Some alcoholic drinks more acceptable than others

[Wellhellotherelove]

Why is it more acceptable to talk about having a ‘cheeky glass of wine’ or to have things around the house talking about how great gin is, but you wouldn’t really see the same for cider, vodka, a rum and Coke?

Thinking about the days pre covid when I’d quite often be at ‘work drinks’ most weeks and without fail, despite a whole pub’s worth of drinks, everyone would either be drinking beer (mostly the men), wine or gin and tonic.

I cannot ever think of or imagine someone saying ‘a vodka and coke please’ - but why??

You’re just as likely to get smashed on wine or gin as you are on rum, cider etc.

I see women on social media who for the most part try and demonstrate a healthy lifestyle yet quite often will have a photo of them with a large glass of wine. It’s never seen as a problem.

I’m not tee total by any means, so this isn’t a judgey post (i love a g&t!) I am genuinely interested as to how certain drinks have become more acceptable and how someone posting about having a cheek wine every evening is not seen as anything unusual!

[quote duffmcstockings]@AlexaRain do you also like walks in the rain?[/quote]
@duffmcstockings

Never heard of a walk in the rain.

My American friend did introduce me to dirty martinis in exchange for the pina colada introduction. The American from California is infinitely cooler than the Brit from Preston 😂.

I very rarely drink alcohol but when I do, the only thing I like to drink is vodka and cranberry juice. I'll have 2 or 3 doubles no more than a handful of times a year. It's true a lot of people will make a comment when I order it as if I'm a heavy drinker, but nobody says a thing at people who have a glass or more of wine a few nights a week etc. I have noticed it and I think it's strange.

Is it rather about where and what those drinks are associated with?

A four pack of special brew is never going to be something you offer to the host of a kitchen supper, is it? Dark and Stormy’s taste best in Cowes. Pimm’s goes well with tennis.
Prosecco is used for student prinks and vodka and cola is used to induce vomiting in those awful hen parties where the women wear fluffy headbands and sashes.

Aperol is fine drunk in the piazzas of an Italian city in summer. It still tastes like Irn Bru, but feels nicer. In a pub in Preston, it lacks a little something.

Cider is for hot days with barbeques, ice cold and refreshing.

Beer/wine is for dinner drinks.

Champagne/prosecco etc for special occasions.

Spirits with mixers are for after dinner drinks or nights out without food (except for the obligatory kebab/pizza/chips at the taxi rank)

If your drinking at home it's a free for all 😂

Well that's just my take anyway

I guess it’s maybe that the flavours of a good wine, whiskey or gin can be a bit more ‘complex’ so you’re seen as more discerning for drinking drinks like that, whereas a rum and coke/vodka and coke just tastes like sugar which seems a bit more childish.

My DMum taught me how to make sloe gin when I was a child but I'm not really a fan of gin.
Love single malts in the winter and ice cold chablis in the summer.

I’d happily have a vodka & Diet Coke with colleagues. Gin makes me feel melancholy so avoided at all times!

I'd find it bizarre that anyone would think twice about ordering a vodka at works drinks

Are you really asking about changing fashions? It can't be a huge surprise that some things are popular (usually because a marketing team somewhere has decided it will be) and then a few years later, something else is popular.

I see women on social media who for the most part try and demonstrate a healthy lifestyle yet quite often will have a photo of them with a large glass of wine. It’s never seen as a problem

Probably because its generally not a problem. A healthy lifestyle doesn't mean one without any alcohol.

@Northernsoullover

Wine is acceptable. Pass me the wine at the end of a tough day is far more acceptable than 'pass me the white lightening'

@MoiraNotRuby

Let's reclaim Archers and Lemonade! I had forgotten how much I loved it. I just need to get through the 50 billion bottles of gin in my cupboard first (lovely gifts, I'm not being ungrateful but....)

This! Curacao and lemonade is lovely as well. I hate Prosecco and gin. I don't care if a drink is trendy or not, I like what I like.

@evilharpy

I worked in pubs and clubs in the late 90s before social media happened and remember lots of marketing campaigns where hot, usually scantily clad girls would come in to offer free shots/alcopops and give away tat as prizes. After one of these promo nights, there would always be a run on that particular drink for a few weeks. I remember all sorts of bizarre alcopops, Aftershock (evil stuff), various types of vodka. Vodka and Red Bull was huge for a while. Vodka in general was far more popular than gin, and prosecco wasn't very popular at all.

It's all about the marketing. I was a gin drinker even back then though when the only choice in most bars was Gordon's.

Jaegermeister as well, I remember promo girls handing shots out in Jilly's Rockworld a few times. I drank a lot of it in uni, same with Aftershock. I like aniseedy drinks.

I hate gin and I find Prosecco weak and sweet

I always drink Vodka - out or at home - with coke, lime and soda or cranberry and soda

I like Cava and I also like brandy and rum - and I make a mean citrus martini or cosmo

oh and cider for festivals!

I'm not a big wine person. I'm more into cocktails and shots. Though having said that, I'm not a big drinker these days. My mum is a recovering alcoholic and that put me off somewhat. I don't find the 'lol mummy needs wine time' memes funny for that reason.

I have no shame ordering vodka any time of the day. Loved going on holiday and having a vodka and lemonade at 7am or whatever time of morning I was in the airport. Zero fucks given. I’d be a lot more buckled on a glass of wine earlier in the day than a vodka.

When I was growing up a G and T was the height of sophistication. Think Margot Leadbetter fixing one for Jerry on his arrival home from work. I was allowed to suck the lemon after muy grandma had one (Parenting was less rigid in 1976).

JD and coke was my first clubbing drink. Wine came later

Vodka and coke was mine. Wine, I never really liked and I'm still not keen. Gin was always a drink for grannies when I was growing up.

Oh, God, no. Nobody needs to be reminded that it was like vomiting Body Shop Fuzzy Peach perfume.
Archers and lemonade always seemed like a good idea at the time, but it's not something I'd want to repeat.

I agree with PPs that it's all just marketing.

It doesn't always work either. Martini for example used to have adverts featuring beautiful women on boats in the sunshine but everyone knew that it irl was most commonly found in a dusty corner of a 1970s sideboard in Kidderminster, as opposed to on the set of a Duran Duran video.

Definitely down to marketing. I do have to laugh though when you see comments from the type of person who thinks they're the epitomy of elegance and class yet repeatedly types "slow gin".

I shan't name names, but you know who you are 😉

I wonder when Diamond White will have a marketing campaign to make it sophisticated??!!

@AlexaRain it's a reference to a song lyric

"If you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain"