Poll:Alcohol

[FinanceDude]

And those Freakonomics guys ask this important question:

Do We Drink Because We’re Monogamous, or Are We Monogamous Because We Drink?

From the cited (by them) article:


A single glass?

I was hardly monogamous in college, and my alcohol consumption was off the charts..........

 

[NW-Bound]

Darn! I totally missed out on both. Never smoked pot in my life either.

Why don't I just find a monastery and ask if the monks would take me in?

 

[braumeister]

Let's see ...
Trappist beers, Christian Brothers brandy, Carthusian chartreuse liqueur, ...

No, maybe that won't work either.

 

[CoolChange]

My drinking is still on the heavy side; but, it looks like I am in some pretty good company here. I usually have two or three drinks per day, more in social situations.

My favorite drinks by volume definitely are not alcoholic. In no particular order: Coffee (around 48 oz. per day), skim milk (almost 3 gallons per week), tea (both iced and hot, 2-3 quarts per day in total) and water.

I do love my afternoon and evening drinks as well. My favorite depends on mood, food and activity. Again, in no particular order, they include red wine, beer (most ales, some lagers), and whiskey/whisky.

Yes, when I am awake, I generally have a glass of something within reach.

 

[NW-Bound]

Let's see ...
Trappist beers, Christian Brothers brandy, Carthusian chartreuse liqueur, ...

No, maybe that won't work either.

And Dom Pérignon champagne? Oh la la. A monk may have much to [-]drink[/-] do.

 

[ERD50]

I just actually looked at the poll, and the scale seems way off to me.

1-2 drinks per day for men is often what is associated with good health (for those w/o problems with alcohol), and the low end of that is already at the top of the scale.

So 14/week would be considered 'normal and healthy' for many, and that's off the charts here. For waistline purposes, I usually limit myself to 1/day, and 2 on weekends, and social occasions when I'm not driving could be more.

Never 'cheap' stuff. If it isn't good quality, I'll drink water, coffee, tea.

-ERD50

 

[RonBoyd]

1-2 drinks per day for men is often what is associated with good health (for those w/o problems with alcohol),...

Never 'cheap' stuff. If it isn't good quality, I'll drink water, coffee, tea.

I, certainly, associate it with good health (recognizing that restriction)... and more than often.

Yeah, not many things worse than rotgut.

 

[braumeister]

Ah, but there are definite drawbacks to being a connoisseur, or just someone who appreciated better quality.

I'll never forget an evening about 15 years ago, when DW and I were visiting St. Louis with a group of friends. Someone made reservations at a very posh 5-star restaurant, and we gathered at the table in high expectation.

When the waiter took our drink orders, I wanted a beer (as always), so I asked what they had. The waiter reeled off the standard list of "Budweiser, Bud Light, Bud Ice, Bud Dry, etc., etc." and never got to anything I would consider a "good" beer. I commented on that to him, and he pulled himself up to his full height, looked down his nose at me, and said:

"Sir, this is St. Louis. We carry every beer made by Anheuser Busch."

I said "Thank you. Please bring me a glass of water."

I honestly believe he was shocked out of his complacency at a response he had never heard before.

 

[ERD50]

Ah, but there are definite drawbacks to being a connoisseur, or just someone who appreciated better quality.

I'll never forget an evening about 15 years ago, when DW and I were visiting St. Louis with a group of friends. Someone made reservations at a very posh 5-star restaurant, and we gathered at the table in high expectation.

When the waiter took our drink orders, I wanted a beer (as always), so I asked what they had...

Yep, it's still shockingly difficult to get a good beer in even very good restaurants. And then they are likely to serve it way too cold. It's frustrating for us beer lovers - often beer is a much better accompaniment than wine for so many meals.

I'm sure you are familiar with the cicerone program (beer equivalent of a wine sommelier):

Cicerone.org - Home

We were at local French Bistro lately, and I was thrilled to hear that they had "Two Brothers" on tap (a local micro-brewery - some great brews). When I asked which of their selections they had, he said he would find out, came back later to tell me "it is a dark beer". I just didn't feel like going through 20 questions to find out what kind of 'dark beer', so I just went for a bottle of Fischer Alsace, since it was a known quantity to me.

Fortunately, we also have a pub-style place with a great menu, and a fantastic array of beers on tap and bottled, and most importantly, a knowledgeable staff. It's enough of a drive to make it difficult to sample much more than a couple though.

-ERD50

 

[kumquat]

Ah, but there are definite drawbacks to being a connoisseur, or just someone who appreciated better quality.

I'll never forget an evening about 15 years ago, when DW and I were visiting St. Louis with a group of friends. Someone made reservations at a very posh 5-star restaurant, and we gathered at the table in high expectation.

When the waiter took our drink orders, I wanted a beer (as always), so I asked what they had. The waiter reeled off the standard list of "Budweiser, Bud Light, Bud Ice, Bud Dry, etc., etc." and never got to anything I would consider a "good" beer. I commented on that to him, and he pulled himself up to his full height, looked down his nose at me, and said:

"Sir, this is St. Louis. We carry every beer made by Anheuser Busch."

I said "Thank you. Please bring me a glass of water."

I honestly believe he was shocked out of his complacency at a response he had never heard before.

+1

except I`d have taken a dry red a a substitute.

 

[Gumby]

Just came back from visiting family in St. Louis. Except for the excellent product of my home-brewing BIL, I never expect to drink anything but an Anheuser Busch product when I'm in that region of the country. That's just the way it is there.

 

[NW-Bound]

Any beer lover here has a Yard House restaurant near you? They have a good selection of Belgian beer, and the food is not bad either.

