Is there an official RAF "Adult Beverage"

[Fonsini]

Perhaps more appropriate for Jet Blast, but I've started so I'll finish. Please feel free to move.

Pretty much every squadron party, mess dinner, or general booze up I have ever seen involved the consumption of beer. The Navy has its rum of course and I also seem to recall a mixture of Bovril and sherry being very popular on cold nights in place of grog. The army seems to like spirits, David Niven talked in very fond terms of a drink called the Heart Starter when he was an officer in the infantry - a concoction which was a mixture of neat brandy and port if I remember correctly.

So from your mess nights and general debauching, and Toilet Duck notwithstanding, is there a unique cocktail or generally accepted drink of the RAF or is it simply "Beer - pilots for the use of, 50 gal".

[camelspyyder]

During a no notice call-out from a tent in Southern Iraq, the Captain threw his flying suit on and exclaimed
"Instant aircrew!"
to which my retort was
"...just add Gin."

G&T is the pre-dinner drink in RAF messes AFAIK.

[pedroalpha]

33 Sqn RAF: Jaegermeister.
Loyalty.

[Pontius Navigator]

Depends.

In Malta and Cyprus it was brandy sours. In Singapore I believe Horses Neck or Singapore Sling.

In much earlier days, when pay was p^ss poor and monthly bar bills were limited, anyone that had not used their ration would buy spirits or beer and anyone who had would buy Merrydown cider which, for some reason, was not so rationed.

[Herod]

To quote an old colleague:
"If I drink beer I get full before I get drunk. If I drink whisky I get drunk before I get full. So I drink beer followed by whisky chasers, and get drunk and full at the same time"

[Wensleydale]

My experience appears to be "What is available at the time". If the locals drink it then it can't be all bad (except for American beer of course).

[GlobalNav]

My experience appears to be "What is available at the time". If the locals drink it then it can't be all bad (except for American beer of course).

Why? Because it's cold or because it's mass produced?

[pr00ne]

Because it's like making love in a canoe!

[Capt Scribble]

Because it has no significant taste.

[camelspyyder]

American beer has come on in leaps and bounds in the last 30 years. Not the mass produced fizz, but micro breweries everywhere in the US are making and selling really good brews. You can go to chain bars like Yard House and choose from 200 draughts.

[Pontius Navigator]

CS. I wish. Used to drink Storz but that was 50 years ago. Tried to find a local beer in Tampa and complete mission failure only 6 years ago. Key West was OK though.

[MountainMetman]

My experience appears to be "What is available at the time". If the locals drink it then it can't be all bad (except for American beer of course).
This does lead us down the path that ends with Tungi on Asi. (although the St Helena gin or coffee spirits are rather good!).

I do remember convicing some students on XV(R) a few years ago that a Green Growbag was an acceptable drink, at 50/50 Blue WKD and Red Bull it's horrifically caffeinated, sweet and fizzy. Also day glow green, which I believe was its attraction as a pre-Joanna's tipple.

[Onceapilot]

Most decent tipples are quite acceptable. However, I guess G&T and brown beer are staples. Champagne cocktails go down well before Summer balls.:)
Also, depending where you are in the world, vast quantities of local brews are consumed. Kokinelli goes great with a good Kebab and flaming Sambucas are well received after Decci red. I recall the Pig and Tape served a variety of bottled beers but, like the rest of Italy, it is all a bit of a haze! The variety of German beers are astounding and a dose of Ratzeputz settles the palate after grossen bier! French food demands good wines of the appropriate region, even at lunch during ADEX! I do recall actually drinking some sort of yogurt in Turkey but, that was just to settle the tum before beer. A cheeky brandy sour or two dozen does the same in Akrinelli. Champagne brunch is well thought of in Bahrain although, you may have to resort to less savoury brews in some sandy parts! That said, only the best wines of the world should be taken after refreshing beers in The UAE or Oman. Africa can be a bit of a beer session but, don't miss the chance for some really good wines if passing through Cape Town. Hotter climates often require the tanker to supply a Gin-mine on trails although this can be supplemented with a bucket of Harvey Wallbanger. A good pick-me up when further East is Tusker beer, although I tend to prefer Tsingtao with the local food. Of course, some of the superb seafood will require a fine wine but, this is not a problem to find in a decent restaurant. A Singapore-sling should be tried at Raffles but, if the peanuts dry your throat, a beer or few will sort you out before making your way to Fattys.:) Australia, a great country to try the beers, usually as a precursor to some fine tucker and stupendous wines in great quantity. It doesn't really matter where you hop-off to cross the Pacific, there is great food and drink all around but, maybe Honkers has the best choice and, you can easily get anything there. Hawaii is a great place for cocktails after beers at Waikiki and that gives you time to contemplate the vast range of drinks available in America. North American beer has improved tremendously and, you will have no problems finding speciality brew-pubs and local brews wherever you go. It is worth searching out some good food after a reasonable skin-full and you will not be disappointed. Of course, do not forget Central and South America, where great beers regularly lead you into a superb steak meal washed down with superb wines. You might leave North America for the UK from anywhere if your tanker is big enough and that gives you the chance to sample a huge variety of beer and other drinks. If you pass through Goose Bay, don't miss the chance to be screeched-in and, try some of the Moose steak while you are knocking back the beer!
Of course, I am only scratching the surface of a near 40 year career of drinking around the world here. Wherever you are, try the local brew!:ok:

