Cheers! How to Start Drinking Later in Life
Many older Utahns are dipping their toes in the alcohol pond. If that’s you, we’ve got five tips to get you started. And, remember: drinking is a marathon, not a sprint. Give yourself permission to do things methodically and responsibly.
Start Sweet
There is a reason why new drinkers are drawn to sweet beverages. The sweetness covers the jarring taste. With any luck, you will skip the “jungle juice” and kegs, and begin with fruity cocktails, wine coolers, and hard lemonades.
Remember to hydrate while you drink. The sweet drinks combined with dehydration are the ones that will hit you the hardest in the morning.
Pick Your Cocktail
Hang out with a drinking buddy who can guide you, or head to a bar during a quiet afternoon and let the bartender know you are new to drinking. Most bartenders will be excited to talk about options with you and maybe even let you try a variety of tasting options. Plan on being charged for each small drink, but you should get to taste multiple options for the price of one drink. Be on the lookout for a classic drink you can order when you are not sure what else you might want. Mine is a vodka tonic, lime, no rocks. It’s what I like, it is consistent from location to location, and I know how to order it.
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Learn the Classics
Over the next few years, take the time to try the classics. I host a monthly cocktail hour, and I offer a specialty drink each month. I have been serving up the classics. This gives me a chance to make them, try them, and really understand them.
Take It Slow
You don’t need to know everything immediately. Enjoy this ride. Find a cocktail or two you like and, then, experiment with wine and beer. Everyone responds differently to these drinks, but many people like warming up to them. It took a friend a full five years to move from hating beer to enjoying it. She learned what kind of beer she liked and why. Once she understood that, it was easier to try beers that stretched her pallet, as she could define what tasted harsh. She began to appreciate more and more options.
It is also acceptable not to warm up to beer or wine. Choose your poison and enjoy it. Don’t feel pressure to like what everyone else likes. That is the fun of coming into this space later in life; embrace what you like, and don’t feel peer pressure to drink things that are not your jam.
Stay Safe
Take the time to learn how your body reacts to alcohol and in what amounts. Be extremely cautious to begin with. I have a 6’2” friend who had his first cocktail at my home during a St. Patrick’s Day party. It was a light pour. Two hours later he asked if he was good to drive. He likely would have been good to drive immediately after drinking, as he is large and the drink was small. But, I appreciated and commended his cautiousness, since he didn’t know how he would react.
I have another friend who purchased a breathalyzer for each of her vehicles. It gives her peace-of-mind knowing she is being responsible.
In Utah, our alcohol limit is the lowest in the country. As you begin to drink, play it safe and call an Uber.
Alcohol is not for everyone. But it might be for you. As you venture into this space, take the time to do it wisely and enjoy to ride. It is a fun place to be, and there are many around you on the same path. Find each other and share these experiences.
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