Teetotalers

[Puller]

I thought I'd take Bro. Dave's input from the "Favorite Liquors" thread and start a Teetotalers thread.

I am a teetotaler, I have never consumed so much as a drop of alcohol in my life. Living in a dry county for most of my life, and in the middle of the Bible belt, alcohol was not that prevalent, at least out in the open. I have no family members who consume alcohol and even drinking a beer is rare among the circle of family and friends I interact with, so it's just not a thing.

I am a ice tea drinker, though. I can drink it sweet or unsweet, but most folks make sweet tea. There is an art to really good sweet tea and not everyone in the south masters it. My wife has the touch, her mother never did get it. A tall glass of sweet tea after a hard day is soothing.

My drinking vice is Mountain Dew. Not diet or any of those Yankee influenced fruit flavored Dew's, but regular sugar and caffeine infused ice cold Mountain Dew. I try to limit my consumption to one a week.

 

[dockmurgw]

Another teetotaler here. My two favorites are milk in the cold weather, iced tea in the summer...sweet tea with a big wedge of lemon. My mother was a South Carolina farm girl, so i grew up on sweet tea. But now that i make gallons of maple syrup every year, I use that to sweeten the tea instead of cane sugar.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Been one all my life-I think any taste for alcohol was bred out of me. One bit of family lore I got from my mother, she said her maternal grandmother told her she and her siblings childhoods were ruined by their mother's drinking, her family embraced Christian Science which is a temperance church. Wasn't exposed to it in my youth, got to be of legal age, found out I didn't like it anyway. Had my first and last taste of beer in the Army-YUKKK!!! The only time I taste alcohol today is if I am a church with Open Communion. The wine is always diluted with water and I take it by intiction. Dr. Pepper, cream soda, root beer my preferred sodas, as a bicyclist I drink lots of water. In the cooler weather I am a tea drinker.

 

[zeke]

Had to quit drinking over 10 yrs ago, and miss whiskey night (thursday). Will admit to using red wine for cooking, and make some plus p Irish creme for x-mas holidays. Beck's makes a really good fake beer, and Labat's makes a decent one.

Really don't go to bars, and drink alot of water, ice tea and lemonade. Special treat is black cherry or birch beer soda pop.

 

[Protocall_Design]

They now have a Dr. Pepper with Cream Soda. I like it, but don't do too many soft drinks, only occasional alcohol. I have a small pot of tea for breakfast. My favorite teas are Cinnamon Stick and Vanilla Carmel, both sweetened with honey instead of sugar.

 

[Telecaster]

Not a teetotaler, but I was an iced tea-aholic for about 30 years. Sweet or unsweet. I gave it up because I was tired of having to pee all the time. I do drink hot tea, but sweeten it with honey since it’s not a diuretic like sugar, and one cup doesn’t fill my bladder.

My main teas are cinnamon mixed with chai, and Earl Grey. Relaxing and seems to lower my blood pressure.

 

[Bald1]

Absolutely love sweet tea. I’m a bourbon drinker through and through and like beer as well. Especially with a burger……… but I’d give up alcohol before I give up COFFEE !!!!!!! Hot strong and black.

 

[Bro. Dave]

Early in life I didn't drink alcohol due mainly to never being around folks who did. When I became independent enough of the "nuclear family" to see the deleterious effects of excessive alcohol consumption, it became my personal decision to abstain.

I have known a VERY few folks who could have a beer or mixed drink from time to time and retain control of their own behavior. My suspicion is that most of the folks here who have mentioned their favorite libation would number among them. My personal experience with certain extended family members is that some of us are, perhaps genetically, unable to recognize the difference between alcohol as an adjunct to the festivities and as the focus of the festivites.

My personal affinity for coffee, my accumulation of firearms, my excessive intake of food, and a few other best undisclosed quirks, leads me to believe that I don't need alcohol in my life. As the famous saying goes, "your mileage may vary." Personally, self discipline is not one of my outstanding qualities.

About the time I finish my coffee in the morning I start drinking de-caffeinated iced tea brewed with Peppermint tea. I keep thinking I need to drink more water, but keep reaching for the tea glass.

 

[Whit]

My son-in-law told me that alcohol is an acquired taste. My response to that was, “I liked chocolate the first time I tasted it!”. If I have to work at liking it, no thanks. As others have stated, a tall glass of iced tea after a hot day hits the spot. Or a cup of hot tea or coffee to begin the day works. No issue with those who choose to drink responsibly. But as a former LEO, I have seen the negative impact alcohol can have.

 

[Mule Packer]

When I was about eight or nine years old, my grandmother told me that she never tasted alcohol. The reason? She said, "I was afraid I might like it." I never forgot that.

With me, after two 7ups I'm dancin' on the tables and rippin' my clothes off.

About the strongest stuff I drink nowadays is Barq's root beer.

 

[Skeet 028]

When I was too young to drink I did...to excess... till I went to work in the FD. Quit! Not really a teetotaler...I had 1/2 a beer for lunch 3 or 4 yrs ago. Used to drink sweet tea. Had to quit it as it gave me acid reflux which turned into Barrat's and worse. I also use Mountain Dew and Pepsi. But in the last few years I have been drinking Lemonade and of course water. I am allergic to all sugar substitutes. So I use the lemonade with sugar. I also prefer the Mountain Dew with real sugar...when it can be found

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Sweet Tea story first: Living in the Mid-West all my life we have a number of soft drinks. My kids had regular access to these, including the "Yankee" variety of Iced Tea.

