How much wine to you drink?

MeatTwoVeg

I've been inspired by this thread to reassess my drinking habits.
Because I don't 'get pissed' really anymore, I think I don't have a problem.

But I'm putting away about 38units per week I reckon, spread pretty evenly over 7nights.

Anyway, decided not to have a drink last night and am going to try keeping to a Fri, Sat and one midweek evening schedule for a bit to give the liver a bit of recovery time.

meeeeh

Adelynn Flaky Turpentine wrote: »

I know people who used to drink like that but, with effort and determination, got their drinking back down to sensible levels. If they were alcoholics that would have been impossible. An alcoholic has to give up drink entirely, as their addiction makes it impossible to have a healthy relationship with alcohol.

Actually my grandfather was that type of an alcoholic. He wasn't drunk every day, he didn't drink enormous amounts of alcohol and he functioned well at work. He still saw white mice climbing up the wall towards the end of his life and when he died autopsy showed his internal organs were just mush.

Elliott S

Elliott S wrote: »

Do you even like jazz? (most people don't) If not, then the 'dog fight' analogy is apt. I lived in Cork for a while and it barely registered with me when the Jazz festival was on. It's a massive session only if you want it to be.

I actually don't mind jazz, wounldn't be my first choice of music but I don't dislke it either and what's played during the jazz festival is usually quite enjoyable.

That being said I won't deny that a lot of the attraction is the fact it's a great excuse to have a heavy weekend on the beer and very easy to justify starting drinking early in the day as you are going to see such and such a band. The atmosphere around the city is brilliant all weekend too, you would have to be staying at home completely for the event not to register as everywhere is packed from early afternoon till closing.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

meeeeh wrote: »

Actually my grandfather was that type of an alcoholic. He wasn't drunk every day, he didn't drink enormous amounts of alcohol and he functioned well at work. He still saw white mice climbing up the wall towards the end of his life and when he died autopsy showed his internal organs were just mush.

If he didn't drink a lot how could he be an alcoholic?

Elliott S

Alana Spicy Rowboat wrote: »

I actually don't mind jazz, wounldn't be my first choice of music but I don't dislke it either and what's played during the jazz festival is usually quite enjoyable.

That being said I won't deny that a lot of the attraction is the fact it's a great excuse to have a heavy weekend on the beer and very easy to justify starting drinking early in the day as you are going to see such and such a band. The atmosphere around the city is brilliant all weekend too, you would have to be staying at home completely for the event not to register as everywhere is packed from early afternoon till closing.

Well, fair enough!

Sam Kade

dollyk wrote: »

Im 52 and have a couple of glass nearly every evening.
Have no intentions of cutting back, had bloods and tests done a few months back,
came back fine.
By most peoples standards I drink too much.
I have friends who boast that they only drink at weekends.
Fine but they consume more than I do within the 3 days.
They also take meds, to sleep, be happy, be calm etc.
So Im sure I would be wise to cut back, but Im not in a hurry.:)

Wine makes you fat

Ragnar Lothbrok

Alana Spicy Rowboat wrote: »

I actually don't mind jazz, wounldn't be my first choice of music but I don't dislke it either and what's played during the jazz festival is usually quite enjoyable.

That being said I won't deny that a lot of the attraction is the fact it's a great excuse to have a heavy weekend on the beer and very easy to justify starting drinking early in the day as you are going to see such and such a band. The atmosphere around the city is brilliant all weekend too, you would have to be staying at home completely for the event not to register as everywhere is packed from early afternoon till closing.

I've always avoided the Jazz weekend in town. Jazz would probably be my least favourite type of music. However, I'll be heading into An Bróg on the Sunday for Pontius Pilate and the Nail Drivers (ska band). They are brilliant!

I'll be getting very, very drunk too, and I won't be drinking wine

meeeeh

Adelynn Flaky Turpentine wrote: »

If he didn't drink a lot how could he be an alcoholic?

What I meant, he might drink a bottle of wine or so. Then he would be dry for couple of days or even weeks and then a bottle per day for couple of days/weeks, then a brandy bender and so on.

Shenshen

Shenshen wrote: »

Some friends here tell me they have no problem getting through a bottle in a single evening, and I find that astounding to say the least.

At the height of my consumption I would think little of 2.5 bottles. Sometimes after a beer or two.

