Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Down to my last bottle.

I don't consume that much alcohol. The days are long gone when being drunk was a part of life. It wasn't that I spent college in an alcohol-induced stupor, but I think getting drunk and dealing with a hang-over are part of the college experience. For some people, it's a way of life. How sad. But for others of us, we do it, have the experience, decide it's awful and never do it again. I fall into this latter category.

Now, that being said, I will drink for a buzz and a couple two or even three drinks when I know the farthest I have to go is down the hall or up the stairs or make it to the elevator and then to room 625. Getting drunk, however, not for me. As the aphorism says, "Been there. Done that. Bought the t-shirt."

I do, however, enjoy alcohol, particularly when it's the weekend and I'm raiding with my World of Warcraft guild, Spectacular Death. We have a camaraderie that lends itself, even over a virtual world where the only way I know these people is by the sound of their voice coming through my computer, to the cheer from a brew. Several like to imbibe more than (cough) a couple and the resulting hi jinx produced our guild's slogan, "Whoops!".

I have alcohol in the house but it's not the kind I'm wont to drink straight out of the bottle. I bought the stuff because I had a recipe that used 2 tablespoons of it, like the hazelnut basted fish, or, as with the hazelnut liqueur, I prefer it with cold 7Up, which I don't have. So, I drink a lot of tea on raiding nights or my current favorite is fruit juice with club soda. All the fizz with half the calories and sugar.

Back around Memorial Day, I had a wee bit of extra cash and I treated myself to some brews. Robert the Bruce Scottish Ale I have linked to before. These, below, are the other brews I purchased, stuck in the back of the fridge, behind the milk, and drank about every 2 or 3 weeks.

The one on the left is the last bottle in the fridge. I drank the Wee Heavy over the weekend. I really liked the Old Engine Oil, but I like my beers to be dark with a bite to them. If you notice, these are all Scottish beers. (Robert the Bruce is a "Scottish-style" ale brewed in Muncie, Indiana.) While Scotland is usually associated with whiskey, I'm not all that fond of that brew. I do like Scottish beers, however. They have character.

I'm on the fence about consuming the Dark Island. Perhaps I should save it but Carole comes for a visit this weekend and sharing a beer with my daughter would be lovely. Granted, a 12 ounce bottle isn't going to yield a huge amount of beer to be split, but it's about the sharing, not the quantity.

Once the Dark Island is gone, it will be awhile until I can replenish stocks. That's not necessarily a bad thing. I have ample tea supplies to last through the end of the year and tea keeps me sharp while playing the game.

But there is something nice about lifting a glass and asking, "So, what's everyone drinking tonight?" It's almost as if we're sitting around a table after dinner sharing food and friendship.

Wine is sunlight, held together by water. ~Galileo

Beverage: (since I'm at work) Dr Pepper

Deb

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