Drinking

Alcohol is strange in that, besides coffee, it's the only drug that people everywhere really want you to have.
As such, I find myself drinking from time to time, even when I'm not actively looking to do so.

But I can't drink as much as I used to.
I used to do IPAs on an empty stomach. We cleared 6 packs of tall cans on Fridays.
Now I get a hangover halfway through a second drink.
It could be age; I've also lost quite a bit of weight since college. In any case I just don't enjoy it as much as before.

I thought that if my body wasn't particularly craving it, and if it was no longer enjoyable, I might as well quit.
And so I did; I told my family and friends, this time last year, that I was done with alcohol. I had not had a drink that year up until that point as well, so it wasn't a sudden lifestyle change. I was convinced I'd never have a drink again.

Since then I've had around 10 drinks total.

Most of the drinking was during my honeymoon; some nice Belgian ales to go with Alsace franks and sauerkraut, as well as a nice wine tasting trip in Luxembourg ^[1]. Both were wonderful times and I'm glad I did it.

I haven't had more than one drink a night, in over 3 years.

Besides the wine from Luxembourg, I haven't bought alcohol for my home in 2 years.

Sometimes I get gifted alcohol, which of course I'm very thankful for. But I will admit that it sits in the fridge for a while before I find the right time to drink it.

The highest chance of me drinking are during nice meals, most often in restaurants.
My first preference is usually a nice non-alcoholic beverage. Homemade ginger-ale/lemonade is pretty popular in Japan, as well as mock gin and tonics.
If they don't have those, and only have strange artificial juices, then I usually check the beer.
If there's craft beer, or something imported, on tap, then I usually go with that.
I don't usually drink any beer that's bottled. I also usually don't drink any major brands, even if they're fresh and on tap.

I don't know if I understand non-alcoholic beer. I've yet to have one that I really liked.

If I were told one day that I couldn't drink anymore, I don't know how much I would care. I wouldn't be upset.

But there are times, when the food is hot, my glass is cold, and I'm glad that it's beer.

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