Why do I get drunk faster on certain types of alcohol?!
Why do I get drunk faster on certain types of alcohol?
It seems like everytime I go to a restaurant and have mixed drinks, I can have several but not feel anything at all. Then when I drink wine or beer, only a small amount makes me drunk sometimes.
Why is this?
(I wonder if the people who make my drinks in the restaraunts aren't putting that much alcohol in them in an effort to save money. That's what one of my family members suggested, anyway.)
Answers:
Your relative is right. If you get the fru-fru mixed drinks, not only is the mix watering down the alcohol, but the alcohol in the bottle is watered down a bit too.
Beer and wine are not tampered with, so to speak.
Well, having worked in a bar before, yes. You are right to assume that most restaurants skimp on the liquor a little.
It could also be that if you are at a restaurant you have been eating which will slow down the effect
Alcohol irritates the valve between the stomach and the small intestine, forcing it shut. You absorb very little alcohol through the stomach lining, so as long as it's in there you get drunk slower, once it's in the small intestine you'll feel it.
The stronger the booze the more it's irritated, but it will open eventually. Hence you'll feel beer quicker but it's weak so it won't get you drunk quickly. Wine and spirits will take some time to get through, but when they do, all at once, well wine will suddenly give you that fuzzy feeling, spirits...wham!
Fizzy drinks tend to tickle the valve into opening, theat's why champagne gets you drunk quickly as you feel it immediately and it's quite strong.
This also helps to explain why people think drinking through a straw gets you drunk quickly, if you have a coke (or other pop) mixer it'll fizz up through the straw.
wow.. huh.. its always been the other way around for me! weird!!
You are right, restaurants will skimp on the liquor. Also the Proof of the alcohol you are drinking make a difference. The higher the proof percentage, the more drunk a drink will make you.
Mockney's got it.
I am not sure what actual experience the various posters have, but at least where I live you do not find many restaurants that under pour drinks or water down bottles. It is illegal and there are agencies that will spot check places and give them serious fines for doing so if not jail time for bartenders/owners and/or removing licenses to sell alcohol from the business.
Do you drink wine or beer in greater, faster quanties and without food? That might explain it.
Each type of alcohol has a different amount of alcohol actually in it. If you were to drink, say, wine with 15% alcohol, that would get you drunk faster than if you had one beer at around 4-5% alcohol.