Alchohol and Me?

While I've never liked "hard" alcohol myself, I think the theory can be summed up in two words: aquired taste. When alcohol affects pleasure receptors in brain, the bad taste will become associated with something pleasant. For developers also note the importance of Ballmer peak from http://xkcd.com/323/

Its certainly an acquired taste, whatever your poison may be.

If you want to know why you don't seem to care fore it, and why others do, that's not much of a story: it just is what it is.

If you're interested in, perhaps, acquiring (or at least exploring) a taste for these things, then I suggest taking a more systematic approach than you may have in the past -- understand the variables (spirits, styles, ingredients, regional influences) and control them to narrow in on what appeals to you and what does not.

Also, if you've been testing the waters on the cheap stuff, or just bellied up to the bar and asked for a liquour, rather than a specific type, I can say that it's remarkably easy to tell the difference between bottom-, mid- and top-shelf stuff quite easily. The bottom-shelf stuff tastes somewhere along the spectrum of rubbing alcohol and bug spray. It's almost always cut with pure-grain alcohol and then covered over with artificial additives (Jose Cuervo I'm looking at you!), rather than being fully authentic -- as a rule of thumb, I don't drink anything that comes in a plastic bottle (maybe in a mixed drink, but even then not of my own choosing). Top-shelf doesn't have to be expensive either, most of the stuff I buy runs between $30 and $60 for .750 bottles here in WA state.

For beer you've got a ton of varieties -- Ales, Stouts, Pilsners, Lagers are the primary varieties, I like Lagers myself -- but not the American brands that all taste like piss. I like Corona, Dos Equis, and Asian or Italian lagers.

A specific drink you might like if you try it would be Sake or Soju -- they have a rather mild taste and the alcohol content is about that of a strong wine.

I'd say though, that as a general rule, most clear or light-colored liquors are enjoyed more for their effect than their taste -- its mostly the darker-colored ones that are meant to be savored for their flavor (Scotches and Whiskeys, aged tequilas, etc).

Also, if you're giving into your sweet tooth often and/or eat a lot of processed foods, your tastebuds are probably all sorts of whacked. I cut processed foods, fried food, and most salt and meat out of my diet about 6 weeks ago, and you'd be amazed how much your sense of taste changes after a couple weeks.

So do you have any idea why people love "hard" alchohol like wiskey, vodka, etc? Have you ever read anything about that?

I never bothered for reading about it. I suppose they like the "punch" or "burn" associated to hard alchol, I can mildly understand this, it's a very unique sensation.

I should note that I also do not smoke and I do not like coffee.

What about tea? I think this is somewhat interesting, of the few people who don't drink I met, a good percentage of them were also non-smokers, not into coffee and some not even good with tea.
I never completely got in the "social" part of coffee myself. For me it was all about the caffeine.

EDIT: remove ASCII art. Couldn't make it work!

I'm totally with you. I can't even stand beer, except if it's mixed with about 50% lemonade. I can't see how one can "enjoy" the taste. Same goes for cigars. And licorice. And mushrooms.

I think this is somewhat interesting, of the few people who don't drink I met, a good percentage of them were also non-smokers, not into coffee and some not even good with tea.

Were they also Mormon?

@Zingam: I think mrjones hit it. It's an acquired taste, and to acquire the taste you either very carefully choose your alcohol like Ravyne suggests until you start to like it, or you build associations with alcohol in your brain some other way that it starts to see alcohol as something it wants because it associates it with something good.

I've never gotten the theory behind an "acquired taste." If you don't like it, why would you keep drinking it until you do? Isn't that indicative of a psychological disorder?

No no, please, don't anyone answer that. I also don't like (and therefore don't drink) alcohol, and I know I'm the weird one for it, not the other way around.

There are more variables than taste in life. Need for socialization, even if misguided, can sometimes override bad taste.

