I knew I liked the French!

[Bruce]

There have been a few cultures which traditionally drank beers and spirits. ( China and the US are just 2 examples ) . When they are introduced to wine, they gradually change over and never go back. The only exception is my son-in-law who steadfastly prefers boutique beers and bourbon. Yes he is from the US and he likes guns too... actually he's a nice bloke and can't help his culture.

 

 

[old man emu]

Beer is for quenching one's thirst. Wine is for savouring one's food. Spirits are the fuel to dissipation.

 

 

[facthunter]

Spirits are some kind of test as to tolerance. Preserves specimens (when you are DEAD). Use as fuel in high Performance motors or to turn your liver into a rock. Nev

 

 

[coljones]

Good drunks are well practised in camouflaging their addiction and intoxication. Just because they appear sober doesn't mean they are not drunk.

 

 

[nomadpete]

Does that make a drunk 'good'?

 

 

[Marty_d]

Most cultures have the harder stuff in addition to beer & wine. The French have cognac for example - schnapps & a bunch of other lovely spirits for the Germans, vodka for the Russians, ouzo for the Greeks, slivovic for the Croats, gin for the Poms, whiskey for the Scots & Irish, saki for the Japanese... that's just off the top of my head, I reckon you'd be hard pressed to find an established region without a favourite tipple. Well apart from the Middle East for obvious reasons.

 

 

[facthunter]

THEY get into it when they are away from HOME...Don't worry. But actually alcohol is doing a lot of damage to our society and to our health. IF you have difficulty going dry for a half week you are probably an alcoholic Its GOT you mate. Lets be honest...

 

Some Countries drink so excessively that they are over double the limit here, all the time. They are so accustomed to it that that level of alcohol is normal. and you don't actually act drunk.. If you give it up say for a month and go back on it a few beers and you are away. with the fairies. You are a two pot screamer for a while. Nev

 

 

[PA.]

I was chatting with a Surgeon the other day at the Qantas Club. He said he felt terrible. I inquired why he felt so terrible and said he was allergic to being sober.

 

 

[Marty_d]

I was chatting with a Surgeon the other day at the Qantas Club. He said he felt terrible. I inquired why he felt so terrible and said he was allergic to being sober.

If he was in the Qantas Club, he didn't have to be sober.

 

 

[spacesailor]

". IF you have difficulty going dry for a half week you are probably an alcoholic Its GOT you mate"

 

IT IS A problem. Who Likes throwing Beer down the sink !,

 

I drink so much it goes OFF ?, ( I didn't taste it), But IF I buy a six pack for some occasion, It could be over six months & still sitting in the fridge, (all five bottles)

 

That makes that One drink expensive !.

 

Iv'e started to drink a little wine (you-know a bottle a year), LoL

 

spacesailor

 

 

[pmccarthy]

I have taken a month off after a strict dressing down by the doc, but I go back to enjoying a glass or four each night. So I know I can stop if I want to for a night or two or a month, but I don’t usually. So does that make me an alcoholic or someone who just knows how to enjoy an evening?

 

 

[spacesailor]

PMC

 

My daughter has a partner who's a "reformed alcoholic"

 

Who can now go out to the pub & get pIsst like he used to do.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[old man emu]

There's the flip side to suffering from alcoholism, that's tee-totalism. By choice, I didn't drink for close on thirty years, just about all through my working life. As a result, I have no social life with others. I didn't mix with colleagues after work; didn't join registered clubs; didn't go to pubs. My father-in-law enjoyed good wines. I never joined him in a sampling. Even in response to our wedding toast, I did not drink. The day I retired, I had a celebration dinner with my family, and had the first drink they had ever seen me have. It was quite a shock to them. Now I still rather drink tea or coffee for refreshment. I enjoy sipping a glass of wine after dinner, and may have a schooner if I have a meal out.

 

In the Anglo-Irish Australian culture declining to drink alcohol is social suicide.

 

 

[facthunter]

Can you ever solve the world's problems in discussion with drunks?. IF you haven't noticed most don't make their best and most intelligent conversation pissed. There's also the difficult BAD drunk who will just take objection to you and hit you straight out of the blue.. Best you spend time with people who have some control over what they drink as there's a serious risk where it gets out of control.. Most objectional social behavior is alcohol fueled.. Alcohol destroys a lot of lives.. IF you are drinking every night of the week you are probably technically an alcoholic.. Sorry but I took a while to look seriously at the symptoms and I would have been one along with most of the people who I mixed with. Fortunately I don't get violent as many do. Most people I know whose kids have been king hit, without warning it's in an alcohol saturated environment. IF they DON'T GO there , they avoid the risk. It's that simple. You aren't missing out on anything important. you save money and don't have a headache next day and can remember what you did the night before.. Nev

 

 

[red750]

I have never drunk enough to feel the effects as I don't particularly like the taste of any, some more than others. I agree with O.M.E. that you have no social life. When in a situation where it might be diplomatic to have a drink in your hand, I will have a brandy and dry or brandy and coke, but only one on any occasion. I have been given a Scotch, but put it down after two sips. As for wine, I don't mind Moselle, but again only one glass. When I lived in Adelaide I went with a group to a wine tasting at McLaren Vale. I didn't mind a sauterne, but not enough to buy a bottle. Don't like Chardonnay, Champagne or any red wine. I worked as a drink waiter at a wedding reception centre for a while. I didn't mind a 'fluffy duck', but that's a sweet woman's drink. And beer is a no-no. Years since I've had any alcohol. Give me a coffee or a lemonade. When we eat at my son's pub, we drink pub squash.

