Apr 21, 2024 | drinking, Drinking Smart
Choosing a bottle of wine can be a daunting decision. There are so many labels, bottles, styles, and regions to wade through. If you familiarize yourself with all of the different things you will come across when shopping for wine, you will soon be a savvy wine shopper! Also, your experience with wine shopping will be much easier and will make it easy to share your expertise with friends.
How-to: Be a Savvy Wine Shopper: Wine Knowledge
Taste
The taste of a wine can differ based on acidity and sweetness levels. Wine labels often use the terms “sweet,” “semi-sweet” or “dry.” A dry wine will not be sweet at all. Wines with high acidity will be more tart. On the other hand, low-acidity wines will taste rounder or richer.
Wines have unique flavors. A savvy wine shopper will pick a wine that has similar flavors, or notes, like other things that you like. For example, if you have a sweet tooth, you will likely prefer a sweeter wine. On the other hand, if you love the taste of bitter, black coffee, you may like a more acidic wine.
Tannins
Tannins are phenolic compounds in the skins of grapes. They give the wine a more bitter taste. Tannins also tend to dry out your mouth, but they do not actually relate to the ‘dryness’, or sweetness level, of the wine. Some tannins develop as part of the wine-making process and other times they could be added in. Red wine has more tannins, giving it its uniquely dry and bitter finish. Knowing this will help you be a savvy wine shopper.
Age
While many people get hung up on the age of the wine, it is not that important. It is common for people to think that the older the wine is, the better it tastes. This is only true for some wines. For example, some types of wine will get better with age based on the region it comes from, or the number of tannins, sugars, and acids it has. Typically, red wines age better than white ones. A savvy wine shopper knows that most wines should be consumed within 5 years of purchase.
Region
Wines produced in different regions will have different characteristics and qualities. Wine from areas where wine was originally made is called Old World Wines. These are typically more dry and bitter. Examples of these countries are France, Italy, or Spain. On the other hand, New World wines are the counties that are newer to winemaking. These countries include the US, South Africa, and Australia. These wines are going to tend to be sweeter. Knowing this will let everyone know that you are a savvy wine shopper.
Body
Another thing to know as a savvy wine shopper is the term body. Wines can be described as having a light body, full-body, or somewhere in the middle. This refers to how heavy or light the wine feels in your mouth. Generally, red wines have a fuller body than whites. In the same way, heavy body applies to wines made from grapes that are grown in warmer regions, rather than cooler ones.
Jun 10, 2022 | Alcoholism, Drinking Smart
Dating often involves romantic dinners in fancy restaurants, so avoiding alcohol can be difficult. However, if you are a recovering alcoholic, it’s important to learn how to navigate social situations without breaking your sobriety. And a date can be an even tougher situation with the added nerves. However, if you plan, you can be prepared for when the waiter inevitably asks about your drink order. If you want to avoid the situation altogether you can opt to plan the date yourself at a location that doesn’t involve drinking. You can also make an excuse if you don’t want to share details about your recovery. However, if you are feeling comfortable with your date, you can share your experience with them. A good partner will want to support your recovery.
Avoiding Alcohol on a Date: How to Maintain Your Sobriety in the Dating World
Plan Ahead
The best way of avoiding alcohol on a date is simply to prepare ahead of time. We often make worse decisions when we don’t have time to think things through. So don’t wait until you’re in the restaurant to decide how you want to handle the alcohol situation. Make a plan in your head before your date so that you can stay calm when the topic comes up.
Plan the Date Yourself
Another way of avoiding alcohol altogether on a date is to plan it yourself. You can just opt for an outing that doesn’t typically involve alcohol. For example, you could explore a museum, go for a walk in a nice park, or try an exercise class together. You could also plan a picnic and pack the food yourself – sans alcohol. Get creative and find something fun and unique.
Make an Excuse
If you are avoiding alcohol and find yourself in a situation where the topic comes up, you can just make an excuse. Especially if you aren’t comfortable sharing your recovery journey. There is any number of things you can say, but often the simplest answer is the best. You can say you just don’t feel like drinking tonight, you have a headache, or you need to be up early in the morning.
Be Honest
Finally, if you’re avoiding alcohol on a date, sometimes the best way is, to be honest with your partner. However, you need to make sure that you are ready to share your experience. Hopefully, your date will be supportive and want to help you with your sobriety. It might be a good way to see if they are a good match for you. You certainly want any serious partners to be on board with your sobriety.
Avoiding alcohol in the dating world can be tricky, but it just takes some forethought. Plan so that you are prepared for when the topic comes up. That way, you won’t panic at the moment and say something that you regret. Or make a poor decision with your recovery. Plan the date yourself and opt for an outing that doesn’t invite alcohol. You can also just make an excuse if you don’t want to discuss the topic. Finally, if you are comfortable with your date and ready to open up, you can just be honest with them about your recovery. Hopefully, they’ll want to do everything they can to support you. Just make sure that you stick to your sobriety because that is the most important thing for your health.
