Drinking Up

I figured that an occasion as momentous as turning 21 probably warranted a two-post weekend. So, as I sit cuddled up on the couch with my favorite kitty cat sleeping next to me, I thought it might be fun to recount and review the drinks I tried on my first day into my third decade of life!

1. Czech-Style Lager – Hopcat

The Drink: This was the very first drink I had once I turned 21. My boyfriend took me out exactly at midnight when it turned to my birthday. We went to Hopcat, which is famous for its selection of 100 on-tap beers, so I figured I should sample one of those, even though I’m not a huge beer drinker. I’m not sure what “Czech-style” means in relation to lager, but it had a distinctly more bitter aftertaste than most lagers I’ve had.

The Verdict: I most likely would not have this one again. When I do go for beer, I like a milder flavor, so unless I was sipping along with my dinner, I’d want something less bitter.

2. Blood-Orange Martini – The State Room

The Drink: This was my pre-dinner cocktail at the State Room with my parents and boyfriend. I wanted to try something more adventurous than just getting a glass of wine (which I knew I’d want with dinner), and this caught my eye because I like orange. The drink had vodka, orange liqueur, blood orange juice, and ginger puree, and (obviously) came in an awesome glass.

The Verdict: This drink was awesome! I was expecting it to be way boozier because it was a martini, but it had a really good flavor and was definitely fun to have as my first cocktail. Plus, martini glasses are super classy.

3. Blackberry Pear Cider – Crunchy’s

The Drink: This was my first drink out on the town with my good friend Alison. I decided I wanted to try something other than another beer, just because I felt there was a higher likelihood of me enjoying it (especially since I hadn’t been drinking too much before we started). We paired this with some Cajun tater tots (fabulous), and made sure to each drink a glass of water to stay hydrated before we moved on to our next stop!

The Verdict: This was awesome. I love blackberry and pear, and the combination was perfectly sweet and tart. The carbonation and lightness of the flavor was a great way to start the evening! Will definitely order next time I go to Tuesday trivia.

4. Sex on the Beach – Dublin Square

The Drink: Okay, so we had to have one of “those drinks.” This one was significantly sweeter than my cider, and had an unexpected note of peach schnapps. It was fun to order my first cocktail with a silly name, and the atmosphere at Dublin was really chill and fun which was great– except for the couple of significantly older creepers who tried to hit on me.

The Verdict: This one was alright. I’m not huge on peach, so it would be a sip-for-a-while kind of drink rather than a pound-it-real-fast one. I prefer my drinks with a little carbonation, but I would definitely consider ordering this one again!

5. Cosmopolitan – Harper’s

The Drink: This one was one of those “gotta try it once” kind of drinks. I love cranberry and lime, so I figured it would be a good match– especially given my highly refined big-girl palette (haha). Normally it’s served in a martini glass (another plus), but this one was served in a rocks glass because that’s what they had. This was my final drink of the evening!

The Verdict: I absolutely hated it. I think I had about two sips. This was way more boozy than I was expecting (I couldn’t even taste too much of the cranberry over the vodka and triple sec), so even though it was pretty I don’t foresee continuing the posh cosmo life.

Final Thoughts: It was fun to try something a little different everywhere we went, and sample some of those “classic” kind of drinks you hear mentioned often. My night on the town taught me that bars can be really fun if you’re in good company, and taught me a lot about what I do and don’t like in a drink. Plus, it was fun to be queen for the day! Overall, I’m a cider or wine kind of girl (with the occasional martini or non-Czech-style beer), and I think I’ll have a lot of fun exploring and adding to my list of favorite drinks. Cheers!