Denormalisation of alcohol

[danny la rouge]

There have been various stages when I haven't been drinking, I live in the sticks so its often because I'm driving. I think once you get used to not drinking in pubs, its fine.

I'd hate to see pubs replaced with coffee shops just because of that, not sure I like coffee shops much, they tend to have much more of an "individualistic" feel, ie you only talk to the person/people you're with whereas pubs seem much more social spaces to me. Also, I like pubs and the tradition of their existence - coffee shops tend to be more soulless if you ask me.

Also, Coffee all tastes the bloody same, its just a case of "Emperor's new clothes"

Have tea, then. Kombucha, even.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Yes I was in Japan this summer and can confirm there are quite a few listening bars in Shibuya. They all seemed to be evening booze places though.

Me in Record Bar Analog:

View attachment 438871

Hold on. Ha. For some reason I didn't equate 'listening bar' with listen to records. I thought it was listening to the punters pour their hearts out and the playing of your own records was just another gimmick.

. . . But yes, I suppose I have been to 'listening bars'. My favourite place is Poor Cow (punk rock bar) in Shimokitazawa. It's a bit like a front room but stacked with records (run by Fifi of Teengenerate and Firestarter for anyone who is interested). You can just flip through and put stuff on. I've only pulled out records a couple of times. I was once asked to plug my mp3 player in and set it to random. . . . I've also been to record shops which have a cafe attached, that you can pick out and play records from the shop in. I guess it wasn't that bad. Nobody played anything loud. I just have this image in the UK of someone cranking hardcore shite records out at full blast.

 

[Hollis]

I kind of hang out most weekends in a Meditteraean style cafe... it's a Portugueses delicatessen - serving damn good coffee along with custard tarts... It's 90% full of East European men largely with one-eye on the football on TV.. they used to stream some Portuguese TV channel.. which meant nobody understood the commentary, but now they've reverted to Sky..

 

[Funky_monks]

Have tea, then. Kombucha, even.

You can get tea in the pub though?

 

[danny la rouge]

You can get tea in the pub though?

Yeah. But you need to be in a pub.

 

[Sue]

Have tea, then. Kombucha, even.

Steady on. Friend I was was staying with last weekend makes his own and explained the process at length. I mean .

 

[Superdupastupor]

Pints are a UK problem, Imo

At least among drinkers, I don't think many think 3 pints on a Wed is outrageous.

It's 1,7ooml
That's almost 8 standard servings (finos) in Portugal.
You look like a nutter if you go to the counter 8 times in 90 mins, that's an order every 12 mins. Makes it clear to one and all that you are more interested in drink than chat.

Don't get me wrong Tugas drink fuck loadsz, still ok to drink a couple of wines and go back to teaching, Better yet drinks with students = gallus commeradades.
None the less it's more a cumulative than UK binge style.

 

[isvicthere?]

Coming to this thread late, so apologies if I´m repeating stuff, but.....

The British (maybe British/Irish?) attitude to alcohol is not shared in other countries. In other countries, people may well get drunk, but in the UK they go out with the deliberate intention of getting drunk. I remember when I first saw "Friends" I thought it was unrealistic, because nobody would sit for hours just drinking coffee; what´s the point?

However, now I live in Spain, and things are much different. Drinking of alcohol is normal and widespread, but "getting off your tits", "having a massive sesh" is not. People will have one "tercio" (between a half and a pint) with their lunch, and go back to work afterwards. Only a Brit would see someone drinking a beer at, say, 11a.m. (which is a meal-time in Spain: almuerzo) and say, "That´s a bit early in the day for me" because only a Brit would think, "Once you start you can´t stop until you´re face down in your own vomit!" Also, in Spain it´s very unusual to drink alcohol without eating at the same time, which also reduces the amount people will get drunk. When I first lived here, it amused me when I ordered a beer, and, asked if I wanted anything else (i.e. food), I said no. The beer would always be served with free "frutos secos" (nuts) and sometimes even olives.

I realise my attitudes expressed here may be becoming archaic, and younger British people are turning away from booze in a big way (the lightweights!) Also, the sesh culture is suffering a battering due to the prohibitive expense of buying a round in that endangered establishment, the pub.

