So my birthday is in the end of November, and I’ll be turning 21. As I am the youngest person among my friends, quite a number of people are excited by this fact, as it means we can FINALLY bar hop en force. I don’t want to look like an idiot when I commence with the bar crawling, so tell me, Dopers, what advice do you have for me? What should my signature drink be? Does one always tip the bartender? What is bar protocol?
And while we’re on the subject of consumtion of alcohol, my old roommate swore by eating bread ahead of time, she claimed it “soaked up the booze” and allowed her to drink more. I somehow doubt this. Anyone else have similar “theories?”
Gee, if you’re almost 21 then you’ve been legal here for almost three years.
Oh, you mean to drink likker! That’s different.
There isn’t any advice this reformed drinkin’ man can give you that you’d be interested in hearing, so I won’t bother. Just don’t do anything TOO stupid.
Yes, one tips the bartender. Lest oldscratch et. al come and gouge your eyes out.
bar protocol is not throwing up in the bar. Other than that, rules may vary.
BTW, seeing as this seems to be your first time going out to bars, allow me to give you my prediction of the night. You will either drink so little, for fear of going over the edge, that you won’t actually be drunk at any point during the night or (the more likely of the two) your friends persuasion, coupled with your new found freedom, will have you heaving up in an alley about an hour and a half into the festivities.
It takes a bit of drinking to find that middle zone. The one where you can be comfortably drunk for a prolonged period because you know just how much, how often. Until that happens, you WILL continue heaving until way past the point where your stomach has emptied.
Good lord that sounds depressing. I’m sorry.
Oh, as for “nice” drinks, I’ve always loved amaretto sour. Caramelly and pretty damn difficult to get drunk off of. Good drinks? New Castle or Fat Tire for beer and vodka shots or Long Island Ice Teas for harder stuff.
I’m not that excited about it though, my birthday is on a Sunday and I have an 8:30 class Monday morning.
Does anyone know if I would be able to get into bars at say 12:01 am on Saturday night/Sunday morning? One of my friends told me that they had done that but I’m not sure if it’ll work.
Katie
p.s. try a Tom Collins, it’s my current drink of choice
Congrats Swiddles! I’d offer advice but mainly what I’ve gotten from friends and family is drinking is over-rated, never leave your drink and other such things like that. (I think they are a tad bit paranoid for me… though I guess my family has good reason… my friends just don’t want me puking my guts out) I’m getting legal in the next month myself the 18th to be exact. (Funny, I’ll be 18 on the 18th… wow…)
One of the reasons I ended up a graphic artist was to learn how to mechanically reproduce fake IDs. This is also the reason I am in favor of Cyber-nannies for those of you who have children. How else would they learn to hack?
No, I’m with you, Guonolad. Getting drunk is about the most unpleasant thing I’ve ever voluntarily done… and I’ve eaten soap, dropped acid, and seen most of “The Doom Generation.” If someone formulated a beverage that tasted exactly like the average piss, I would rather try that than drink alcohol again. As for the inebriation aspect, what’s so great about becoming stupid and depressed? But then, don’t listen to me… Practically everything that the average college student seems to enjoy has the opposite effect on me.
I am only 18 but here you are legal with 16 already - so…
I have never been drunk in my life so I must be doing something right:
Drink water before you go out.
And go drink some water (it is cheap at the toilet ) inbetween bars.
Dont drink with a straw!!!
The bread thing is a good idea, cause it will take longer till you are out of it - but you will still be out of it.
Same with chips and everything with lots of fat.
But that can also mean happy puking time if you overdoe it.
I HAVE been inside a few bars before, both sneaking in with those NYC Dopers (bad influences, all of them.) once before when I was 18 and a bouncer looked at my legal ID, and gave me a booze bracelet anywayand in my capacity as an intern at a radio station, . Funny how bouncers jump out of the way when you tell them you’re with the station.
And I HAVE experianced the joy that is alky-hall. I am not a fan of beer, mixed drinks are my bag. I also have a relitively high capacity for the drink. (Irish alcoholics on both sides of the family tree). In fact, despite drinking quite a bit of hard liquor, I’ve never thrown up thanks to booze. I’ve gotten to spinning-room syndrome, but no barf. Frankly, I didn’t feel any less unihibited. It wasn’t terribly fun, I just felt like me, but with motor impairment.
And don’t worry, Guono, dear. My best friend HAS had an extensive drinking history (she’s currently doing her 90 in 90 in AA) and so there will always be A.) a sober person with me or B.) a non-drinking alternative.
