Thinking about Drinking

I love alcohol.  I really do.  I love the ritual, I enjoy the tastes, I love the care and appreciation that go into crafting new and interesting flavors, and I'm a big fan of the way I can have an entire experience about tasting a 6 ounce glass of something.  I would love to learn to have that same experience about non-alcoholic drinks.  Honestly, I'm not sure the intoxication is much of the appeal for me. 

I've been thinking about the "Five Hour Energy" drink commercials lately in a related context.  The characters on the commercials say that the energy shot is "better" than coffee.  It may be, in the way that a shot of everclear is better than a glass of beer or wine.  This is something I just don't get.  I mean, I'll be the first to admit that I am addicted to caffeine.  I do get headaches if I don't have it.  But I could address the addiction with pills for a lot less time, energy, and empty calories than I spend on coffee, and I don't, because I enjoy the experience of coffee. 

I think alcohol is the same way.  Going out for a drink or sharing a drink with friends is a special experience for a lot more reasons than the intoxication, and I get intoxicated a lot faster and deeper than I'm comfortable with. I'm also noticing more and harsher hangovers as I get older (grr.)  So, if I can learn to make non- or lower-alcohol drinks an experience in the same way, this seems like a win-win for me.  I do well with session beers taking up the same social space.  I've also enjoyed "mocktails" when they've been offered, but there's something missing, and I think it's more attitude than alcohol.