Rank alcohols for me.

[Rain Man]

Okay, I'm not a drinker so maybe this is obvious, but it's not obvious to me.

There are all sorts of alcohol - beer, wine, whiskey, bourbon, rum, scotch, gin, vodka, tequila, port wines, and so on.

I recognize that there are probably big differences in brand quality within those major categories. Bud Light is different than some German monk artisanal brand. But put that aside. Let's just think about categories ACROSS types of alcohol.

What's the hierarchy of quality or prestige or whatever? Is gin generally "better" than rum? Is scotch "better" than bourbon? Is wine "better" than tequila?

Can someone give me a top to bottom rank of the "best" alcohol down to the "worst" alcohol?

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I'm really just curious, and wondering if my teetotaler life makes me ignorant on this topic.

They're all variants on the same thing, so logically it seems like one would be at the top of the heap and one would be the slumming version and everything else would shake out in between. But I never really hear it talked about that way.

I'm seeing a lot of comments so far that they're all generally equal and it depends on taste. I guess I can see that, and I like the analogy of comparing types of vehicles.

It just seems to me that if I go into some mega-rich Rothschild guy's mahogany-paneled library, and he opens up his 16th-century world globe and pours some drinks out of a decanter, there should be some type of alcohol that I'd expect and some type that surprises me. But I don't know which ones those would be.

If you're looking for the 'Rothschild' level, I'd say Aged Irish Whiskeys and French Bordeaux are the two 'secret flask' spirits.

But most of it is about the level of curation within the subgenre, and pairing with food and situation. As opposed to one genre being blanket superior.

[KCUnited]

Jeppson's Malört
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Everything else

[Rasputin]

I hated that commercial Taste Great / Less Filling where people are arguing over why to drink a beer. Can it taste great and be less filling ? I don't know

[ModSocks]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I also don't understand whisky - any brand. It all tastes like shit. I like vodka and rum, though.

Bleh. Not a Vodka guy and Rum is too sweet.

Crown Royal is my go to whisky and i drink it out of an American flag decorated stainless flask.

#hellamanly

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

I hated that commercial Taste Great / Less Filling where people are arguing over why to drink a beer. Can it taste great and be less filling ? I don't know

That campaign started back when 'Lite' beers were as disparaged as 'near beer' is today.

Like with diet soda, the presumption is, if you focus on cutting calories, you aren't concentrating on maximizing flavor.

[CervezaChill]

I only drink Fireball on the rocks, don't judge.

[Easy 6]

Beer, rum, vodka and real tequila for me

Just cant do the rest, whiskey type products turn my stomach and gin is like drinking a pine tree... no thanks

[fan4ever]

I enjoy all types of alcohol mostly but I find a craft beer gets me that nice mellow buzz much quicker than a mixed drink. Perhaps it's the sugar, etc. but it's not even close for me (of course I mix diet coke with most of my mixed drink so less sugar).

[ModSocks]

I don't do beer anymore now that i've adapted to whisky.

A half pint of decent whisky will get you better buzz much faster than a 6 pack of cheap beer, costs about the same and you don't get all gassy, beer gut and have to piss 5 times in the process.

[Kiimo]

Craft beer and most beer is good but these days I have about a 3-4 beer limit before I'm full and bloated and have to switch to whiskey or vodka.

Vodka sodas are easily the most frequent drink of choice but vodka doesn't have a "taste" per se, other than the taste of alcohol.

The best flavors belong to the whiskey family and it isn't close. Some people will try to say tequila but those people are just drunk, don't listen to them. Whiskey is like wine in that it has flavors that take years to accurately be able to identify.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

I do love a Beefeater Gin Martini. though haven't had one in years

[ModSocks]

Originally Posted by Kiimosabi

Craft beer and most beer is good but these days I have about a 3-4 beer limit before I'm full and bloated and have to switch to whiskey or vodka.

Vodka sodas are easily the most frequent drink of choice but vodka doesn't have a "taste" per se, other than the taste of alcohol.

The best flavors belong to the whiskey family and it isn't close. Some people will try to say tequila but those people are just drunk, don't listen to them. Whiskey is like wine in that it has flavors that take years to accurately be able to identify.

Man, just skip the beer and go straight to the whisky. The extra bloat, time, and calories just aren't worth it.

I also find it's much easier to "ride the buzz" with alcohol.

I don't know about you guys, but when i drink beer, i can see its effects on my body the next morning.

[Kiimo]

I uh get a little nuts and then have a pretty bad hangover when I do nothing but whiskey.

I maintain much better with Vodka. Gin I have an intolerance with the sulfites and tequila makes me take my clothes off in public so it's mostly vodka for me.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I don't really like feeling tired and wanting to just sit in one spot. Then feeling borderline paranoid. That is what weed does for me. With alcohol - I feel happy & joyful - at least for a while and then I feel like shit. But it is great while it lasts!

I've never been much of a drinker. When I hit my 50s, there was some research that said a little alcohol now and then was actually healthful (later research now says "nah") so I thought "WTH, I'll try some cocktails now and then". What I found was instead of getting buzzed and hyped like when I was a teenager, all alcohol does for me now is make me sleepy. Definitely not a fun thing anymore.

[Bwana]

It's very subjective, which is why there are so many kinds of alcohol and styles. There is no single alcohol that does it for everyone. I'm more of a beer guy, I brewed it for years and brewed several different styles. If I go to a bar and order a beer, it's generally a pale ale, a nut brown, or a red. I'm not very giddy about IPA's, but a lot of people love them. I enjoy a good stout or porter as well, but a lot of people don't.