Welcome back to the Gentleman'sGazette!
In today's video, we discuss how to drink and how not to drink like a gentleman.
Drinking, and by that, I mean alcoholic beverages, can be a pleasure,
a social expectation or tricky at times because it may damage your reputation.
For example, the office holiday party almost always produces some gossip because some people
to drink too much.
The same goes for weddings or business dinners, you do not want to be the guy that ruins the
evening for everyone or be responsible for not closing the deal.
So here's the thing, ideally, a gentleman never gets drunk because a gentleman should
never lose control of his faculties.
Now, that is easier said than done and I certainly have been drunk before.
In particular, there was one instance where I was about 18 or 19 years old, it was at
a party and I drank a lot, I passed out and I could not remember a thing anymore.
But when I talked to my friend the next morning, he told me that I had puked on his leg.
I have never been as embarrassed before and I never had as much to drink thereafter.
So even if you are not wasted, being intoxicated always has an impact on how you behave and
how you are perceived.
The truth is, we are never at our best behavior when intoxicated and the potential of long-term
regret outweighs the pleasure of one night on the town, To top it all off, everyone has
a smartphone these days and they take photos and videos and they may end up getting to
your employer, your mom, or to that uncle who had you in his will.
So the main goal of drinking like a gentleman is to enjoy yourselves while still being civil
and in full control of yourself.
That being said, here are 8 practical tips that you can apply when you go out and drink.
Most importantly, know your limit.
Everyone has different reactions to the amount of alcohol they drink and it is up to you
to know what is acceptable and what is too much.
For you, that may mean one drink an hour, maybe you can do more, maybe you can do less.
Maybe you will always have to eat something before you drink or maybe you abstain completely.
Two, stick with the classics.
Most bartenders will be able to mix up a gin and tonic o an old-fashioned.
Moreover, keep in mind, a gentleman drinks his beverage from a cup or a glass, not from
the can or the bottle.
Personally, my drink of choice is a Manhattan which usually consists of a rye whiskey with
some vermouth, some bitters, maybe a maraschino cherry and a little bit of an orange peel
or grapefruit peel.
I love this go-to drink because I had it many times before, I know how strong it is, I know
how to pace myself.
Generally, most whiskeys have about the same strength unless they are cask strength and
because of that, it is best to always order your specific whiskey.
I like to have a Manhattan on the rocks with crown royal rye whisky.
Now, if the bartender does not have that whisky, ask them what they have and you may come up
with something, that is okay.
Or you go with something that is very widely available like a bulleit rye or maybe a woodford
reserve or maker's mark.
Of course, you can also go ahead and order a blue Hawaiian, Pina Colada, or a strawberry
daiquiri.
The problem is, with those drinks, they contain a lot of sugar.
Also, the recipes are different so the amount of liquor in them can vary considerably.
On top of that, most people don't associate a pina colada with a gentleman.
That being said, if you are confident and secure you can drink whatever you want, you
don't have to care about what other people think of you.
Let's say you're at the bar and you fancy one of their craft cocktails, go ahead and
order it but then stick with a known entity thereafter.
Let's say you are at a sports bar at a baseball game, it is not the time to order a French
75.
Instead, you go with the flow and order a beer.
Likewise, if you are at a fine establishment, it is not the time to order Milwaukee's best
beer or bud light.
Four, pace yourself.
You are under no obligation to keep up with how much other people are drinking.
Ideally, you can establish your own pace and one of the best ways to fend off questions
for another drink is to simply have your glass half full.
If you don't want to drink at all, that is totally fine.
You may be on a prescription medication, you don't drink for religious reasons, or you
just don't feel like it today.
If you still do not want to explain yourself all the time while you are not drinking, ideally,
just order a lime and soda with some ice ideally in a high ball, that way, it looks like a
gin and tonic and nobody will bug you.
Five, be immune to peer pressure.
Honestly, that is one of the hardest things for most men.
Most people love to drink and enjoy doing so in company and that may mean that they
will bug you consistently and you just have to be firm and say no multiple times if necessary.
There is no need to explain yourself, you can just say "NO, thanks, I've had enough
for tonight.".
Simply repeat if required.
Six, do not push drinks on other people.
You may be really into paying this round of tequila shots but not everyone might be into
that.
It's fine to offer someone else a drink but if they say no, accept it for what it is,
do not tease them, do not ask them again, or make fun of them.
Seven, always treat the restaurant or bar staff with respect.
I know that can be hard if you have been waiting in line for twenty minutes and you feel someone
else has cut in line and gotten served ahead of you.
Keep your composure, wait for the bartender, try to seek eye contact but do not wave with
your money, don't snap with your fingers because that is just rude and impolite.
Of course, you should also tip well in line with the social norms in the place you are
at.
In the US, for example, it is typical to tip 15-20%.
In Germany, for example, it is not expected.
Last but not the least, keep your hands to yourself.
Drinking will usually relax even the most guarded person's view on interpersonal space
but getting too close to someone or even touch them is a clear indicator that you have had
way too much to drink.
Also a bonus tip, if you go to a bar to have a drink, don't sneak in your flask and drink
from it.
If you want to learn more, when is an appropriate occasion to use your flask, as well as flask
etiquette, and what not to do, please check out this video here.
Also, if you are at a whisky, wine, or beer tasting, things are a little different.
To learn more about the proper procedure and how to behave, please check out this whisky
tasting guide here.
In conclusion, drinking like a gentleman means you should not behave in a way that makes
you a pain in the ass to others around you.
Very simple, isn't it?
In today's video, I am wearing an outfit I would typically wear when I go to a nice bar.
It consists of a jacket which is petrol blue and double breasted which is part of a suit
and it is a nice fresco wool combined with a blue and white shirt and a brown grenadine
tie.
Because the jacket is somewhat loud, I toned down the other colors.
That includes a boutonniere that is contrasting but not overly loud as well as a pocket square
made out of a handcrafted linen in Xstitch and it picks up the color of the shirt.
my pants are black and off-white houndstooth that are combined with a pair of shadow striped
socks from Fort Belvedere that picks up the same colors.
My penny loafers are dark brown and contrasting yet harmonious at the bottom end of my outfit
and they coordinate with my dark brown grenadine tie which you can find in our shop here just
like all of our other accessories from Fort Belvedere.
Of course, I also keep on my wedding band and I also wear a pinky ring with a bloodstone.
If you enjoyed this video, please give us a thumbs up, subscribe to our channel and
check out our other etiquette videos and I am sure you will like them as well.