How many of you don't drink alcohol?

[Serafine666]

I myself like the alcohol that's colloquially referred to as "everclear"; fill an old glass bottle with it, stick in a wick, and you won't need tinder for your bonfire. But as to consuming it, I abstain. A 12-pack of Code Red is cheaper and smells like cherries.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Honestly, if you were to tell me you were to make a delicious beverage by fermenting anything I'd be incredulous, but hey, here we are.

I don't see why you would be incredulous. Hard apple cider still tastes like apple cider; it's just alcoholic now. I like hard apple cider, and I like non-alcoholic apple cider. It's not like barley, which tastes like crap and which people think tastes good as beer just because they've "learned" to like it.

It depends on the beer. I legitimately like dark breads like rye and pumpernickle, and something like guiness is very similar in taste, and after the little bottle widget takes out the carbonation, it does not bother my stomach (I cannot voluntarily burp... I have to nearly induce vomiting).

I also like a good (WARM!!!) german beer.

American beers taste like piss, and I am not into water sports.

[Covenant]

This isn't an exhortation to get blackout hammered, but everyone can benefit from a little loss of control every now and then...

I'd strongly disagree with that.

But it's got no bearing on my choice not to drink. I've given it a fair shake though--I've got no history of alcoholism, I have discovered I have a nearly legendary tolerance for the stuff, and there's a few people in my circle of friends and family who have good taste about what to buy. To top it off, an uncle is a wine buyer for Chicago resturants, and several friends brew their own beer as well. 'Drank' on two occasions, sampling more than one thing. Had a few alcoholic beverages on like three occasions after that because my friends were still trying to find something I liked. Never liked it, just never bothered drinking again. I really don't get what all the drama's about, but then again none of my family are big drinkers or have had a problem with it, so I neither am afraid of or or interested in it.

I simply cannot stand the taste of the alcohol itself. The way it rolls up the back of your throat is disgusting to me, the way it sits on the tongue, and everything else involved in it is just repulsive. The more alcoholic something is the less likely I am to enjoy it. I've only been drunk once, but it wasn't any fun and I don't get the point of all of it, I'd much rather play games or have conversations with people who are sober.

But since my real issue is with the alcohol content and not the flavor, I still cook with wines, make cakes that soak in brandy, and use beer to season brats and roasts. Nobody ever pressures me to drink though, so I've never really considered it a big deal. I think it's pretty sad that I don't get any kind of enjoyment out of what it seems the entire world is obsessed with, but I've tried it and I just don't like it. The girlier you make it and the better it tastes, the more enjoyment I get out of it, but I don't know why I'd choose to order something I like less than even a Coke when it's also unhealthy and more expensive.

If someone has a beer they're raving about I might try a sip, but to this day I've not sipped something I'd actually want to drink a bottle of. My liver is fine, my family history is fine, I've just got no desire. To all those people "holding out" against the siege, I just say to give it a taste. You probably won't like it at first, since almost nobody does, and then you can just move on with your life without having to feel like you're fighting it off. There's a lot of stuff out there that tastes great the first time, so I'd say stick with that.

[dragon]

I don't as I do not care for the taste. In my entire life only got drunk once and that was just to see and was not impressed. Now there are certain flavored wines that taste good but I still don't drink them.

[The Romulan Republic]

I generally dislike the taste of alcoholic drinks, and I don't want to take the time to get used to it, especially since there's a history of alcoholism in my family and I suspect it would be very easy for me to slip into a habit I'd regret.

I've had alcohol maybe a dozen times in my life. I usually have a glass of wine. I never drink alone, and I never drink a lot at a time. If I want to enjoy myself, I'll drink something that tastes good, like root beer.

[Darmalus]

I am the first member of my family to NOT be an alcoholic. I never drink, under any circumstances, I am far too prone to addictive behavior.

[Big Orange]

I don't drink more than two pints of alcohol and I don't drink regularily.

[Napoleon the Clown]

I'm not a drinker. I'm on a medication that doesn't do well with alcohol, I have a family history on both sides of alcoholism, and I just generally am not interested in altering my perceptions.


That being said, I do have about a shot once every six months, at most. So far, I've actually enjoyed the taste of spiced rum. Not something I'd bother with purchasing, especially with how expensive anything with alcohol in it is in this state, thanks to a very hefty alcohol tax.

