Sehnsucht is turning 21 soon...

[Sehnsucht]

...And you guessed it...this is about alcohol!

Basically, I've had very, very little experience with alcoholic beverages. I think I made have had a sip of beer at around 14 but have never really got into drinking at all.

Well, this coming September, that's about to change! Your beverage recommendations would be welcome...any brand/type is fine as long as it's available in the U.S.

Cheers!

 

[Melrose]

Congrats, my man. The first booze I bought was a bottle of rum (aaaaaaaallll those years ago...)

I'd recommend you go upscale a bit and buy a bottle of Jameson. It's smooth enough so even if you're not used to the heavy stuff you can still enjoy it.

 

[zioxide]

For most people, beer is an acquired taste. Start with a really light beer (bud light/coors light) and drink that for a bit until you like it, and then work your way up to better beers.

 

[Abstract]

Yeah, there's no reason to get nice beers until you've tasted crap first. If I were to go with a beer, I'd start off with something like a Corona. It doesn't have a lot of flavour (which may be good in your case), and worst case scenario, you can put a lemon into it without looking crazy. It'll taste different, but probably more acceptable than just a straight beer.

Personally, I think darker beers may actually be easier to drink the first time, but most people start off on "blonder" beers.


Personally, if I were to have shots for the first time, I'd try tequila first. All shots are going to taste bad (unless they're really fancy shots), as will most drinks with liquor. If you drink tequila, at least you get the lemon and salt to accompany it, which will take away a lot of the sting of a shot. It really helps, IMO. I can't do shots of most hard alcohol, but tequila is easier for me.

 

[leekohler]

Beer is nasty. Drink liquor- preferably Kentucky Bourbon.

Seriously- be careful and try not to overdo it, though you probably will. Everyone does that at least once.

 

[iBlue]

Whatever you end up drinking, drink water too. Dehydration/hangovers are a bugger.


I think you should have Caucasians. It's the dudely thing to do.

 

[Unspoken Demise]

First night of drinking for me: Jack Daniels. 4 full Shots...and some vodka...and a few beers...and a screwdriver...hehe fun times.
Unfortunatly, now I hate beer and only really enjoy liquor.
Smirnoff is a brand you can't go wrong with for Vodka, but if you have the money, treat yourself to some Grey Goose.

Not that I drink or anything, seeing as that would be highly illegal.

Happy b-day btw.

 

[OutThere]

I found Amstel Light and Rolling Rock to be pretty solid starter beers...not horrible crap but also nothing special. Corona would probably do you well as well. In the four or so years since then I've developed a taste for better stuff, but it's not necessarily for everyone.

As far as it being your first experience drinking...if you're out with friends there will probably be a lot of free shots being handed your way. Just remember that 1 shot = 1 beer = 1 glass of wine, roughly. So when someone tries to get you to take 5 shots in 5 minutes you'll want to be careful.

When I turned 21 in April I went out and bought a case of beer and got a free t-shirt with it from the store....one of my friends wrote "21st Birthday" in sharpie on the front and I wore it out to the bar. Free drinks all night long from random people!

 

[BittenApple]

heh, love the potential rammstein reference. theyre still going..coming out with a new album this fall.

have fun drinking, im sure your kidneys and liver cannot wait.

 

[Sehnsucht]

heh, love the potential rammstein reference. theyre still going..coming out with a new album this fall.

have fun drinking, im sure your kidneys and liver cannot wait.

Yes, my username is also the title of my favorite Rammstein album:

My avatar is a drawing of lead vocalist Till Lindemann (totally ripped it off of DeviantArt.)

Back to the subject of alcohol, I'm a very moderate kind of guy...I definitely don't plan to become a heavy drinker by any means. And yes, I'll have a designated driver and all the other formalities...

 

[sysiphus]

Smirnoff is a brand you can't go wrong with for Vodka, but if you have the money, treat yourself to some Grey Goose.

Not that I drink or anything, seeing as that would be highly illegal.

Happy b-day btw.

Nah, save the $$$. Vodka is about the least logical alcohol to spend big bucks on...try googling vodka blind taste-tests...most "experts" can't tell the difference without the packaging. (Clue #1--it's a distilled spirit.) Grey Goose has some fantastic marketing, but their vodka is horribly overpriced (though there's nothing wrong with the vodka).