 

 

[facthunter]

Have it as an adjunct to a meal as the French do and it's fine. Drink to get drunk and you are an addict. or have a problem of some kind that alcohol won't usually fix.. Drinking a lot of alcohol is a problem not a solution.... to anything. In Australia there is a pressure to drink, But it's considerably less than it once was.. I just drink soda and bitters or get soda and squeeze a lemon into it with ice.. Have better wine, but less quantity when the meal is good enough to merit it, and you can afford it. Eating out is not often for me. Nev

 

 

[old man emu]

Don't get me wrong. I like the taste of wine and beer. During my non-drinking years, I would drink a non-alcoholic beer produced by Coopers when I was really hot and thirsty. I tried some non-alcoholic wine, but at that stage wasn't into wine drinking. Now I will have a glass after dinner, when I bother to pick one up from Aldi. I can't see the point is paying heaps for a wine when my palate is not trained enough to enjoyed the supposed pleasures of a special bottling. If I go out, I'm the one driving, and since I rely on my licence to earn a shekel or three, I can't afford to lose it to booze.

 

The last time I got shikkered was a few Christmases ago in England. I allowed myself to be plied with Bucks Fizz. Apparently I was the source of much entertainment.

 

 

[octave]

Apparently, Australian are drinking much less alcohol than in the past. I definitely drink less than I used to. I share 1 or 2 bottles of wine a week with the wife (she is a keeper because she only likes a small glass). I also enjoy good quality craft beer (yes I am a pretentious wanker). When she and I go to a beer establishment we tend to get a tasting flight and spend a lot of time discussing the merits of the various offerings and then we may buy a schooner each of the one we like the best. The idea of drinking 8 pints of Fosters does not appeal at all. Craft beer at $15 a schooner is to be savoured and discussed not necked.

 

 

[Marty_d]

I've got to admit there's some excellent craft beers out there. Don't often go out but when I do, I'll try something other than the standard Boags or Cascade (although I like both). Can't drink to excess though - 3 or 4 pints tends to make me want to go home and have a lie down...

 

 

[old man emu]

There are probably several reasons for Australians drinking less - RBT, travel time, home cold storage

 

RBT has definitely lowered the average Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of drivers tested.

 

People no longer work within walking distance of home, or have short travel times from work to home.

 

The family fridge now holds much more that those of the past. That means there's room for a few beverage containers which wasn't there before. Also many now can run a "beer fridge" in the garage. Now we can have our coldies at home without the danger of getting into large 'shouts'.

 

Over consumption of alcohol is an activity of youth. Between 16 and 25 young people drink large amounts in social settings. By their mid-twenties, they tend to settle down to attend to steady relationships and careers. Mind you, we don't know what the Millenials are going to do.

 

 

[spacesailor]

The thing IS.

 

"Over consumption of alcohol is an activity of youth. Between 16 and 25 young people drink large amounts in social settings. By their mid-twenties, they tend to settle down to attend to steady relationships and careers"

 

When you get that retirement age, your income doesn't leave much for booze. & no social parties.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Marty_d]

I think the stats are showing that even younger people are drinking far less than they used to.

 

 

[spacesailor]

Debatable !.

 

Grand-son's Bing drink, with their mates.

 

So a bottle in the weekend, Big bottle of JD that is.

 

I don't like it at all. even if his mates ALL do it. ( not just one)

 

grand-daughters do it at events they save up to go to.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Marty_d]

In general the trend is downwards. Doesn't mean there won't be groups that still drink heavily (I also used to take a bottle of JD to parties in my 20's) but overall it's decreasing.

 

 

[kgwilson]

After I have cleaned up the yard and mowed the lawn late on a hot humid Saturday & I am hot & sweaty, there is nothing like sitting back on the Patio with a glass of cold craft beer made by me at home. I haven't been to a pub in years other than for a meal & I had a glass of a very nice Marlborough Savignon Blanc for my 69th birthday lunch, the first in months. I like good quality craft beers, my favourite style being India Pale Ale and my own home brewed ales. I always keep some IPA or PA in the garage for the times someone comes who won't try my home brew. That's only happened once as everyone else has said yes (some reluctantly) but everyone has been very complimentary afterwards. I have 4 bottles of Tower 10 IPA by Karl Strauss left from the 6 pack I bought last August.

 

I probably drank excessively when I was young but hated getting drunk. The hangover just wasn't worth it. I can't stand any of the popular beers they sell at pubs and bottle shops. Totally devoid of real flavour with too much gas & little hoppy bitterness & no finish.