Why do some people drink in the evenings?

[ThatOneTime]

Something I’ve always been curious about really, but never bothered asking because it’s none of my business😂 But I’ve been seeing people post about it so much recently and it’s piqued my curiosity once again. I’m hoping that somebody could please explain the appeal to me?

To me wine doesn’t taste particularly nice, even the good ones. It costs a lot if you want one that’s not grim, it’s full of calories, it’s not great for health and one or two glasses won’t do much more than make you feel a bit groggy and headachey. I do drink socially and enjoy it, but if I only end up having one or two I stay sober and just feel a bit crap and my mood just gets dragged down a bit.

What is it I’m missing? Is it really just code for actually drinking a full bottle or two and having a one man party every night? Do some people actually love the taste, or get some kind of good effect from a small amount? Honestly dying to know😂

Because I like the taste of wine, a couple of glasses doesn’t make me feel groggy and headachey at all, and I enjoy it.
MN in ‘other people are different to you’ shocker!

Everyone has a vice.

Me personally I hate drinking... makes me feel crap and brings down my mood for days after. I prefer the relaxing vice if you get what I mean

I used to love a glass of wine or G&T in the evening. I didn’t realise how awful it made me feel the following day until
I stopped as I was trying to lose weight. I still like the taste and how I feel when I’m drinking it (relaxed and a bit buzzy), but I feel so horrendous the following day (even after just 1) I don’t bother very often any more. I also suspect age has something to do with it as i’m sure I didn’t feel it so badly when I was younger.

taste i guess
a bottle of rose can last me days
i only tend to drink at the weekend

Because life is shit and it makes me feel better.

@ReadyToMoveIt

Because I like the taste of wine, a couple of glasses doesn’t make me feel groggy and headachey at all, and I enjoy it. MN in ‘other people are different to you’ shocker!

same here....In the winter I prefer a whisky and ginger ale, a specific canadian whisky and fevertree ginger ale, in the summer its wine or dubonnet. I enjoy the taste and the relaxing effect. If I go to a freind's house we might have a glass of wine, maybe two. I am guessing there are things you like to do that others don't enjoy?

OP are you quite young? Because I felt this way in my 20s - one or two glasses had no effect, any more and I'd be ready to go clubbing. Alcohol didn't relax me at all. Now I'm heading for 40, one (medium) glass is very relaxing, 2 glasses is tipsy territory and 3 glasses of would send me to sleep and give me a day long hangover. I literally can't get drunk anymore - I would be asleep first.

life in my 20s wasn't very stressful really and I didn't need to 'unwind'. Now I have young kids, job, husband, house to manage, elderly parent losing her marbles, I'm permanently stressed to the eyeballs. Wine helps.

I like good red wine. I'm happy to spend £20-£30 INA bottle and stretch it over 2 or 3 days. It's a pleasure to drink it.

I don't like cocktails or anything that taste sweet.

If you are drinking cheap wine, that's probably why you think the taste is not good. Maybe when you are older, you'll develop a taste for the better stuff

I enjoy the taste of the wine (or other alcohol ) we buy. I wouldn't drink it if I didn't like the taste.

We will have up to half a bottle - Dh and 1 share it. We don't drink to get drink and half a bottle won't affect us regarding sleep, the next morning, at work the next day etc. that amount wouldn't make me feel ill or even vaguely tipsy, let alone drink.

Mid week it's normally only once in the week so not all the time.

Yes it has calories in it. We don't calories count etc so it doesn't come into our decision.

I eat more stuff that has more calories in than a glass of wine. A bar of chocolate isn't great for a diet but I still enjoy it!

Without even thinking about the units, 9 bottles of wine is 6.75 litres of fluid. That’s more than the entire blood volume of an average human male.

How much were you peeing if you drank that amount of liquid?

5.5

What wine are you drinking at such low alcohol content???

What you are drinking isn't proper wine. Most wine is 11-13, some more.

I think that's your problem right there. You aren't actually drinking wine!

life in my 20s wasn't very stressful really and I didn't need to 'unwind'. Now I have young kids, job, husband, house to manage, elderly parent losing her marbles, I'm permanently stressed to the eyeballs. Wine helps

And this. Life in your 20’s is generally fun. You can go out at night without having to be up at 5.30am for your early rising toddler. You drink to have fun, not to relax.
Due to young children and no childcare, I haven’t had a proper night out for 5 years. A couple of glasses of good wine is one of my pleasures. I enjoy it.

And ‘wine’ at 5.5% isn’t what most wine drinkers would recognise as wine.

@Whitefire

Work don't like it if I drink in the morning before I go in.

I like the taste of a cold white wine, or a gin and tonic. I don’t have a drink every night, but some nights I do. I am not a wine snob or particularly picky so I get wine in boxes which lasts for ages - hence I can have a single glass and not have the rest of the bottle turn into vinegar.