Nowadays I would have a glass - or tops two glasses - at my monthly house party. And that is mostly just to reduce the quantity of queries you get in Ireland when you are seen not to be drinking at drinking events.

Or on an occasion where I have made a meal at home that I particularly think would benefit from a wine being there too. Usually expensive and elaborate sea food dishes would be a crime to have without a good wine.

Ragnar Lothbrok wrote: »

I'm guessing that few people drink wine (or any alcohol) purely and simply for the taste though.

Ragnar Lothbrok wrote: »

Does anyone who regularly drinks wine ever just stop after half a glass and think "Yeah, that was great!"

I would certainly now be one of those few people. Either for the taste of it - or because a particular meals taste is augmented by it. Some can also - like sorbet - be a good palette cleanser between courses.

Plus I think people try to get too drunk too quickly sometimes. There is a lovely little tingle of _mild_ inebriation you get before drunkness kicks in that you only get when you imbibe a little alcohol. Like a little schnapps between meal courses.

It adds a tiny little glow and tingle to everything you experience. But I think most people rush past it and miss it somewhere while ploughing through their second pint.

Ragnar Lothbrok wrote: »

Apart from the genuine alcoholics among us, I'd also think that most of us will get up in a morning and drink tea or coffee or OJ or whatever, but would be unwilling/unable to drink wine, beer or vodka with our breakfast.

In Ireland maybe. But in other areas of the EU for example it is actually quite common. In fact the Germans have a word for it -frühschoppen - that translates as "Morning Pint" and it is quite common in Bavaria to have sausages - pretzels - and beer as a breakfast. Especially on Sunday.

While in hotels in France I have often found sparkling wines in the Breakfast Buffet options.

And in Poland - following a wedding one time and a music gig another time - my hotels of choice had vodka on every table. Usually a half litre size and of a flavour so smooth and nice that it put the "vodka" we buy here in Ireland to absolute shame.

In fact I have been trying in a vague half hearted way to track down one of those since. There was a half litre bottle of "Bison Grass Vodka" in one of the hotels. The bottles were wrapped in a thick plastic cover that looked a bit like fake orange leather.

Bonus points if anyone knows it and can find it or name it for me

With all the great beers and vodkas in the world it is always depressing to find pubs here selling Smirnoff and Budweiser.

osarusan

Deleted User wrote: »

There was a half litre bottle of "Bison Grass Vodka" in one of the hotels. The bottles were wrapped in a thick plastic cover that looked a bit like fake orange leather.

Bonus points if anyone knows it and can find it or name it for me

Zubrowka?

This one?

http://zanelamprey.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a94ce60a970b013488856198970c-320wi

osarusan

osarusan wrote: »

Zubrowka?

This one?

http://zanelamprey.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a94ce60a970b013488856198970c-320wi

Don't think so. Unless it is the same vodka in a different bottle.

The bottles I had it in were half litre "naggon" sized. And you could not see _any_ of the liquid inside because the entire bottle was covered tipp to tail in an orange plastic with a kinda "Leather" matte finish to it.

osarusan

osarusan wrote: »

Zubrowka?

This one?

http://zanelamprey.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a94ce60a970b013488856198970c-320wi

Actually you know what - I just found it now that I stopped looking in only a half hearted fashion. It was Zubrowka as you suspected but in a much different bottle. Here it is:

http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/989/956989/956989_150325160840_DSCF8512.JPG

jacob2

the mother in law drinks a bottle of wine a night she said shes not a aloholic she just likes it

osarusan

Deleted User wrote: »

Actually you know what - I just found it now that I stopped looking in only a half hearted fashion. It was Zubrowka as you suspected but in a much different bottle. Here it is:

http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/989/956989/956989_150325160840_DSCF8512.JPG

Looks pretty cool. I wonder if it is just the same vodka inside or a different batch.

I think Zubrowka (in the bottles linked to) is fairly widely available in Ireland.

Ragnar Lothbrok

Deleted User wrote: »

Actually you know what - I just found it now that I stopped looking in only a half hearted fashion. It was Zubrowka as you suspected but in a much different bottle. Here it is:

http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/989/956989/956989_150325160840_DSCF8512.JPG

And apparently it seems easy enough to get hold of in Ireland

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055942474

tigger123

jacob2 wrote: »

the mother in law drinks a bottle of wine a night she said shes not a aloholic she just likes it

I'd class that as heavy consumption tbh.