OAP

[EESDL]

Onceapilot - excellent post, almost had me reaching for my passport but I suggest staying off the Brazilian meat for the time being ;-)

[Fonsini]

A lot of variety in there including champagne :oh: (now wonders about starting a "pay" thread) but it seems that Mother's Ruin and Indian Tonic Water may well be the official drink. I would not have guessed that.

Personally I can't stand gin, vodka and tonic is a different story, and one of these days I'll pluck up enough courage to try one of Niven's Heart Starters.

[John Eacott]

RAF & Adult in the same sentence just worries me.

In the early 1970s, RNAS Culdrose had a visit from the importer of Galliano when Harvey Wallbangers became the wardroom best seller after a few carrier visits to the East Coast. Apparently some 60-70% of the UK consumption was through our bar.

On the comments by onceapilot, UnZud now has some magnificent boutique breweries with truly magic beers. Worth a visit just for the pub crawls.

[Onceapilot]

Fonsini, G&T is of course mainly taken for its medical properties with respect to Tropical diseases. However, it is also a quite loyal friend and often provides that extra pick-me-up after a gallon of beer. Flexible too, you can drink short or long and, many a bottle can be enjoyed when attempting to decide if it is better with a slice of lime or lemon? A fine setting for G&T used to be the Mess bars at ASI. Double measures were required to make it worth charging for and the convivial warm evenings were enhanced by an ocean of Gin, while waiting to watch the MIRV re-entry and entertaining the ladies.:) Worth trying!

OAP

[BEagle]

Onceapilot wrote: Wherever you are, try the local brew!

Perhaps NOT in Saudi Arabia though. In GW1, 'Moussy' or 'Black Swan' alcohol-free lagers were about the best legally available pseudo-beers...

However, in earlier times, the vilest I encountered was something concocted by the BWoS folk who minded the RSAF Lightnings at Tabuk. This was Kaliber alcohol-free beer mixed with illicit 'Jeddah gin' (made from oranges, lemons, potatoes, sugar, yeast and water) plus some gravy browning for colour.

I wasn't tempted to try it, but those who did said it had a kick like a mule, but tasted like something the mule itself had probably passed!

However, on a recent trip to the Reich, I was served the non-alcoholic version of Paulaner Hefe-Weißbier by mistake. It was actually very good!

[Herod]

BEagle. Ref non-alcoholic. Back in the seventies Barbican and Kaliber made an entry into the non-alcoholic beer world. Dreadful is the word I'm looking for. However, having been teetotal since '05, I have to say that there are a lot of very good alcohol-free beers out there now. It's just a shame that I miss out on all the craft beers that have arisen in the UK in the last ten years or so.

[ian16th]

I posted this 4 years ago:
http://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/514102-brandy-sours.html?highlight=lemon#post7827614

[Roland Pulfrew]

OAP

A good pick-me up when further East is Tusker beer, although I tend to prefer Tsingtao with the local food.

How much east are you talking about? Tusker being Kenya's main brew, did you mean Tiger for the Far East?

[Barksdale Boy]

Thirty years or so ago I had a long conversation with a man who had worked at the Tsingtao brewery. I've never drunk a Tsingtao since.

[Pontius Navigator]

After a forced diet of Tiger and tops for some months I fell on a pint of Watney's Red Barrel in the mess at Muharraq. What a mistaka to maka. It was like black syrup: definitely didn't travel.

Or Whitbread Tankard that notorious winter 62/63 when the beer lorry could not get up box hill and the beer stocks were super frozen. The beer rivalled Bud that I only sampled years later, pale yellow and best poured straight into the toilet.

[Onceapilot]

Roland, Quite so Sir, I think I might of blanked Tiger after one of those Freak Drinking Accidents!:eek:

OAP

[PEI_3721]

23 Sqn. Black velvet; hours hog of the month bought the black stuff.
226 OCU. Gin mine; Sqn fund bought the carboy, US exchange officers kept it full.
Emergency air drop message for jungle survival course; send 24T+CO2

[beardy]

Chindet, FI houbi (sp?) snapps, evil times.

Chocolate spiders, more evil times.

