Comment by globular-toast | Hacker News Reader

Comment by globular-toast | Hacker News Reader

Strange wording. Saying it's "no longer safe" implies that it once was and maybe alcoholic drinks are now more dangerous or humans are now more susceptible. I suppose it means it is no longer considered safe. That's a non-trivial difference.

Personally, I've stopped using alcohol completely. At first I just tried to drink less, but that's difficult because using it lowers inhibition and makes it more likely to be overused. It's much easier to just stop entirely and remove any possibility of a bad decision. I've found that I actually enjoy mocktails, alcohol-free beers and soft drinks when I go out and don't miss alcoholic drinks one bit. I know I won't get a hangover or be in a compromised mental state at any point. It feels great.

Even though I only did this for personal reasons I do now see many more of the negative effects of alcohol as an outside observer. I hope that within my lifetime I'll see much less use of this drug much like what's happened with tobacco.

With non-alcoholic fatty liver disease rising along with morbid obesity among the populace, it may, in fact, no longer be safe.

Fructose metabolism happens mainly in the liver, just like ethanol metabolism. It doesn't affect the brain in the same way, though, which is why a blood-fructose level isn't a test the police will give you for driving poorly.

It may be that ethanol-containing drinks are safer than fructose-containing foods and drinks, health-wise, but we find it harder to cut down on the latter. If you're giving up ethanol for health reasons, you might want to also swap glucose for fructose, and maltose (glucose+glucose) for sucrose (glucose+fructose). Only eat foods with a small amount of naturally-occurring fructose, like fruits.

I think the nature of drinking has changed to where the impacts may have gotten more severe. We’re now combining drinking with anti depressants, pain killers, energy drinks, different diets, higher obesity rates, thc, etc. There is a tremendous momentum behind drinking culture in a lot of places, but we have have a glimpse of what the coin pound effects and long tail consequences are.

People don't drink for the taste.

I just now enjoyed a small, delicious glass of cognac, my only drink of the day. Yes, some people do drink for the taste.

What do you think people are doing at wine tastings?

And what do you think is the point of alcohol free beers and wines?

I believe that wine tastings are primarily for the social value, with the socializing eased by the alcohol. Having a guise of learning about the wine (or whatever) is useful.

And my second belief (again generalizing, how I see it, etc.) is that alcohol-free beers are so that you can fit in when at the bar (where again, socializing is the main value) and choosing not to drink alcohol.

> wine tastings are primarily for the social value, with the socializing eased by the alcohol

...but you don’t consume the alcohol at a wine tasting so this doesn’t make any sense. If you aren’t consuming any alcohol what is left but valuing the taste?

There are wine tastings (less classy affairs I suppose some would say) where you do consume the wine. For instance I was at the San Sebastian Winery in St. Augustine recently and the "Tour and Tasting" I was on included about 20 people. All of us swallowed the wine. This has been my experience at many wineries and benefit events over the years.

Perhaps these are technically not "tastings" according to some gatekeeping organization.

>I believe that wine tastings are primarily for the social value

You have apparently never tasted wine with a sommelier or wine enthusiast, because I can assure you it is 100% about the wine. Socializing is minimal

>with the socializing eased by the alcohol

...the alcohol in the spit bucket?

I have never been to a wine tasting where people are spitting out the wine. But I have read of them so acknowledge that they exist and that you have a fair point.

Taste is part of the reason people drink, similar to how taste is part of the reason people eat chili peppers or sichuan peppercorns. Whether taste is a primary or secondary reason, it's still a factor.

If anything, I drink only for taste and loathe how the alcohol makes me feel. I love the taste of a good beer or cocktail, and often regret that it's alcoholic, since I have to drink less to be responsible with my health.

I drink modestly expensive single malts for the taste. Usually I don't like feeling the buzz at all, so I keep it to about half an ounce and sip it over the course of an hour.

I do. I mostly drink barrel-aged beers. I enjoy discovering the differences between them, how they change over time, and their flavor profile.

I remember thinking this... as an 18 year old in college

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