I don't think that "acquired taste" means that you're fooling yourself about liking something long enough to "convert" -- simply that some experiences are so unusual at first that you're simply not equipped to notice and appreciate any nuance involved. Certainly having enjoyable experiences hastens the "acquisition" by disengaging the part of your brain that tells you this has always been a horrible experience, though.

To make a Standard Internet Car Analogy (TM), most people settle for your average commuter car, even if they test-drive something a little more expensive with better handling. They can't fathom spending more money on "better handling" unless they've had some time to settle into what that is, and how it can affect their driving. But when you do settle into it, its something that driving afficianados come to expect and measure other cars by.

"Acquired taste" theory is bullshit.

I've liked beer ever since the first one I tried, I've liked dark strong coffee since a young age, and every form of liquor I've tried I've enjoyed to some degree (except tequila... blech). I never had to undergo any kind of "acquisition period" or adjustment to it; first time was enjoyable, and every time since.

Now, there is some truth to Ravyne's idea that you gain more appreciation of subtlety and nuance with experience. That's been true for me in coffee, beer, whisky, rum, cognac, even cigarettes. So it does take experience and time to develop a sophisticated palate. But the "like/don't like" thing is certainly not "just" a matter of acquired taste.


Some people just like certain things. It's how humanity works. I wouldn't sweat it.

So do you have any idea why people love "hard" alchohol like wiskey, vodka, etc?

I have no idea how people love beer. It's the vilest tasting swill known to man or beast.

But it's cheap, weak and prevalent. If your goal is not taste, then it doesn't matter best as I can figure.

Personally, I'll mix hard alcohol with sodas or juices to make it palatable (and of socially acceptable alcohol content)

While I've never liked "hard" alcohol myself, I think the theory can be summed up in two words: aquired taste. When alcohol affects pleasure receptors in brain, the bad taste will become associated with something pleasant. For developers also note the importance of Ballmer peak from http://xkcd.com/323/

I can attest to having experienced this peak. I read a story recently that people do better with free-association and pattern recognition under the affects of alcohol. Something to do with the breakdown of your "inner filter" allowing you to associate things that you normally wouldn't have. Since programming is allot of symbolic relationships, i can see how that may work

Anyway, on the acquired taste front, i think thats more in relationship to social pressure with some degree of psychological and gastronomical response. If you have an addictive personality, you'll generally "learn to like" something especially if it gives a pleasurable effect even if the gastronomical response is bad. Same could be said vice-versa. How many of you would eat your current favorite ice cream if it caused you to retch every time you had it? Otherwise social pressures to "fit-in" will overcome a lot, especially if you're susceptible more easily than others. The other variables are just blatant: biological changes in personal tastes and food preparation. Slight changes in preparation can do wonders on food as well as the fact your tongue's tasting ability does change over time (years-decades).

Personally, I'll mix hard alcohol with sodas or juices to make it palatable (and of socially acceptable alcohol content)

Yeah, same here... generally I'll mix vodka with orange or blackcurrent + water; in both cases to the point where the vodka taste is completely masked. You might ask why I don't just drink the orange or the blackcurrent and the answer is simple; I like the brain numbness which comes from vodka even if it only lasts a little while these days ;)

While I've never liked "hard" alcohol myself, I think the theory can be summed up in two words: aquired taste. When alcohol affects pleasure receptors in brain, the bad taste will become associated with something pleasant. For developers also note the importance of Ballmer peak from http://xkcd.com/323/

Haha, the Ballmer peak is hilarious. Mostly because it's true. Maybe not with a BAC that high, but after I have about 3-4 drinks I find myself writing better code somehow. After a few drinks I find that I'm more relaxed and I can actually think a little bit clearer than I could before.


I don't know why people love the taste of liquor, but is it really so hard to believe? I don't love the taste of any liquor (except for some top shelf tequilas, yumm) but I find most rum, whiskey and tequila palatable and I enjoy them when I go out to the bars. After a few drinks you don't really notice the taste all that much anymore, the sense of taste gets dulled to a point where it no longer has that after bite.

