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Regarding the first paragraph - it brings taste. Same reason we eat nice food rather than the cheapest most nutritional food we can find. It's not alcohol for t

by corin_ 15y ago

Regarding the first paragraph - it brings taste. Same reason we eat nice food rather than the cheapest most nutritional food we can find. It's not alcohol for the sake of alcohol, if I had a bottle of vodka at home I wouldn't bother drinking it. Come to think of it, I think I actually do have a bottle of vodka somewhere in a draw in my bedroom... it's there because I haven't ever wanted to get drunk at home since I was given it 9 months ago. Whisky in particular I can't get enough of (in the hyperbolic way, not the "I literally drink as much as I can" way!) - I forgot to include, when looking around the room, that I have ~15 30ml bottle samples of various whiskies that I haven't tried, which I regularly add to and try. After trying them I might add it to my mental list of real bottles to buy in the future... often won't.

dariusmonsef 15y ago
It sounds like it is really a flavor thing for you, and that sounds awesome. You've found something you really enjoy and are able to share that with others.
- Locke1689 15y ago
  You're aware that there's an entire profession based around the taste of wine, right? And that wine prices are based on their taste not their alcohol content? I don't understand how it's possible to be incredulous about people liking the taste of alcohol. I think most people like the taste of alcohol. Certainly haute cuisine is about taste. There's no section in Escoffier about getting shwasted.
  - dariusmonsef 15y ago
    I have nothing against this. That's why I said it was awesome they really appreciated the taste of alcohol.
    - burgerbrain 15y ago
      They appreciate the taste of the various beverages, not the alcohol (although, to be clear, the alcohol does contribute to the various flavors). Very few people drink alcohol, rather they drink things that happen to contain alcohol. You might be thinking that I'm being pedantic right now, but having a firm grasp on this concept is important if you wish to understand why people drink what they drink. Consider how silly it would sound if we talked that way about baking soda.
  - Alex3917 15y ago
    "And that wine prices are based on their taste not their alcohol content?" If wine prices were determined by taste then the most expensive wines in the world would be Oregon pinos, Rioja tempranillos, albarinos, etc. But in fact most of these wines are dirt cheap. The things that determine the price of wine are mostly the brand of the wine itself and the brand of the region it comes from. Taste plays only a very small role in pricing. And the alcohol content actually significantly effects how people perceive the taste, because when people are tasting a dozen plus wines in a sitting they tend to prefer the ones with higher alcohol content because they stand out more as they lose their taste perception, even if these wines wouldn't be that good on their own.
    - burgerbrain 15y ago
      If you're getting intoxicated while wine tasting, you are doing it wrong.
      - Alex3917 15y ago
        Did I say anything about becoming intoxicated? Anosmia/ageusia have nothing to do with intoxication.
        burgerbrain 15y ago
        If the mere presence of alcohol improves the perceived taste, then it does tastes better. Only actual intoxication could properly be said to corrupt results, since ethanol is a legitimate source of flavor.
        Alex3917 15y ago
        That's not correct. The alcohol makes you think the wine tastes better when you are comparing it with lots of other wines at the same time, because it makes it 'pop' more. But if you actually drink that wine on its own, the way one normally drinks wine, then it wouldn't necessarily be your favorite.
    - deleted 15y ago
- corin_ 15y ago
  But the rest of my comment - yeah, I still enjoy the flavour when getting drunk, but even if I didn't care for the taste I'd still enjoy drinking on a night out. edit: The only argument I would make against getting drunk, in my case, is that when doing it I'm obviously not taking the healthiest path. But I strongly suspect my food and nicotine habits are much bigger problems in the long-term.
brazzy 15y ago
Except to me the taste is absolutely vile. I don't drink any alcohol whatsoever simply because it dislike the taste. Even a whiff is enough to turn me off. I don't have any objections to others drinking (within safe limits), but really hate the notion (fortunately not widespread among my friends) that if you're not drinking alcohol in a social setting you're somehow weird or even spoiling everyone's fun.
- corin_ 15y ago
  A colleague and friend of mine who used to love drinking is unable to now for medical reasons, and while I've always felt sad that he can't do what he used to enjoy, I've never felt that his not drinking has been anything like a problem for anyone other than him. That said, I can see that there is some logic for some people. It's very possible for drinkers and non-drinkers to enjoy each other's company while drinking and not drinking, but for some people, if they feel this way, there's no reason it shouldn't be like any other activity. I'm a big fan of sports, for example English football, I don't mind that plenty of my friends are completely indifferent, they don't mind that I love it. I'd never expect them to come and watch a game with me, or even watch on TV. So I wouldn't have a problem with people thinking the same thing about "getting drunk" instead of "watching football".
- mgkimsal 15y ago
  Similar views here. For me it's beer - I've just never, ever liked the taste of beer. I think I've have 3 beers in my entire life, generally as the result of awkwardly forced social situations where it was easier to have a few sips than to make a bigger issue out of it than I wanted to. Wine? A glass now or then with a particular meal, it's OK. Spirits? Some vodka with OJ can give me a small buzz which, in some ways, can be relaxing for a while. These are the '1-2x a year' sorts of drinks, but never really for the taste of it. But... beer. Of any sort. I've just never understood the fascination with it. It all tastes gross. It's probably saved me a small fortune compared to some of my friends over the years, and I'm sure I'm (a bit) healthier because of it, although I still eat junk food, so it's not all unicorns and rainbows on that score :)
  - 15y ago
deleted 15y ago
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by corin_ 15y ago

dariusmonsef 15y ago

It sounds like it is really a flavor thing for you, and that sounds awesome. You've found something you really enjoy and are able to share that with others.

