Practical Advice For Those Who Imbibe

A Guide To New Drinkers & A Reminder To The Old

One of the great pleasures in this world for many is to unwind with a cocktail, a glass of wine, a bottle of beer, etc. The joys of drink, of being merry and socially lubircated etc., are various and widely known. Known too are the dangers of alcohol in the short and long term. And while there are plenty of reasons to quit drinking altogether, the attraction, the social needs met, is often too strong for many.

Humans will continue to imbibe, whatever the state of their affairs, whatever their plight or joy, victory or defeat. Keeping that in mind, here are a few reminders to keep in mind when drinking. The list is a practical guide and is by no means exhaustive. If you care to add one in the comments, for the sake of the readers, please do. These notes come from almost two decades behind the bar as a bartender and a drinker myself.

Quality Over Quantity

Within the world of booze, there is many a hierarchy. And while bad products can be dressed up as good, and expensive products may not be what they claim, a notion I would ask a drinker to consider is to evaluate the quality of alcohol they are drinking.

Cheap liquor can often contain ingredients that are used to mimic flavor, added suagrs, etc., which can lead to worse hangovers. But they can also contribute to a cavalier attitude to consumption. When we drink cheaply, we disregard the dangers of alcohol, and often drink too much of it, with no financial reminder. A drinker may go through many glasses of the cheap stuff without thinking about it. Whereas if they were paying for the good stuff, they may think twice about that second or third round. If you drink something you respect and can therefore savor, you may end up drinking less and being more responsible about your consumption.

Your Plan To Stop In For A Quick One

The old adage a cold one, or stopping in for a quick one is flung with noticeable ease, but is often betrayed by those very same legs stumbling in the moonlight, hiccuping like a stoned hyena. The first alcoholic beverage often destroys enough inhibition and discipline to shatter any resistance to a second. And then the second gives to the third, and so on. We often tell ourselves we will only have one, but this is a lie. Better to be honest about your intentions with yourself, or commit yourself to a night of abstinence.

Alcohol May Crystallize Your Emotions, Not Liberate You From Them

We often drink to avoid our individual plight, and on many occasions, this self-defense is rewarded by ease of laughter, comorodary and flirtation. However, this solution is temporary, and is not foolproof, even in the immediate. It is the drinker’s job to know when the blues he suffers from are light and can be drowned out by social distraction, and when the stress is too heavy, and is engaging in suffer-drinking. That is, drinking designed to intensify those feelings of anguish. This instinct may be counterintuitive, as it is betraying; however, it can be articulated, recognized, and therefore defended against.

Alcohol Free Days And Breaks

To drink at all, the drinker must also do a good bit of not drinking. It is crucial for the liver to recover, the brain and body to rest, and to clear the fog. No matter how little you consume, dedicating certain days and evenings to not drinking provides a good buffer for preventing overconsumption.

Limit Your Decisions

In a perfect world, no one would show up at any gathering with things to do the next day, possess a clear mind, and have no worries about themselves. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and its corollary is often the reason for drinking to begin with. Still, even with that knowledge, it is up to the drinker to be at ease with the world and the immediate environment around them, and not be under the pressure of any immediate decision-making. It is best, before any drinking session, to limit your responsibilities to one: to be driven home and enter bed safely.

Drink Water

For every cocktail, simply drink a glass of water. It is the simplest thing you can do to fill your belly, take a break from the alcohol, and take inventory of where you are in your current drinking session. Oftentimes, drinkers will need something in their hand so as to not feel naked at the gathering. Ordering a glass of water solves both of the issues; One, a grave mistake when overdone, the second, a mild nuisance. Soda water and lime can be a refreshing sip, so much so that you may forget it is alcohol free.

Look For Low Alcohol Alternatives

Low alcohol and even alcohol-free beverages are more common than ever. As the trend towards sobriety continues upward, more and more bars feature these offerings. They range from alcohol-free beers and liquors to mocktails made with fresh juices and tinctures. A variety of base liquors can also be substituted. An Old Fashion, for example, Amaro or a sipping vermouth can be used in place of the heavier bourbon. This may prevent overdrinking and allow one to ease into the evening at a mellower pace.

Commit Your Mistakes To Memory

If one chooses to imbibe at all, one will likely fall into the pitfalls of alcohol overconsumption. For many, this can happen in the more clumsy teenage years of underage drinking, or can appear as the hangovers of adulthood become all too spicy and normalized. It is best to take note of these pitfalls, however personal or universal, and internalize them.

Drink Slowly

While many of the tips here are designed to slow down the alcohol intake to the body’s manageable pace, drinking slowly in and of itself is a reliable strategy and demands its own mention. Physically taking in the alcohol slowly, in small quantities, with slightly piecred lips is the what I mean here. The drink, if respected, can be an experience. But in order to take it in fully, one must have patience, or be hit over the head all at once. Savor each sip, and you’ll enjoy your experience more thoughtfully, intentionally, and with more grace.

Keep Your Belly Full

Similar to drinking water, the drinker must line their stomach with something to soak up the booze and prevent an oversaturation of alcohol, sitting on the lining of an empty stomach. Eating a good meal will also defend against drinking hungry, aid in drinking more slowly, and prevent situations where one may be more irritable and more vulnerable to mood swings, outbursts, and negative emotions while imbibing.

Wrong Speak is a free-expression platform that allows varying viewpoints. All views expressed in this article are the author’s own.