Feb 4, 2022 | drinking, Drinking Smart
Knowing your limit is so important if you are out drinking with friends. Knowing when to stop will help you avoid the negative consequences of heavy drinking. Some drinkers can know when they’ve hit their limit just by the sensation of their body. Others use alcohol charts to help them decide when enough is enough. You can also perform field sobriety tests on yourself, or have a friend do them with you. And finally, you can purchase a breathalyzer as well to measure the alcohol content in your system. Drinking responsibly will help you avoid the dangers of over-indulging like health issues, hangovers, or driving accidents.
Knowing Your Limit: How to Know When to Quit Drinking
Feeling Drunk
Knowing your limit comes easier the longer you’ve been drinking. If you are an infrequent drinker, or if you’ve recently started drinking, it can be hard to know when to stop. Many people think that stopping when you’re “buzzed” is a good idea. This is when you reach the state of intoxication where you feel relaxed, giggly, happy, or your muscles feel a little looser. The room shouldn’t be spinning and you should not be sick to your stomach. Stopping when you are buzzed will usually prevent you from having an extreme hangover. However, you should never drive while buzzed.
Alcohol Chart
Knowing your limit can be hard, so some people rely on alcohol charts to help them know when enough is enough. An alcohol chart can show you how many drinks per hour somebody of your weight should stick to. However, there can be a lot of room for error with these. A lot depends on your body type, your drinking history, your metabolism, and how much food you’ve had in the day.
Field Sobriety Tests
Trying to do some field sobriety tests can help you with knowing your limit as well. These are the types of tests that cops use when they pull people over who they suspect of drinking and driving. You can try balancing on one leg or walking a straight line forwards and backward. Have a friend perform the tests on you to tell you how you’ve done. If you are having trouble completing the tasks, it’s probably time to stop drinking.
BAC
Finally, a breathalyzer can help you with knowing your limit too. A breathalyzer tests the BAC or blood-alcohol content in your breath when you breathe into a tube. However, like the drinking charts, there is a lot of room for error. There are many different qualities of at-home breathalyzers, so you can never know how reliable yours is. If you are planning to use one to see if you are sober enough to drive, you can blow a different number for a cop and get a DUI. Theirs are much more sensitive and might register more clearly. If you want to drive, it’s best not to drink at all.
Knowing your limit with drinking is important to help you have a good time without the aftermath of hangovers, health issues, or DWI’s. Stopping when you feel buzzed is usually a good rule of thumb when drinking. However, it’s never safe to drive in this condition. If you want to use a chart, it can be a helpful baseline to show you a proper amount to drink. Field sobriety tests can help you determine if it’s time to stop as well. And finally, a breathalyzer should give you an idea of how intoxicated you are, but should never be depended on for driving. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find your drinking limit and enjoy a night out with friends without things getting out of hand.
Nov 19, 2021 | Accident prevention, Drinking Smart
Getting home from the bar safely is an important consideration if you plan to have a night of drinking. Drinking and driving can land you in a world of trouble legally and financially. Not to mention the pain if you were to get into a wreck and hurt someone. It’s best to have a plan before you head to the bar. Assign one friend to be the designated driver, or plan to catch a cab. You can also take public transportation which is often cheaper than a cab. And finally, if you’re in a pickle, call a friend and ask for a ride home. Nothing is worth the risk of getting behind the wheel when you’ve been drinking.
Getting Home from the Bar Safely: Avoiding a DWI
Plan a Designated Driver
One way of getting home from the bar safely is to make a plan before you even leave. If you know that you and your friends will be drinking too much to drive, assign a designated driver. A DD will need to stay sober for the entire night so that they can safely transport everybody home. You and your friends can rotate who the DD is each time you go out partying to make it fair for everybody.
Get a Cab
Another way to plan on getting home from the bar safely is to catch a cab. There are plenty of apps these days where you can hail a ride from a service like Uber or Lyft. Unless you are in a very remote town, you should be able to hail a ride from one of these services.
Public Transport
Public transport sometimes gets overlooked when getting home from the bar. But it is often cheaper than hiring a ride service or cab. Before you head out, see if there are any bus stops, trains, light rails, or subways that take you where you want to go. Make sure and check the schedules before leaving so you know when the last route of the day will happen.
Phone a Friend
Finally, if you’re attempting to get home from the bar safely and have run out of money or options, phone a friend. When you’re in a bind, you can ask a close friend or family member to come and pick you up. They’ll want to help you avoid the dangers of drinking and driving. So even if they are annoyed, they will probably respect you for not getting behind the wheel. If you are in an unfamiliar place, ask a bartender for help. They may be able to assist you.
The dangers of drinking and driving far outweigh the benefits of saving money on cab fare. It’s never worth it to risk a DWI or drunk driving accident. If you need help getting home from the bar safely, try to make a plan before you even leave the house. Assign a friend to be the DD for the evening. You can also download a ride service app on your phone or hire a cab. Public transport and simply walking home are options if you live in certain areas as well. And finally, if you’re really in a bind, call a friend or family member to pick you up. It’s always best to have a plan for getting back home before you ever leave your home in the first place. Knowing how you’ll safely get home will make your night less stressful.