I do believe there is such a thing as "acquired taste", I've experienced it first hand with beer. Initially I hated the taste of all beer. You'd give me any beer and I'd cringe at the taste. Eventually, I found a beer that was somewhat palatable and didn't make me cringe. After sticking to that beer for a while, I tried a few others and discovered that they were more palatable than they were before. After exposing yourself to different beers numerous times you begin to notice certain subtleties in flavor, body and aroma that you start to appreciate. I don't think it's just the associated psychological and physical response to alcohol that makes one enjoy a beer; otherwise, why would I consistently go for brand X over brand Y when they both have relatively similar alcohol content? Perhaps for some people that might be the case (folks who always go for cheap beer) but for me taste is definitely important.


Something that can't be discounted though is how things that you taste can bring back memories of a different time (just like how when you listen to a song you were listening to 3-4 years ago, it can bring back some memories and feelings you were having at that earlier time). This kind of association is extremely powerful and can completely change the way that you perceive something.

I should note that I also do not smoke and I do not like coffee. Well, I actually like the taste of coffee when it is very sweet but I do not feel the need to drink it. It seems to me that everybody around me cannot function without drinking coffee on a regular basis but I don't feel like drinking it. Well, it appears that I don't like any of these "social actvities".
The only things that give me cravings are sugary things.

You pretty much described me perfectly.

I have a definite sweet tooth and enjoy the coffee flavor (I'm drinking a coffee milkshake right now), but don't drink coffee or alcohol. I'll have a sip of wine at a social gathering, or an espresso over a game of Catan to be polite, but that's far and few between. (And some things like smoking and drugs I won't even do, 'social' or not, since not only does it not profit me, the negative physical and mental health effects are absurdly clear).

Social or not, I figure why risk getting 'addicted' to something I currently don't like the taste of anyway? Sure, I could develop a taste for it, but how does that profit me? It certainly takes a toll on your wallet though (check Starbuck's prices, and check the liquor store. $15-$20 for a 16 ounce bottle of brandy or flavored vodka. I actually enjoy the taste of a 20 ounce Dr Pepper or A&W Cream Soda for $1.25 much more. Saves money and tastes better.

Everyone can keep their bottles of budweiser, but pass me the bottle of caramel.

That's why there are bartenders who mix drinks with other flavors. That's why there are liqueurs like Kahlua, Bailey, and Midori. You don't drink straight up liquors unless you want to get drunk fast.

However, a good and smooth liquor is art. That's the only thing that can be enjoyable straight up. If you ever had one, you will realize why people pay $1000 or more for a bottle.

Social or not, I figure why risk getting 'addicted' to something I currently don't like the taste of anyway? Sure, I could develop a taste for it, but how does that profit me? It certainly takes a toll on your wallet though (check Starbuck's prices, and check the liquor store. $15-$20 for a 16 ounce bottle of brandy or flavored vodka. I actually enjoy the taste of a 20 ounce Dr Pepper or A&W Cream Soda for $1.25 much more. Saves money and tastes better.

Everyone can keep their bottles of budweiser, but pass me the bottle of caramel.

However, a good and smooth liquor is art. That's the only thing that can be enjoyable straight up. If you ever had one, you will realize why people pay $1000 or more for a bottle.

Include me on the "Just drink water" bandwagon, or juice, or an occasional Dr Pepper or cola.

First, I believe your body doesn't need the toxin of alcohol. It is great for sterilizing and killing germs; it isn't something I really want to drink.

Why spend $1000 on a carefully mixed beverage when you can get cold water for (essentially) free. Your body needs water.

Some people want wine, I'll go for a light juice blend. The studies that show moderate wine drinking has health benefits have had followups showing that other mild fruit juices have the same benefit.

At a social event hook me up with a simple glass of grapefruit juice rather than a liquor blend. Tastes great, and I can safely and legally drive home after.


