# "Proper" alcohol for early-day drinking.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-alcohol-for-early-day-drinking/653887>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 25, 2013, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-alcohol-for-early-day-drinking/653887 "2013-03-25T04:06:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-alcohol-for-early-day-drinking/653887/1 "2013-03-25T04:06:10Z")

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How was it determined that certain alcohols were appropriate for drinking early in the day? If you have a Bloody Mary, Screwdriver, Mimosa or Kahlua/Bailey’s in your coffee noonish or even earlier, no one bats an eye; whereas a beer or a cocktail with rum or gin in it would probably raise an eyebrow. What makes some drinks “brunchy?”

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**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-alcohol-for-early-day-drinking/653887/2 "2013-03-25T04:13:50Z")

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> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#):
>
> How was it determined that certain alcohols were appropriate for drinking early in the day? If you have a Bloody Mary, Screwdriver, Mimosa or Kahlua/Bailey’s in your coffee noonish or even earlier, no one bats an eye; whereas a beer or a cocktail with rum or gin in it would probably raise an eyebrow. What makes some drinks “brunchy?”

This is culturally determined, as witness the fact that, where I live, anyone drinking Bloody Maries in the morning would be assumed to be in the terminal stages of dipsomania.

Oh, and anyone putting Kahlua or Baileys’ in their coffee would be taken out and shot. You don’t have to drink coffee if you don’t like it, but if you’re going to drink it treat it with proper respect!

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**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-alcohol-for-early-day-drinking/653887/3 "2013-03-25T04:16:11Z")

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I assume because orange juice, tomato juice and coffee are acceptable morning beverages so a doctored up version meets plausible deniability.

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**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-alcohol-for-early-day-drinking/653887/4 "2013-03-25T07:11:48Z")

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Indeed, I thought the _entire_ point of brunch was so that you would have a “valid” excuse to get smashed at 11am and no one will blame you for it.

In fact, I would argue that it isn’t even brunch unless some sort of alcohol is being served (usually mimosa or champagne but bloody mary’s are good too). 11am meal without alcohol is just a late breakfast or an early lunch.

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-alcohol-for-early-day-drinking/653887/5 "2013-03-25T09:05:56Z")

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For breakfast it’s whatever you find under your pillow.

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**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-alcohol-for-early-day-drinking/653887/6 "2013-03-25T10:35:41Z")

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> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> For breakfast it’s whatever you find under your pillow.

I am NOT drinking that.