 

[pbsmooth]

yep, same in France. smaller drinks, less of them.

 

[Elpenor]

This is an interesting read as I have had friends come down to visit me. They want a boozy night out so pint pints pints and then later on shorts / cocktails in some ghastly club.

I have attempted to market it as “see a bit of the local area” first and then have a drink, for example a hike up on the moors first but essentially the message is “the lads are off the leash from their family / partners for a night so they want a pissup”.

As you can tell there are several things that jump out from that last paragraph, but let’s focus on one aspect of it. It’s not about where you are and what you are doing it’s more about being able to get pissed for 12 hours or so free from the usual domestic trappings.

In the end I insisted we did crazy golf which was an hour or so of not drinking, but also, as I live close to the seaside, something novel and sort of local. it was probably the best part of the weekend for me.

But if I said - come down for a hike and then some drinks and grub in a pub in the evening then there wouldn’t be as much enthusiasm.

Not sure what my point is really, I drink maybe once or twice a week and like a good quality glass of wine, quality over quantity, but am not really arsed about it so may not drink for a week or two for no particular reason, and don’t like long sessions or being pissed / hungover.

 

[8ball]

Pints are a UK problem, Imo

At least among drinkers, I don't think many think 3 pints on a Wed is outrageous.

It's 1,7ooml
That's almost 8 standard servings (finos) in Portugal.
You look like a nutter if you go to the counter 8 times in 90 mins, that's an order every 12 mins. Makes it clear to one and all that you are more interested in drink than chat.

They don’t have trays in Portugal?

 

[8ball]

Steady on. Friend I was was staying with last weekend makes his own and explained the process at length. I mean .

I assume you did something to upset him.

I tried some (non home made) kombucha a couple of weeks back at a vegan friend’s place and thought it was pretty nice tbf.

 

[lazythursday]

This is an interesting read as I have had friends come down to visit me. They want a boozy night out so pint pints pints and then later on shorts / cocktails in some ghastly club.

I have attempted to market it as “see a bit of the local area” first and then have a drink, for example a hike up on the moors first but essentially the message is “the lads are off the leash from their family / partners for a night so they want a pissup”.

As you can tell there are several things that jump out from that last paragraph, but let’s focus on one aspect of it. It’s not about where you are and what you are doing it’s more about being able to get pissed for 12 hours or so free from the usual domestic trappings.

In the end I insisted we did crazy golf which was an hour or so of not drinking, but also, as I live close to the seaside, something novel and sort of local. it was probably the best part of the weekend for me.

But if I said - come down for a hike and then some drinks and grub in a pub in the evening then there wouldn’t be as much enthusiasm.

Not sure what my point is really, I drink maybe once or twice a week and like a good quality glass of wine, quality over quantity, but am not really arsed about it so may not drink for a week or two for no particular reason, and don’t like long sessions or being pissed / hungover.

If you drink quite a lot, regularly (not necessarily you, but it sounds like your friends) normal enjoyable activities just don't match up to the chemical high of a sesh. They're just a bit dull in comparison. It's one of the sad things about heavy drinking really, it sort of spoils everything else (and you end up wanting a couple before the crazy golf / hike to compensate)

 

[tonysingh]

There have been various stages when I haven't been drinking, I live in the sticks so its often because I'm driving. I think once you get used to not drinking in pubs, its fine.

I'd hate to see pubs replaced with coffee shops just because of that, not sure I like coffee shops much, they tend to have much more of an "individualistic" feel, ie you only talk to the person/people you're with whereas pubs seem much more social spaces to me. Also, I like pubs and the tradition of their existence - coffee shops tend to be more soulless if you ask me.

Also, Coffee all tastes the bloody same, its just a case of "Emperor's new clothes"

Coffee bloody well does not all taste the same. I'm drinking a rather spectacular Colombian single roast with floral notes and a heavy hint of cinnamon. Totally different to the Guatemalan Huehuetenango which tastes of vanilla and chocolate with citrus undertones.


(Fuck. I'm a coffee snob aren't I?)

