Drunkability and Hangover effects of Spirits

damn, youve got it down to a science... I can only chalk it down to some experience, wodka delivers the least hangovers, and never mix you beverages and those hangovers get worse as you get older, so growing up in terms of not drinking yourself into a stupor anymore is a vital nessecity

Originally Posted by nootje

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damn, youve got it down to a science... I can only chalk it down to some experience, wodka delivers the least hangovers, and never mix you beverages

and those hangovers get worse as you get older, so growing up in terms of not drinking yourself into a stupor anymore is a vital nessecity

I tend to pay attention to my experiences, and the experiences of others.

My Dad is a good example of the theory that it's all the preservatives in cheap liquors that are the major cause of hangovers. He's not a big drinker, a carton of Coopers Sparkling or Pale Ale will last him at least a month, usually longer.

If he has one XXXX or one VB, definitely not enough to get him drunk, he gets a very bad headache, without fail. If he has a few Coopers Vintage Ale's with me - 7.5%, nice drop - he gets drunk, but there's no hangover.

I'm getting the same way these days. Six XXXX bitters and I get a headache, sometimes within a couple of hours, but if I drink six Coopers Vintage I just get drunk, without the hangover.

Like I said, try drinking stuff without preservatives and see how you feel the next day.

Originally Posted by RedLantern

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1) one should not drink to excess. 2) one should especially not drink fine spirits to excess. 3) drinking to excess causes hangovers, not the type of spirits or the order one drinks the spirits in.
Whoa. My name is Huntsman and I endorse this post. When I go to my favorite bar (this involves a flight so it's a pretty rare event) I tend to spend a lot of time there just enjoying the experience -- six hours is not out of the question. I try and hang around 1 drink/hour with, perhaps, a little break in the middle. Over an evening, I'll have consumed gin, vodka, bourbon, rye, scotch, and a variety of mixers to go along. I also knock back a lot of water and I don't get drunk. Moderation trumps all the old-wives' tales. ~ H

Originally Posted by Celotil

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Little tip, always store your spirits in the freezer. If they freeze, they're crap, end of story. Smirnoff is crap, a third of the bottle turns to ice in the freezer.

That's because when frozen cold enough alcohol will separate from water. If I had a cold enough freezer and my spirits didn't separate when frozen I'd be more worried, because that means there's something in there preventing the water from freezing.

Originally Posted by Celotil

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Little tip, always store your spirits in the freezer. If they freeze, they're crap, end of story. Smirnoff is crap, a third of the bottle turns to ice in the freezer.

i'd have to advise against this. usually lower proof alcohol will freeze at these temperatures because of more water and less alcohol in them, and not necessarily because of quality (although higher end spirits are often uncut or less cut and therefore higher proof, so maybe thats the correlation). but more importantly, if you like taking your spirits on the rocks (bourbon for me), you want them to be at room temperature so they can melt the ice a bit and cut the proof so the alcohol doesn't overpower the subtle flavors. storing liquor in the freezer is for throwing back shots you can't taste just to get drunk in your dorm room or a frat banger.

Despite the fact that gin can be delicious, it shreds my stomach. I very much imagine the effect to be similar to drinking drain cleaner or some other potent caustic mixed with broken glass. As a result, I try to avoid gin now.

Bourbon and scotch seems to be ok for me.

Beer usually causes me to spend quite a bit of time in the bathroom the next day. Someone, on here I think, claimed it was due to improper sanitation at the bar. I did an experiment where I drank a whole lot of Guinness from bottles, all in the name of science, and I still got the same result.... lots of time sitting in the bathroom.

Wine seems to be fine, particularly dry reds.

When I drink local alcohols, made from who knows what, in copious quantities, as tends to happen during international travels, it is much more of a game of chance. Sometimes I'm fine the next day. Sometimes I hate the world the next day.

I also completely agree that cheap stuff is generally worse in terms of day after effect.

Originally Posted by Huntsman

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Whoa. My name is Huntsman and I endorse this post.

When I go to my favorite bar (this involves a flight so it's a pretty rare event) I tend to spend a lot of time there just enjoying the experience -- six hours is not out of the question. I try and hang around 1 drink/hour with, perhaps, a little break in the middle. Over an evening, I'll have consumed gin, vodka, bourbon, rye, scotch, and a variety of mixers to go along. I also knock back a lot of water and I don't get drunk. Moderation trumps all the old-wives' tales.

~ H

So the big question....

What bar is this?

Moderation is for the birds.




Beer never gives me hangovers for some reason. If i spend a night drinking mixed drinks or wine, i feel sick later that night and in the morning. If it's the same amount of alcohol but in beer, i'm good to go.

A bottle of Pedialyte before I go out and drink and one bottle when I get home seems to keep me clear of hangovers. I'll feel A LITTLE tired, but my head isn't pounding and I can actually have a productive day the next day.

Originally Posted by legomaheggroll

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A bottle of Pedialyte before I go out and drink and one bottle when I get home seems to keep me clear of hangovers. I'll feel A LITTLE tired, but my head isn't pounding and I can actually have a productive day the next day.

Water will work equally as well for dehydration based hangovers. Some milk before, and OJ after will also work wonders, since the calcium and fat in the milk protects the digestive system, and the vitamin C boosts the metabolization of cogeners and alcohol metabolite byproducts.

Also, chili peppers seem to do a number of hangovers (and minor illness). My go-to hangover cure is 2+ glasses of orange juice, 2 aspirin, a couple of eggs scrambled in oil or grease with jalapenos and habaneros mixed in, and covered in sriracha sauce, and then a coffee to give me a kick in the pants. ~60 minutes later and I'm right as rain.

Some things I have learned about alcohol:

-Beer makes me full before I can get plastered.
-Cheap beer makes for the worst smelling farts and *****.
-Jager shots are good for a buzz and a little extra energy. Or maybe that's a placebo effect for me.
-Wine is a good thing to have women drink
-The beer before liquor adage is only for weenies
-Mixing liquors in excess can hurt

Vodka (Imperial or nothing below Kettle One)

Patron Reposado (the one tequila I seem not to get hungover from)

Jager for a quick buzz

properly poured absinthe--best.buzz.ever.

and lastly, and quite a bit more unusual:

Chartreuse (if you can stomach it enough to let it grow on you) or just man up and shoot it.


I do pedialite, or a large bottle of gatorade before drinking. It is important to have the pedialite before you go to sleep as well, and it doesn't hurt to drink one in the morning. Mixing liquors doesn't get me unless I mix to excess and have over two-three different types
AND
I stay away from beer and start by making mixed drinks or martini's before introducing shots ect.

Originally Posted by js4design

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storing liquor in the freezer is for throwing back shots you can't taste just to get drunk in your dorm room or a frat banger.


I disagree. I keep aluminum martini glasses, and olive picks in the freezer, and I keep the vodka in the freezer.

stuff going into shaker cold=stuff coming out of shaker even colder.

Originally Posted by bmwftw

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I disagree. I keep aluminum martini glasses, and olive picks in the freezer, and I keep the vodka in the freezer.

stuff going into shaker cold=stuff coming out of shaker even colder.

Aluminum martini glass?

+1

Originally Posted by JoeWoah

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^^ BUZZKILL!

You'll have fewer issues with clear liquors.

Originally Posted by JoeWoah

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There is a difference between Vodka in the plastic Handle for $6 and Grey Goose.
YUP!!!