Draught Beer
probably a Pale/IPA of some sort
ideally a hazy with Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic and/or Amarillo hops
definitely something from Cloudwater, Sureshot, Verdant, Deya, Track or Lerwig if I happen to be somewhere with it on tap.
Though often for those breweries, I’d take a can over an alternative draught
Just a lager idc
Depends. At a meh bar with bar food, probably an IPA. Mexican place with Mexican food, probably margarita or tequila sunrise. At a cocktail bar, I’ll pick a signature cocktail, probably one with a whiskey of some kind. If it looks like they know what they’re doing but they focus on botanical type stuff (which I don’t really like), then I’ll usually go for something like an old fashioned or a Manhattan, and if it’s not too busy I might request it with the bartender’s choice of unique flair on it. Or I might order a carajillo if they have an interesting one on the menu and if I see an espresso machine.
Manhattan, Old Fashion, or draft
Either the “girliest” drink they have, or (more likely) a soft drink. I’m intrigued by cocktails and want to like them, but I never acquired a taste for alcohol.
If you want to get into cocktails, I can think of a couple ways in.
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White Russians. Pleasant sipping cocktail if a little heavy because of the cream.
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Crown and coke. Crown Royal is technically a whiskey. Many of its fans don’t identify it as such, and neither do many whiskey fans. A shot of crown stirred into a glass of cola will present as a glass of cola with a little bit of an interesting flavor added. From there you can graduate to bourbon and coke, Jim Beam or Jack Daniels are common enough and pair well with cola. If you survive this long, maybe try this experiment: order a whiskey and cola, and then a rum and cola, find the differences in those flavors.
If you’re up to those shenanigans, maybe try going to a bar on a Tuesday afternoon when it’s a little slower, talk to the bartender tell them you’re wanting to explore cocktails and see if they’ll mix you smaller portions of a couple drinks like that, so you can test A and B. You would be amazed what that can do to open up your palette. If I handed you one glass of neat scotch, it might as well be a goblet of gasoline. If I hand you two glasses of different whiskies you’ll find some flavor in there.
It might be weird, since I’ve never seen it recommended as a “beginner” thing, but the spirit I come closest to liking (aside from overtly sweet liquors like Kahlua and Midori) is actually gin.
As for a White Russian, I’m more inclined to just mix Kahlua and milk and skip the vodka entirely, LOL.
I do happen to have some spirits at home, including some Montego Bay light rum and some “Red Stag by Jim Beam honey tea bourbon.” I had some of each with (store-brand) coke to refresh my memory, and yep, I can confirm that I don’t care for either. The rum and coke was worse than the honey tea bourbon and coke, though: I was able to at least get through the latter, whereas I had to resort to diluting the rum and coke with extra coke.
Wanna really know how terrible I am at liking the kind of drinks people are “supposed to” like (as opposed to the ones folks are “supposed to” find way too cloyingly sweet)? I tried making a “triple sec and coke” and actually kinda like that one!
“Do you like whiskey?”
“I don’t think so; the mocha lavender thai peanut aqua velva bourbon I tried wasn’t great.”
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The cocktail-averse I know all seem to like:
Margarita
Paloma
Pineapple, whiskey and lime
Mojito
You do not need to enjoy cocktails, there is plenty of other food and drink to build a palate, but if you want to learn to like the spirits and liqueurs in them, fizzy water is a way - I find whiskey & tequila in particular too strong to be able to taste and enjoy them, and most liqueurs way too sweet, but one shot in a glass of Topo Chico or other good fizzy water to dilute them? That lets me actually taste what people enjoy about them. Which then lets me think about what I might like them mixed with.
And I would like to plug [email protected] we can make recommendations based on what you already like.
Yeah, I think fruity Tiki drinks and such are more my speed. I was also reading a thing the other day that mentioned a drink called a “lawn dart” that sounded interesting, although the Chartreuse in it is apparently difficult to get.
In 2003, The Onion had an “article” with no text that was just the headline “Taste Acquired” and a picture of empty beer cans.
Soda water. Because getting drunk isn’t on my agenda. But it fits the vibe and people think your having a vodka tonic or something
My go to alcohol impersonater is a non alcoholic beer. Gonna have to try your method though. Cheers 🥂
Pro tip- you can get soda water with lime for the same price in most bars. Still looks like a g&t but with that vitamin C.
Either vodka with cranberry and lime or gin on the rocks usually. Both are delicious and I know it’ll turn out good no matter what bar I find myself in lol
Gin & Tonic. Feels like a drink. Bonus if I get a cocktail onion.
Beer, or if I don’t want beer then I order a tequila tonic. It’s easy for the bartender and it’s like a light margarita.
Lemon drop martini! Love lemons, love sugar, tolerate vodka!
I usually stick to beer, but I love a fruity wheat beer.
Never had a beer that I liked. There are some I can tolerate, but none of them are actually enjoyable. So I usually go for cocktails, either a gin and tonic or a Moscow mule.
Vodka sprite or whiskey diet
gin and tonic – safe, easy to make (doesn’t piss off the bartender), and isn’t sickly sweet
This is mine
Bartender expects 25% tip on a grossly overpriced drink. They can make you whatever the fuck you want, and shouldn’t bitch.
A gimlet, an old fashioned cocktail that a lot of bartenders have never even heard of before. Its a fun litmus test of the knowledge and skill of the bartender, and really tasty and refreshing if made right.
Its just gin and lime syrup, about a 2 or 3 to 1 ratio, shaken with with lots of ice and served neat.
Hail my gimlet brother! I’ve gotten back into these in a major way over the last couple of years for the exact same reasons.
Isn’t this more of a litmus test of whether or not they have lime cordial in stock?
I think its pretty standard stock in a bar, I’ve never had someone not have it. There are other drinks with lime flavor too.
Should be made with lime juice and simple syrup. Both ingredients every bar will have.
You can make it to order with just lime juice and sugar. Never had a complaint.
That sounds delightful!
