8 Social Drinking Guidelines
Whether you like it or not, drinking at college parties and drinking at formal occasions are very different. It’s typically not “cool” to get drunk at these kinds of gatherings. You don’t have to stop drinking totally, despite the fact that this may disappoint you.
There are specific drinking habits that are required for dining establishments, bars, and dinner parties. Keep these social drinking guidelines in mind if you want to appear composed on an outing with friends, family, coworkers, or complete strangers.
Keep Your Drink Still
You won’t be commended for downing five beers in a minute because this isn’t a collegiate drinking contest. Even if you might enjoy alcohol, you shouldn’t consume excessive amounts of it. This not only causes you to become inebriated too quickly, but it’s also a warning that you should mature and leave your college years behind. Instead, make an effort to consume alcohol at a similar rate to those around you.
Keep Your Glass Free of Food and Lipstick Marks
A stain on your glass can occasionally be unavoidable. Before you take a drink of wine, you can unintentionally have food on your lips. As a result, your glass looks unkempt, and you feel embarrassed to clean it up in front of everyone. Always wipe your lips with a handkerchief before taking a sip to entirely avoid this scenario.
I would advise against wearing lipstick if you intend to go out that night. Lipstick will always leave sloppy smudge marks all over your glass unless you’re wearing long-lasting lip tint.
Limit drinking alcohol with meals.
It doesn’t really matter what kind of drink you have with your food while you’re on a casual outing. A formal gathering, however, necessitates drinking in a more “appropriate” manner.
White wine is generally offered with meals that include shellfish, pasta, and salad, whereas red wine is typically served with red meats. You can begin drinking your preferred alcoholic beverage and dessert wine once all the meals have been served.
Chew Before Sipping
Never consume alcohol while chewing. Even if your wine and steak meal may be delectable, you should continue this habit in the comfort of your own house. Before grabbing your drink, be sure you have thoroughly chewed and swallowed your food.
Use the Proper Consumption Garnish
It’s true that some people might advise against eating the garnish on your drink at all, but you can if you do it the right way.
Don’t consume the garnish right away if it has been dipped deep inside your beverage. Before adding the garnish, wait until you’ve finished most of your beverage. Otherwise, you’ll have to stick your fingers inside your beverage, which is obviously unappealing and impolite. As long as you aren’t sticking your fingers in your beverage, you are free to consume the garnish whenever it is on a toothpick.
You must make your own decision on the slices of lemon or lime. In restaurants and bars, citrus slices are infamous for not being thoroughly cleaned.
Correctly Hold Your Wine Glass
There is, in fact, a “correct” way to hold a wine glass. You probably hold your glass on the bowl portion frequently, but it is incorrect. As shown in the image above, you should hold your wine glass between your thumb and pointer finger, at the base of the stem.
Unexpectedly, there is a purpose for gripping your wine glass by the stem. In fact, holding your wine glass near the bowl warms the liquid and leaves unsightly fingerprints.
Stop Chewing Ice at Number Seven
You might be tempted to eat the extra ice cubes after you complete your mixed drink. When you’re out, do your best to avoid this tendency.
Don’t go overboard
Avoiding overindulgence is the most crucial social drinking rule. When attending a formal event or a sophisticated dinner party, you don’t want to consume more alcohol than you can take. Overindulging will probably make you feel embarrassed and won’t make you a very enjoyable person to be around. Having said that, resist the urge to drink excessively.
Keep Your Cool While Drinking
All of these guidelines for social drinking are good to be aware of even if you don’t have to abide by them. Just keep in mind that there are still circumstances in which you should adhere closely to this drinking etiquette.
An occasion that calls for appropriate drinking behavior can be a dinner with your boss or an office party. What about manners in the workplace, though? You can maintain good manners at work by following these etiquette guidelines.