 

[A380]

Coffee bloody well does not all taste the same. I'm drinking a rather spectacular Colombian single roast with floral notes and a heavy hint of cinnamon. Totally different to the Guatemalan Huehuetenango which tastes of vanilla and chocolate with citrus undertones.


(Fuck. I'm a coffee snob aren't I?)

How do they compare to Mellow Birds?

 

[isvicthere?]

yep, same in France. smaller drinks, less of them.

One thing that I almost admire in the Spanish is how slowly they drink. Once, I went out with work mates, and we went in a "pub"-style place that served pints (not unknown here, but much less common than in Britain). I drank my pint of Guinness in about 20 minutes, and couldn´t believe how my young colleague (in his 20s) made his pint last an hour and a half!

It´s like an art form!

Another thing which is unknown in Britain (and probably even more so in the USA) is sobre mesa. Which is: the subtle and skilled art of sitting for an hour (or even more) after you´ve finished eating and drinking, and just talking. I think the reason that far more adults smoke in Spain (24%) than in Britain (14%) is because of this: it´s something to do with your hands when you are, to the British way of thinking, doing nothing (but can sit outside all year round where smoking is still permitted).

 

[tonysingh]

How do they compare to Mellow Birds?

Comparing Mellow Birds to real coffee is like comparing rancid cat urine to champagne.

 

[Funky_monks]

Coffee bloody well does not all taste the same. I'm drinking a rather spectacular Colombian single roast with floral notes and a heavy hint of cinnamon. Totally different to the Guatemalan Huehuetenango which tastes of vanilla and chocolate with citrus undertones.


(Fuck. I'm a coffee snob aren't I?)

Yes.

 

[isvicthere?]

Coffee bloody well does not all taste the same. I'm drinking a rather spectacular Colombian single roast with floral notes and a heavy hint of cinnamon. Totally different to the Guatemalan Huehuetenango which tastes of vanilla and chocolate with citrus undertones.


(Fuck. I'm a coffee snob aren't I?)

I was once called a "coffee fascist" because I ground my own beans. You go well beyond that!

 

[Chz]

Coming to this thread late, so apologies if I´m repeating stuff, but.....

The British (maybe British/Irish?) attitude to alcohol is not shared in other countries. In other countries, people may well get drunk, but in the UK they go out with the deliberate intention of getting drunk. I remember when I first saw "Friends" I thought it was unrealistic, because nobody would sit for hours just drinking coffee; what´s the point?

However, now I live in Spain, and things are much different. Drinking of alcohol is normal and widespread, but "getting off your tits", "having a massive sesh" is not. People will have one "tercio" (between a half and a pint) with their lunch, and go back to work afterwards. Only a Brit would see someone drinking a beer at, say, 11a.m. (which is a meal-time in Spain: almuerzo) and say, "That´s a bit early in the day for me" because only a Brit would think, "Once you start you can´t stop until you´re face down in your own vomit!" Also, in Spain it´s very unusual to drink alcohol without eating at the same time, which also reduces the amount people will get drunk. When I first lived here, it amused me when I ordered a beer, and, asked if I wanted anything else (i.e. food), I said no. The beer would always be served with free "frutos secos" (nuts) and sometimes even olives.

I realise my attitudes expressed here may be becoming archaic, and younger British people are turning away from booze in a big way (the lightweights!) Also, the sesh culture is suffering a battering due to the prohibitive expense of buying a round in that endangered establishment, the pub.

And yet, perhaps because of this, the percentage of RTAs involving drink driving are roughly double what they are in the UK in France and Spain. I do think the Brits have an odd relationship with alcohol, but at least they're more likely to not hop in the car to drive home.

 

[what]

yep, same in France. smaller drinks, less of them.

Go into the small villages and its very different.
1/2 pint of brandy and an espresso at 7am is qiute common

 

[Rimbaud]

Coming to this thread late, so apologies if I´m repeating stuff, but.....

The British (maybe British/Irish?) attitude to alcohol is not shared in other countries. In other countries, people may well get drunk, but in the UK they go out with the deliberate intention of getting drunk. I remember when I first saw "Friends" I thought it was unrealistic, because nobody would sit for hours just drinking coffee; what´s the point?