I would only feel a bit groggy the next day if DH and I had shared a full bottle of wine, which we rarely ever do - maybe once or twice a year for a special date night meal in the kitchen!

I prefer a 4 pack of Special Brew to wind down in the evenings OP.

You should give it a go 👍

@Foxglovesandlilacs86

I always used to hate wine but my DH took me away for the weekend when we first got together to a really lovely hotel near the Cotswolds and it had a Michelin star restaurant and we did the whole tasting menu with the wine pairing thing (not describing it very well ) and it was amazing! It really does make a difference when you pair it with the right food.

Saying that, I do drink muscato 😂 it’s my favourite and it does the trick. I would love to go to a wine tasting event to see what else I like. I have a very sweet tooth.

try a demi sec champagne. I like Moet Nectar imperial if I am pushing the boat out or Sainsbury's demi sec if I am not. Ordinary champagne with cranberry liqueur in is good too!

I usually have a couple of bottles every other evening or so, tastes lovely, I’m not that fussy though.

Most people I know drank wine at home in their twenties. Wine in pubs and clubs was always hideously expensive, so we'd drink beer or spirits there and save the wine for parties or evenings at home.

The taste thing is the equivalent of wondering why people drink coffee, because you've drunk instant decaff found it grim. I absolutely hate coffee, but can easily believe that other people (a) like the taste and (b) enjoy the effects of the caffeine, and that some people like the taste but not the caffeine.

I love the taste of wine, but would prefer if it I could have the taste without the drunkenness. Alcohol-free beer is so good these days, and alcohol-free rum isn't bad, but alcohol-free/low alcohol wine is just grim

I love wine, a good quality wine shouldn't result in a headache the next day. unless you drink more of what you can in your own comfort level.

I had a glass yesterday with dinner and then another one reading my book. No headache, no feeling groggy or anything. Most likely I will have the rest of the bottle today.

DH hates the taste of white wine, may drink red if at a social occassion but loves beer and is very picky what he drinks. Same thing, he could drink a pack. of fosters for the same price of. two of his craft microbrewery. bottles but he doesn't as it's the taste and not the buzz he likes.

I hate gin or vodka but hey, if people want it at home why not. I have a colleague who has a huge whiskey collection at home. It's her hobby, learning about soil, acid, water and whatever else makes the difference between them.

I've always wondered this.

When I speak to the other Mums at school they always giggle and say they have an unopened bottle of wine in the fridge and can't wait for the kids to go to bed so they can have a glass.

I feel like it's a bit of a cliche and I do cringe a little bit when one of the Mums talk about it.

Having said that, I get very excited to have crisps and chocolate in the night once the kids have gone to bed. So I guess a similar thing? Like a de-stress maybe?

Because they like it.

I can;t imagine eating chocolate / sweets / cake / biscuits and drinking tea or coffee at night. It holds zero appeal for for me. Except if I am at the cinema and dh buys popcorn and malteasers, I might have a handful or two then.

Yet, some people live for this and view it as a treat when they sit down once they're finished work / kids are in bed etc.

I love wine, it is one of life's great pleasures.

I love a cold, dry, non sweet, very cold white with a seafood lunch

I love a glass of champagne with a delicitous brunch or on an occassion.

But my real love it red wine. A glass or two of a gorgeous red wine and I am very happy. I love the taste and I have done a wine tasting course many years ago and know which grapes / regions I like and so can select something enjoyable either in a shop or restaurant.

Good food and good wine - they are the stuff of life for me. I am now in my 50s and I know what I like.

All of our friends are the same. We enjoy eating out or cooking at home and selecting wine to go with the food.

For health / weight reasons from time to time I give up and cut back on the eating. I could go 3 or 4 months without having a drink but I still view it as a total pleasure when I have a glass even after that length.

I cannot believe that anyone could drink 9 bottles of wine in a single sitting, unless they are the single serve ones?

On an average weekend night at home I mighht have 2 glasses, sometime's I might pour a very small half third glass but more often than not I don't finish it. 2 is pretty good for me.

If I am out or entertaining or in a friends house for dinner I can and will have more than 2 but that's not every weekend

@mamawho99

I've always wondered this.

When I speak to the other Mums at school they always giggle and say they have an unopened bottle of wine in the fridge and can't wait for the kids to go to bed so they can have a glass.

I feel like it's a bit of a cliche and I do cringe a little bit when one of the Mums talk about it.

Having said that, I get very excited to have crisps and chocolate in the night once the kids have gone to bed. So I guess a similar thing? Like a de-stress maybe?

I genuinely can’t see any pleasure in eating crisps and chocolate in the evening. I’ve had my dinner, which means I’m not hungry, I rarely eat crisps, I like a bar or decent chocolate but probably only around once a month or so, and I don’t like going to bed feeling too full. I love a nice cold glass of Sauvignon blanc. We’re all different 🤷🏻‍♀️

Life has been shit for a few years now. A glass of wine or two helps. Not every night, though.