Drinks from the past

[CrowsInMyGarden]

When I was growing up my parents hardly drank. My aunt and uncle would come over to our house 3-4 times a year to play cards and would bring a bottle of wine. It would be Blue Nun or Black Tower. My sister who is 9 years older than me brought home a Mateus Rose in the oval bottle, I thought she was so sophisticated.

If there was a special occasion and something fizzy was required then it would be Cava. When did Cava stop being the replacement champagne and Prosecco take over? I think I preferred Cava.

At Christmas there would be a bottle of Martini and a bottle of Cinzano, maybe a Sherry. There would still be half a bottle of each left by the next Christmas. Wouldn't happen in my home now.

I can remember going out with friends in the 80s. My friend used to drink "Bezique, Lime and Soda with ice" I think Bezique was a kind of offshoot of Bacardi that isn't made any more.

Are there other drinks that aren't around anymore that people have fond memories of? I know Cinzano and Martini are still available but back in the day they were THE drinks and have now just faded into the background.

For the non drinkers there was TaB, the first diet coke style drink. Were there any others like this?

I still drink this now, it's never gone away. Much better than prseseco.

Definitely a purple nasty at my student union in Scotland.
And long vodkas, Newcastle brown ale.
Carry out drinks were diamond white, white lightening (a cheaper version), Merrydown cider, Maddog 20/20, Thunderbird and cheap supermarket sherry.
editing to add; how could I forget Hooch?
Amazing I have a liver left.

Remember working in the Student's union bar in the mid 80s- drink of choice amongst the students at this time of year was pint of Pernod, blackcurrant and cider called a red witch.
That was a joy to clean up after

We used to drink what was known locally as a snakebite, half lager half cider rather potent, then the pubs stopped selling it to people, still remember a friend asking for it and being told no, we don’t serve that,he then asked for a pint of lager and a pint of cider and couldn’t see why he was refused

We used to have a snowball made with advocaat on Christmas day!

I still do!

Harvey Wallbangers were another drink that had a bit of a run, late 70s. Vodka, orange juice and Galliano - Italian liqueur.

Might have to give this one another go to see if I still like it.

My brother used to drink Creme de Menthe with his mates after a night on the beer. They called it a Green Meanie. 😱

Anyone remember Strega? I drank A LOT of it on an Italian skiing holiday - never again!!

I used to love an archers and lemonade. I must’ve had a much sweeter tooth than I do now!

I drank my bodyweight in 20:20 back in 1997, one warm night behind the Co-op. I was horrendously ill, an older girl had to take me back to her house and get me washed and vaguely sobered up before I went home because my mother would have murdered me if she'd seen the state I was in.

I still got up the next day and went to school!

I remember my great aunty asking for a “gin and sin” one Christmas, my parents had no idea what it was but it turned out to be gin and Cinzano.

I’m tempted to get a bottle of Pernod, I used to love Pernod and black.

When I was a baby and a poor sleeper our family GP recommended a bit of whiskey in my bedtime bottle. According to my Mom it did the trick!

One of my earliest memories of Christmas was a cup of tea with a drop of whiskey (just enough to taste) in it every Christmas morning, I must’ve been 3 when I think back to when I first remember it. I still have that on Christmas morning while I’m getting dinner ready.

Today's young sophisticate drinks gin liqueurs with lemonade and says they like gin....!

Does anyone remember Pomagne which was “perry” — made from pears, in the 70s?

Definitely! A real treat at Xmas!

Yes, and much nicer than Prosecco. Made using the champagne method.

@MadisonAvenue has reminded me of when I used to help my Dad on his milk round (not allowed but very common) and customers giving us tea was common. On cold mornings there would often be a drop of whisky. I didn’t like it but wanted the hot tea.
I wonder if my Dad was ever technically over the limit.

Diamond white was one of mine too ! drunk from the bottle through a straw ,like neat paint stripper .

Used to love a pernod and black. On hols in Greece there was a similar tasting aniseed drink that I also liked.

Wine - the height of sophistication was Liebfraumilch.

Cider n black, snakebite.

MD2020
Alize
Lambrini
Rum cream
Wray and nephew (also made rum cream)... the smell of this alone would put hairs on your chest. First time I ever witnessed someone projectile vomit was after they took shots of this!

When we went out we had:
port and lemon
cinzano and lemonade
babycham

mid 80s

Ouzo?

Castaway and K
galliano and lemonade
vodka lime and lemonade
concord flavoured sparkling wine

but back in the day, shorts were served in tiny glasses with mixers. Now, shorts are served in half pint glasses with the mixer mostly to the top.

Another Babycham fan here 🦌

OMG I’d forgotten about Castaway! It used to give me toothache long before it made me drunk 🤣