Ragnar Lothbrok

Ragnar Lothbrok wrote: »

And apparently it seems easy enough to get hold of in Ireland

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055942474

Bummer - that puts my low quantity of drinking at risk Had I known the vodka I was passing every day was the same one from the orange bottle back in Poland I might have been buying more of it.

I am going to assume - likely falsely - that the orange bottle had a better class of vodka in it compared to what is available here - just to prevent myself from buying the lower standard of it here

That should keep me from alcoholism for a few years yet.

Ragnar Lothbrok

Ragnar Lothbrok wrote: »

I Apart from the genuine alcoholics among us, I'd also think that most of us will get up in a morning and drink tea or coffee or OJ or whatever, but would be unwilling/unable to drink wine, beer or vodka with our breakfast.

Not on a regular basis but you can't beat an 8am start in the early house once in a while or drinking in the hotel bar straight after breakfast the day after a wedding etc.

Jesus.

meeeeh wrote: »

Five or six bottles of wine per week because you like the effect is being an alcoholic.

I don't use that label because that's all it is, a label. The person might just enjoy feeling tipsy but if they had to stop it they would. A lot of times its just habit or lifestyle choice not actual alcoholism.

People who don't like doing it do like to call those that do alcoholics. Makes them feel better I suppose.

Ragnar Lothbrok

Alana Spicy Rowboat wrote: »

Not on a regular basis but you can't beat an 8am start in the early house once in a while or drinking in the hotel bar straight after breakfast the day after a wedding etc.

A visit to an early house is still on my Bucket List

The only time I can remember drinking that early is two or three years ago on a trip up to Derry to watch Cork City. Started drinking bottles of Carlsberg at 7am. Only drank four or five as they were warm after about an hour's travelling. Still had a good couple of hours drinking in Derry before the match and dread to think what condition I'd have been if I'd carried on drinking all the way up there!

Once in a while might be grand, as you say, but not every morning with your Weetabix :pac:

TerrorFirmer

Jesus. wrote: »

I don't use that label because that's all it is, a label. The person might just enjoy feeling tipsy but if they had to stop it they would. A lot of times its just habit or lifestyle choice not actual alcoholism.

People who don't like doing it do like to call those that do alcoholics. Makes them feel better I suppose.

This is true. There's a world of difference between lifestyle choice, habit, or problem drinking, and actual alcoholism. Most, but not all, people in Ireland are fairly heavy drinkers, and a portion of those would also be 'problem drinkers'.

That doesn't make them alcoholics though. Five or six bottles of wine a week is admittedly not good for your health and is a problem from that perspective but it doesn't make you an alcoholic.

The real problem would be if you made a decision to cut back, or were told you should cut back, but found you couldn't despite genuine intent.

Ragnar Lothbrok

Ragnar Lothbrok wrote: »

Apart from the genuine alcoholics among us, I'd also think that most of us will get up in a morning and drink tea or coffee or OJ or whatever, but would be unwilling/unable to drink wine, beer or vodka with our breakfast.

Deleted User wrote: »

In Ireland maybe. But in other areas of the EU for example it is actually quite common. In fact the Germans have a word for it -frühschoppen - that translates as "Morning Pint" and it is quite common in Bavaria to have sausages - pretzels - and beer as a breakfast. Especially on Sunday.

While in hotels in France I have often found sparkling wines in the Breakfast Buffet options.

And in Poland - following a wedding one time and a music gig another time - my hotels of choice had vodka on every table. Usually a half litre size and of a flavour so smooth and nice that it put the "vodka" we buy here in Ireland to absolute shame.

When I stagger in to work next Monday morning after a half-litre of vodka for my breakfast, can I point to this post and tell my boss to "Blame taxAHcruel"

Shenshen

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

This is true. There's a world of difference between lifestyle choice, habit, or problem drinking, and actual alcoholism. Most, but not all, people in Ireland are fairly heavy drinkers, and a portion of those would also be 'problem drinkers'.

That doesn't make them alcoholics though. Five or six bottles of wine a week is admittedly not good for your health and is a problem from that perspective but it doesn't make you an alcoholic.

The real problem would be if you made a decision to cut back, or were told you should cut back, but found you couldn't despite genuine intent.

The definition of alcoholic is always "Someone who drinks more than me", doesn't matter who you ask.

