Your poison of choice?

[Booney]

G'day guzzlers,

Lots of remarks in different threads about good and bad beer, spirits and wines. Now, I'm a relatively (well, very) Aussie bloke who likes beer, beer and beer. With the odd beer to change things up. Although Pale is my default choice, I love trying craft beers and beers from around the world.

I'll also enjoy a bourbon or whiskey to end an evening, but I want to start to explore a little more so, what is your poison of choice and what are you wanting to learn or know more about?

My Mrs likes her white wines, rose of differing blends and is just starting to try a red. I'd love to compliment a meal with a nice wine, but they all taste the same to me, I know they aren't, but I'm looking for some guidance.....

Beers : Pale, Stella, Peroni, Little Creatures, many,many others.
Bourbon/Whiskey - CC, Jacks, Wild Turkey

So, what's your poison and without a limit on your spending, what would you grab when walking down the aisles at Dan's?

[Spargo]

For starters, give your poor taste buds a break and don't drink that pale ale for a month.

[Booney]

For starters, give your poor taste buds a break and don't drink that pale ale for a month.

Unlikely.

I'm going to need more info....

[Phantom Gossiper]

Scotch for me, followed by beer.

Never really had a liking for wine, so probably something I would like to learn more about eg what are good wines, what foods etc they go well with.

[valleys07]

I'm unashamedly a fan of the imported lagers and ales, opposed to your local ales and stouts.

My beer of choice is James Squire Golden Ale, with Peroni, Stella, Little Creatures, Corona and Asahi all getting regular gigs in my fridge. When travelling, I try and sample as much of the local produce as I can. Mythos in Greece, and Desperados (a tequila flavoured beer) were not bad at all.

I would love to get on a few wine tours and sample some home brew and indeed some of SA's wines. I must admit at this stage I dont have much of a pallet for wines. I dont mind a nice red when out for dinners, and Giesen and Scarborough (kiwi) Sauv Blanc dont do too bad for me as far as whites are concerned.

Spirits- I am open to most. Vodkas, Whiskeys, Bourbons, Scotch, Port- all is ok. Im trying to adapt to neat scotches, which after years of mixing is proving a little tough.

Beer- Squire Golden Ale, Corona
Wine- Giesen Sauv Blanc
Spirits- Wild Turkey American Honey (the sweet tooth in me), Glefiddich, Jacks, Jim Beam.

[Booney]

I can now enjoy a neat spirit, but that was after mixing with dry instead of coke for some time now. I can sit on a Canadian Club and ice without too much trouble.

[mighty_tiger_79]

I love my homebrew for beer in either a ale, lager or corona style. Caffreys is the best beer I have purchased.

don't mind the odd cider.

was a big scotch lover, now I enjoy the Bonded and Devils Cut - Beam.

Drambuie is just magnificent....mmmmmm like honey

[Footy Chick]

Hmm, tough one.

I actually don't drink a lot anymore to be honest.

Can't stand beer, or anything that smells like licorice. You're most likely to see me with either a bourbon in my hand (winter) or a nice local pear cider in summer.

Still a big fan of the West Coast Cooler and wine wise, either a Sav Blanc or moscato. Won't touch red wine with a barge pole. I get angry on red (true story ) Am partial to Baileys on the odd occasion

I couldn't really pinpoint my most favourite of all time.

[mighty_tiger_79]

you need different poison for different environments/atmosphere

[Failed Creation]

I'm primarily a beer man, and like Booney, I do love a good craft beer. My current favourites are Mildura Brewery Honey Wheat, Goodieson Brewery Wheat Beer, and Steam Exchange Brewery Steam Ale.

I also love a good Coopers Pale Ale, Carlton Draught, Tooheys Extra Dry, Molson, Corona, Stella Artois, Budweiser, Miller, Rickards Red, Heineken, Carlsberg, Paulaner, Grolsch and XXXX Gold, but my favourite beer would have to be Coors Light. The way that shit goes down is incredible.

If I'm not drinking beer, I'll more than likely down some shots, like Jagerbombs, Skittlebombs etc.

[Ron Burgundy]

Beer: Corona, Carlton Dry.
Scotch: Lagavulin, Chivas,Glenfiddich.
Reds: Wirra Wirra Church Block, Pepperjack
White: Shaw and Smith/Nepenthe Sauv Blanc

[Booney]

Mildura Brewery Mallee Bull.....kick you, well, like a bull! Nice.

Little Creatures Pale I like, and Squires Lashes are nice too.

[mighty_tiger_79]

coopers celebration ale is a very nice drop

[Failed Creation]

Mildura Brewery Mallee Bull.....kick you, well, like a bull! Nice.

Little Creatures Pale I like, and Squires Lashes are nice too.

Sir Boon, you are a man after my heart...

[heater31]

Super Cold West End Draught, has to be in a glass container tastes like shit out of a can or plastic.

CC on ice with soda water is the spirit of choice or vodka soda out on the town.

Have a new appreciation of Guinness after visiting Dublin last year. Must have been the location, but the only draw back was it was too bloody hot when I was there to fully appreciate it. Best one I had was the one I poured myself in the factory. Don't knock their larger either good drop but not very well known outside of Europe.

Thatchers cider went alright in Somerset too. It was a refreshing beverage on a bloody hot summers day in Bath. Should be available here next summer as I'm sure Coopers are now the Australian distributors for them.

[Dogwatcher]

Ease up, Booney and FC.

The football world's not ready for that sort of thing yet.

[mighty_tiger_79]

Ease up, Booney and FC.

The football world's not ready for that sort of thing yet.

let the lads enjoy a romantic beer together

[Kahuna]

My beer of choice is James Squire Golden Ale,

That being the case try Larks Spur, made in Freo, available at Dan's.
My favourite import(s) Newcastle Brown Ale or Old Speckled Hen.

[valleys07]

My beer of choice is James Squire Golden Ale,

That being the case try Larks Spur, made in Freo, available at Dan's.
My favourite import(s) Newcastle Brown Ale or Old Speckled Hen.

Will have to give that a go Kahuna- cheers mate!

[Spargo]

Had around 13 years working pubs so got to try anything and everything.
At the end of the day Carlton Draught is still the best tap beer I've ever had. At a barbie, nothing beats a tin of Melbourne Bitter straight off the ice.
Red wine, I could brush my teeth with it - love it.
White wine - pass.
Spirit of choice is Gin. Either on crushed ice or with a splash of quality tonic water or bitter lemon.
I'm also partial to Drambuie, Grand Marnier, Lochan Ora and the like.

The only way to appreciate and differentiate wine is to keep trying them. I suggest maybe not starting with a big ballsy cab sauv, but maybe try a merlot or a blend which is lighter and easier to drink for those new to the game.
Matching food with wine IMO is bullshit. If you want to drink white with a steak go for it, same with red and chicken - hell yeah!
There's nothing set in stone.
Ask as many questions as you can, these days a lot of people that work behind the counter are a lot more well read and experienced in all facets of booze than they probably were 20 years ago. Competition is high so product knowledge is essential which is good for the customer.
Lots of places have tastings if you keep your eye out, with experts there to answer any queries. Some outlets have free membership to wine clubs which keep you up to date with specials, tastings etc.

Thank God for alcohol.