Drinking habits of the nation are often discussed, in the media and on blogs so i thought I would jump on the bandwagon and discuss my own drinking habits.
Because I have a rather large beer cupboard, spend a lot of time talking and blogging about beer, and on a Friday i usually tweet about beer o’ clock or #virtualpint, a lot of people seem to think I am a bit of an alcoholic, but in truth that’s some way wide of the mark…
While I was at college and uni, I drank way more than I do now, in fact I used to drink most days, and not just the odd beer, a night out generally 
started early and would involve a few pints, these were then followed by a few “long” drinks like JD & Coke, Southern comfort & ginger beer, this inevitably lead to shots and who knows what else.
Call me old or boring but now, even on a night out I rarely drink shots, I do still enjoy the odd spirit now and then but not in the quantity I used to.
My beer drinking habits have changed massively too, I try my best not to drink on a work night, although I will admit to breaking this with the odd bottle or pint, here or there. Over the weekend I will have a few bottles or pints depending on where we are and what we are doing, If we have been out hiking I love nothing more than a few pints and some pub grub in the local and I have been known to plan walks in order to visit a particular pub.
Even though I drink less I seem to spend more on beer than I have ever done, mainly because my tastes have changed and I love nothing more than trying new and exciting beers, the downsides to this are they generally cost more, due to having to get them from specialist shops, they also make “Standard” beers taste just a bit boring, this isn’t true in all cases but I have noticed my self becoming more fussy about what I drink. I also find my self appreciating it more by not drinking every day, it cheers me up on a Friday knowing that I will soon be able to enjoy a nice tasty pint of proper beer.
So how much do I drink per week? Units wise I am probably way over the suggested guidelines, it’s surprising how many units are in a bottle of proper beer, especially if you get some of the stronger 7-8% IPA’s and Stouts. Quantity wise over the last few weeks I have had between 8 and 12 bottles or pints per week.
The point of this post? I’m not entirely sure, maybe I just wanted to see how much I did actually drink, maybe I am a trying to justify something? or maybe I am just bored and can’t sleep, or looking for something a bit different to post in on Friday, the jury is out on that one, Either way i know by 12 o’ clock on Friday I will be calling for Beer o’ Clock
So come on then, who else is going to join me in admitting just how much they drink? – Just for the hell of it.
ahem. i’ll join you by admitting that i’m way way over the weekly recommended limit (and over the recommended limit for blokes, too, which is way more generous than the ones we birds are supposed to stick to – it’s soooo unfair!). although quite frankly, if doctors were always right, i wouldn’t be sitting here typing this 🙂
so how much do i drink? that’s difficult to add up. not just because i’m rubbish at maths, but also because it varies so much. weekends will almost certainly involve beer of some sort – either real ale, or bottles of belgian beer, whether in a pub or at home. during the week, if i come home straight home from work, a glass or two (or [insert number]) of wine will normally disappear while cooking tea. unless it’s summer. in which case it’ll probably be an equivalent number of gins. if i don’t come home straight from work, then i’ll almost certainly be found in a local hostelry having a pint or two (or […]) of beer.
erm…i sound like a proper drunk don’t i? and that’s without mentioning the occasional whisky/rum/brandy when the weather is wintry (or i’m just feeling in need of a comfort drink) or the odd (sometimes very odd) pint of cider in summer. oh, and i do like bloody marys too…
I think my average weekly intake is around 6-8 bottles of ale, and I too don’t tend to have much (if any) during the week and then have a few on Friday and Saturday nights.
But you are right, by blogging, tweeting and talking about beer, people do assume you are drinking every night!
Friday and Saturday I pretty much always drink, mainly beer. When I do drink then they are usually fairly strong bottles, so not 4 tins of 4% lager. If I’m in then it’ll be 4-or-so bottles. If I’m out then generally I am OUT and on the beer properly. Sunday I try to keep dry but don’t always succeed (I was fine today until I opened this whisky I’m sipping now!). Monday-Thursday I do my best not to drink anything and usually do ok. Usually.
Over the week I am probably over the suggested amount but I go to the gym 4 times a week, I drink buckets of water and I eat very healthily. Booze is my only vice. Plus, I write about the stuff, if I didn’t drink it then my blog would get pretty boring!!