Smirnoff Ice, Flavored Alcohol, Any Good

Ok here she goes I am 56 and have never drank alcohol, I tried a few beers and margarita's but cant get past one sip, taste like no good to me. Now I have Parkinson's Disease (No Pity Party) and my wife has us booked on 4 or 5 cruises per year for the last two years and the up coming 2 years. So I was reading somewhere the other day that Mike's Lemonade tastes likes E36 M3 and has almost no alcohol but the Smirnoff flavored drinks did not taste of alcohol, is that true do they pack a little punch or there is a better option. I always get good advice on this board, and I can hear good meaning souls saying dude your 56 it's to late to take up the bottle. But I want to relax and take the edge off and maybe sleep a little better, I don't want to be the sad sack on the ship when maybe my wife could be having a little better time if I were, I await your comment. thanks, jr

I'm convinced you could pass the screwdrivers off as normal orange juice and a lot of people wouldn't notice at first. I myself drink Mike's black cherry fairly often but I have terrible taste in most things.

On a cruise there should be no shortage of rum or tequila mixed drinks. I applaud your effort to learn a new skill (drinking is a skill), and would suggest that coming at it gently would serve you well. The effects of alcohol are new territory for you so go slow and just relax. Remember one or two is good, 7-10 is not.

Why would you think you have to drink to have a "better" time?

I ain't opposed it, but in my opinion that is the wrong question.

A reasonable amount of rum, or vodka for that matter, pretty much disappears in a drink comprised mainly of fruit juices.

Pace yourself.

I find Mike's to be truly repugnant.

Your 56. Keep all that past you since you've made it this far.

Why start with some fabricated fake flavor?

Try pot.

Long Island Ice Tea tasted like, well, iced tea when make properly.

914Driver wrote: Long Island Ice Tea tasted like, well, iced tea when make properly.

Not sure I'd recommend a drink with what, 5 shots of liquor in it, to an alcohol noob.

The options basically boil down to finding something you like, or hiding something you don't. Personally, I'd rather do the former. What tastes do you like?

You might try a cider if you like apples. They are quite tame and don't usually taste "boozy".

Ciders are good. The "best damn" line of boozy soda is good. Honestly though, if you're not into drinking, don't try. Most of these things will get you a nasty hangover inside of 5. There's some alcoholic seltzers and stuff out there that are kind of neat. I'm a bit of a beer and alcohol snob myself, if I was were on a boat like that ans restricted to macros and rail, id pray they had new Amsterdam (great budget gin, introduced to me by everyone's favorite prodigal son 93celicahalftrac) and drink gin and tonics for the duration. Smirnoff ice is decent, but gives me gut rot due to the acidity. If you're on a lot of meds, or prone to heartburn, it could punish you.

I have never tasted an alcoholic drink designed to hide the alcohol that doesn't taste like E36 M3.

I like whiskey. Straight. Or with cola. The simpler the better, sometimes. I have attempted to drink coffee a few times, and adding sugar or cream to it seems to just make it worse. I can almost not gag on it straight up.

Pretty sure the research indicates that anything over a small amount of alcohol actually disrupts sleep, rather than enhancing it. So don't drink to get restful sleep. It won't work.

john said: Try pot.

I would if I could get some editable.

I'd advise testing cider as well.

On the cruises, a light pour of a liquor into whatever fruit juice mix or frozen blend will probably go over well. skips the artificial sugars and crap, and the electrolytes in the juices will be good. You could experiment at home to figure out something you like, first. we're fans of guava juice as a mixer. start with that and add a little light rum, and I'd be amazed if you tasted the liquor. if it's too sweet, cut it with straight soda water and ice.

The wrote:

john said: Try pot.

I would if I could get some editable.

Not sure where you are, what state. For many it is just a state away. Map

Also ask your doctor.

Have you tried a mojito? These have become a favorite of mine since I discovered that beer is not compatible with my digestion.
Also, any pot can be made edible, it's just a matter of preparation. Brownies are a popular choice, but I have had some amazing "special" chocolate chip cookies as well.

Two incidental mentions. I've been under care of a neurologist for a while now to control my migraines. As an aside to that, she actually told me the occasional booze might help a benign tremor I've had in my right arm since forever. Not Parkinson's that they know of, but who knows. Family history is present.

Incidental number 2- what sort of flavors do you go for? Citrus, cola, etc? Most of the alcopops (Smirnoff, etc) have a heavy citrus note. Citrus works well with most alcohols. If we know what you like, I'm sure we can find something that works. It's how I used to ferret out what sort of beer people would drink.

Do you like coffee? If so, try coffee with a little baileys or kaluha.

I used to drink a ton of it. Like cider it gave me the 'Asian flush'. Went away if you kept drinking tho'.

I have never had the "taste" for any alcohol either. Cider is a good suggestion. Try to find one that is the least sweet. They basically taste like juice gone a bit bad (which of course it is).

A basic rule that seems to work is: never get drunk on anything with sugar in it. It's just bad. Simpler and less is better.

As suggested, a good quality straight liquor (e.g. Scotch, whiskey) is a great way to go. You have to drink MUCH less of it (which I think is a key to not feeling sick), but it has to be good stuff. A good liquor will just taste like swallowing a bit of warmth, and that is it immediate effect.

As to why. Liquor like many things, has a purpose. De-stressing and relaxing are good ones. Too much, like most things, is bad. I suspect you will not have a problem in that area.

Of note, if you have never tried it, and you develop a graving for it, beware, you may have an alcoholic gene/tendency. If you have alcoholics in the family, that is a warning sign.

Smirnoff Ice screwdriver tastes like Tang. I like it but can only drink one or I get heartburn and foggy head the next morning. One is never enough

Do you like Welch's grape juice? If so, Concord wine is the same thing but with a buzz. Magner's pear cider is a not sweet drink too, tastes like Ikea's pear drink.

john said: Not sure where you are, what state. For many it is just a state away. Also ask your doctor I live in Al and your article shows med pot is legal for seizure's, I am going to check that out. It would half to be edible. Do you like coffee? If so, try coffee with a little baileys or kaluha.

All the research tell Parkinson's patients to drink all the coffee they can, not sure why it's not the caffeine I have never been a coffee drinker but I force one down in the morning.

aircooled said: Of note, if you have never tried it, and you develop a graving for it, beware, you may have an alcoholic gene/tendency. If you have alcoholics in the family, that is a warning sign

Yes that has been a concern and maybe why I never tried it, both my parents were alcoholic my mom kicked on her own at 40 but I had to force my pop into rehab at 64 after 2 weeks he came out and said he was cured he died 20 years later with never a hint of relapse. And I am no stronger than him so I see it as a possibility, I readily admit that risk! As always I get answers here and I thank you guy's for that. My wife has even become a believer of the board, she used to laugh until some guy's planned 3 great vacations, so now she have you asked the board? Yes, I do love Welch's grape drink.

A beer type called Shandy is a lemonade and beer mix and its a summer time favorite. The Leinies Summer Shandy is the standard shandy for Wisconsin. Leinies makes a handfull of flavored beers.

Henry's Hard Orange Soda is pretty good, it tastes like orange soda with a strange after taste. Stella Artois Cidre is a good hard cider, it's not very strong at all.