However, now I live in Spain, and things are much different. Drinking of alcohol is normal and widespread, but "getting off your tits", "having a massive sesh" is not. People will have one "tercio" (between a half and a pint) with their lunch, and go back to work afterwards. Only a Brit would see someone drinking a beer at, say, 11a.m. (which is a meal-time in Spain: almuerzo) and say, "That´s a bit early in the day for me" because only a Brit would think, "Once you start you can´t stop until you´re face down in your own vomit!" Also, in Spain it´s very unusual to drink alcohol without eating at the same time, which also reduces the amount people will get drunk. When I first lived here, it amused me when I ordered a beer, and, asked if I wanted anything else (i.e. food), I said no. The beer would always be served with free "frutos secos" (nuts) and sometimes even olives.

I realise my attitudes expressed here may be becoming archaic, and younger British people are turning away from booze in a big way (the lightweights!) Also, the sesh culture is suffering a battering due to the prohibitive expense of buying a round in that endangered establishment, the pub.

Think it might be a cold climate thing tbh. The Nordic countries have very strict rules on booze because it was such a problem. Russians definitely drink to get drunk as well.

 

[ouirdeaux]

Germans have a proverb: half-drunk is a waste of money.

 

[pbsmooth]

Go into the small villages and its very different.
1/2 pint of brandy and an espresso at 7am is qiute common

That would be a pint in the UK

 

[Elpenor]

If you drink quite a lot, regularly (not necessarily you, but it sounds like your friends) normal enjoyable activities just don't match up to the chemical high of a sesh. They're just a bit dull in comparison. It's one of the sad things about heavy drinking really, it sort of spoils everything else (and you end up wanting a couple before the crazy golf / hike to compensate)

Yes, I think it’s the inability to think outside the box too and just do the same thing we did when we were 18! Though it must be said I’m sure they have “smug married middle class” dinner parties they don’t invite me to

When we go to rugby they are always going to the bar during matches (you can drink at your seat unlike football) but I don’t want to miss any of the match given how expensive the ticket is. Frankly I can have a beer before and afterward and can survive without one for an hour or so

Had a bit of resistance about what to do when we go to Dublin next year for rugby, which will certainly be a boozy weekend. I would like to do some tourism stuff in the mornings. I don’t go abroad much so want to see more than a stadium and a few pubs. But I guess it’s different strokes for different folks, it won’t stop be doing the tourism stuff and I won’t drink as much or be out as late either

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Yes, I think it’s the inability to think outside the box too and just do the same thing we did when we were 18! Though it must be said I’m sure they have “smug married middle class” dinner parties they don’t invite me to

When we go to rugby they are always going to the bar during matches (you can drink at your seat unlike football) but I don’t want to miss any of the match given how expensive the ticket is. Frankly I can have a beer before and afterward and can survive without one for an hour or so

Had a bit of resistance about what to do when we go to Dublin next year for rugby, which will certainly be a boozy weekend. I would like to do some tourism stuff in the mornings. I don’t go abroad much so want to see more than a stadium and a few pubs. But I guess it’s different strokes for different folks, it won’t stop be doing the tourism stuff and I won’t drink as much or be out as late either

A bit of nostalgia as well maybe, particularly from those who have family commitments which mean it's not something they can do so often? I've a number of friends like this, who talk about the virtues of not drinking so much these days, but end up on a proper session with me. I mean, I love it, but as the next day isn't as nice as when we were younger and there is geography involved, it also seems like a waste. I remember my cousin coming to see for the first time in years and taking photos of the empties the next morning to proudly send to his wife, and I just felt a bit embarrassed by the whole thing, really. But at least now we try and do a decent trail run or something before hitting the booze.

 

[_Russ_]

Coffee bloody well does not all taste the same. I'm drinking a rather spectacular Colombian single roast with floral notes and a heavy hint of cinnamon. Totally different to the Guatemalan Huehuetenango which tastes of vanilla and chocolate with citrus undertones.


(Fuck. I'm a coffee snob aren't I?)

Yes