2nd law of thermodynamics meant that you could never quite unravel what had been mixed together and so the recipes remain (thankfully) a mystery.

[binbrook]

Nikolaschka anyone?

[Fareastdriver]

Tiger beer for Singapore. The best mosquito deterrent ever made. Further East is Tsingtao, lagered in the German way as a result of the German occupation.

from Wiki Qingdao, in China’s eastern Shandong province, is a port city of skyscrapers, parks and beaches bordering the Yellow Sea. It's known for its beer, a legacy of the German occupation (1898-1914). The Tsingtao Beer Museum celebrates the namesake brewery, founded here by Germans in 1903, and the Qingdao International Beer Festival is major event. There's also German-style architecture in the old city center.

Further north in Tianjin there are the remnants of the German Concession prior to WW II. A Tivoli theatre and a Brauhause. When I was there they still used the original equipment and foaming litres of black or white beer could be enjoyed on the original long tables.

[Blacksheep]

I think we have now confirmed that the official drink of the Royal Air Force is anything you can get hold of, anywhere and any time. Hic!

[lsh]

TIGER!

lsh
:E

[Training Risky]

2 obvious stalwarts spring to mind:

Mooses Milk.

Spitfire.

[LoeyDaFrog]

But there should be :ok:

[goudie]

Some years ago there was a thread regarding the drinking culture in the RAF. I certainly had experienced such a culture as had quite a few others. There were some though who denied emphatically that it ever existed. It seems they may have been wrong!
Time for a TIger!
Mines a Pils
Kool Keo
Onceapilot Excellent post

[Pontius Navigator]

Goudie, they probably couldn't remember.

I suppose the difference is that the Navy carries its own duty free but the RAF ranges world wide and buys locally.

Molsons anyone?

[The Oberon]

Goudie, they probably couldn't remember.

I suppose the difference is that the Navy carries its own duty free but the RAF ranges world wide and buys locally.

Molsons anyone?

Cisk, Hopleaf anyone?

[5aday]

A half and a half. Invariably Grouse in the latter but after a Knockers round, who really cares.
preferably in the Crown, The Beastie, The Abbey or the Two Red Shoes....................

[Fonsini]

Fonsini, G&T is of course mainly taken for its medical properties with respect to Tropical diseases.

Onceapilot - I have heard that said before, but is there really any truth to the assertion that the amount of quinine in Indian Tonic Water really has anti-malarial properties when visiting the tropics ?

[Onceapilot]

Onceapilot - I have heard that said before, but is there really any truth to the assertion that the amount of quinine in Indian Tonic Water really has anti-malarial properties when visiting the tropics ?

Of course. Indeed a point well made at AvMed training. The efficacy is modest though and consumption needs to be encouraged to get the desired effect.;)

OAP

[goudie]

So one could survive a bout of malaria but become an alcoholic in the process!

[The Oberon]

So one could survive a bout of malaria but become an alcoholic in the process!

Nope, alcoholics do not get malaria, not that they would notice.

[Slow Biker]

Tiger, straight; tops is for girls. A couple of duty free then a pick-up taxi to town. Ah, the joys of being young and single.

[Pontius Navigator]

Slow, and with the Victor crew we finished up in a timber yard.

TTN, were you there?

[langleybaston]

Wobbly Warsteiner at RAF Guetersloh. It did what it said on the bottle.

[Fonsini]

So one could survive a bout of malaria but become an alcoholic in the process!

You could always just drink the tonic water and skip the gin ;)

(perish the thought)

[teeteringhead]

When one was a baby Flying Officer, ones then "squeeze" was what some years later would be called a "Sloane" - flat in Dolphin Square, mother living in large house in Pimlico etc etc.

One Easter we were invited to Mother's for lunch. As "distressed gentility" Ma had sequentially let the lower storeys of big house, and lived in the top flat. Struggled up the stairs - a lot fitter then! - to be met by imposing large lady (think Margaret Rutherford or Alastair Sim in drag), very much the "galleon in full sail".

Hand crunching handshake with extensive pumping of forearm.

Ma: So you're Teeters eh? (real first name omitted for security purposes!)
Teeters: Mmmmmm (still wincing from broken hand)
Ma: You're a pilot in the RAF aren't you (pause) well, you'll have a gin and tonic then won't you!

No arguments there .........

[Pom Pax]

One evening a long time ago a little Red Barrel appeared on the bar. Now the House Ale was Carrington's which was drunk under sufferance as APOs on National Service pay could not afford to drink G & T for all of the month. Anyway despite being charged a 1d premium a pint we decided to give it a go. However at about a quarter to ten the steward announced it had run out.
Now a young single staff pilot (it could even have been a member of these for fora) announced that he knew that "that silly barrel wouldn't last all evening".
Several months later Carringtons' donated 7 kegs to boost their flagging sales, these were consumed at some do foc and after that it was never drunk again.

