How to start trying alcohol safely? What drink should I start with?

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I grew up in a household where for many reasons, nobody drank alcohol. I have also never drunk alcohol. I would like to try it, but I have no idea where to start. I'm a bit afraid to try something and end up really drunk. I live alone so don't have anyone to try it with whenever I do. What would you recommend? What percentage is a low alcohol content? I went to the alcohol aisle today (which is a big achievement for me as I always avoid it) and saw "low alcohol" and "alcohol free" options which were 0.5%. I might start with those but would like to build up to something with slightly more alcohol content as I read that 0.5% is similar to the alcohol content naturally in orange juice!

Usually I like apple juice, orange juice, berry smoothies, passionfruit mocktails. I like fruity drinks. Any ideas?

A nice White Zinfandel or similar? (rose wine). You'll be fine with one glass. There's no point bothering with 0.5% that's essentially no alcohol.

Vodka orange - 1 part vodka and 2 parts orange juice
Pimms and lemonade - 1 part pimms and 2 parts lemonade

Those are the standard measurements, if it makes you feel comfortable you could have less alcohol vs juice/pimms but you won’t get drunk on 1-2 drinks of the above. Make sure you drink on a full stomach.

I suppose the first question I have is why do you want to start drinking alcohol? I don’t know your age, but if you’ve been happy without it so far, is it something you definitely want to bring into your life? A lot of people are moving away from alcohol, so it doesn’t have the same expectation in social settings as it used to.

If you do want to start drinking and you like mocktails, I would recommend some cocktails in cans. They’re pretty low alcohol content. I would advise you alternate one alcoholic drink with a soft drink and probably limit yourself to 2 in a night to begin with.

Our parents were not drinkers, in fact I do not believe my father ever went to a pub. Although my mother enjoyed a whisky and soda on a Thursday evening.
We grew up being allowed a small drink when guests were present. A small glass of beer at lunchtime on holiday in Europe and then graduated to wine at supper.
So wine with a meal, perhaps a gin and tonic berforehand, but not the copious amounts of booze that appear to be the norm currently.

You could try a cider - don’t buy the cheapest though. Buy a bottle of good fruity cider, a low one might be 4%.

Just go with something simple. Coke and a single shot of whiskey. Gin and tonic etc.

They do tinned vodka and lemonade or g and t in the booze asle. Have half a tin chilled, sip it slowly and see how you feel.

If you feel woozy then you can eat something to reduce the feeling. Something fatty works well like cheese or crisps, drink water too.

Tbh, I'm not sure WHY you want to start drinking, I'm sure you will be but please be careful!!

Honestly don’t bother.

You could try a bucks fizz? You can get a mini bottle of prosecco in quite a few of the supermarkets. Try that half and half with orange. You can them decide if you like the feeling or not. But if you've never tried are you sure you want to bother?

I wish I'd never started. My DC choose not to drink. I'm so happy for them.

Low alcohol ie below 0.5% and alcohol free are not “starter” drinks for alcohol. They’re what I sometimes have and I have been alcohol free nearly 5 years.

If you are determined maybe a can of pink gin and tonic or a beer or cider or a mini bottle of wine. You won’t get drunk on that.

But it’s not really worth it so if you’ve always been a non drinker I wouldn’t change

Low alcohol rose wine, Echo Falls do them. They are sweet and fruity.

Mix a good quality cider with apple juice

What is the drive to try alcohol?

You dont want to be drunk or out of control?

Do you socialise in a pub or go out for food? I would suggest ordering what your friends drink. It might be half a lager, half a cider, a glass of wine or some else. One drink will not make you drunk or hungover but it will means you cannot drive.

It's about finding a taste you like, otherwise what's the point of drinking something you don't like.

Personally I wouldn't try drinks at home. You want to social drink and not secret drink.

I can feel drunk on two glasses! So I don't recommend you buy a bottle of wine. And not cider, either. I would go for one of those cans. Maybe a cocktail? Mojito is nice, if you like lime and mint.

I second this

I wouldn't start with spirits definitely

I would also ask why you want to drink

I like a drink, but if you're not bothered, then don't push yourself to try it because why would you?

I would get the premixed cans of cocktail, the frozen cocktail slushies, white claws (taste like sparkling water and quite low in sweeteners etc - likely to give you a headache)
Pink gin & tonic - again you can get premixed cans, or buy a bottle of Gordon's eg pink gin and then some naice tonic waters - Sainsbury's usually has the fever tree ones on offer.
Pour into a nice glass, put lots of ice in, cut up a strawberry or lemon and add.
Sip and watch a movie. Have some snacks to hand. Drink a glass of water as well.

Or have nice relaxing bath with a drink. Amaretto/disaronno and coca cola is lovely together.

@Keroppi I think that's really bad advice mixing somebody's first alcohol with having a bath! I don't imagine anyone's going to want a hot bath in the next week though.

Fruity cider or low alcohol fruity wine spritz, echo falls do some that are about 3%.

Or bucks fizz, buy premade it's about 3 units in a bottle total.

Maybe half a cider at the pub? Just so you're around others? Or have lunch at a restaurant and a small (125ml) glass of wine/wine spritzer?

Abstinence when someone is interested is never the best solution, doing it safely is. Take care of yourself op, drink water, eat dinner and enjoy!

How old are you and why have you decided to start drinking alcohol?

My advice is don’t.

Please ignore the recommendation above to try whisky - it is an acquired taste, it will taste disgusting, and you won't understand why anyone wants to drink it!

I’d start with something like a mild lager shandy, then you can slowly increase the amount of beer in the glass while you get used to it.

Half a glass of lemonade and half a glass of a low alcohol French or belgian beer in one of those small green glass bottles.

Don’t start off with spirits or anything with an alcohol volume higher than 5%.

Eat meals beforehand, and never mix your drinks eg wine, beer and spirits on the same night.

It’s not obligatory - no need to continue if you don’t like it or don’t get the fuss. Plenty of tee total adults out there leading perfectly happy lives.

If you do like it try a mild white wine spritzer with lots of soda water and ice.

Don’t bother drinking cheap nasty alcohol eg any wine under £5 a bottle, but don’t splash out on expensive stuff before you know you like it!

If you want to try spirits start with gin or vodka but only a fingernail depth at first with ice and tonic or lemonade. It’s strong stuff and your body won’t thank you for going too fast.

If you like apple rise then try a nice cider. Just have half a bottle at first.

Alcohol is so enormously overhyped in our culture despite its extensive harms and dubious benefits.

The opening question seems a bit like asking what the best type of cigarette or cigar is for someone who has never tried smoking.

Might be the best outcome!

Yes to this - used to drink whiskey when I was younger for its efficiency at getting me hammered, on the odd occasion I drink it now it still tastes like regret. Spirits are probably a bad call for early forays into drinking!

Dessert wines are lovely - pour a very small glass and sip it over the course of an evening.