Short Drinks v Pints
Discussion
Why do I feel more pissed drinking pints than if I was drinking shorts, or like I was at a wedding in Poland: shots of vodka?
I've downed a few shorts of say brandy, or vodka and felt a wobble; you know you've had 'em! On a lads night out drinking pints, a few in and I feel a slur coming on (at which point I need to reach for the nibbles). The average abv for shorts is usually around 35-40% and 'sessioning' beer around 4/5% (although I do prefer the stronger craft beers).
Shouldn't it be the other way around? Is my understanding of abv wrong? Or is it simply a case of tolerance?
The wedding in Poland was roughly a shot of vodka (and later home made moonshine) every 10-15 minutes. Every hour there was food: platters of meat mainly but some soup and other delicacies. I lasted until about 4am.
On a lads night out, the pints start and by pint six or seven (or basically the second visit to the toilet after breaking the seal) I'm inebriated to the point of having to take a deep breath and compose myself. I'll last the evening, but it's generally quite heavy going with all the beer. Easier done with ale or craft beer, but much harder to go all evening on 5% abv lager.
I've downed a few shorts of say brandy, or vodka and felt a wobble; you know you've had 'em! On a lads night out drinking pints, a few in and I feel a slur coming on (at which point I need to reach for the nibbles). The average abv for shorts is usually around 35-40% and 'sessioning' beer around 4/5% (although I do prefer the stronger craft beers).
Shouldn't it be the other way around? Is my understanding of abv wrong? Or is it simply a case of tolerance?
The wedding in Poland was roughly a shot of vodka (and later home made moonshine) every 10-15 minutes. Every hour there was food: platters of meat mainly but some soup and other delicacies. I lasted until about 4am.
On a lads night out, the pints start and by pint six or seven (or basically the second visit to the toilet after breaking the seal) I'm inebriated to the point of having to take a deep breath and compose myself. I'll last the evening, but it's generally quite heavy going with all the beer. Easier done with ale or craft beer, but much harder to go all evening on 5% abv lager.
lufbramatt said:
1 pint = 473ml
1 measure of spirit= 25/35ml
lower % alcohol but bigger volume of liquid = more alcohol overall
A pint of ale is 2-3 units but a measure of a spirit is around 1 unit.
A pint is 568ml.1 measure of spirit= 25/35ml
lower % alcohol but bigger volume of liquid = more alcohol overall
A pint of ale is 2-3 units but a measure of a spirit is around 1 unit.
Very basically you're drinking twice as much alcohol in a pint than a shot.
I created a spreadsheet which worked out amount of units once to settle an argument.
1 pint of 4% beer is 2.272 units.
1 25ml shot of 40% spirit is 1 unit.
1 175ml glass of 13.5% wine is 2.36 units.
Obviously other factors come into play too.
Edited by spitfire-ian on Wednesday 6th December 12:06
spitfire-ian said:
lufbramatt said:
1 pint = 473ml
1 measure of spirit= 25/35ml
lower % alcohol but bigger volume of liquid = more alcohol overall
A pint of ale is 2-3 units but a measure of a spirit is around 1 unit.
A pint is 568ml.1 measure of spirit= 25/35ml
lower % alcohol but bigger volume of liquid = more alcohol overall
A pint of ale is 2-3 units but a measure of a spirit is around 1 unit.
Very basically you're drinking twice as much alcohol in a pint than a shot.
I created a spreadsheet which worked out amount of units once to settle an argument.
1 pint of 4% beer is 2.272 units.
1 25ml shot of 40% spirit is 1 unit.
1 175ml glass of 13.5% wine is 2.36 units.
Obviously other factors come into play too.
Edited by spitfire-ian on Wednesday 6th December 12:06
ferret50 said:
I guess it will depend on body build as well, a big fat bloke will be able to consume more beer than a short skinny bloke.
I'm quite a pleasant drunk, I just go to sleep, whereas 'er in doors wants to take on the world and his brother after a couple of gins.
I take your point and want to agree with you, however, a have a mate who is as lean as a guy can be for 48. He can drink all night and you would never tell he's had a drop. I'm quite a pleasant drunk, I just go to sleep, whereas 'er in doors wants to take on the world and his brother after a couple of gins.
A bloke you will see in our local is also tall, and skinny. He's always in there drinking and is usually the last man out.
Glassman said:
ferret50 said:
I guess it will depend on body build as well, a big fat bloke will be able to consume more beer than a short skinny bloke.
I'm quite a pleasant drunk, I just go to sleep, whereas 'er in doors wants to take on the world and his brother after a couple of gins.
I take your point and want to agree with you, however, a have a mate who is as lean as a guy can be for 48. He can drink all night and you would never tell he's had a drop. I'm quite a pleasant drunk, I just go to sleep, whereas 'er in doors wants to take on the world and his brother after a couple of gins.
A bloke you will see in our local is also tall, and skinny. He's always in there drinking and is usually the last man out.
CheesecakeRunner said:
spitfire-ian said:
Very basically you're drinking twice as much alcohol in a pint than a shot.
This is why you should always drink doubles when in rounds with people who are drinking pints. Probably!
This could be nonsense but,
Was once explained to me,
Drinking pints you put in a “volume” your body has to process, more volume, speeds up processing so it goes through you.
With small volume of spirit you body isn’t so pushed to process it.
The bit that made sense, if you’re processing it at a fast rate & switch to a short measure, the body doesn’t slow down Immediately, so shorts after a few beers hit you very hard.
Was once explained to me,
Drinking pints you put in a “volume” your body has to process, more volume, speeds up processing so it goes through you.
With small volume of spirit you body isn’t so pushed to process it.
The bit that made sense, if you’re processing it at a fast rate & switch to a short measure, the body doesn’t slow down Immediately, so shorts after a few beers hit you very hard.
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