Serious drinkers: How did you learn to appreciate drinks "neat"?

[Ns1]

When you had that first shot of whiskey, you seriously didn't think "oh my god this is the best thing I've ever tasted in my life", did you?

I like alcohol, but I find I like it in a very "asian" manner - mixed drinks, light beers, soju/sake-grade liquor.

Whenever I try to have whiskey straight up it almost makes me gag. A buddy ordered me a jamison on the rocks and I couldn't get past half of it.

HTF do I learn to appreciate this shit? Beef up my tolerance and keep on drinking or what?

 

[Baked]

Mixed drink? Light beer? I like my whiskey and scotch with 2 ice cubes. I prefer IPA over all other types of beer.

You just have to keep drinking until you black out, repeat.

 

[Ns1]

You just have to keep drinking until you black out, repeat.

Been there done that, still have not learned to appreciate drinks neat. I drank IPA's for a month straight and couldn't appreciate that either.

 

[mnewsham]

I enjoy scotch straight up, though I enjoy mixed drinks with vodka.

I started with a "lighter" scotch so that may have helped ease me into it.

 

[CurseTheSky]

Find something that appeals to you and, well, drink it.

Not everyone has the same taste. When I first tried scotch, I bought a bottle of Glenlivet 12 yr. It was alright, but I couldn't really figure out what all the fuss was about. I couldn't really see spending $40+ on a bottle of something that I didn't enjoy. I tried a few other scotches over time, but pretty much had the same result. Then I landed on Highland Park. From the first glass, I REALLY enjoyed it. It has a unique sweetness and a lot of interesting flavors that makes it truly fun to sit there and sip.

I don't consider myself a serious drinker, but the moral of the story is: try a few different things, and don't force yourself to drink something. You may just not like whiskey. There's nothing wrong with that. There's no sense spending money and choking down something that you don't enjoy.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

My dad started me young and would have disowned me had I done anything to tamper with his precious scotch or Don Julio, so I never had the liberty of enjoying wussy drinks. I enjoyed them straight basically right away. But as said above, the kind of liquor can make a big difference. I can't stand the smokeyness of Laphroaig, but Auchentoshan was immediately delicious to me.

 

[destrekor]

Been there done that, still have not learned to appreciate drinks neat. I drank IPA's for a month straight and couldn't appreciate that either.

Don't worry - I hate appreciate IPAs either.
Pale Ales are about the hoppiest type of beer I can actually enjoy.
In time, I might appreciate IPAs a little more, but at most I can tolerate a good one. At a local brewery yesterday, we had their sampler and one of them was the IPA. Wasn't half-bad, for an IPA. Actually, probably the best IPA I've had yet. I probably could have drank more of that than I could have the 60 Minute IPA from Dogfishhead Brewery.

That said, I'm a big beer fan - and the darker and more complex, the more I am bound to like it. I'm all about just enough hops to counteract excessive grains.
As it's getting warmer out though, I find myself enjoying something at least somewhat lighter. Russian Imperial Stouts are absolutely amazing, but a bit rich for a sweaty day.


Regarding Whiskey: perhaps you aren't a fan, at all?
I'm no Whiskey guy, I'm man enough to admit that.

But I can appreciate fine Gin, Vodka, Spiced Rum (Sailor Jerry's all the way ) basically straight if so desired. Gin I'll do either neat, with ice, also half the time with tonic (soda if not tonic can be found - nowhere near the same though).

Vodka? well... I rarely sip straight. Certain specialty flavor vodkas, like Espresso varieties, are indeed terrific neat.

Also:
Kahlua Especial (70 proof) + Vodka + two ice cubes = WIN :awe:
Might be better with Kahlua Midnight - but haven't had a chance to try that one.

 

[Ns1]

Regarding Whiskey: perhaps you aren't a fan, at all?

ATM, I only drink whiskey if all 3 criteria are met:
- it's offered
- it's free
- i want to get fucked up

currently, i'm a sucker for craft cocktails. nom nom noms.

