I was wondering in GQ if I could have a beer while I have laryngitis and am taking doxycycline. That got me wondering about drinking habits.
I like beer, wine and spirits; but I almost never imbibe. If I’m with friends who are drinking, then I’ll drink. Or if I’m at a party. But if I’m alone I seldom think of it. Or I’ll think of grabbing a beer and then not get around to it. I had a friend who saw drinking as a competitive sport and a sign of manliness. I know people who drink specifically to get a buzz, as opposed to enhance a good meal or enjoy the taste. I’ve heard of people who are morally opposed to drinking alcohol. And I’ve been with a lot of people who, like me, will have a social drink or two with no intention of getting drunk or even a buzz but are just enjoying the taste and the company. There are people who start out drinking socially, and then it gets out of hand and they become alcoholics.
So between ‘Lips that touch wine will never touch mine’ and ‘Grow some nads! Get drunk with me!’, where do you fall on the spectrum?
Destroying your liver, family, life, etc with booze is not cool. On the other hand, we have a nannying govt here in Australia these days that is calling having a second drink a “binge”. As a (blue collar manual labourer) mate said, “Mate, on a Friday, the first three don’t even touch the sides.”
Go out and enjoy a beer. Sometimes, you might go out and enjoy six or seven. You don’t act like an arse, you don’t hurt people, and it’s all good.
I think I’m in the general vicinity of the OP. It’s not that I don’t drink, it’s just that I don’t drink if left to my own devices. At a party or whatever I might have a drink or three but I’ll self regulate and switch to soft drinks before I get anywhere near messed up. This wasn’t always the case, I used to drink every weekend, alone if necessary, and get pretty wasted. I had a bad experience a few years back, involving a trip to the emergency room, and took it as a wake-up call. So I don’t care if I never drink again, but I won’t be a killjoy about it.
I’m also about where the OP is. If I’m out with friends, I might have one, maybe two - three on VERY rare occasions, and over the course of a several-hour period (maybe a wedding including a champagne toast and wine with dinner, somethign like that).
Occasions when I spontaneously decide to have a drink just for the hell of it are pretty rare, and those are usually of the glass-of-wine-with-dinner variety, or once in a blue moon I’ll decide to make something (like a mango daiquiri with actual mangoes) just because it’s yummy.
I have a huge amount of alcoholism in my family and definitely stay to the non- side of things. I will have a glass of champagne at a wedding, and I had a glass of wine on my business trip last week, but otherwise I’m a non-drinker.
I would like to know more about artisanal beers, but I don’t seem to be able to tell one from another. Regular beer, like when you go into a bar and order a beer? I know what beer tastes like. Why bother?
I am 22 and most of my friends drink pretty regularly… if other people are drinking, I generally do too. I used to be straight edge but these days I drink socially. I don’t like the taste of alcohol, though. I like being less socially inhibited and less shy than I usually am so I drink girly drinks and get buzzed. I’ve never gotten so drunk that I threw up (although there was one time when I stayed up all night and took the first train home–motion sickness is made worse by booze apparently), passed out, or any of those nasty associated things–if I start drinking too much I can generally self moderate. I never drink alone and I don’t have any interest in beer or wine just for the taste. Unless it’s a party situation I have no interest in booze whatsoever. Basically, although people might think this is unhealthy, I just drink to get drunk (although not too drunk.) If you think it’s unhealthy, though, you should see my friends.
I like wine with dinner. When I go out to hear a band, I drink vodka. Kayaking, we bring a cooler with some Mike’s Hard Lemonade to enjoy along with the water in our camelbaks.
Pretty much just like the OP. If I am at dinner with friends, I’ll buy a drink or two to loosen up as it makes me more talkative. Or if I’m at a restaurant on someone else’s dime I’ll usually get a drink. Drinks are typically $7-15 apiece here, and IMO that’s not something I want to waste my money on. Rarely will I ever have a drink at home, like maybe once every couple months. I hate the taste of beer.
