NWR: What else are you drinking besides wine?

[David M. Bueker]

Last night was dinner with old friend Kriss Reed and his wife Daisy. We could have gotten some wine, but opted for cocktails instead.

My two were both gin based drinks. One was a gin and tonic, but with the addition of rosemary. The other one used cucumber infused gin, along with Aperol, St. German, lemon juice and a dash of sparkling wine. Both were good, and both reminded me that warmer weather is coming.

So what is everyone else drinking beyond wine?

I drink about 5-6 cups of coffee per day.

PG Tips tea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmmE_h60rjk

On waking up, two to three cups of tea. Different type every day out of Darjeeling (3 different in the cupboard), Ceylon (2), Kenya, Keemun (2), Yunnan, Assam, Earl Grey, Twinings English Breakfast blend........If disaster struck and I had to stop drinking wine, I guess I could derive partially compensating connoisseurship pleasure out of deepening my interest in tea. Never tea bags, BTW

With breakfast, two or three cups of coffee (much stronger than usually served in the USA) from several different origins. We are on a Guatemala so far this week. Made in coffee pot with piston.

Water during the day out of a bottle (Evian or Vittel) or Brita filtered from the tap (translation = faucet). Our tap water is hard and foully chlorinated. (Filtered water in the tea and coffee, BTW).

Very occasionally at midday on a fine day, a cider or beer outside.

Wine with dinner.

Occasionally, when a sweet taste is lingering after dessert, a Calvados or malt whisky. We are on a super Calvados at present from a producer called Adrien Camut. Look out for him if imported where you are. Not cheap, though.

PS: Tea and coffee drunk without milk and sugar.

[Robin Garr]

Coffee and tea. But also, in the spirit of the original post, we too sip regularly of the single malt (Talisker from Skye is our favorite). We're riding along on the bourbon wave that's becoming an important tourist thing in my home town. And for whatever reason, we're much more likely to substitute an interesting cocktail for wine when we dine out, particuarly if the affordable end of the wine list isn't that interesting.

I have a Porter or Stout every day, my favorite right now is Left Hand Milk Stout.

[David M. Bueker]

Managing the affordability/deliciousness issue is a big reason I got into cocktails in the first place. $9 gets me a good drink or a bad glass of wine in most restaurants.

[Robin Garr]

$9 gets me a good drink or a bad glass of wine in most restaurants.

Yep, that's it exactly!

I forgot to mention craft/microbrewery beer, by the way. We're blessed locally with quite a variety of micros, and then there's always draught Guinness ...

[David M. Bueker]

Yes, craft beer is another tasty and cost-effective alternative. I had some last night.

Tim - you would like the coffee I make. It's European strong.

And while the intent of this question was in fact other alcoholic libations, it's interesting to see what people have as far as non-alcoholic drinks as well.

1) Local microbrews, especially DC Brau's Citizen (Belgian Triple-style) and Three Stars' Peppercorn Saison

2) Sazerac (was just in NoLa) -- my favorite cocktail

3) Laphroaig -- loves me some peat!

Spencer Trappist ale.

-Paul W.

Water... with or without scotch

Glenn

Managing the affordability/deliciousness issue is a big reason I got into cocktails in the first place. $9 gets me a good drink or a bad glass of wine in most restaurants.

Poor value wine is a serious deterrent for me when it comes to eating out. What's the point of going to a restaurant to eat great food when the wines I would like to drink with it are at home in my cellar? The price issue is an obvious problem as is the lack of maturity of the more "important" wines on restaurant wine lists.

I read that BYOB is becoming more common in France, especially in Paris, but I feel very diffident of asking restaurants out here in the provinces if they accept the practice.

(More than 10 years ago, Thoumieux in Paris, where I met Robin, allowed us to bring our own. However, it has now become a very smart place with a star chef, Jean-François Piège, http://www.thoumieux.fr/. I wonder if they still accept BYOB.)

I don't think I've drunk a cocktail for over 30 years and I can imagine the raised eyebrows if I asked for one with my food here. As a starter it might be just OK.

I also often go for beer or cocktails when out in a restaurant or bar, because of the value issue, or often just the selection issue. But I rarely drink either of those at home.

And as I've said before, other than wine I just drink water all day long. I am too sensitive to caffeine and most other beverages are a waste of calories. I eat A LOT of fruit for natural deliciousness (now that we're in citrus season roughly 10 oranges per day) and don't need confected commercialized products.

I'll occasionally have a beer in a restaurant defiance of a crappy wine list, but that's about it for alcoholic beverages. I used to sometimes have Scotch (I typically preferred the Islay ones), Armagnac, Cognac or Calvados, but can't remember the last time I did so.

For non-alcoholic, mostly water, usually seltzer. One coffee in AM.

Single malt, Japanese whisky, especially Nikka, Bourbon, local craft beer, gin tonic, Campari soda.

[David M. Bueker]

Very nice Jay!

Ale, ale, and once in a while ale!

Since alcoholic beverages were the original intent, I often drink local draft beer when I'm out, especially with a fish fry or wings. I like porter and stout, and dislike IPAs. I'm also a big fan of Steampunk sparkling cider from Leonard Oakes.

I occasionally have a little beer, but it makes me feel heavy, so not very much or very often. I've moved away from stouts and the like and now enjoy sours and saisons and lager from an amazing Oakland brewery, Linden Street,

1. Negronis
2. Sun King Cream Ale (local brew)

Cocktails--most recently at a restaurant-- Manhattan with rye whiskey or an Old Fashioned
I like the combination of Gin and cucumber and go for that more often in warm weather. I have also tried other muddled drinks with herbs at Elliott's on Linden in Pinehurst.
I have cocktails at home more frequently in warm weather--gin or vodka with tonic water or a rum drink. It's hard to find a well-made Sangria around here so I may mix up my own Sangria when the weather gets hot. (It won't be long now--temps in the 70s Fahrenheit today!)

Wine and food were made for each other.
Besides wine, there are plenty of beverages to drink: water, tea, coffee, fruit juices, soda, milk, soymilk, cashew milk, kefir, smoothies, milkshakes, lassis...who needs cocktails?

Besides wine, there are plenty of beverages to drink: water, tea, coffee, fruit juices, soda, milk, soymilk, cashew milk, kefir, smoothies, milkshakes, lassis...who needs cocktails?

What do you have against cocktails?

One could just as easily replace cocktails with any of those drinks on your list and come to the same conclusion.

There are plenty of beverages to drink: water, tea, coffee, fruit juices, soda, milk, soymilk, cashew milk, kefir, smoothies, cocktails, lassis...who needs milkshakes?