When my second son was in the Marines, he was stationed at Quantico Va. His roommate was from Richmond, Va. and they often went there for weekends. The roommate's mom was a true master (or is it mistress?) of Sweet Tea. And said son soon developed a "Sweet Tea Monkey on his back!" to the tune of his Class A's were a green skin! He has been in Civilian life and living in Central Ohio since 2003, but has to be careful anytime he ventures into a real Southern BBQ establishment. If he drinks too much Sweet Tea, he starts talking Southern, with the You all's and the occasional Youen's!

Teetotaling: I do occasionally have some beer, mead, or wine with dinner, but I do go years or have easily gone decades between hard drinks! I limit myself to 2 beers for an evening, ONE if I'm driving! (Usually a six-pack lasts me months!) Having self control is extremely important to me. I will be no man's slave, and I'll not be controlled by drugs or alcohol!

In his grief my grandfather damaged his body with alcohol to the point, that they told him in the late 1930's, "If you stop drinking today, you'll live six months!" He stopped that day, and lived another 20 years! The cost was, terrible pain everyday for the rest of his life. The benefit was, He got to see both his sons grow up, marry, and have a total of 3 grandsons! He considered it a bargain! He's looking down on us now and sees his 9 GGandkids and almost 20 GGGrandkids!

Ivan

 

[MRB1]

Hard liquor, including all wine, causes a gag reaction with me, so no hard stuff at all. For several years I was a beer drinker, to the point of being a beeroholic, but never to the point of being drunk. I stopped about ten years ago, for no real reason, and now get my high from water and soft drinks. I miss the cold beer around the hunting camp campfire, not that much. Also lost thirty lbs as a result.

 

[prairieviper]

No alcoholic beverages for me. Coffee and water are my main drinks.

 

[pawncop]

Not a teetotaler, I enjoy wine too much. The key for me is to find wine that enhances my meals, but I confess I enjoy wine while cooking. Wine is liquid flavor and that is my joy.

I truly understand those abstaining, being in law enforcement and emergency medicine I also have seen how devastating the end result of alcohol abuse can be.

I mostly drink water and Gatorade Zero.

To those abstaining I salute you, may your journey be blessed.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Probably drink an average of one alcoholic drink per year, but use at least a dozen bottles of sherry and marsala a year for seasoning food before cooking it.


Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[Tom S.]

Drinking became a problem 40 years ago, so I quit. Diet Coke or water (carbonated and non-carbonated) are my choices of liquid now. I never did care for coffee or tea, though oddly enough I love the smell of fresh coffee and always had the pots ready in the office before the secretaries arrived. I think it was the only reason they were sorry to see me retire!

 

[lihpster]

Drinking became a problem 40 years ago, so I quit. Diet Coke or water (carbonated and non-carbonated) are my choices of liquid now. I never did care for coffee or tea, though oddly enough I love the smell of fresh coffee and always had the pots ready in the office before the secretaries arrived. I think it was the only reason they were sorry to see me retire!

When I worked for the Trailblazers I was an assistant manager at their retail store. I would come in early and open the store. I would make a pot of coffee. Just plain coffee. Then I would turn off the burner and reheat in the microwave if necessary. After a couple of hours the sales staff would arrive and promptly pour my coffee down the drain to make a pot of Irish cream flavored coffee. Then they would leave the burner on. The back room just reeked of it. I would wait until they had gotten their coffee and went to work. Then I would dump it out so I wouldn't have to smell it while I worked. We'd go back and forth all day.

 

[TX-Dennis]

I keep a bottle of bourbon on hand for making pecan pies, but I do not drink it. I can't say I've never tried, but nothing I've ever tried tasted halfway palatable to me.

I have been drunk once and only once in my life. On our first anniversary my wife decided we needed to split a bottle of champagne, and she wouldn't take no for an answer. It tasted vile, but I forced down my half (and perhaps a bit more). Not sure which tasted worse; the champagne or the year old wedding cake in the freezer. Haven't had more than a sip of anything since.

My drink of choice is Diet Coke. Other things I will drink include unsweetened tea with no added flavorings and water. That's pretty much the extent of my liquid intake. My wife tells me I should drink more water and less Diet Coke. I tell her it's 99% plus water (and it is).

I'm told true Texans should only drink sweet tea and Dr Pepper. I was born here, and I'll probably die here, but I can't abide either of those vile concoctions.

 

[Puller]

{snip}
. . . though oddly enough I love the smell of fresh coffee and always had the pots ready in the office before the secretaries arrived. . .

Same here, I love the smell of coffee but hate the taste and won't drink it.

{snip}
I'm told true Texans should only drink sweet tea and Dr Pepper. I was born here, and I'll probably die here, but I can't abide either of those vile concoctions.

Next to Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper is my preferred soft drink. I don't think I've had a Coca-Cola or Pepsi Cola in 30 years.