Ragnar Lothbrok

Ragnar Lothbrok wrote: »

A visit to an early house is still on my Bucket List

Me too - but it would have to be a particular type. The kind with the style and atmosphere you picture when you listen to too many tom waits songs. At the very minimum there would have to be two sailors - bar flies - comfortable in their mutual silence - someone playing pool for money - and somewhere a woman called Ruby putting on lipstick. And an old guy who at some point in the smokey room bursts into a random but heart wrenching song in a voice that tells you he is likely not to be seeing another Christmas.

If you find such a place call me - I will come with you.

Ragnar Lothbrok wrote: »

When I stagger in to work next Monday morning after a half-litre of vodka for my breakfast, can I point to this post and tell my boss to "Blame taxAHcruel"

I have been blamed for worse than this

Ragnar Lothbrok

Deleted User wrote: »

Me too - but it would have to be a particular type. The kind with the style and atmosphere you picture when you listen to too many tom waits songs. At the very minimum there would have to be two sailors - bar flies - comfortable in their mutual silence - someone playing pool for money - and somewhere a woman called Ruby putting on lipstick. And an old guy who at some point in the smokey room bursts into a random but heart wrenching song in a voice that tells you he is likely not to be seeing another Christmas.

If you find such a place call me - I will come with you.

The search begins

One_Of_Shanks

Jesus. wrote: »

I don't use that label because that's all it is, a label. The person might just enjoy feeling tipsy but if they had to stop it they would. A lot of times its just habit or lifestyle choice not actual alcoholism.

People who don't like doing it do like to call those that do alcoholics. Makes them feel better I suppose.

Yep, agree with this.

It's a dangerous label to throw around too. As it tends to stick whether true or not.

meeeeh

One_Of_Shanks wrote: »

Yep, agree with this.

It's a dangerous label to throw around too. As it tends to stick whether true or not.

I have no desire labeling anyone but drinking large amounts of alcohol daily because it's nice to feel tipsy is having a problem:

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a broad term for any drinking of alcohol that results in problems.[1] It was previously divided into two types: alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence.[2][3] In a medical context, alcoholism is said to exist when two or more of the following conditions is present: a person drinks large amounts over a long time period, has difficulty cutting down, acquiring and drinking alcohol takes up a great deal of time, alcohol is strongly desired, usage results in not fulfilling responsibilities, usage results in social problems, usage results in health problems, usage results in risky situations, withdrawal occurs when stopping, and alcohol tolerance has occurred with use.[3] Risky situations include drinking and driving or having unsafe sex among others.[3]

ceadaoin.

meeeeh wrote: »

One_Of_Shanks wrote: »

Yep, agree with this.

It's a dangerous label to throw around too. As it tends to stick whether true or not.

I have no desire labeling anyone but drinking large amounts of alcohol daily because it's nice to feel tipsy is having a problem:

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a broad term for any drinking of alcohol that results in problems.[1] It was previously divided into two types: alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence.[2][3] In a medical context, alcoholism is said to exist when two or more of the following conditions is present: a person drinks large amounts over a long time period, has difficulty cutting down, acquiring and drinking alcohol takes up a great deal of time, alcohol is strongly desired, usage results in not fulfilling responsibilities, usage results in social problems, usage results in health problems, usage results in risky situations, withdrawal occurs when stopping, and alcohol tolerance has occurred with use.[3] Risky situations include drinking and driving or having unsafe sex among others.[3]

That's not what the quote you posted says though. Obviously drinking daily isn't good, but it doesn't automatically mean someone is an alcoholic

One_Of_Shanks

ceadaoin. wrote: »

That's not what the quote you posted says though.

Indeed.

Not sure why I got quoted there but sure we'll ask the question in a minute

One_Of_Shanks

meeeeh wrote: »

I have no desire labeling anyone but drinking large amounts of alcohol daily because it's nice to feel tipsy is having a problem:

First of all, I was replying to Jesus. Now there's a sentence I never thought I would say!

I was agreeing with him, that's entirely different to agreeing or disagreeing with any other posters.
I just happened to agree with him and then my subsequent point was my opinion on the matter with an additional point added in for good measure (pardon the pun).

Not sure why you're quoting me and as for the bit about:
Alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a broad term for any drinking of alcohol that results in problems. bla bla bla....

Well its ok, I can google that. Thanks though