ve got to go with a good microbrew. I’ll second the motion for Mackeson Triple Stout. If you don’t like the robust, smooth, silky, i’m-going-to-have-an-orgasm-of-the-palate-flavor just opt for something along the lines of a New Amsterdam Amber.
In terms of wines I prefer reds on nearly all occasions. I think this is where I become uncouth in proper society because I’ll be damned if I’m going to drink a white wine with seafood just because proper etiquette. I’d select a good australian shiraz or a chianti from ruffiano.
Hard liquor is best straight. Glenfiddich and McCallahan make excellent single malts. They’re acquired tastes, but if you dig 'em, drink ‘em. The ol’ Bombay Sapphire martini (in and out, up, three olives) is the way to go if you want to mix. Then again, if you’re making them in that fashion, whispering vermouth over the glass is considered an adequate mix. I suppose if you don’t care for it straight, a simple Tanqueray and tonic will suffice. It’s a summery beverage. Don’t you dare bastardize Sapphire by polluting it with tonic.
As for liquers, there’s nothing quite like a Di Saronno after a meal.
Maybe it’s classy, maybe it’s pretentious, but it’s what I like.
I, too, believe in living beyond my means – at least with beer. I can drink cheap wine, but not cheap beer. At home I like to experiment with different microbrews; at bars, my usual standbys are Bass, Guinness, and Newcastle. I guess this says I’m a snob.
My pet stereotypes: Girls who drink Zima, wine coolers, or froofy mixed drinks are usually bimbos. (If you don’t like the taste of alcohol, for heaven’s sake, don’t drink it.) Guys who drink martinis are James Bond wannabes. People who drink Heineken are poseurs. People who make blanket pronouncements about wine (“It’s a Beaujolais (sp?), so it can’t be any good”) should be taken out and shot.
Did I mention that beer snobs are very judgmental?
“I can’t think why fancy religions should have such a ghastly effect on one’s grammar.”
– Dorothy L. Sayers
I like martinis, but the reason they make you look pretentious is that you have to be so detailed when you order them. To get a reasonable gin and tonic, all you have to say is “gin and tonic.” To get what I want in a martini I have to say “Tanqueray martini, up, with a twist,” which makes me sound like a James Bond wannabe.