Can you handle your drink?
Discussion
nicanary said:
This thread isn't really going anywhere, but it's reminded me of something that happened when I was a teenager.
My best mate's dad was a working-class man who still rode a bike to the factory (never owned a car) and stayed true to the tradition of having a pint or two whilst the missus at home got his dinner cooked (although he would have called it his tea). He was a hard-working man, and could drink with the best of them. I knew for a fact that he could outdrink anybody I knew, but word got back to one of our friends at school who fancied himself as a big-time downer of ale.
So they had a showdown. In the space of 2 hours one Sunday lunchtime my mate's dad sank 24 pints. The schoolchum had given up long ago - I can't remember how many he had, but no more than a dozen or so. Now here's the oddest thing - I never saw the "dad" drunk. He could really hold his alcohol, and I swear he rode his bike home from that pub after 24 pints. You could still hold an intelligible conversation with him too.
I never saw anyone else who could do that. Metabolism or summat?
Jesus! That's a pint every five minutes solidly for two hours! My best mate's dad was a working-class man who still rode a bike to the factory (never owned a car) and stayed true to the tradition of having a pint or two whilst the missus at home got his dinner cooked (although he would have called it his tea). He was a hard-working man, and could drink with the best of them. I knew for a fact that he could outdrink anybody I knew, but word got back to one of our friends at school who fancied himself as a big-time downer of ale.
So they had a showdown. In the space of 2 hours one Sunday lunchtime my mate's dad sank 24 pints. The schoolchum had given up long ago - I can't remember how many he had, but no more than a dozen or so. Now here's the oddest thing - I never saw the "dad" drunk. He could really hold his alcohol, and I swear he rode his bike home from that pub after 24 pints. You could still hold an intelligible conversation with him too.
I never saw anyone else who could do that. Metabolism or summat?
ch108 said:
Possibly the drink to get drunk culture started when alcopop type drink arrived on the scene. Also when it became acceptable for guys to drink something other than a pint.
People have drank to get drunk since we discovered alcohol, it really didn't start with the advent of alcopops 
Also, when *wasn't* it acceptable for men to drink anything other than pints?
Willber said:
nicanary said:
This thread isn't really going anywhere, but it's reminded me of something that happened when I was a teenager.
My best mate's dad was a working-class man who still rode a bike to the factory (never owned a car) and stayed true to the tradition of having a pint or two whilst the missus at home got his dinner cooked (although he would have called it his tea). He was a hard-working man, and could drink with the best of them. I knew for a fact that he could outdrink anybody I knew, but word got back to one of our friends at school who fancied himself as a big-time downer of ale.
So they had a showdown. In the space of 2 hours one Sunday lunchtime my mate's dad sank 24 pints. The schoolchum had given up long ago - I can't remember how many he had, but no more than a dozen or so. Now here's the oddest thing - I never saw the "dad" drunk. He could really hold his alcohol, and I swear he rode his bike home from that pub after 24 pints. You could still hold an intelligible conversation with him too.
I never saw anyone else who could do that. Metabolism or summat?
Jesus! That's a pint every five minutes solidly for two hours! My best mate's dad was a working-class man who still rode a bike to the factory (never owned a car) and stayed true to the tradition of having a pint or two whilst the missus at home got his dinner cooked (although he would have called it his tea). He was a hard-working man, and could drink with the best of them. I knew for a fact that he could outdrink anybody I knew, but word got back to one of our friends at school who fancied himself as a big-time downer of ale.
So they had a showdown. In the space of 2 hours one Sunday lunchtime my mate's dad sank 24 pints. The schoolchum had given up long ago - I can't remember how many he had, but no more than a dozen or so. Now here's the oddest thing - I never saw the "dad" drunk. He could really hold his alcohol, and I swear he rode his bike home from that pub after 24 pints. You could still hold an intelligible conversation with him too.
I never saw anyone else who could do that. Metabolism or summat?
Yes, I can handle my drink pretty well. Lots of practice from a young age probably helped (but did my health no good!). But, I only ever drink beer, stay well away from the stronger stuff. I think it's difficult to get in a proper mess on beer.
