How Much Whisk(e)y is too Much?

I’m not sure what the Canadian government recommends, but I don’t think I drink to excess very often. I’m not a fan of “getting shit-faced” and I prefer to taste my whisky. It is rare for me to drink more than two or three 45 ml pours in one night. If I’m “session” drinking, I usually stick to beer, or red wine if I’m with my family (my mom, sister,and brother generally prefer big, bold reds, though I’ve sold my mom and brother on Lot 40 and WT 101).

@OdysseusUnbound - Yeah I reckon in the week I'll usually have no more than 2 or 3 30 ml pours over a three hour period. Maybe up that to 4 or 5 on the weekend with a beer or glass of wine in there. I also aim to have at least two dry days a week. so I'm not overly concerned.

Oh by the way, I'm not surprised they like the WT 101 and the Lot 40 - I can't believe how much I'm enjoying the Lot 40. My first Canadian and it's genuinely excellent stuff!

USA: Up to 4 units/day (68 g/day)(2.4 fl. oz./day), not to exceed 14 units/week (238 g/week)(8.4 fl. oz./wk)

I would say I have around 15-20 "units" per week. I'll have 2 or 3 40ML pours per night maybe 5 nights a week. So according to the gov't I drink too much. I've always been a rebel

I don't think it's an issue of prohibitionists trying to take away our fun. A recent study has actually come out suggesting that no amount of alcohol is safe. Alcohol-related morbidity (illness, death, accidents, etc...) appears to increase at any dose above zero.

So the question is, which guidelines do you follow? Who knows?

Weed is becoming "legal" in more and more jurisdictions. Is it simply coincidence for alcohol consumption to be touted as unhealthy by more and more government sources.

37 days from today in Canada, but who's counting?

The BBC aired a documentary "The Truth About Alcohol" in June 2016.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07czwhz

It's available on Netflix. Just watched it tonight. The host, A&E doctor Javid Abdelmoneim, journals his alcohol consumption for a week, and he exceeds the 14 units per week. Even Britain's Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Sally Davies, admits that she is not likely to stop consuming her wine.

It is worth watching, as the documentary has some interesting experiments.

Moderation is the key.

Geez, you guys drink a lot - big pours and all through the week too. In all honesty, I probably would too if I could. My wife and I typically have a glass of wine, or a beer or cider 4 - 5 nights a week. I usually keep the whisky for the weekend (which starts Friday night) as a luxury and something to look forward to. Many say they prefer drinking whisky with friends, and I do enjoy doing that, but I also love relaxing with a couple of drams while I read or watch something on Netflix.

@Hewie - lightweight

Seriously, what I posted above is my upper limit. I more often than not have a small pour to start and see how I react to it. If it's a 'good' tasting day I may have a few more, sometimes though all I get is alcohol, a tinge of heartburn and not much pleasure so I'll stop there and wait for a better day.

I must admit that sometimes that first 'dry' day can leave me wanting a sip but it's good to show a bit of resolve from time to time, if you know what I mean? Also makes it taste better when you do have one, so I imagine when weekend comes it tastes even sweeter for you!

I don't really have a whisky drinking set of mates so more often than not settle for a few quiet solitary drams when everyone's in bed or when chilling with Netfilx, or whatever it is the cool kids call it these days

@paddockjudge - Is it legal across all Canada? And are you suggesting that governments would rather see their citizens stoned than pished?

What is the world coming to? lol

@RianC With the provincial government we currently have in power, being stoned and “pished” (often) is a matter of survival for any remotely sane person.

It's a politically motivated movement to push that any level of alcohol is dangerous - no matter how small. People will use it to gain some further control over others. Don't be fooled, folks.

Coming up next: salt & sugar.

@RianC, the official date for the legalization of marijuana in Canada has been deferred once already. Stay tuned, it is set to be rolled out (haha) next month. On a personal note, I'm indifferent and at this point in the process I do not have a strong opinion on the subject; however, I can't see myself indulging for recreational purposes... as the saying goes,

trix are for kids

@Frost - Aye, which is pretty much what the article is getting at (I think).

