BlazingPedals

Not a teetotaler, but I don't drink much alcohol. Sometimes a beer sounds good, but usually I'm just not interested.

jon c. 

I consumed my share and more early in life. Haven't had a drop in 27 years. But almost without exception, friends and family I know who continued to consume at a healthy pace have slowed that consumption significantly once they crested the half century mark. Generally not really by conscious choice so much as just losing the desire.

Carbonfiberboy 

Everything you say is true. I've noticed the same thing. Now I have a beer once a week, after a long group ride. It's the only thing that immediately kills the pain in my legs. I have a small glass of wine at shabbat dinner. I'll do a little social drinking at a party, maybe once a month, but never get drunk. I keep a breathalyzer in my car.

churnman

Since you've asked. I did abuse alcohol for a period in my life and I have also suffered from anxiety/depression for many years. This was not likely due to the drinking. However, I now take the high road and regard alcohol as I do any drug. It does help in lubricating awkward social situations but it is a crutch. One that claims the lives of innocents at the hand of impaired driving.


The endorphin high I get from vigorous exercise is my drug of choice.

rumrunn6

tried to explain to my kids: "you're at a party, you're going to have fun, you don't need drugs & alcohol"

bargeon

Kept a wine cellar for years but my wife can't have alcohol now.
Still have the occasional, but we don't keep any in the house any more. You wouldn't believe how much money that saves.

baron von trail 

I pretty much quit drinking about 5 years ago. I had some wine on New Years, but I was done after two glasses and gave my wife the bottle. Alcohol just doesn't agree with me anymore.

big john

Hard core alcoholic here. In the eighties had a bleeding ulcer and got so sick I thought I was going to die. Lost a bunch of weight, looked really bad, and realized I had to quit.
Never joined AA, but I got some help from friends and one doctor I saw included me in a small study of alcoholic children of alcoholic parents.
Haven't had a drop since those days. Don't miss it and don't want to try it again.

BadBurrito

it varies for me. in the winter months, it's often a glass of red wine with dinner, except if we are having tacos or pizza, then 1 beer. In the summer months, I like to sit on the patio in the evening and have a glass of wine and then another glass with a late dinner. If we vacation at the beach, it's beer - multiples a day. But it's not unheard of for me to go weeks without having any alcohol for no particular reason, it's just not on my mind.

DeadGrandpa

I'm 64, and never drank when I was working. When I retired, I experimented with alcohol for a while but got bored and quit. I have consumed no substances that cause impairment for many years. It is just coffee for me now.

Wildwood 

I can't believe that any of your guys drink. There's a Pub for us that's always empty, cept for me and a few others.
This thread need pics.

GerryinHouston

Wildwood 

Yes, an unworthy fan!

Ronno6

I'm a large fan of Yuengling Traditional Lager.
I mean, I love the stuff!
I used to drink at least 2 12oz cans a day in the winter, and upwards of 5 or 6 a day in
summer, especially if I'd been doing any sort of yard work.
Just nothing like the taste if a full-bodied beer rolling over your tongue and down your throat when you are hot and sweaty.
And the mild buzz doesn't hurt,either.
But consumption has waned somewhat, especially in the winter.
And, with a severe lack of pedaling mileage this fall and winter, my weight has blossomed over 260 again.
So, time for an extreme reduction or elimination.
As for sleep, 1-2 cans a day don't seem to hurt my sleep pattern, but several in the evening put me to sleep early, only to wake up pie-eyed at 0200 or so.

I also have a taste for Carolans Irish Cream, and the occasional Jack&Ginger is nice as well..............

bikeme

I enjoy a craft beer or glass of red wine while cooking dinner each evening. Sometimes I skip it. It's always accompanied by something: olives, sardines, salami, cheese, etc. I never get headaches unless I'm dehydrated. I've read several articles about the health benefits of both. I haven't had hard liquor since my young and dumb days of college/early into my career.

boozergut

Ive stuck to my New Years pledge thus far of one drinking night/week. Ive been a homebrewer since 1997 and have mastered making all styles of beer. When people ask how long I've been brewing, I say "for the last 50 pounds or so". Two of my coworkers in their mid 50's died this week. Thus, its time to make some big changes. Oh and Im going to ride the $hit out of my bike this year.