If you're going to spend the $/¥/£...put it into a bottle of good Scotch...but don't do shots with it, please

 

[kellen]

I say drink what tastes good to you. Since you don't know, let your friends and people you meet make suggestions and order different drinks for you on your 21 run. They naturally will, especially if they are the ones buying.

Might as well find a drink you like and on someone elses dime.

Just be wary of the blowjob or muffdiver. I think everyone orders those on the 21 run. Also depending on your friends you may get a shot of 151 with a Jagermeister float. Smells like Jager but does not taste like Jager.

Make a shirt with lines for each drink you tried on the front and have a sharpie with you to mark how many you did and if you like it. Then on the back you can have a place for girls to write on for a kiss or something.

The chain of pain can be fun as well. 6-8 airplane bottles of booze into a necklace that you drink one every hour.

I think I have been on too many 21 runs....

 

[iBlue]

Nah, save the $$$. Vodka is about the least logical alcohol to spend big bucks on...try googling vodka blind taste-tests...most "experts" can't tell the difference without the packaging. (Clue #1--it's a distilled spirit.) Grey Goose has some fantastic marketing, but their vodka is horribly overpriced (though there's nothing wrong with the vodka).

If you're going to spend the $/¥/£...put it into a bottle of good Scotch...but don't do shots with it, please

BS. It's not so difficult to spot low-end over top shelf vodkas. This is especially true in martinis and similar drinks which are primarily vodka with splashes of other ingredients - you can tell. It's also evident when you get much more severe hangovers with the cheap stuff. I'm not entirely sure why that is but it makes a difference even without knowing what you had. I've done this test before. I know what I'm being served and I know how it feels later.

But I'll agree that shots of anything can really mess an alcohol n00b up.

 

[dmr727]

BS. It's not so difficult to spot low-end over top shelf vodkas. This is especially true in martinis and similar drinks which are primarily vodka with splashes of other ingredients - you can tell. It's also evident when you get much more severe hangovers with the cheap stuff.

+1. I'm no vodka expert, but I've been around the block enough to know that upping the quality of the vodka is money well spent - especially the next day. That's not to say that there's not a point of diminishing returns, but do yourself a favor and spend the money to avoid the swill.

iBlue - awesome and very relevant edit quote. Sublime FTW!

 

[iBlue]

+1. I'm no vodka expert, but I've been around the block enough to know that upping the quality of the vodka is money well spent - especially the next day. That's not to say that there's not a point of diminishing returns, but do yourself a favor and spend the money to avoid the swill.

iBlue - awesome and very relevant edit quote. Sublime FTW!

Yup. I've found that Absolut is a slightly overrated for a top shelf vodka, but still decent. Ketel One, Stolichnaya (which has great flavours too), Grey Goose and Skyy are my favourites. Skyy is pretty reasonably priced too.

I don't drink much anymore but I used to make all sorts of vodka based martini-esque drinks. I am reasonably confident about my vodka prowess.

and thank you. I do love sublime and it was too perfect under the circumstances.

 

[kellen]

Ill agree to the quality. 2 martinis and I can have a hangover from the well stuff.

Now make it Belvedere or Ketel One and I can have two and no effects.

Psychological? Perhaps, but there is something there.

Now if its heavily mixed (Blood Mary, Chi Chi, Daquiri, Margarita), cheap stuff for me!

 

[ViciousShadow21]

Absinthe. great first time drink in my opinion.

 

[nick9191]

Can't believe you guys have to wait 3 extra years to drink.

 

[Melrose]

First night of drinking for me: Jack Daniels. 4 full Shots...and some vodka...and a few beers...and a screwdriver...hehe fun times.
Unfortunatly, now I hate beer and only really enjoy liquor.
Smirnoff is a brand you can't go wrong with for Vodka, but if you have the money, treat yourself to some Grey Goose.

Not that I drink or anything, seeing as that would be highly illegal.

Happy b-day btw.

Smirnoff is crap imo. Grey Goose or Exclusiv (which is very creamy, for a vodka) are the best. 'Course, you pay for quality.

I agree though about not going for vodka right out of the box. Vodka is best to have on hand simply for spiking something up, since it's generally so flavourless.

Lee JD. Can't go wrong. I don't care for Beam that much (unless it's black label). Jack is perfect for slow evenings on the porch.