Keep the drones fitter, healthier and more productive - there's a tune in there somewhere . . .

What will they tax when everyone is a health freak teetotaler though? Your feet?

@paddockjudge They picked the worst day...October 17.

It used to be they had smoking cessation campaigns called weedless Wednesday.

October 17 is a Wednesday

They claim these limits are based on scientific evidence but they are often not.

For instance the recommendation to eat 5 pieces of fruit and veg a day was started by the US Food Standards Agency in the 70s. But in terms of how they landed at the number 5? They had a meeting to discuss the fact that people needed to eat more fruit and veg and decided to come up with a recommended number. They decided on 5 because they thought it was an easy to remember number and that it would be an improvement for most people to eat 5.

That was it. A strategic decision. No scientific backing at all.

With the reducing from no more than 21 to 14 units of alcohol for males a week in the UK. I suspect this is also politically motivated. We have a binge-drinking culture in the UK which can be disruptive and damaging. I suspect it has to do with trying to curb that. However, I doubt will have an effect.

14 units for men is one of the lowest recommended upper limits in all of Europe. Lots of countries have upper limits in the 20s and don't gave significant health related drinking problems.

IMO it's an individual thing. Everyone metabolises alcohol differently. My wife and I now have the same recommended maximum weekly allowance. She's 5'1" and can't handle her drink at all. She's drunk after 2 glasses of wine. It's ridiculous to class everyone the same.

Know your body, keep your drinking to a sensible level make sure you have plenty of days off, don't drink to get drunk are the general rules I follow and I feel fine. I think I probably consume between 14-20 units a week most weeks but give myself at least 3 days off.

Just to add the idea of quotas for anything like this is essentially nudge theory.

And I will not be nudged!!

@Nozinan The logical date for he legalization of marijuana would have been April 20th (4-20).

@Wierdo - Agreed. The 5 fruit a day has always made me giggle. As I understand it, our bodies store up nutrients and we actually need very little in terms of vitamins to stay healthy. I like the Japanese idea - eat lots of different foods in your diet but just not too much!

As you say, I understand why these limits/recommendations are put in place - you'd be surprised how many young children I see that were it not for free fruit at schools would be eating nothing but 'Maccy D's' and oven chips!

What are oven chips?

@MadSingleMalt Oven fries

Roger that. As an American, I was indeed thinking that might mean "those french fries you bake in the oven," but that just seemed like such an oddly specific thing to cite in these kids' diets! :)

On a much more serious note, if kids aren't eating enough tropical fruit, how will they as adults ever recognize the brilliance of fruity old Bowmores and Laphroaigs from the 1960s?!?!?!

@MadSingleMalt “Fruit: because how else will your kids appreciate all the flavours of great old whiskies?”

Sounds like something right out of Mad Men

Well, if you follow a recent study then any consumption is too much. As for me, I'm not fond of beer, or wine, or any liquor that requires cutting it with soda. Single and blend malts are my choice. During the week none. Weekends, no more than 2 2 oz pours per night.

Dire warnings reminds me of a patient going to see the doctor

The doctor said if you want to live a long life you must cut out smoking, alcohol, late nights, eating fried foods and rich desserts. The patient response "Why would I want to live a long life"

I read an interesting article the other day that Canadians spent approximately 22 billion on alcohol (all types) in 2017. Considering there is a population of 36 million and it is significantly reduced by those that aren't of legal drinking age. It appears, that Canada hasn't yet reached the threshold of too much consumption.

@cricklewood, not to be confused with Buffalo Chips or Cow Chips....or road apples

@paddockjudge. I've never heard of cow chips or Buffalo chips but road apples I am quite familiar with

@paddockjudge & @cricklewood - Oooh . . . they sound nice