 

[lxskllr]

Find something that appeals to you and, well, drink it.

This, and don't do "shots". Sip the spirits, and really taste them. A good whisky has a lot of complicated flavors, and you have to put in a little work to get them.

I started by buying a cheap scotch(Deer Stalker). I bought it because I liked the way the bottle looked, and the price tag. I later found it had won awards for packaging. The whisky OTOH... :^D Point is, even a crappy whisky had something going for it, and it led me to better whisky. Just gulping it down wouldn't have revealed the good it had. Overall point, is buy something decent, and really taste it.

 

[zCypher]

This, and don't do "shots". Sip the spirits, and really taste them. A good whisky has a lot of complicated flavors, and you have to put in a little work to get them.

I started by buying a cheap scotch(Deer Stalker). I bought it because I liked the way the bottle looked, and the price tag. I later found it had won awards for packaging. The whisky OTOH... :^D Point is, even a crappy whisky had something going for it, and it led me to better whisky. Just gulping it down wouldn't have revealed the good it had. Overall point, is buy something decent, and really taste it.

This sounds like good advice. I don't like whiskey either, but then I've probably never really done it justice by trying it properly.

 

[child of wonder]

Stomaching straight alcohol just comes with time. Same is true of hoppy beer. 5 years ago I couldn't even stand Sam Adams. Now I love 100+ IBU IPAs.

Start with something mild and work your way up.

 

[lxskllr]

Stuff I like at two price points, and think is approachable for a beginner...

Irish - Tullamore Dew, Black Bush
Bourbon - Old Forrester, Knob Creek
Scotch - Famous Grouse, Macallan
Tequila - 1800 añejo that's all I have. Don't know a cheaper one
Rye - Pikesville is good and cheap. Don't know more expensive ones

 

[Ns1]

Tequila

I'm a fan of cazadores. drink that shit like water, up until the point where I start yacking my brains out.

 

[destrekor]

I'm a fan of cazadores. drink that shit like water, up until the point where I start yacking my brains out.

1800, Patron, and Cabo Wabo are like the minimum point of entry, imho, for tequila. And of course, there's the style: Blanco/Silver, Reposado, and Anejo.

It appears Cazadores is in roughly the same tier as the above, so it's probably equivalent. I've simply never had it.
I think I'm more a fan of Reposado, it perhaps it's simply 1800's Anejo that didn't really do it for me. But I'm also not a HUGE tequila guy. I just know it's gotta be pretty good stuff for me to even approach it.

 

[Wonderful Pork]

It appears Cazadores is in roughly the same tier as the above, so it's probably equivalent. I've simply never had it.

I used to live in Texas, and Cazadores is what the Mexican folks would drink regardless of price, so thats my go-to Tequila.

As for learning to drink liquor neat I sort of weaned my way down. First Jack and coke, then Jack on the rocks, and finally Jack neat (repeat with your beverage of choice). Plus, when I was losing some weight, drinking without mixers was an easy way to keep calories (and carbs) down while still getting to enjoy a couple of drinks while out with friends.

That said, I can't drink whiskey neat in the summer, it heats me up too much so I stick with rocks or beer.

 

[Ns1]

re^^

I'm a fan of the cazadores reposado. Couldn't drink the Anejo, probably for the same reasons I can't drink whiskey.

 

[Scotteq]

I decided I would learn to drink spirits neat...

The "method" was simplicity itself - I bought a bottle of 12 year old Mcallan Fine Oak, and every few days I'd pour myself a short glass and sip it.

I was good to go well before the bottle was half gone.

 

[HeXen]

I started on drinking warm Crown Royal and Moonshine, never cold. Sure it burned like fire, I just tolerated it to get to the main goal of consuming alcohol, I think that's all anyone does is just tolerate it. Over the years I gradually went to the sissy drinks which I now much prefer. Though the older I get the less I drink any alcohol. Haven't even thought of it in a couple or so months.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

I first learned to enjoy a good Manhattan on the rocks. It's a strong drink, but it mellows as the ice melts.