The really exciting part of all of this is that Burlington has NO nightlife aside from the bars, and I am up until 2 or 3 every night. So being able to GO somewhere with friends will be grand.
Keep the suggestions coming, I’m still looking for a drink that says “Swiddles!”
Congrats! As a former bartender, I’ve seen more than a few coming of age parties, and to be truthful, most of the time the birthday person ended up having the least fun of all, eventually. Here’s my advice for avoiding the rocks and shoals:
The previous advice about eating first is absolutely right - starchy foods slow down the rate of absorption of alcohol in your digestive system. Bread is good, but pasta seems to be more effective - I recommend a nice big plate of spaghetti before you leave home.
Again, the previous advice about drinking water is sound. I recommend that you drink it all night, along with the alcohol - just keep the two glasses in front of you, and alternate sips. This will have the added benefit of keeping your palate clean. Beware - in some bars, they will charge you for water ordered seperately, so when you order, say “I’d like a (insert alcoholic beverage here) with a water back, please”. And, if anyone gives you a hard time about drinking water in a bar, look them straight in the eye and tell them to mind their own business.
Stay away from sweet drinks. It’s too easy to put them down too fast, since they usually don’t taste as strong as they are. `Shooters’, or small drinks with 2-4 oz of booze and a mixer such as sweet & sour, cream, soda, juice, etc. can turn your party into a confusing haze way too early. Also, since your body deals with sugars and alcohol in pretty much the same way, if you have too much of both you are likely to get an extra-bad hangover. Champagne is the worst.
If the bar has food, it’s probably a good idea to nibble throughout the evening. However, you should know that some bars intentionally serve bar food that is very salty/spicy, in order to make you drink more.
There is no need to get a head start on the party - don’t warm up with a few before you leave.
Needless to say, don’t plan to drive yourself. If possible, plan for a cab - it’s probably not a good idea to ride with one of your partygoing friends, since they might be as drunk as you will be. Also, I would explain to a trusted person who will NOT be going to the party (parent, someone who has to work the next day, etc.) that they might get an emergency call from you. Take an extra $20 tucked in the special place in your wallet for cab fare. Do something to plan for getting home - and be sure to have one or two backup plans.
Be sure that you TRUST the people at the party not to play evil tricks on you if you pass out. Ask yourself, “Would this person shave my eyebrows off?”
Do not make any bets of any sort on anything that night - pool, darts, shuffleboard, sports on TV, whether you can score with the bartender, etc. Trust me, it’s a bad idea on your first night out.
Yes, eat while you drink, to buffer the effects.
Start slow.
End slow.
Don’t make anyone cow you into a drinking contest or a binge, or you may get badly hurt. The effects arrive in an hour. You can easily O.D. long before you notice anything, and end up your birthday being stomach pumped, or worse.
Go somewhere that drinking isn’t the only thing to do.
Play pool, watch a band, or eat. The fun is not in the drink, it’s in the fun.
Before drinking, I recommend you eat something light and bland – you may be tasting it again. McDonalds is good for this purpose. Don’t load up on soda, you don’t need carbonation. Take a small bottle of mouthwash, just in case you do puke, or want to freshen up for some reason. Take a condom. Alcohol is a dis-inhibitor, and you should be prepared if you decide to indulge.
Don’t sign anything while drunk – pay by cash, or don’t get it. There are a bunch of unwritten rules about letting guys buy you drinks, but you can learn those as you go along. For now, let them buy you drinks, and don’t feel obligated to reciprocate in any way. As a girl, you should also have someone with you, preferably not another drunk. Someone you trust, who you will listen too when they tell you “NO”, even when your drunk mind is screaming “YES, YES”!
While I enjoy being drunk, I don’t enjoy being sick. Over the years, I’ve learned just how much I can drink, and how much is too much. You’ll need to experiment. The problem is the grey area in between just enough and too much. I normally drink shots of Yukon Jack (neat), and sip on water in between. If I have more than 3 shots in an hour, I tend to lose track of myself, and end up having even more. 5 shots in an hour and I get sick. So, it’s a fine line. I usually start with 3 in the first hour, then stick to 2 an hour after that. I keep nicely, mellow drunk for hours and hours. Towards the end of the evening I stop the shots for an hour or so and I’m good to drive.
Ah, Swiddles, I just realized I’m 5 months older than you.
Go out with your friends, get drunk, have a good time, and have a few glasses of water at the end of the evening. Remember liquor before beer, never fear. Beer before liquor, never sicker. Get some food on your stomach before you go out. Give the bartender a few dollar tip before you leave. Simple eh?
) inbetween bars.