The one time I got so much as buzzed, I didn't really enjoy the feeling. I'm one of those horrible people who likes to be alert and able to think clearly, thank you.

[Frank Hipper]

I'm an alcoholic; I quit drinking almost eight years ago.

[Broomstick]

Beer tastes awful and gives me a headache. I honestly can't figure out why anyone likes it. If someone told you that they were going to make a drink out of fucking BARLEY, you would not think "Oooh, that will be delicious!" People only drink it because they've learned to acquire the taste IMO, and because it has such a long European tradition behind it.

I actually liked beer from the first time I tried it. But then, I also like bitter drinks and will peel and eat lemons like most people eat oranges. Clearly, I don't require what I drink to be sweet. In fact, I loathe "girly" drinks that taste like oversweet bubblegum.

Strong but pure alcohol doesn't have a flavor, but you can sense it as your mouth does react to the chemical. I can understand why some might interpret it as unpleasant.

I find the older I get the less I want to drink alcohol. While I do enjoy strong alcoholic drinks, I really don't indulge that often. Partly it's because of my personal rules - I don't drink and work, I don't drink and drive, I don't drink when my allergies are acting up, and I don't drink prior to hobbies that are incompatible with alcohol. It's also because I want to keep it a luxury and an indulgence, not an everyday thing. At this rate I'll be a teetotaler by the time I retire.

When I was actively flying airplanes there were years when the only time time I drank alcohol was a glass of wine with the family at Thanksgiving and a New Year's Toast with my Other Half. Flying is more fun than drinking, it's that simple.

Now that I'm not flying I'll have a beer with dinner once a week - when finances allow. It's been many months since I could justify buying beer. (And, by the way, Mike - I drink sorghum beer. There are non-barley beers. Can't say it tastes much different though. If you don't like barley beer you won't like the other grain-based alternatives).

I have zero problem with people simply not choosing to drink and any gathering I have control over will have abundant alternatives.

[Lonestar]

Beer tastes awful and gives me a headache. I honestly can't figure out why anyone likes it. If someone told you that they were going to make a drink out of fucking BARLEY, you would not think "Oooh, that will be delicious!" People only drink it because they've learned to acquire the taste IMO, and because it has such a long European tradition behind it.

Germans disgust me. I prefer the nectar of Zeus, they prefer a beverage that tastes of a barn.

[Adrian Laguna]

If someone told you that they were going to make a drink out of fucking BARLEY, you would not think "Oooh, that will be delicious!" People only drink it because they've learned to acquire the taste IMO, and because it has such a long European tradition behind it.

Barley is delicious. I will eat barely grains like rice or corn. Also barley+milk+brown sugar+cinnamon in a blender makes an awesome drink, though using oats instead is better. Beer's bitterness is because of the hops. There is, however, also a drink called Malta made out of the same ingredients as beer, but has a much lower level of fermentation and sugar added. It's legally non-alcoholic and extremely popular among youth of all ages in Latin America and parts of Africa. I'm sure you know from experience that average five year olds don't enthusiastically drink something unless they like it.

Incidentally, I know someone who absolutely hates the taste of malta, but loves beer. I don't think it's an acquired taste for beer either, given that he will prefer water if the available beer is not up to his standards.


As for whether I drink alcohol. In spite of, or perhaps because of, the fact that all of my life I could have gotten a drink simply by walking into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle -- where I'm from nobody gives a shit about drinking age laws -- my drinking habits are rather spare. I think I've averaged only one drink a month over the past couple of years, and one drink every two months for the couple of years before that.

[Patrick Degan]

Beer tastes awful and gives me a headache. I honestly can't figure out why anyone likes it. If someone told you that they were going to make a drink out of fucking BARLEY, you would not think "Oooh, that will be delicious!" People only drink it because they've learned to acquire the taste IMO, and because it has such a long European tradition behind it.

For myself, I like a good bitter now and then. My preference though is for Irish beers, the stronger the better. Taste is, of course, individual. For example, I could never really acquire a taste for the weak, insipid yet foul pisswater that's marketed in this country as "beer".

[Grif]

Never did get used to the taste of alcohols. Probably will never get started either. I don't like the loss of control associated with excessive consumption.