After that I visited a bar that had a selection of fine scotch whiskies -- plenty of 15 and 18 year specimens. It is pretty remarkable what proper aging can do for the drinkability of a spirit.

I can enjoy "lesser" aged whiskies, now, but I don't think I could've gotten there starting solely on Jack Daniels and Jameson, though.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Stuff I like at two price points, and think is approachable for a beginner...

Irish - Tullamore Dew, Black Bush
Bourbon - Old Forrester, Knob Creek
Scotch - Famous Grouse, Macallan
Tequila - 1800 añejo that's all I have. Don't know a cheaper one
Rye - Pikesville is good and cheap. Don't know more expensive ones

Definitely Tullamore Dew. So good, so cheap. Although I cant say it with an Irish accent and when I was in Dublin trying to order it they would look at me like "wtf are you saying??"

 

[Rakehellion]

When you had that first shot of whiskey, you seriously didn't think "oh my god this is the best thing I've ever tasted in my life", did you?

I like alcohol, but I find I like it in a very "asian" manner - mixed drinks, light beers, soju/sake-grade liquor.

Whenever I try to have whiskey straight up it almost makes me gag. A buddy ordered me a jamison on the rocks and I couldn't get past half of it.

HTF do I learn to appreciate this shit? Beef up my tolerance and keep on drinking or what?

If you don't like it, don't drink it just to fit into some bullshit social mold.

 

[Rakehellion]

I drink top shelf gin straight, or Scotch if it's free. I don't like the taste of watery drinks like beer and I don't think them just to fit in with the boys.

 

[lxskllr]

I drink top shelf gin straight, or Scotch if it's free. I don't like the taste of watery drinks like beer and I don't think them just to fit in with the boys.

Not a huge fan of gin, but a gin and tonic makes a great summer drink. I don't drink much beer anymore. I like it, but prefer whisky. I'll drink one or two beers, and then whisky for the rest of the night. If my choice was one or the other, I'd take whisky hands down.

 

[uclaLabrat]

I guess I got into it the way some here did, I wanted to cut down on the sugar and useless crap in drinks but still catch a nice buzz. I love beer, always will, but a good whiskey is my go-to. I used to be a rum guy, would drink rum and cokes til the cows came home, but I moved to manhattan and rum was actually pretty expensive. A decent sipping rum (mt gay was my first pick due to taste and price at the time, although ron abuelo is actually a bit better and quite a bit cheaper in the city) was hard to come by. Mt Gay was $47/handle at the local liquor stores, which was super pricey compared to back in socal (handle is more like $25-$30). I could, however, pick up a handle of evan williams for $25. So I did. Ad started drinking it neat, grew to like bourbon, and have now sampled many of the good ones. I have to say, I much prefer bourbon to scotch, although I do like irish whiskey quite a bit as well. Jameson tastes like candy with a hint of smoke. Michters is also very smooth. Tyrconnel, Red breasted Grouse? are also quite delicious. Irish whiskeys tend to have less bite than a good bourbon and are quite smooth.

 

[mistercrabby]

When you had that first shot of whiskey, you seriously didn't think "oh my god this is the best thing I've ever tasted in my life", did you?

I like alcohol, but I find I like it in a very "asian" manner - mixed drinks, light beers, soju/sake-grade liquor.

Whenever I try to have whiskey straight up it almost makes me gag. A buddy ordered me a jamison on the rocks and I couldn't get past half of it.

HTF do I learn to appreciate this shit? Beef up my tolerance and keep on drinking or what?

It's all personal preference. Don't let ads or media define it for you. Many people i respect don't drink booze at all. For me, I enjoy craft beer. Red wine is good. I'll have a margarita or a gin gimlet or something once in awhile. I think whiskey is gross! But, again, i know a lot of people who prefer it to all other types of adult self-medication. (-: