Your first experience with alcohol shouldn’t mar you with a head-pounding, body-aching regret after a night of drinking. If it’s your first time, trust the bartender to create a refreshing drink for you. There’s just one rule of thumb when you decide to opt for some liquid courage: customise your drink according to your liking, and you won’t be disappointed. Never try to ape someone’s drinking habits. After all, what works for them may not work for you.
Fruity cocktails are your safest bet. The Fruit Tingle at Café Mojo, Andheri, which is made with blue curacao, orange curacao, campari and triple sec is an ideal cocktail for beginners. These liqueurs enable you to get used to the alcohol. Another option is the cinnamon apple martini Tilt All Day. This drink, which is made with vodka, apple juice and cinnamon is a smart choice.
If you are a little adventurous, try the Pink Panther, which has cranberry juice, orange juice and tequila. Another cocktail that is increasingly popular is the Vladivar Green Apple Zest with green apple and mint-flavoured vodka. The ingredients make sure you don’t feel too heady through the rest of the course.
Apart from fruit-based cocktails, a lemony drink always works. And how can you forget chocolate Vodka with chocolate mint and ice cream is an option for those with a sweet tooth. Yes, many argue that it edges towards the dessert course, but for first timers, it could be a perfect drink. The sweetness makes it easier to down the bitter alcohol flavour.
Vodka is another popular choice among newcomers since it is relatively easy to sip. Another plus is that there is no aftermath involved. A citrusy and refreshing drink, Greyhound, vodka with grapefruit juice in a cocktail is a favourite among beginners. The unfussy and aromatic Spanish-style gin and tonic too works. Even Mimosa — champagne with a citrus juice — is a recommended combination. Some bartenders also suggest the classic Tom Collins (gin, lemon juice, sugar, and carbonated water) for newbies.
Many suggest opting for a Margarita. But I’d say, opt for it only if you are certain since the spirits in the cocktail could be too much to take. Ideally, this isn’t a drink you should be experimenting with as a first timer.
A bartender once told me, a straight shot of whisky gulped down in one go, is a good bet. It may not prove to be the definition of a “pleasant experience” for first-time drinkers, although the after taste and bouquet of aromas from a good whisky can be pleasant. If you think you can’t handle it, try a shot of whisky diluted in an equal
volume of water, with an ice cube or two, and sip it slowly.
Experimenting with alcohol is not about you trying to keep pace with your friends when you drink. Understand what appeals to you, and above all, what you can hold. Mini Ribeiro is a food writer.