BassNotBass

I find that the older I get, the physically less tolerant I am to low-grade alcohol and certain ingredients. Cheap red wine gives me an instant headache less than a half glass in. I can no longer enjoy IPAs because brews with a lot of hops in the mix make me feel sick. My body can't deal with the trace fusil oils and congeners that are left in low grade or poorly distilled spirits so again, instant headaches or feelings of queasiness. It's all good... I'm more than happy enjoying the occasional single malt.

Retro Grouch 

The last time that I had a drink was April 30, 1988.

On the way down to the bar that night I remember saying to myself: "This time it's going to be different. I'm going to carry one drink around with me all night, I'm not going to get drunk, I'm not going to get sick and I'm not going to make an ass of myself." It didn't work out that way.

Wolfhaven

Started young since alcohol was no big deal in my house. As a teen I could raid the old man's beer fridge if I wanted. Never was anything exciting to me. Drank some at HS parties but once I became a young adult I only socially drank and rarely got drunk. Taking a USMC physical fitness test while hungover is not fun plus I hate the feeling of losing control. For the past 30 years or so I have the occasional beer but it goes in streaks. I may drink a 12 pack in a month, 3 in a day or none for 3 months. Now it's mostly when I participate in yoga and beer classes, having one afterwards about once a month and a random beer while working in my garage or out with friends. Hard liquor is 3 shots once a year (The USMC birthday for the past, present and future) and the only buzz I may get. No interest in wine.

JanMM

Occasionally drank too much when young and foolish - as opposed to old and foolish - but at some point decided hangovers were unpleasant so cut way back. In recent years have drank about one beer daily, often with dinner. Porter, stout or something else that has some flavor.

Not uncommon for sleep to be disturbed by drinking before bedtime - I avoid that.

Robert C

When I lived in China I drank quite a bit, I disliked the bajao, which is very a common drink there. I would normally drink the beer; by the way, Tsingdao is not the best beer.

I returned in late 2014 and here in the US I don't drink much at all. I think the last time I had a couple of beers was when I was stuck, due to an airline issue, in Denver.

ClydeTim

Have no need for the stuff, don't like it! Never understood why people would want to drink alcohol. After watching my relatives destroy their families, jobs, lives while I was growing up, I guess I just always thought it a stupid thing to do. Never touch the stuff, don't have any family issues. It worked for me. Probably a good thing I learned valuable lessons from the drunks in my family.

Ludkeh

As I've gotten older, alcohol and I don't get alone very well. Now at 68, I might have an occasional beer with a meal and usually only in the summer time. Old age does funny things to the body and non of it is any good.

bargeon

Wish to heck I still did like I could. We could trade some pretty good stories 😈

canklecat

Ditto, I rarely drink wine anymore. Seems to trigger cluster headaches.

And ditto the hops. I love the hops but they don't love me. Hoppy beers make my sinuses and eyes swell and occasionally worsens into cluster headaches. Zyrtec and Sudafed help (has to be the original pseudoephedrine, not the phenylephrine substitute -- the latter doesn't work on anything except hemorrhoids).

I research my own beer purchases fairly carefully now and stick with those that don't seem to trigger any allergies or headaches. Mostly I like dark milk stouts and traditional ales. I can sip on a single pint for two or three hours at home and be satisfied. But it's hard to find ready made beer without hops, since it's a traditional preservative and most folks think beer doesn't taste right without hops. I've thought about homebrewing my own using no hops -- there's a homebrew supplier down the street from me.

I usually need to take a zyrtec antihistamine on days when I plan to drink beer socially with friends, even if it's not an allergy day. After a bike ride we usually visit a local pub that carries local craft beers. One new brewery, run by friends and riding partners, carries a couple of hoppy beers that I really enjoy so I need to take a zyrtec and sudafed beforehand. As long as I drink only one or two pints I'm good. They make a hoppy pale ale that's peppery, lemony and refreshing but not sweet, and 8% ABV. It's a sneaky devil.