I remember freshers week at uni, all my new mates trying to big up their drinking habits, and out drink each other. I couldn't understand it when they were falling about and behaving like embarrassing drunkards, while I was still warming up.
I remember freshers week at uni, all my new mates trying to big up their drinking habits, and out drink each other. I couldn't understand it when they were falling about and behaving like embarrassing drunkards, while I was still warming up.
I really like drinking. But I'm not a very good drunk. I have a switch-over point where I've had too much, but in my head, I don't notice it, and have a couple more - then the memory blanks start, and I wake up somewhere not knowing what happened to the last few hours of the night. It's normally pretty benign, but it's a) embarrassing and b) dangerous.
It's a hard one to explain to your mates, who want you to come and do shots or whatever, that you simply won't make the end of the night if you do so. I'm only now (aged 28) starting to find the right balance - and even that is problematic, because you have to constantly be thinking "Have I had too much? Should I be on the waters now?" And seeing as one of the points of going for drinks is to "let go", that kind of puts a downer on the whole thing.
I'm not going teetotal because I love beer, wine and whisky too much. But I'm enjoying them all much more in moderation than I used to.
It's a hard one to explain to your mates, who want you to come and do shots or whatever, that you simply won't make the end of the night if you do so. I'm only now (aged 28) starting to find the right balance - and even that is problematic, because you have to constantly be thinking "Have I had too much? Should I be on the waters now?" And seeing as one of the points of going for drinks is to "let go", that kind of puts a downer on the whole thing.
I'm not going teetotal because I love beer, wine and whisky too much. But I'm enjoying them all much more in moderation than I used to.
TheJimi said:
ch108 said:
Possibly the drink to get drunk culture started when alcopop type drink arrived on the scene. Also when it became acceptable for guys to drink something other than a pint.
People have drank to get drunk since we discovered alcohol, it really didn't start with the advent of alcopops Also, when *wasn't* it acceptable for men to drink anything other than pints?
I'm not that old but when I was 17/18 the basic choice of drinks were lager/beer/cider or vodka. Now where I grew up if I had gone to my local at that age and asked for a glass of wine or a small sherry I'm sure my mates and barstaff would have laughed me out of the pub. Whether it be bravado or otherwise at that age pints were the norm.
I am not doubting that people have always got drunk, but I don't ever remember me or my mates having to go to A&E in an ambulance to get our stomachs pumped or be unconscious in the middle of the street. This however seems to be more common these days with no shame attached and just seen as acceptable.
There is a difference between drunk and regularly comatose.
mjb1 said:
Yes, I can handle my drink pretty well. Lots of practice from a young age probably helped (but did my health no good!). But, I only ever drink beer, stay well away from the stronger stuff. I think it's difficult to get in a proper mess on beer.
I remember freshers week at uni, all my new mates trying to big up their drinking habits, and out drink each other. I couldn't understand it when they were falling about and behaving like embarrassing drunkards, while I was still warming up.
This sounds so farmiliar.I remember freshers week at uni, all my new mates trying to big up their drinking habits, and out drink each other. I couldn't understand it when they were falling about and behaving like embarrassing drunkards, while I was still warming up.
I used to do at least 24 pints on a Saturday but that was over a 12 hour time frame.
Lots of colleague / friends talk the big talk but when your out with them, they seem to crumble into a mess before I'm even warm ?
Although there is a tipping point where all sense goes out the window and things go rapidly from bad to worse.
To answer the original question, in general, yes, I can handle my drink although there doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason as to how this works.
I've seen myself having just two or three drinks and ending up feeling rough as a badgers arse, and on the flipside, I've drank the bar dry and been bright eyed and bushy tailed the following morning.
I drink maybe once or twice a month. If it wasn't for how seriously I take my training and diet, I'd probably drink with more frequency to be honest.
I've seen myself having just two or three drinks and ending up feeling rough as a badgers arse, and on the flipside, I've drank the bar dry and been bright eyed and bushy tailed the following morning.
I drink maybe once or twice a month. If it wasn't for how seriously I take my training and diet, I'd probably drink with more frequency to be honest.
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