Aside from cultural expectations and lifetime of advertising, why do we drink alcohol rather than other refreshing drinks? Answer is, we don't always. I love a chilled pétillant mineral water with a sprig of mint and a quarter lime. Most drinking is not for intoxication, of course, it's thirst operating. So, why do people choose a cold beer, or champagne, in preference to a "soft drink" ?
The reason is to do with taste, rather than intoxication.
Before it has been ingested for sufficient time to affect your mood and give you that first hit, alcohol wakes up your taste buds. They become more sensitive to flavour, and their activity is increased in the stimulant phase of alcohol. * So, all of the aspects in decent booze that we like and react to and go back for, the flavours, aroma, liquid consistency, etc. are structured in such a way by clever drink makers to appeal to a stimulated palate fuelled by alcohol. Everything, for a while, tastes better. Bring on the hors d'oeuvres.
Of course, as it steadily sedates you, alcohol will dull all your senses, and alcoholic drinks over about 2% proof will actually dehydrate you if you keep drinking them. Long term, "heavy" drinking damages your 90,000 tastebuds. But everyone knows that, right? After the feast, steady intakers may be found throwing caution to the wind, knocking back spirits, gobbling up liqueurs and hardly tasting any of it.
But that's sad isn't it? So, keeping the faith, we zip back to the beginning of the meal. The aperitif, the food-appropriate wine. The sip, the wow moment, the toast, and down the hatch. Nothing like it. Delicious! And that's how they keep you.
Why We Drink In The First Place #2 - Because it tastes good.