There is, however, also a drink called Malta made out of the same ingredients as beer, but has a much lower level of fermentation and sugar added. It's legally non-alcoholic and extremely popular among youth of all ages in Latin America and parts of Africa. I'm sure you know from experience that average five year olds don't enthusiastically drink something unless they like it.

Hell, my colleagues over here drink Malta by the gallons. I myself are impartial to it.

[Ypoknons]

I drink. I've lived in cities since I reached drinking age so drunk driving isn't a problem. By now I've got a good gauge of tolerance so I know when to stop and acquired a taste for most alcohols. Would never think poorly of someone who doesn't though.

Fermentation is a fact of life in Chinese cuisine. Not so much drinks, since most Chinese alcohol drinks are fermented rice or sugar and aren't really fashionable to drink anyways, but fermented Tofu is popular, and many sauces are fermented beans, shrimp paste and so on...

[[R_H]]

I don't drink regularily, I only drink a few times a year. A lot less than my peers, that's for sure (every weekend).

[Simplicius]

I'm lucky in that I lose my taste for drink well before I ever experience the debilitating effects of it, so I am guaranteed a safe and enjoyable experience every time (unless I try something new that turns out to taste like shit). But I drink far, far less than I could; a few glasses of wine over the course of two or three weeks, and I haven't had a beer in months. It's one of those things, like desserts, that I just don't get around to having most of the time.

As for beer, enjoying the bitterness (I do) is a matter of preference, but they're not all created equal. IPAs are really bitter, but good lagers are much less so and stouts are also very mellow. I drink so infrequently that the cost of exclusively drinking imports and craft beers isn't an issue, which doubtless improves the beer experience immeasurably. I think the most mainstream beer I've ever had is Heineken; it was decent.

[Andrew J.]

I don't drink. I am and always have been too shy to participate in many social events where drinking is common or encouraged. When I've tried alcoholic beverages the taste has repulsed me. Same goes for drugs and cigarettes, except I've never even tried those. Since I abstain from all this stuff and was already an insufferable jackass, I decided I might as well become straight edge.

Straight edge; it means I'm drug-free, alcohol-free, and better than you![/cm punk]

[Ypoknons]

Please note that my above notice about knowing when to stop does not relate to motor vehicles - I do not have a license nor have I needed one, having lived in cities with excellent public transportation. Nor is it entirely reliable in all circumstances, but I do not at any rate, binge at this point in time.

[Ford Prefect]

There is a pretty widespread notion amongst my friends that I do not drink alcohol ever, mostly because I don't really buy into the 'drink lots have fun' attitude that everyone else my age has had for years. It's not true, of course: on more than one occassion I have been told that I don't drink when I have a shot of tequila in my hand or a glass of whiskey. Of course, this is Australia, where 'drinking alcohol' is actually a euphemism for 'numbing the pain of being an Australian'.

[Stark]

I've found my drinking reduced to almost nothing by a stable personal and professional life. Turns out if you're not trolling clubs and having too much time on your hands with layabout friends, you basically never drink?

[Ford Prefect]

That's a bit of a no-brainer: most people who drink heavily are brats people roughly my age, who party lots and get drunk as the done thing. While it would be incorrect to that geezers people older than I am don't ever drink heavily or party hard, the social impetus isn't there because you've generally outgrown that sort of thing. Of course Christmas rolls around and suddenly doctors are wearing aies like bandanas and singing loudly and off-key.

[Rye]

I don't drink often because I usually drive places. When I do, it's usually a couple of pints of cider and that's enough to get me pleasantly drunk (i.e. still coordinated enough to not be a wanker). Beer tastes like ass to me, can't stand the stuff. I don't really like wine, and stronger stuff tastes like fire.

[phred]

I don't like the loss of control associated with excessive consumption.

I don't understand this comment being constantly repeated in this thread. It's almost like the some of the people here that don't drink at all can't understand the difference between me putting a little rum in my coke, and college kids getting completely trashed.

As for me I drink, but not regularly, and never in a social situation where i might lose track of how much I've had.

[Ypoknons]

I've found my drinking reduced to almost nothing by a stable personal and professional life. Turns out if you're not trolling clubs and having too much time on your hands with layabout friends, you basically never drink?

To some degree that is true, but it does vary. For example, in Asia some of the more traditional business types make you drink a lot. When I was at a Big Four accounting firm my partners got the whole department really drunk at the annual dinner... With the more Western types that rarely happens but it is a cultural thing...