bookmark_borderHelp me get drunk

My first ever drink in a pub (the same pub I celebrated my 18th birthday in after drinking there for about a year…) was a pint of “heavy” (80 shilling) and that remained my tipple of choice for many years, bar the occasional Newcastle Brown or a lager on warmer days. Ohh and for the record my first ever alcoholic drink was vodka. Straight. Whilst providing cloakroom services for a Boys Brigade dance. Sorry Mum.

Why heavy? Because I was nervous, naive, and I wasn’t really sure what to ask for, so when the bloke that got served before me ordered “two pints a heavy” I thought, yeah, that’ll do me!

As Guinness started it’s rise to prominence I switched my allegiance, although I’m just as likely to be found drinking an American ‘beer’ like Miller these days. Carlsberg is pretty nice, and… well I could go on but that’s not what I wanted to ask about.

If I’m not drinking beer, or occasionally wine, I drink Southern Comfort. Either straight (over ice of course!) or with lemonade, it’s one of the few spirits I drink. I will accept a Gin and Tonic, and have been known to drink the odd tequila and lime but I just can’t find a spirit that I enjoy as much as Southern Comfort.

Whisky I can’t stomach, nor will my body accept any aniseed flavoured drinks (Ouzo, Pernod etc etc), I can drink vodka if I have to but don’t really enjoy it (although I am looking forward to the bottle of Absolut Raspberry we have recently purchased for consumption over the festive period). As most bars have a fairly wide selection of booze these days, I’m asking for suggestions. What drink should I try?

Some guidelines. NO COCKTAILS! I want something I can order in pretty much any bar from a spit-n-sawdust establishment to a neon-glow style bar (ummm is neon back in??). Definitely no whisky or any of it’s derivatives like Jack Daniels, I’ve tried various rums and never really took to them, and I’d prefer something that will take a variety of mixers, lemonade, coke, and so on. Ohh and it must be alcoholic.

I know for a fact that some of you imbibe the occasional alcoholic beverage so have at it!