[Coda]

I don't drink very often. I'm no teetotaler; I don't mind the thought of alcohol at all. But not only is it way too hard for me to actually feel anything from it, I don't like that feeling, either. I don't understand how people find it enjoyable.

So given that I don't drink often, and I don't drink much when I do, it had better be good stuff. I can afford to be picky, because I'm not going to be disappointed if there's nothing I want to drink.

And so I've found that I like dark stouts, and I'm not fond of the taste of hops. This means that you're never going to see me get anywhere close to any beer that's mass-produced on a level broad enough to advertise it. I can't even stand the smell of Budweiser.

I've also found that I like some kinds of wine, and mead can be pretty good if it's prepared by someone who actually cares about it. (I had a friend back when I lived in California that took up making honey mead as a hobby; his stuff was good.) Somewhat surprisingly, I also like hot sake and some kinds of dark rum. (I don't like Meyers. Bacardi is all right. Kraken is good.)

I realize it makes me sound like an alcohol snob, and I suppose at some level I am, but it's more a matter of knowing my taste and not wanting to get drunk or spend money on something I don't like.