 

[kumquat]

Just came back from visiting family in St. Louis. Except for the excellent product of my home-brewing BIL, I never expect to drink anything but an Anheuser Busch product when I'm in that region of the country. That's just the way it is there.

When no beer is available, drink what is available.

 

[Gumby]

Just came back from visiting family in St. Louis. Except for the excellent product of my home-brewing BIL, I never expect to drink anything but an Anheuser Busch product when I'm in that region of the country. That's just the way it is there.

To further elaborate, drinking a non-AB beer in St. Louis would be like driving a Subaru to work at the Rouge River plant in Dearborn -- something that is just not done.

 

[braumeister]

To further elaborate, drinking a non-AB beer in St. Louis would be like driving a Subaru to work at the Rouge River plant in Dearborn -- something that is just not done.

Next time you're there, I recommend you try the second largest brewery in St. Louis.

Schlafly has a very nice brewpub a couple of blocks north of Union Station, and a bottling facility out on the west side. You can actually find their beers in many places (they even distribute as far east as Ohio).

 

[CoolChange]

St. Louis, MO

braumeister and Gumby,

We do have some establishments serving a verity of beers in St. Louis; you just have to know where to find them: Growler's (Sunset Hills location is my favorite) and Cicero's (University City Loop) are two of my favorites with large beer selections (both on tap and in bottles) and knowledgeable staff.

I am a big fan of the Schlafly brewery. They have many good brews including the best barleywine (not usually my favorite style) I've ever tasted.

Now, I will admit that Anheuser-Busch's original Michelob is one of my favorite beers for enjoying outside on those hot, humid summer days (and nights) in Missouri when an ale is just too heavy.

 

[Moscyn]

Sorry to pose this question here but since there are a number of connoisseurs participating in this thread, can I just ask a question on hangover. I rarely have hangover unless I mix my drinks (which I don't do having learnt the lesson in early years). However, I notice that there a few kinds of wine (whether red or white) which gives me a hangover. I went for drinks two days ago in a very chic bar and restaurant. It was a spanish red wine (not cheap) and was a very generous serving in a large wine glass. I had 2 glasses and I think on a normal serving, it would be 3 glasses. I had the worst hangover yesterday and still a bit today. I don't think it is the quantity as I can consume more than half a bottle with no problems. What should I watch out for to avoid a hangover in choosing wine? Does the price help?

 

[haha]

Sorry to pose this question here but since there are a number of connoisseurs participating in this thread, can I just ask a question on hangover. I rarely have hangover unless I mix my drinks (which I don't do having learnt the lesson in early years). However, I notice that there a few kinds of wine (whether red or white) which gives me a hangover. I went for drinks two days ago in a very chic bar and restaurant. It was a spanish red wine (not cheap) and was a very generous serving in a large wine glass. I had 2 glasses and I think on a normal serving, it would be 3 glasses. I had the worst hangover yesterday and still a bit today. I don't think it is the quantity as I can consume more than half a bottle with no problems. What should I watch out for to avoid a hangover in choosing wine? Does the price help?

Avoid wine; do like the Russians and stick with vodka.

Ha

 

[aaronc879]

Avoid wine; do like the Russians and stick with vodka.

Ha

I don't drink often but I drink almost exclusively vodka.

 

[ERD50]

What should I watch out for to avoid a hangover in choosing wine? Does the price help?

I believe there are certain components to some drinks that can lead to hangovers. You can try googleing for specifics.

But whenever I find I'm drinking more than a couple, I start adding drinks of water to the mix. Lots of water. And if you've got to the point of being a bit tipsy, drink lots, and lots, and lots and lots of water before going to bed. Dehydration seems to be the worst aspect of a hangover, and this can help.

-ERD50

 

[Moscyn]

I believe there are certain components to some drinks that can lead to hangovers. You can try googleing for specifics.

But whenever I find I'm drinking more than a couple, I start adding drinks of water to the mix. Lots of water. And if you've got to the point of being a bit tipsy, drink lots, and lots, and lots and lots of water before going to bed. Dehydration seems to be the worst aspect of a hangover, and this can help.

-ERD50

Great tip. Thks. I usually drink a lot of water when I get tipsy and I remember I did not drink much water during that incident.

 

[califdreamer]

Congeners are the toxic by-products of fermentation that can lead to hangovers. Generally, the darker the alcoholic beverage the more congeners it contains. I've read that vodka has the lowest levels of these chemicals and bourbon the highest.

White wines have lower levels of congeners than reds so in theory you would have a more severe hangover from over consumption of red wines than white wines.

Of course, if you overindulge in drinking any type of alcohol you're going to feel it the next day.

 

[kumquat]

Good idea, and add a bunch of salt as well. KCl if you have any.


edit to add

califdreamer and moscyn got in there, not to disagree but I meant this as a reply to ERD50

 

[harley]

Congeners are the toxic by-products of fermentation that can lead to hangovers. Generally, the darker the alcoholic beverage the more congeners it contains. I've read that vodka has the lowest levels of these chemicals and bourbon the highest.

White wines have lower levels of congeners than reds so in theory you would have a more severe hangover from over consumption of red wines than white wines.

Of course, if you overindulge in drinking any type of alcohol you're going to feel it the next day.

I usually try to stop a bit short of this level.

YouTube - The Ultimate Pisshead!

 

[Alan]

Great tip. Thks. I usually drink a lot of water when I get tipsy and I remember I did not drink much water during that incident.

I always found this counter-intuitive when getting tipsy on beer, but it really did work for me in my beer drinking days. (these days, I can't drink much beer without feeling bloated)