What's so great about alcohol?
Posted on: November 15, 2008 - 9:31pm
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What's so great about alcohol?
I've noticed a great number of people (espically in my age group...) seem to enjoy "getting smashed", but alcohol is addicting, destructive (physically and mentally...) espically in high quantities that most people drink it.
So what's the deal with booze? I think it can be at least as destructive to an indivdual as people claim religion can be if not more.
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Very true
It's a tough one to call in Scotland because there's so much snobbery/machismo involved with the whisky. Getting a general feel is difficult; no-one wants to admit to buying rubbish! I'd say there are a couple of choices. Most pubs will try to fob you off with a Bells which, as you've already noted, is shite. Most other people in search of a generic whisky will either go for Grants (dear god no) or Teachers. The Teachers isn't bad. It's not great but it's closer to the good stuff than either of the other options.
I'd say those would be the bog standard choices for Joe Public. Any decent lowlander worth his salt will generally go with a Johnny Walker or a Jamesons. The JW because it's a good Scottish product and reasonably priced. The Jamesons is Irish but is forgiven for being cheap-ish and not rotten
As an aside I would recommend Glen Moray as a decent value single malt. It doesn't have any of the character of the morangies or livets of this world, or the smokiness of a Talisker, but it's a good whiskey for the price.
M
Forget Jesus, the stars died so that you could be here
- Lawrence Krauss
I generally stay quiet and keep to myself (except online), and this has led to inexperience in social situations. When I find myself in them, I feel ackward and have fear of the thoughts that the people will have, who they will tell, the thoughts of the people they tell, and so on. I feel that ackwardness and fear in an amplified form if I consider expressing my emotions and thoughts on life with others. With alcohol in my system, I can easily overcome those inhibitions, speak my mind freely, and enjoy the company. Generally, I only desire alcohol when I have the company of people with whom I do not have a close relationship. Alone, I will not drink. With close friends, I might drink if its a special occassion. Altogether, I drink 3-4 times a year on average. I wholeheartedly agree with the view put forward by Greek Goddess that alcohol relaxes inhibitions.
I also agree with Hambydammit concerning the effect of alcohol in intensifying the qualities of people, rather than completely changing them. When 16 years old, I had a fairly confrontational personality and it really shined through when I had drank anything. Seven years later, after I began developing a more pacifistic personality through my reflections on morality, society, and social interaction in general, the pacificity shines through now because I even have a great concern for the welfare of people I do not like.
Stultior stulto fuisti, qui tabellis crederes!
I live in a state where high gravity beer has only been legal in the last decade. To that end, there's a ton of snobbery on that front as well. Case in point: I tend towards middle of the road beers most of the time. Though I like a good stout or porter, I often gravitate towards Scottish Ales (Innis and Gunn, anyone?!) or what some would call "gimmick beers" like a Heather Ale or a Morimoto Soba Ale. The thing is, they're easy to drink, go very well with a lot of food, and don't leave me feeling like a tub of lard after two beers. (It's the old "Less Filling - Tastes Great!" dilemma.)
I'm still surprised at the number of people who look down their nose at me for drinking anything less than gigantic 12% darker than dark "MAN BEER!"
It's like... dude... I have a compex and sensitive palette that likes to be massaged every once in a while. I don't need to drink the biggest thing I can find just to prove anything to you.
Then, of course, you have the people who grew up here and are set in their Budweiser ways. They look down on anybody that is too snobby to just "drink a damn beer." My city is the per capita PBR capital of the world. Really... it's true. Per person, we drink more PBR than anyone else. At least it was true about five years ago. We just got Yuengling in Georgia, and people are flocking to it like buzzards to the kill, so I don't know if PBR will be able to stand up. After all, Yuengling tastes a lot more like beer than most cheap beers.
Anyway, I have no point. I just like talking about drinking beer.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
kentucky is natty light territory. and you know what? i like natty light. fuck all y'all.
as long as it's super cold, it's very smooth and very refreshing. it's a good thirst-quenching beer, but you can also get hammered on half a case of it without fear of hangover. i mean, who wants a fuckin' guinness when you're dying of thirst?
ok, me. but probably not the average beer-drinker.
"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson
That's puzzling to me, actually. I find Guinness to be extremely easy to drink. Back in my younger, more impressionable days, if there was going to be a chugging contest, I always chose Guinness. It is so much easier to just guzzle the whole thing because of the difference in carbonation and the round flavor (as opposed to the sharpness of the over-carbonated lagers.)
By the way, I didn't mean to give the impression that I don't drink cheap beer. We all got budgets, you know? I like the PBR, the Yuengling, and when I need something particularly light, I enjoy Miller High Life. It is the champagne of beers, after all. I can drink a dozen of the damn things without wobbling once.
Actually, last time I visited the RRS compound, I'm pretty sure I drank a case of Yuengling in two days and didn't even have a slight hangover. It's a wonderful drug.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
Yuengling is pretty good - especially Chesterfield Ale. The original brewery is only about 40 miles from me. In SE Pennsylvania it isn't much more expensive than Budweiser type beers. I do like to have some of the high gravity - right now I have 2 from Victory - Hop Wallop (8.5 % ABV, extremely hoppy) and Storm King Stout (Very Dark, roasty and hoppy - 9.1 % ABV)
Matt Shizzle has been banned from the Rational Response Squad website. This event shall provide an atmosphere more conducive to social growth. - Majority of the mod team
I have a love-hate relationship with Victory. I think their Pils is overpowering to the point of being annoying. The Golden Monkey is good for one beer, usually the first or second of the night, but then I find myself overwhelmed. When I'm in the mood for a big hoppy beer, the Hop Devil does the trick, but again, I can only drink one or two.
I put Victory in the same category as Dogfish Head. Great ideas, good beers, limited attention span.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
I like their pils - I find the Hop Devil bland. Golden monkey is decent. I can drink a couple of them (I rarely drink more than 2 of the same beer in a night. ) I don't care fro Dogfish head because their beers are all either crappy or ridiculously expensive. The good ones are $60 a case or more (around $120 for Worldwide Stout. )
Matt Shizzle has been banned from the Rational Response Squad website. This event shall provide an atmosphere more conducive to social growth. - Majority of the mod team
A man after my own heart. I knew you were a character of taste
I'm with you on Guinness as well. I love a pint of guinness when I'm thirsty. Goes down a treat. I still say the best Guinness in the world is served in Dublin. No question.
M
Forget Jesus, the stars died so that you could be here
- Lawrence Krauss
Personally I am a Guinness man I prefer that over anything else, it's my favorite drink, however I also love Kilkenny, Stella, Kokanne, and a person favorite wytchwood goblin ale
. As for anything else, tequila (don julio), cogac (remy martin and whenever I can get someone to pay for it King Louie XII) and Whiskey (Jameson with my irish coffee, Crown Royal and Glenfiddich). However to me, anyone can drink whatever you want, it's a personal choice of what you like to drink.
I drink to make the rest of you tolerable.