Locke1689 15y ago
You're aware that there's an entire profession based around the taste of wine, right? And that wine prices are based on their taste not their alcohol content? I don't understand how it's possible to be incredulous about people liking the taste of alcohol. I think most people like the taste of alcohol. Certainly haute cuisine is about taste. There's no section in Escoffier about getting shwasted.
- dariusmonsef 15y ago
  I have nothing against this. That's why I said it was awesome they really appreciated the taste of alcohol.
  - burgerbrain 15y ago
    They appreciate the taste of the various beverages, not the alcohol (although, to be clear, the alcohol does contribute to the various flavors). Very few people drink alcohol, rather they drink things that happen to contain alcohol. You might be thinking that I'm being pedantic right now, but having a firm grasp on this concept is important if you wish to understand why people drink what they drink. Consider how silly it would sound if we talked that way about baking soda.
- Alex3917 15y ago
  "And that wine prices are based on their taste not their alcohol content?" If wine prices were determined by taste then the most expensive wines in the world would be Oregon pinos, Rioja tempranillos, albarinos, etc. But in fact most of these wines are dirt cheap. The things that determine the price of wine are mostly the brand of the wine itself and the brand of the region it comes from. Taste plays only a very small role in pricing. And the alcohol content actually significantly effects how people perceive the taste, because when people are tasting a dozen plus wines in a sitting they tend to prefer the ones with higher alcohol content because they stand out more as they lose their taste perception, even if these wines wouldn't be that good on their own.
  - burgerbrain 15y ago
    If you're getting intoxicated while wine tasting, you are doing it wrong.
    - Alex3917 15y ago
      Did I say anything about becoming intoxicated? Anosmia/ageusia have nothing to do with intoxication.
      - burgerbrain 15y ago
        If the mere presence of alcohol improves the perceived taste, then it does tastes better. Only actual intoxication could properly be said to corrupt results, since ethanol is a legitimate source of flavor.
        Alex3917 15y ago
        That's not correct. The alcohol makes you think the wine tastes better when you are comparing it with lots of other wines at the same time, because it makes it 'pop' more. But if you actually drink that wine on its own, the way one normally drinks wine, then it wouldn't necessarily be your favorite.
  - deleted 15y ago
corin_ 15y ago
But the rest of my comment - yeah, I still enjoy the flavour when getting drunk, but even if I didn't care for the taste I'd still enjoy drinking on a night out. edit: The only argument I would make against getting drunk, in my case, is that when doing it I'm obviously not taking the healthiest path. But I strongly suspect my food and nicotine habits are much bigger problems in the long-term.

brazzy 15y ago

Except to me the taste is absolutely vile. I don't drink any alcohol whatsoever simply because it dislike the taste. Even a whiff is enough to turn me off. I don't have any objections to others drinking (within safe limits), but really hate the notion (fortunately not widespread among my friends) that if you're not drinking alcohol in a social setting you're somehow weird or even spoiling everyone's fun.

corin_ 15y ago
A colleague and friend of mine who used to love drinking is unable to now for medical reasons, and while I've always felt sad that he can't do what he used to enjoy, I've never felt that his not drinking has been anything like a problem for anyone other than him. That said, I can see that there is some logic for some people. It's very possible for drinkers and non-drinkers to enjoy each other's company while drinking and not drinking, but for some people, if they feel this way, there's no reason it shouldn't be like any other activity. I'm a big fan of sports, for example English football, I don't mind that plenty of my friends are completely indifferent, they don't mind that I love it. I'd never expect them to come and watch a game with me, or even watch on TV. So I wouldn't have a problem with people thinking the same thing about "getting drunk" instead of "watching football".
mgkimsal 15y ago
Similar views here. For me it's beer - I've just never, ever liked the taste of beer. I think I've have 3 beers in my entire life, generally as the result of awkwardly forced social situations where it was easier to have a few sips than to make a bigger issue out of it than I wanted to. Wine? A glass now or then with a particular meal, it's OK. Spirits? Some vodka with OJ can give me a small buzz which, in some ways, can be relaxing for a while. These are the '1-2x a year' sorts of drinks, but never really for the taste of it. But... beer. Of any sort. I've just never understood the fascination with it. It all tastes gross. It's probably saved me a small fortune compared to some of my friends over the years, and I'm sure I'm (a bit) healthier because of it, although I still eat junk food, so it's not all unicorns and rainbows on that score :)
- 15y ago

deleted 15y ago

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