Red wines and Port (I am *very* happy that my folks moved to Portugal) are my favourite standard beverages.
Jym, you sound like a chap with a \'maturer\' palate. I suggest we all go to Jym\'s folks place for YNAI\'s first nude wine tasting weekend in summer \'06. Hey, it sounds like a plan to me!! :lol:
Newbie, I\'ve tried a few Samuel Adams & they\'re the closest I\'ve found to Scottish beers, quite malty, with a tang & a bit of body to them. I vary my liquid intake (always respecting the old adage, ne\'er mix the grape with the grain .. if you\'ve never drunk beer with whisky,
DON\'T. Not unless having a brass band playing for 6 hours in your head appeals to you .... in which case, Hell mend you!), currently I\'m favouring Budvar (brewed in Prague, I believe) but am partial to some Belgian beers & even the odd pint of Guinness.
Failing that, it has to be what we call \'heavy\' or 70/80 shilling (numerous names for what effectively is beer). Real ale can be a pleasant alternative, though it usually is rocket fuel & because it\'s non gassy, goes down like water .. then robs you of the power to walk, stand, see & ultimately speak .. trust me, I\'ve done a lot of research on this topic! German beers are usually very potent too (up to about 12% ABV) & need respect.
One thing I will add, in my late teens, wine was foul, by my early 20\'s, white was almost drinkable, red was nice & by my late 20\'s ... I could drink red wine till the cow\'s came home! Give me a decent bottle of Chateau Neuf-de-pape & you won\'t hear a cheep from me till it\'s empty. I\'m no connoisseur, but it\'s a very enjoyable wine. White is still a little wasted on me but I\'ve been known to quaff a few bottles with the \'right\' company :wink: .
OK, better shut up now. Though ... the laws for alcohol beverages in the States are crazy, they don\'t deter teens from drinking, here in the UK, 18 is the legal age but flouted continuously, the continental Europeans have a much more sensible attitude to drink, often allowing children of 5 or 6 to have a glass of wine with a meal .. somehow, they seem to respect it\'s potency more if they learn younger .. like naturism in a way
AND .. as you age, you hopefully begin to drink more for the social side & relaxation factors as opposed to the British culture where you drink to get smashed out your head ... it isn\'t nice, you look like a plank & someone always falls out with a friend, loses their money or gets in a fight. So be warned!
DGC
