Drinking alcohol as a social activity is probably the most important one for me - our culture has a variety of social practices for drinking that can lead to fun results if followed (and some others that are less good). This often blurs with social lubrication (do I enjoy talking at the pub because the pub is a socially useful place devoted to providing a space for people to meet and talk? Or is it the booze? Probably some combination, but leaning towards the first one). My family drinks a lot more (where 'a lot more' means average 3 drinks over the course of the afternoon for a few days running) when we have big gatherings, and it's almost entirely as a social ritual and activity, as indulging in a tasty luxury, and then as a psychoactive drug, in decreasing order of importance (though all somewhat important).
Drinking just to relax is generally not worth it for me, I've done it only rarely. As for getting trashed, I recommend avoiding it altogether.
When I drink alcoholic drinks for the taste (the same way that I might drink fruit juice), it's usually beer or wine. Particularly if I'm cooking with wine - because hey, can't just put it all in the food without reserving some. I am absolutely okay with the bitter and herbal flavors - it's just one of those things I've become acclimated to over time that would be weird and bad if I had to try it without acclimation, like mushrooms or strong cheese or hot peppers. Now I perceive those elements as important parts of an interesting flavor.
There's definitely also a burning sensation associated with spirits, and it can put fire in yer belly (in a bad way) if drinking on an empty stomach. But, similar to spiciness, there's a tolerance that is partly innate and partly built up through exposure. There's also an aromatic flavor/smell to alcohol that is another one of those things I've become acclimated to and now perceive as an important flavor element - this is also the part of tasting that detects non-ethanol organic solvents as bad booze.
Drink recommendations for someone who doesn't like bitter flavors or the taste of alcohol: try some non-hoppy beers like milk or oatmeal stouts (e.g. left hand milk stout), and wheat lager (weissbier) (e.g. hacker pschorr hefe weiss). There's also hard cider (tasty and with fewer complications than beer), and low-alcohol mixed drinks like shandy and wine coolers / spritzers.
thanks for the reccomendations! I don't know if I will find them here. I can drink ciders, but they sometimes are bitter as well.
I reccomend getting drunk-trashed once in your life (in a safe environment). For the feeling of what everyone else harps on about. also some interesting superpowers were conveyed to me the first time I understood "drunkedly getting away with things"
following on from this thread:
http://lesswrong.com/lw/m14/id_like_advice_from_lw_regarding_migraines/c9kr?context=3
User Algon asked:
I don't drink alcohol, but is it really all that? I just assumed that most people have alcoholic beverages for the 'buzz'/intoxication.
I related my experience:
I have come to the conclusion that I taste things differently to a large subset of the population. I have a very sweet tooth and am very sensitive to bitter flavours.
I don't eat olives, most alcohol only tastes like the alcoholic aftertaste (which apparently some people don't taste) - imagine the strongest burning taste of the purest alcohol you have tasted, some people never taste that, I taste it with nearly every alcoholic beverage. Beer is usually awfully bitter too.
The only wine I could ever bother to drink is desert wine (its very sweet) and only slowly. (or also a half shot of rum and maple syrup)
Having said all this - yes; some people love their alcoholic beverages for their flavours.
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I am wondering what the sensory experience of other LW users is of alcohol. Do you drink (if not why not?)? Do you have specific preferences? Do you have a particular pallet for foods (probably relevant)?
I hypothesise a lower proportion of drinkers than the rest of the population. (subject of course to cultural norms where you come from)
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Edit: I will make another post in a week about taste preferences because (as we probably already know) human tastes vary. I did want to mention that I avoid spicy things except for sweet chilli which is not spicy at all. And I don't drink coffee (because it tastes bad and I am always very awake and never need caffeine to wake me up). I am also quite sure I am a super-taster but wanted to not use that word for concern that the jargon might confuse people who don't yet know about it.
Thanks for all the responses! This has been really interesting and exactly what I expected (number of posts)!
In regards to experiences, I would mention that heavy drinking is linked with nearly every health problem you could think of and I am surprised we had a selection of several heavy drinkers (to those who are heavy drinkers I would suggest reading about the health implications and reconsidering the lifestyle, it sounds like most of you are not addicted). about the heavy drinkers - I suspect that is not representative of average, but rather the people who feel they are outliers decided to mention their cases (of people who did not reply; there are probably none or very few heavy drinkers, whereas there are probably some who did not reply and are light drinkers or did not reply and don't drink).
I hope to reply to a bunch of the comments and should get to it in the next few days.
Thank you again! Maybe this should be included on the next survey...
Edit 2: follow up post -http://lesswrong.com/r/discussion/lw/m3j/tally_of_lesswrong_experience_on_alcohol/