I’ve had this same question for years and have never gotten a satisfactory answer.
I would rephrase it a little though. I drink occationally myself, usually cognac or a good vodka kept below the freezing point of water, either straight. What I don’t understand are the folks, and they are not just college kids, who consider drinking to be a pass time. I have know people, male and female, who into their fourties considered drinking alcohol to be a form of entertainment in itself. Not drink and party, not drink and talk, not drink and watch the game, just drink to get drunk. And I’m not talking about one or two people over the years either. Probably 20 percent of the people I know now are in this camp. At times and in different places this has risen as high as 50% of my aquaintences have considered getting plastered as their primary form of recreation.
The taste of beer brings back memories of happier times. Kinda like hearing that special song and reliving that first dance with that special woman. Recalling the times she sat here with me and we would drink. We would play the jukebox and talk.
I love drinking mostly becuase I love wine beer and mixed drinks but I do prefer the European approach. They drink just as much as Americans but are probably less obvious about it (except for soccor games) You still get drunk but keep your act together. It’s a cultural thing. I like the whole thing cocktails, followed by wine with dinner, a digestivo and a desert drink. yum. Great conversation and fun. But no I don’t funnel beers too often anymore.
I drink things that taste good. Wine, old well made spirits, and cocktails all taste good. Only fruit juices taste as good and are non-alcoholic. If it were possible to get a good non-alcoholic manhatten, or malt whiskey I would be very happy with them (especially if I were driving). Too many non-alcoholic drinks are too sweet, too high in caffene, and or too chemical-tasteing.
Cheers, Bippy
Friday night (5-9) is a good example of why I like drinking on occaision:
Before alcohol: Wife and Hot Friend of a Friend talk about work, people watch.
After alcohol: My wife is sitting on Hot Friend of a Friend’s lap and making out with her, while HFOAF checks out the material my wife’s thong is made of.