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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Just don't order something juvenile (shirley temple, mock pina colada) if you want to come across as somewhat sophisticated.  If you don't care about that, nobody else will.  The one thing you don't want to do is comment or discuss your choice of drink.  Just drink what you want.  I have a colleague who is obviously a recovering alcoholic, although he has never admitted to it.  It's annoying only because he feels the need to "explain" every.single.time you're out with him on and on how he just doesn't like the taste of alcohol, never developed a taste for it, blah blah blah.  (Noboyd believes this, he's a former military officer and in his 50s in an industry that drinks a lot).  He also always asks if there is any alcohol in food because "he just can't stand the taste".  GMAFB.

TL;DR  Nobody cares if you don't discuss it, just drink what you want.[/quote]

I’ve never developed a taste for alcohol. I do like food cooked in alcohol because the heat mellows it.  (My dad has similar tastes and will tell you he doesn’t like food with alcohol, but he doesn’t understand how heat can affect the taste.  He quite enjoyed zoodles with jarred vodka sauce, but that’s because he couldn’t recognize the alcohol. It’s really not an alcohol question, it’s a food literacy question - he also doesn’t like food cooked with onions, but if he doesn’t know they’re there he raves about it).

Once every year or two I may drink about 1/2 glass of wine if somebody else (husband, in-laws, etc., has a bottle open). Even rarer, I may have an interest in drinking a cocktail, probably about once every five years or so, but DH usually ends up finishing them.  I don’t think that classifies me as an alcoholic, recovering or otherwise, by any stretch of the imagination.  Some people genuinely do not like the taste. While the military probably does have a strong drinking culture, I don’t think it’s a requirement.  Similarly, unless his career is in the alcoholic beverage industry (vintner, brewer, distiller, professional wine-taster, bartender, etc.), they probably don’t have a fondness for alcohol as a job requirement, however prevalent drinking may he in his industry.

When I’m with others who are drinking, I don’t think I go on and on, but if the subject comes up, I’ll usually explain that I don’t like the taste.  I’m not making a moral judgement about whatever the others may drink, I just have a different personal preference.  It never occurred to me that by trying to clarify that others might jump to the wrong conclusion like pp.

Incidentally, I never developed a taste for sodas, and I’ve only started enjoying coffee the last few years (I’m 50 yo), when I discovered the delights of adding caramel or chocolate to it.  (Actually, DH has commented that while most people add flavored creamer to their coffee, I tend to add coffer to my flavored creamer).  I have no idea what PP would assume from these preferences

What do I like to drink?  In a social situation where others are drinking, I’ll probably order an iced-tea, but that’s not what I really enjoy.  I have a huge sweet tooth, and given my choice, I’d opt for something like a chocolate milkshake with extra sprinkles, a caramel frappe, a strawberry banana yogurt smoothie, fresh-squeezed lemonade, a hot chocolate with whipped cream, hot mulled cider, a mango lassi, or chai tea.  While I’m not addicted to alcohol, I’m definitely addicted to sugar. [/quote]

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