Almost everyone has a feeling about what “too early” means when it comes to alcohol.
For some people it’s anytime before 5pm, for others drinking with lunch is OK, for some people a Bloody Mary is an integral part of their Sunday brunch.
So, barring one of those “I need a drink” moments (and alcoholism), what is the earliest time you’d consider civilised for drinking alcohol.
For me, I wouldn’t drink before midday.
You?
I’m not big on drinking during the week if it is still light outside. Weekends are fair game any time due to cookouts, tailgating, and things of that nature.
Generally noon…unless I haven’t been to bed yet in which case I’m probably not terribly coherent on what time it is anyways.
And all bets are off in Las Vegas or at a bachelor party.
Does rinsing after brushing in the morning with a gin and tonic count?
Seriously… Rare glass of wine or beer at lunch. Mostly drink with dinner and later.
What he said.
Be thankful you don’t live in Alaska then. 6 months dry followed by a 6 month bender.
Regularly, I’d say at dinner time. However, there are special occassions where the drinking starts early and keeps on going. I was just in a wedding I didn’t really want to be in with friends about in the same boat. We started at about 10:30 AM, and finished about 3:30 AM the next day.
Champagne drinks or Bloody Marys with a weekend breakfast or brunch is OK, IMHO.
Otherwise I don’t see a problem with a drink at lunch, as long as it’s not every day. Ditto for dinner.
During the week I’ll start as soon as I get off if it’s hot outside. On days off mid afternoon is fine. If I’m at the lake I’ll start as soon as I get up in the morning if the mood strikes. Vegas, 36~48 hour marathon drinking.
There is no “too early” for me. That said, there is definitely a “too often”. If my wife and kids are away, I sometimes wake up on a Saturday morning, drink a protein shake, hit the gym, and then come back and drink a Black Label on the rocks. Then I’ll ride the buzz while watching TV until it’s time for lunch. Of course, this is rare. On the other hand, I usually don’t drink more than 4 days a week. And most of these days, it’s just 1 drink.
Ordinarily, before 7pm is too early on a weekend, although I’ll occasionally have a bloody mary in the early afternoon. I don’t generally drink during the week.
On vacation (a beach vacation, anyway), too early is any time before I get out of bed.
There’s no such thing as too early; mimosas and bloody mary’s are superb breakfast drinks.
I only drink in the morning on vacations, though.
I really won’t drink before 5 PM. I have broken this rule before, but rarely.
Just remember: You can’t drink all day unless you start drining in the morning! 
:smack: I meant drinking! Apparently, I should really cut back…
Isn’t that the state motto of Alaska?
I have to agree with Big Bad Voodoo Lou…although for me, 9:30 or 10:00 pm is generally the norm, parties or BBQ or something earlier on the weekend might tempt me, but probably not.
It’s always noon, somewhere.
Never before dinner, unless there’s tailgating involved. This is also the only time I will gleefully break out an ice cold beer in below-freezing weather.
I think I have heard this rationale before…
Last Saturday at about 11am, a friend of mine was hungover and in need of grease, so we headed to Zeitgeist, a wonderfully dingy dive haven in the Mission, with a great grill. Now, I’m not gonna waste a trip to Zetgeist by not having one of their many microbrews, am I?
But happy hour! Two dollar microbrews! Plus, it’s light until about 9 here; I gotta start thinking about bed at that point.