Anyone else gave up drinking this year or ?

Floyd I said:
I used to love to drink beer. The working title of my last band before we started gigging was 30 pack. Because we drank one every practice. We were a 3 piece. Practices were 4 hours.

These days a 6 of Guinness lasts me a couple weeks. Occasionally I’ll have a martini or a G&T.
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I remember those days. We used to sit in lawn chairs and drink until the sun came up. Good times.
 
I very rarely drank in my 20s. Didn't even have my first sip of alcohol until I was 22 or 23. By 30 I could count on one hand how many times I drank. In my early-mid 30s I discovered that the buzz I got from cigars was nicely augmented with a cocktail. Then it slowly evolved into high proof bourbon on weekends, then on to a few rum n cokes every night (50/50 mix in a pint glass). Now at 42 I can't drink a single rum n coke without my stomach feeling super bloated without even getting a slight buzz. A few months ago I realized I was headed for a big problem so I cut down a lot. Presently at most I'll have something clear like a gin and tonic, and only 1 per night max. My goal is to break the habit I formed not too long ago of daily drinking and go back to only weekends, and then to hardly at all. So far it's working. Cold turkey isn't really something I can do, but making a plan to ween off it works for me. One of the biggest hurdles is to get my wife to do the same, as we are a bad influence for each other in that regard.

Financially speaking, it's terrifying to see that I've spent $4-500 a month just on booze.

Health-wise, it's dehydrated my body a lot. I already have a hard time staying hydrated normally, and alcohol just plain dries me out after hitting liquor hard night after night. Cutting down on the booze and being conscious about drinking more water during the day done a lot of good just on that alone.

I can't imagine how I'd be if I had been drinking like that for the last twenty years instead of just the last few like it has been.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good buzz - but spacing it out makes it a better experience with less effort. Drinking every day is just chasing the dragon and not worth it.
 
I recommend trying switching to beer from the spirits mate.

It's cheaper, easier on your stomach and brain, can actually hydrate if sipped slowly and is less-addictive, which will make it easier for you to achieve that goal of confining things to the weekends.

If you want to minimise toxicity then I recommend finding the cheapest German beer you can that's brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot principles.
 
Monkey Man said:
I recommend trying switching to beer from the spirits mate.

It's cheaper, easier on your stomach and brain, can actually hydrate if sipped slowly and is less-addictive, which will make it easier for you to achieve that goal of confining things to the weekends.

If you want to minimise toxicity then I recommend finding the cheapest German beer you can that's brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot principles.
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I probably would . . . but I can't stand the taste or smell of beer. Any of them. The best solution is no alcohol at all, but I believe indulgence in moderation makes life worth living.
 
Did you love whisky the first time you tasted it? How about rum? Akvavit (Schnaps)?

Most "adult" alcohol is an acquired taste. You could always choose a fruity beer like Stein Lager or Moosehead to get you started.

Pro tip:
Beers are typically either Lager or Pilsner. Lager is generally sweeter and Pilsner has more of a "bitter" aftertaste.

Personally I love a good clean Pilsner. If it's clean, a pilsner is IMHO the ultimate, kinda like Merlo beats Cab Sav and Shiraz for the same reasons - more-sophisticated, "mature", full-bodied flavour. Cab Sav and Shiraz are for the young 'uns. :LOL:
 
I am pretty much a weekend drinker. I don't crave it daily I can assure you of that.
I used to love beer and lots of it.
Beer is not the answer for everyone MM.
For me, it made me feel bloated and now - I can't at all due to Celiac.
I do like all of these new Seltzers that are out: Truly, Vizzy, White Claw and then Gin & Tonic and then Irish Whiskey.

But OT I would say I'm generally happier and healthier when I don't drink and I support anyone who wants to get off alcohol. Unless it is replaced with something worse (ie Meth, Crack, Heroin, Oxy, PCP, etc)
 
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Monkey Man said:
Most "adult" alcohol is an acquired taste.
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I've always had an issue with that quote. If I don't like it initially, I'm not going to force myself to like it. Now, taste will evolve over time, but beer has always been gross to me. Scotch was gross the first time I tried it (bargain bin blend at a dive bar), but the second time it was a very smoky and peaty scotch, and loved it right away. Bourbon took awhile because I don't like high corn bourbon, and when I found the right ratio, it was easy to like it. Jack Daniels is just plain garbage IMO, for reference.

Back to the above quote, you can also acquire a taste for dog shit, so there's that :p Put in the work and the sky is the limit....
 
Yah, I get your point mate.

Just on what you're saying, I agree - beer ain't beer, Scotch ain't Scotch and so on.

In that light, I'd be willing to be that even for you, there'd be a beer out there somewhere that you'd actually like the taste of.
 
Monkey Man said:
Pro tip:
Beers are typically either Lager or Pilsner. Lager is generally sweeter and Pilsner has more of a "bitter" aftertaste.
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Even more pro tip:

A Pilsner is a lager. o_O

I think you are trying to say… lager vs. ale. It’s more a matter of how the beer is fermented not really how it tastes (Though lager yeasts and ale yeasts due impart on the flavor). Lagers are cold fermented, ales are not
 
I don’t drink all that much, but beer with BBQ’s in the summer time just go hand in hand
 
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