I drink for the same reasons I eat–because I like the taste of what’s going into my mouth. (Un)Fortunately, I have yet to find anything alcoholic I like the taste of enough to outweigh the feeling I dislike of being buzzed or, worse yet, drunk. I have a family history of alcoholism and strongly dislike the feelings of being out of control that (for me) comes with drinking alcohol, so I rarely drink. On those few times I do drink, I severely limit myself to one drink because I could easily see myself sucking down several mojitos or strawberry daquaries, just because I like the taste of them.
Other people drinking around me? I could care less, unless they start acting like drunken idiots.
I’m in the field of “if you want to go out with me, ask me while sober” (and specially “do not drink in order to grow up some balls, you moron, I’m absolutely not interested in sex with Mr Walker”) but also on the field of “I’m fine with people drinking so long as it doesn’t impair their judgment.”
I only drink very rarely because I get a buzz/ blistering headache/ dizzy way too fast for my taste. As in, after half a pint of cider the world is doing the wave But I do like cider - I just can’t have it and know I can’t.
I drink rarely but when I do I hit it pretty hard. I don’t see the point in spending the money on alcohol is you aren’t going to feel its effects. But that kind of drinking only happens once every two months or so.
I do drink socially when the occasion calls for it. When there are receptions or some other function when pounding drinks is inappropriate I’ll generally drink beer and do so slowly. There’s a time and place for everything and acting like a drunken ass among co-workers or leading members of the community is not one of them.
I like a glass of wine with dinner, usually just on weekends or dinners out, but occasionally on a random Tuesday with my Trader Joe’s fare. Sometimes a beer is just the thing with pizza or Mexican. And, on occasion, I do love a good bourbon.
But there is lots of alcoholism in my family tree and I’m health-conscious, so I’m very moderate.
I like beer. A LOT. So I’ll drink 2-3 once or twice a week. Sometimes a little more often–if it’s in the fridge, I’ll drink one or two a night until it’s gone, then sometimes I won’t buy more for a week or two. I seldom touch the hard stuff, beyond the occasional margarita, and I don’t like wine.
I drink regularly–I have pretty low self control and I really enjoy drinking. Over the past year (since I’ve started drinking regularly) or so I’ve learned to toe the line between nicely buzzed and fucked, and I don’t see myself ever getting wasted just to be manly–I hate throwing up to much for that.
edit: what I mean by pretty regularly is: a bottle of cheap wine a week (mostly all in the weekend), with beer whenever I get some (and maybe once a month I’ll go somewhere just to drink with friends, but mostly its home alone)
I drink some wine just about every day, with dinner. OK, honestly, I’ve made it a kind of ritual to have the first glass while I’m cooking dinner. Then I’ll pour a second glass to enjoy with dinner. Sometimes, if the weather’s nice, I’ll pour a third glass and take it out on the porch to just sit and watch the world go by. I won’t do that if I have anything important to do that evening, though, because the third glass will get me buzzed.
Sometimes on weekends, my hubby and I will go out for drinks, or have a drink or two at home, and I’ll drink something harder, like rum and Diet Coke or some such.
I can’t remember the last time I was drunk, though.
As for “drinking alone”, I dunno. Does that mean “really alone” or just “there’s no one drinking with you”? Because my hubby works out of town most of the time and while we’re having dinner it’s just me and the kids (17 and 8; we’re not talking little kids, here). If that counts as “drinking alone” I do a lot of it.
I live within walking distance from a few local bars that regularly have live music. I go out most every Friday and Saturday and drink a fair amount. Usually a few beers and a few shots of Patron. I have a fairly high tolerance so that gets me a good buzz, but not outta control.
For me, drinking is a 100% social activity. I don’t drink alone. In theory, I like the idea of coming home from work and having a drink to relax, but in practice, I never do. I’ve tried to learn to appreciate wine, but when I pour a glass, it just sits there. I have no interest in drinking it. I drink to be social and lower my inhibitions, but when I’m home, I don’t find the buzz a pleasant feeling. When I’m at home, I prefer to be sober.
But I do like cider - I just can’t have it and know I can’t.