 

[benflick]

Two words:
Jeg bomb.
But I wouldn't know, I'm 15.

 

[Unspoken Demise]

Smirnoff is crap imo. Grey Goose or Exclusiv (which is very creamy, for a vodka) are the best. 'Course, you pay for quality.

I agree though about not going for vodka right out of the box. Vodka is best to have on hand simply for spiking something up, since it's generally so flavourless.

Lee JD. Can't go wrong. I don't care for Beam that much (unless it's black label). Jack is perfect for slow evenings on the porch.

I was talking when it comes to descent low shelf vodka, smirnoff is always there.

And to the Jack on the porch comment, you couldn't be more right. I still have half a flask of Jack in my apartment. I'm saving it for a night off work where maybe my girlfriend is out with friends and I have the apartment to myself. Kick back, relax, maybe make a steak, and bond with my good friend Jack.

Not that I drink of course, seeing as that would be highly illegal.

 

[yojitani]

Red wine, Syrah. Italian or Californian. Can't go wrong.

 

[steve2112]

Yeah, there's no reason to get nice beers until you've tasted crap first. If I were to go with a beer, I'd start off with something like a Corona. It doesn't have a lot of flavour (which may be good in your case), and worst case scenario, you can put a lemon into it without looking crazy. It'll taste different, but probably more acceptable than just a straight beer.

Personally, I think darker beers may actually be easier to drink the first time, but most people start off on "blonder" beers.


Personally, if I were to have shots for the first time, I'd try tequila first. All shots are going to taste bad (unless they're really fancy shots), as will most drinks with liquor. If you drink tequila, at least you get the lemon and salt to accompany it, which will take away a lot of the sting of a shot. It really helps, IMO. I can't do shots of most hard alcohol, but tequila is easier for me.

I was that way on beers. I didn't like beer until someone introduced me to Guinness. Guinness and Sam Adams were the gateway beers that led me down the dark path of being a beer snob. Generally speaking, the less light I can see through a beer, the more I like it.

Tequila shots? Are you trying to kill poor Sehnsucht or something? Tequila is evil, mean, and nasty. It does weird things to people. I had a friend who started seeing trolls after a heavy doses of tequila. Granted, this was after a night of D&D gaming fun, but still. I have an agreement with tequila: I don't drink it, and it won't try to kill me again.

Seriously, though, I have noticed tequila is one of those drinks that sticks with you. I have known a lot of people who had a REALLY bad time with the after effects of tequila and now can't even stand the smell of it. (Myself included)

For recommendations: Try stuff that isn't overtly alcohol tasting. Don't do overly sweet stuff, as it can cause nasty hangovers. Ironically, a properly made Long Island Ice Tea will have almost no alcohol taste. It's ironic, since it is almost 100% alcohol. The drawback is that a poorly made version will taste like paint thinner. Vodka is good because it doesn't have a strong taste.

 

[leekohler]

Smirnoff is crap imo. Grey Goose or Exclusiv (which is very creamy, for a vodka) are the best. 'Course, you pay for quality.

I agree though about not going for vodka right out of the box. Vodka is best to have on hand simply for spiking something up, since it's generally so flavourless.

Lee JD. Can't go wrong. I don't care for Beam that much (unless it's black label). Jack is perfect for slow evenings on the porch.

Jack isn't bourbon, but it'll do in a pinch. It's from Tennessee. Jim Beam is OK.

I tend to like Early Times (inexpensive but good), Ancient Age and anything from Buffalo Trace distillery. Woodford Reserve is good too. You haven't lived til you've been to Frankfort, Kentucky and smelled the sweet scents coming from the distilleries.

 

[steve2112]

Jack isn't bourbon, but it'll do in a pinch. It's from Tennessee. Jim Beam is OK.

I tend to like Early Times (inexpensive but good), Ancient Age and anything from Buffalo Trace distillery. Woodford Reserve is good too. You haven't lived til you've been to Frankfort, Kentucky and smelled the sweet scents coming from the distilleries.

Yeah, the folks from Jack will point that out very quickly. I toured their distillery, and they pointed that out very early. To be fair, people in Kentucky will make that distinction very loudly as well. By law, (supposedly, I haven't checked), it can only be called burbon if it comes from Kentucky. I like Woodford and Makers Mark. I actually prefer Irish whiskeys, though. Jameson's is my favorite in that category.