I think...

I think the image has changed, but I don't think the binge drinking culture will disappear until we treat alcohol like our European counterparts do. A glass with meals, here and there - start as older children so it doesn't become the holy grail and a rite of passage once they hit late teens.
We had three night clubs here at one point (one primarily for fights, one for drugs and one for drinks - I stuck with the drinks), and now there is a part time only one. The once heaving pubs and bars have reduced in number and are near on deserted, even at the weekends.
I guess everyone's partaking in their virtual social life online!

I know loads of people who drink alcopops on a proper night out. Blue WKD being the favourite. Usually because places have them as 4 for £whatever so they're a cheap option.

Cider seems to be popular too since the cidre and fruity ciders started coming out and gaining popularity.

I tend to stick to vodka and fruit juice these days because the fizz in alcopops and cider slows my drinking down although a few cidres or a fruit koppaberg(sp?) in the pub in the evening goes down nicely

And I know loads of young people 18-23ish who regularly drink to get hammered. I prefer to drink to have a good night and unwind these days. I'm a 50year old in a 25yr olds body...

Hooch is still about, they sell it at one of the bars in town!

I actually love blue WKD, I do top it up with vodka though

I loved Bacardi Breezers and Archer's Aqua too. Then there was Woody's, Reef, Metz, Jammin and Two Dogs. My favourite was a cream soda one but I can't for the life of me remember what it was called........

I still drink Smirnoff Ice and WKD Blue.

I got pissed on a Bacardi Breezer when I was 8

Vodka and Monster is probably my favourite drink. Used to be Jack Daniels and Coke but I went off it after making myself violently sick on it multiple times

I think my favourite alcopop was called Shott's Vanilla Heist. How I miss it..........  

Archers aqua and Bacardi breezers!!! Ah my youth!!

shoppingaddict wrote:Archers aqua and Bacardi breezers!!! Ah my youth!!

I'm gutted they stopped making the raspberry Bacardi Breezers! I hardly ever drink now so when I do I'm either fuzzy headed after one glass or sleepy after two  

Babafette wrote:

LoolaBeanbag wrote:

Babafette wrote:

LoolaBeanbag wrote:I simply don't drink any more. Last time would have been about 3 years ago,  8 pints and still standing  
I feel a bender brewing though......

Can I join you? I reckon it would be a blast............  

It would be Baba, we'd probably get arrested!!!

Been there, done that in my university days........

God I loved alcopops. Anyone remember Hooch?  

You can get massive bottles here, so nostalgic. They seems tiny when I was younger, maybe it was my hand size lol.
I still love MD 20/20 - they was a shop near my friend's student house that still sold it, heaven.

Rose all the way !

And please don't judge me, but my guilty secret is Creme de Menthe !  

Amy Jo wrote:Rose all the way !

And please don't judge me, but my guilty secret is Creme de Menthe !  

I have had that in one of those cocktail type shots, Baileys was involved, it was delicious.

Creme de Menthe AND Baileys ? Heavenly !!
Forget a shot - I'd have a gallon of that !!

I do love a cocktail though. Margaritas are my favourite but there is nowhere in my town that makes a decent one.

Has anyone here ever had an espresso martini?

Laura wrote:I do love a cocktail though. Margaritas are my favourite but there is nowhere in my town that makes a decent one.

Has anyone here ever had an espresso martini?

yep and chocolate martini's - i have a mate who is massively into making cocktails and she's really good at it. I need to get her to focus on some funky alcohol free ones for me now I think! I just realised I must be a pain in the arse guest as no booze and am vegetarian and I smoke so am always outside. oh well  

ninjablossom wrote:

Laura wrote:I do love a cocktail though. Margaritas are my favourite but there is nowhere in my town that makes a decent one.

Has anyone here ever had an espresso martini?

yep and chocolate martini's - i have a mate who is massively into making cocktails and she's really good at it. I need to get her to focus on some funky alcohol free ones for me now I think! I just realised I must be a pain in the arse guest as no booze and am vegetarian and I smoke so am always outside. oh well  

There's an awesome chain of cocktail bars up in London who make amazing cocktails, they make all kinds of stuff! Me and my friends go there and see what we're gonna try next

I used to be a big fan of Lab Bar in Soho - defo make sure you check that one out next time you up (Alphabet Bar is okay but the cliental can be a bit up their own arse there) but they both used to do happy hours.
Last cocktail bar I went to when I drank was Archer street Bar - £10.50 for a single JD and Coke.   

ninjablossom wrote:I used to be a big fan of Lab Bar in Soho - defo make sure you check that one out next time you up (Alphabet Bar is okay but the cliental can be a bit up their own arse there) but they both used to do happy hours.
Last cocktail bar I went to when I drank was Archer street Bar - £10.50 for a single JD and Coke.   

Who on earth would pay that! B@1 is the chain I love. £7.80 for a cocktail but we normally go for happy hour.

we paid that it was 1am and wanted a bar not a club and it was the only place we found and wanted to drink. Very sad. Would never do that again.

ninjablossom wrote:Last cocktail bar I went to when I drank was Archer street Bar - £10.50 for a single JD and Coke.   

OMG, I think I would have passed out from shock!!    

Bacardi and coke/pepsi or cider/cidre  

Talking of extortionate drink prices - I once paid £15 for a double vodka and red bull in Cardiff! Neary had a heart attack when they told me the price!

Fuck that Sarah, I'd have just said "I don't think so" and walked off!

That reminds me of £4 for a coke over 20 eyars ago in a Reading nightclub. I wasn't paying or I'd have told them where to get off!

I saw hooch somewhere the other day and it brought back memories,a lthough the one I liked was lemonhead. so sour it made your toes curl. Mmmmmm.
Most of the modern ones are just far too sweet for me - make my teeth scream;) Altough I did find alcoholic IrnBru somehwere and had to have it - it was sweet but fab - I love IrnBru.

HanSpan wrote:Altough I did find alcoholic IrnBru somehwere and had to have it - it was sweet but fab - I love IrnBru.

Yeah, I think that's the original WKD Han.