I just shake my head in sympathy at my coworkers who spend $5 or more for their coffee at the corner shop every day. That's a thousand dollars each year for a flavored beverage. I have so many better uses for that much money.

Yes, juice is even better. I prefer juice even to soda, but even cheap juice can get somewhat expensive - even when bought in bulk.

I drink alot of water too - just tap water, mind ye! I don't get this flavorless bottled water craze. "You can pay half a cent per cup of water... OR, I'll put in in a bottle for you, and it'll only cost you $1 (200 times or more)". But hey, even bottled water is cheaper than alcohol.

If you want flavor, and want something to drink, but don't want to pay much for it: buy flavored sparkling water sold at almost any grocery store (1 litre for about $0.67 to $1, with three or so helpings), and mix it with juice or drink it on it's own.

Another nicety is those large cardboard canisters of powdered ice-tea mixes which make a good 50+ servings.

And ofcourse, don't drink it as a replacement for regular water, but as something to sip on while programming - and sometimes a nice glass of ice water while programming is just as good. I sometimes have three cups of different liquids next to me while programming - a glass of milk while eating food, a glass of juice/soda/ice-tea, and a glass of water to balance the sugar intake.

Some people even cut their juice with tap water (1/3rd water or sprite, 2/3rds juice) - my dad does this, and if it's a stronger juice (like grape juice) I also do it.

Or, go british and become a tea junky. I know someone who drinks three or four cups of tea a day... and at 100 teabags for a $3 or $4 (cheapest) or brand name 100 teabags for $10, it costs only 4-10 cents a cup... plus it's common to use the same teabag for more than one cup, if you're drinking them back to back (3 teabags are strong enough for a tea pot of maybe 5 or 6 cups, if you brew it at once). It costs for sugar and (optionally) honey also, but that only increases the cost per cup a cent or two.

If you're going to develop a taste for something, you can't go wrong with tea - and it makes you seem pleasantly eccentric if you live in America.
But again, don't drink as a substitute for tap water.

You don't drink straight up liquors unless you want to get drunk fast.

Fastest way to get drunk is to drink something mixed with a lot of water; keeping yourself hydrated while drinking means you take it up faster thus feel the effects quicker. Back when I was drinking a pretty large amount I managed to get totalled out of my tree on a pint glass which was about 1/8th vodka, 1/8th blackcurrent and the rest water... never been hit so hard or fast.

This is also a warning however; if you drink a lot and find youself sobering up and decide to drink water beware that the act of drinking water can make you drunk again as rehydrating allows your body to take up the alcohol again - happened to me a couple of times before now.... once by accident ;)

If you're going to develop a taste for something, you can't go wrong with tea - and it makes you seem pleasantly eccentric if you live in America.
But again, don't drink as a substitute for tap water.

Actually I am trying to drink at least 3 cups of tea daily but I don't do it very often. Well, I don't really like tea too but tea isn't a nasty stuff and it is supposed to be healthy.
Well for me the best drinks is pure, cold, mountain spring water, milk is good too. I avoid drinking juices because of: "Don't drink your callories, eat them."


BTW I am not trying to aquire a taste for alchohol. I just wonder why people like it. I drunk enough alchohol to understand that it was not for me. Actually if I have to drink alchohol I usually drink it at once, which always makes all regular drinkers to stare at me in disbelief. A few years ago I completely gave up drinking hard alchohol. I use it now only if I have a soar throat as a disinfectant.

Somebody mentioned above that different hard, alchoholic drinks have different tastes. Well to me ALL of them taste the same - like rubbing alchohol. Really! The "better' types taste like "parfume" In reallity I find all of them disgusting.

But if alchohol is added as a taste enhancer to other drinks or foods like in cream, chocolates, etc. then I like it. The same goes for coffee I like it only if it is 1 part coffee, 1 part cocoa and 1 part milk with lots of sugar.