Never the Drunkard's Drink
“Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy.” ~ Frank Sinatra
And so I did. I loved alcohol with all my heart and soul. I revel in drinking with company as much as I relish in drinking alone.
Mi Primera Copa
Because I was lacking in the knowledge of alcoholic drinks, I was confident I won't get drunk, since I can take on hard drinks. So, when my ROTC senior officer took us out to get some beers, I thought to myself, "What's the harm? It'll be just fine." I've never been so wrong in my life. Obviously, I got intoxicated. I got wasted on my third bottle.
I started drinking truly when I turned 19. When I joined the mountaineering club, I began to like the alcohol. When climbing mountains, you just don't sit around to talk during socials at the campsite. A bottle or two will clearly make their rounds. I engaged more in drinking when a dear professor of mine in geology mentioned that one should really know how to drink alcohol. Because with our program, Bachelor of Science in Geology, it might be necessary when one started working in the real world; either a warmer during a freezing fieldwork or a celebratory drink for a successful job.
Here is the list of usual alcoholic beverages that I intake:
1. Lambanog
Alcohol Content: 40%
This vodka is made from fermented sap of the coconut tree. Because of the numerous coconut trees in the Philippines and the most cost-effective process in making lambanog or tuba, it was branded as the "poor man's drink." It has been a part of Filipino culture but no one can exactly trace its history. Quezon Province in Southern Luzon is the largest producer of this drink. If you are a from a foreign country, it is a must to drink lambanog when you visit Philippines.
2. San Miguel Pale Pilsen
Alcohol Content: 5%
This beer is the first beer of San Miguel Brewery, Inc. Thus, it is famous among dads and earned its "pangtatay" reputation which means "for daddies" and was labeled "pangmatanda" meaning for oldies. It is available in a 320-ml-bottle and in cans(330 ml). Just recently, a 1-liter Pale Pilsen was released. This is the beer that I came to love; since, it won't get you wasted and you'll survive the night.
3. Ginebra San Miguel
Alcohol Content: 40%
This gin is the cheapest drink in town. If you want to get drunk but doesn't have enough money, this is the gin for you!. It is also very abundant even in remote areas that's why it's probably the most common drink of mountaineers. This is often called "gin bulag", because of the belief that you will drink yourself blind or also known as "gin bilog", probably derived from gin's 350ml-bottle-shape. Though, it's also available in 700 ml which is in contained in a box-like-bottle famed for the alias, "cuatro kantos" which means four corners.
4. Emperador Light
Alcohol Content: 35%
This brandy is the next favorite in town. This product of Emperador is available in 350 ml to 1.5 ml. Emperador Light is usually abbreviated to the term "empe" for convenience. Empe was introduced in the Philippines in 2010 and became the biggest brandy in just 5 years. It is a drink famous to young people.
5. Red Horse
Alcohol Content: 6.9%
This beer, as their commercial advertisement says, is really extra strong. Red Horse Beer is a product of San Miguel Brewery, Inc. and is popular to men with ages ranging from 18 to 24 years old. It is often served in buckets (5-6 stallion bottles) or per Litro in bars and beer houses with a matching bucket of ice. This beer is best when chilled. This was the high alcohol beer brand that baptized the hidden dipsomaniac in me. (My god! I hate beer!)
