whiskey galore

[Jo Zebedee]

Might seem an odd question from me considering I am a person who doth partake in the odd sup, but I only drink wine and never spirits.

Would two double whiskeys taken in quick succession in someone who doesn't generally drink very much make them drunk? He has also only picked at his dinner. If so, how bad? Falling over? A bit inclined to get over emotional? The second is sort of the level I'm looking for.

Thanks, all.

 

[Vertigo]

Possibly yes but you'll need to give it time to get into his blood stream. Not instant no matter how quickly they were drunk. And watch your spelling; American/Irish or Scottish A recent (American) book wound me up a little with a world colonised purely by Scottish Wee Frees, still retaining the hyper-strict wee free doctrine but all supping whiskey. Firstly, wee frees are about as close to abolisionists as you'll get in the UK and, secondly, they certainly wouldn't spell the whisky with an 'e'.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Thanks, Vertigo. I think the Irish way of spelling it is with an E and the Scots' without? If I'm wrong, please shout! Yes, it takes about half an hour to get into his blood stream, is that enough?

 

[Venusian Broon]

Possibly the second could be reasonably if said character is mostly teetotal.

The odd thing about alcohol is that it can have wildly different effects on humans because the imbibers expectations have a huge impact on the end behaviours. Social anthropologists I believe have noted this in alcohol consumption amongst groups. So in one classic study, they showed one tribe who said that alcohol makes you sleepy - tended to sit down and mellow out into sleep eventually - and another (just down the road so to speak) said the main effect of alcohol was to make you angry and aggressive - hence they energetically started fights when drinking.

If your non-drinking character believes that alcohol makes you emotional and loud - even perhaps tipsy and falling over, then even two whiskys might be enough to get him/her pass their inhibitions and to 'act out' the effects of the drug so to speak.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

You're right with the spelling Irish Whiskey & Scotch Whisky

If I remember rightly from school trips it is Glenlivet that does the 64% proof malt. It light's gunpowder.

How someone reacts is down to their constitution as much as anything. I hadn't drank any alcohol for eighteen years and then downed a bottle + of wine in one night. My husband didn't notice I was drunk.

There are times I can drink half a bottle of spirits and not appear drunk then there are others just a generous shot will knock me out.

But yes working in bars I've seen people drink a couple of strong doubles and be legless. One suggestion is maybe to let him have a drink before he goes out - even a beer which will add to it.

 

[Vertigo]

As the others have said!

Also a UK double is I think considerably larger than a US one.

 

[Venusian Broon]

Also a UK double is I think considerably larger than a US one.

And my 'singles' at home make UK doubles look paltry in comparison

Seems better to toast your return to the forums, Vertigo, in a whisky thread. Welcome back - Slàinte mhaith!

 

[Vertigo]

Cheers VB and yes after getting used to my normal dram I'm always horribly disappointed when I buy one in the pub!

And thanks VB (by the way that software I mentioned might interest you; I'll get something up in the next few days).

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Thanks, everyone, sounds like I'm not far off the mark!

 

[Abernovo]

I'm fond of Islay single malts (I like other whiskies, but they best fit my taste). However, as I hardly drink--a nip maybe at the turn of the year, once in a blue moon otherwise--I'm easily affected. Two doubles, in quick succession with no proper food in my belly, would definitely give me that woolly-headed buzz. Although, I'm not sure I'd get that far these days.

As VB says, alcohol as different effects on different people. Some get quiet, where others get loud.

 

[Toby Frost]

I agree with the others - he'd definitely know about it. However there are a lot of factors to take into account, including his size and simply how much he is affected by drink.

As regards the form that effect would take, that's harder to answer. If he's a fairly large grown man, I doubt he'd be staggering about and slurring his words. He might be slightly clumsier and his reactions would probably slow down. He might also be more talkative and quicker to swing to emotional extremes.

In terms of story, I think any really drastic response should have some effect on the story and/or his character. If it leads to him blurting out an important secret, or picking a fight that lands him in jail when the zombie apocalypse starts, that's fine. But I think his response needs some sort of pay-off in terms of the rest of the story. Unlike real life, everything happens for a reason in a novel!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

As if we Irish would ever have our characters getting drunk for no reason... Yes, it's part of a wider storyline. I need him to indulge in a bit of reckless behaviour and to be able to open up and talk about what's eating him up inside. And, y'know, he's a bloke... it needs something to get them talking. (Can I have the woman-making-a-joke-smiley inserted here, please.)

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Wow, you guys must be some serious drinkers. I would have said that two doubles taken quickly, by someone who doesn't drink much and hasn't eaten, would have him pretty well sloshed. Me, it would put under the table. It would also hit me almost immediately.

Of course, that's assuming I could actually manage to get that much whiskey down -- I can't stand the stuff.

I know it's a man, not a woman, though I don't know how big he might be, but it's still four drinks in a matter of minutes -- DUI protocols would say he was over the limit for a couple hours, I think, even for a fairly big guy?

I'm a lightweight. (Err...for drinking purposes, anyway....)

 

[The Ace]

Dunno about the love-in-a-canoe stuff they make on your side of the Irish Sea, but a couple of generous doubles of a single malt - or even a half-decent blend - downed quickly on an empty stomach would fell an ox.

Their effect on a non-drinker would be a complete inability to stand.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

It's Jack Daniels he orders, actually. Not even Bushmills. I might change that. (But would anyone outside of Ireland know what a bushmills was? And I'm not having an Ulsterman drinking any other Irish whiskey in my book. Let alone that Scottish stuff...) He does drink, a bit, he's just not a heavy drinker. I could have him not finishing the second glass, maybe.

Oh, and price? Anyone know? Would a tenner cover it, or a twenty? (Take English prices and reduce by about a fifth and that's probably the Ulster equivalent.)

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Yes, we know Bushmills in America. I think you'd be safe with that. And American whiskey has the "e", like the Irish stuff. It's only Scotland that's ...umm... different.

 

[The Ace]

Yes, we know Bushmills in America. I think you'd be safe with that. And American whiskey has the "e", like the Irish stuff. It's only Scotland that's ...umm... different.

We invented it, we're allowed.

 

[Vertigo]

Absolutely!!!!!!!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Hmmmmm seems to me we have the oldest distillery. We could take this outside. . orrrr not.

 

[allmywires]

It's Jack Daniels he orders, actually. Not even Bushmills. I might change that. (But would anyone outside of Ireland know what a bushmills was? And I'm not having an Ulsterman drinking any other Irish whiskey in my book. Let alone that Scottish stuff...) He does drink, a bit, he's just not a heavy drinker. I could have him not finishing the second glass, maybe.

Oh, and price? Anyone know? Would a tenner cover it, or a twenty? (Take English prices and reduce by about a fifth and that's probably the Ulster equivalent.)

Ah, finally, my expertise around here is needed...

My limited research gives me £4.40 a shot (so £8.80) for a double for JD 12 Year and about £4 for other whiskeys - at a relatively posh establishment, mind. Here's a fun story for you in regards to getting drunk: I once only had scrambled egg for dinner and then went out and had a quad vod or two (to the uninitiated, four shots of vodka and mixer) and spent the evening crying incessantly about Fernando Torres. So, no food + spirits = embarrassing drunk. It always hits me if I haven't eaten/drunk a lot during the day so I always make sure that I have a carb-ful dinner before going out on the lash.