He Looks Like a Whiskey Man: What Strangers Drink

If you’re a regular alcohol enthusiast, then chances are that you’re also a people watcher. Profiling is a skill that comes naturally over time, and there is no better place to analyze new faces than at your favorite local bar. What if the rules were altered a bit? It’s easy to determine the backstory on someone’s life at first glance, but what about their drink of choice? Does he look like a whisky man or a PBR pro? Here are some key traits to remember in the sport of people watching, especially when you think you’d like to buy that perfect stranger a drink.

Whiskey

He might be a whiskey man if he’s wearing flannel or has cuffed dark denim jeans. Think rugged bearded hipster type. Take note of any bicycling paraphernalia or conversation about literature. Common favorites among the sophisticated stereotype include neat, bourbon on the rocks, and old fashioned if he’s feeling fancy, or a horse feather to take the edge off but spice things up. Low maintenance whiskey drinkers, such as indie rock musicians or artists, might portray a slightly alternative appearance with colored hair, tattoos, and skin tight clothes with a tattered Patti Smith across their chest. A simple well whiskey coke would satisfy their thirst.

Gin

Gin drinkers know how to appreciate alcohol, mostly because gin is an acquired taste. Many people can’t tolerate the clean and piny flavor from the juniper and other botanicals. Someone might enjoy a smooth gin and tonic if they are on a corporate business trip and are prone to office life. Jazz lovers, especially in cities like Chicago and NYC, are also likely to order a dry gin martini for its straightforward aesthetic yet complex flavor profile. Gin also has a very European reputation as many distilleries are based in London. The next time you hear a random sexy British accent, invite them to have a Pimm’s Cup.

Tequila

Tequila appeals to a broad spectrum of drinkers due to its feel-good and fast-acting qualities. Alcohol isn’t necessarily gendered, but you might find a woman drinking a frozen margarita on the patio if she is looking to branch out a bit with her social life and get away from the daily grind. Tequila is also the star performer at sorority parties and spring break hot spots. Families and older couples might also favor a sweet and salty margarita if they’ve got their vacation clothes on and are sporting a sunburnt nose and raccoon eyes.

Wine

Group outings including men and women in their mid thirties might start with wine and end with shots. Wine is the supposedly sophisticated beverage that presents people as classy but not prude. It is also preferred by those who are concerned with their figure and believe that red wine is an exception due to its high levels of antioxidants. A woman walking into a bar might be a wine drinker if she is wearing a skin tight dress, has perfectly curled the ends of her long brown hair, and has spritzed a bit of Dolce & Gabbana or Chanel across her bosom. She might be a stressed housewife, but she may just be the quiet and available bride’s maid in that incredibly large and loud wedding party.

Beer

Beer is universal in that almost everyone of legal age loves to drink it. Beer is a social beverage, and it is also the most casual. It’s hard to offend someone by offering to by them a beer as there is no gender or meaning behind it other than a nice gesture. A single father at a nearby sports bar might prefer a Miller Genuine Draft, while a younger industry professional seeks out new craft brews to experience. If you are at a concert and the venue is packed with crusty punk rock kids, then you might offer them a PBR. However if you are grilling in the parking lot at a baseball tailgate, then you might just want to invite that cute LA Dodgers fan over with a standard Bud Light.