[Herod]

Thank Heaven for CAMRA. Without them, we'd all still be drinking Red Barrel or Tankard.

[Pontius Navigator]

Herod or even Harp.

[Bollotom]

I refer you, Teeters, to Hogarth cartoons on the subject of Gin. Terribly vulgar. My son tells of a politician overheard in a London 'offie' requesting "Gin, the cheapest, it's for my staff." The politician has since 'shuffled off.'

Had always imagined you as drinking sweet South African 'Sherry.'

For Herod, I occasionally motor past the Wadworth Brewery, and give thanks that such as Wadworths kept the faith in the awful days of Red Barrel and Tankard. I give you Summer Lightning.

Talking of SA Sherry. I discovered a Portugese favourite while there. Called Katemba, it really was red wine, preferably dry, and coke with ice. A substitute was indeed SA sherry and coke. My. A few of those and you really were heading for lal la land. :cool:

[Pontius Navigator]

Or that other disgusting concoction favoured by the youth in the 60s, rum and coke, or Bacardi and coke for the sophisticated

[Captain Radar....]

Port......:}

[Lordflasheart]

Port......http://cdn.pprune.org/images/smilies/badteeth.gif

Will that be with Lemon, Sir, ...... or without ? ..... :E :E

[Pom Pax]

I recall having an official booklet which having told you what to do with your embossed cards, went on to rule that one should have only one sherry before dinner as any more would spoil your palette.
Port....I preferred the Madeira.

[goudie]

ISTR port and brandy was a recommended cure for a hangover....Hair of the dog and all that.

[57mm]

Snake Bite, followed by Serum; even more effective than OSLO (1 Sqn Leg Opener). ;)

[Herod]

Or that other disgusting concoction favoured by the youth in the 60s, rum and coke, or Bacardi and coke for the sophisticated

Rum and peppermint??:yuk:

[BEagle]

Or that other disgusting concoction favoured by the youth in the 60s, rum and coke, or Bacardi and coke for the sophisticated

Hmm, a cheap and nasty version of the real Cuba Libre...

As regards beers, who recalls the vile 'Alpine lager' served in some Yorkshire OMs (e.g. Leeming in PCL days). The wretched stuff didn't keep and smelled like a combination of rotten eggs and pine lavatory cleaner...:yuk:

Pom Pax, the booklet to which you refer was probably Gp Capt Stradling's Customs of the Service, if memory serves. Included such gems as the correct etiquette for leaving calling cards when first posted to a new station.....

Do people stand up when the PMC enters the ante room these days?

[Pontius Navigator]

Do people even know the PMC?

I remember once when the stn cdr came in to the ante room one Saturday morning in a sweater when mess rules required jacket and tie or crafts. He was given a stiff ignoring.

[hum]

A 3(F) Sqn aircrew drink probably dating from WW1 RFC days ... A secret recipe handed down from Junior pilot to his choice of replacement JP and sworn to secrecy.. Allegedly banned and went 'underground' in the early 80s in Güt .. Something about a court martial and a refusal to let the President know the ingredients ;-)

[SASless]

I heard it was the age old potion known as a "Shirley Temple".

[ian16th]

Had always imagined you as drinking sweet South African 'Sherry.'

I'll 'ave you know, that there ain't no such thing as 'South African Sherry' or 'Port' for that matter.

The EU insisted that the names not be used, in return for some trade agreement or other.

http://s818.photobucket.com/user/ian16th/media/MIN_105079_EAA.jpg

http://s818.photobucket.com/user/ian16th/media/MIN_2417571_EAA.jpg.html?filters[user]=100205684&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0
http://s818.photobucket.com/user/ian16th/media/MIN_105079_EAA.jpg.html

[goudie]

SASless. That is a dreadful slur.

[Pontius Navigator]

Ian, that never stopped the Maltese making champagne before they joined the EU or California selling champers to the world outside the EU.

[teeteringhead]

JENKINS Had always imagined you as drinking sweet South African 'Sherry.'
How very dare you!!

When - on occasion - one imbibes the wines of Jerez; nothing sweeter than an "Uncle Joe" will do.

Harrumph

[Warmtoast]

On a trip to the Far East in 1979 "Watneys Party Seven" was the drink of choice and the Eng knew exactly where to stow it to keep it cool until we could drink it after landing.


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Far%20East%20Trip%201979/EngwithParty7.jpg

[ian16th]

Ian, that never stopped the Maltese making champagne before they joined the EU or California selling champers to the world outside the EU.
PN
No one has stopped making the stuff, they simply drop the words Sherry or Port from the lable!

For example, the cheap popular 'Sedgwicks Old Brown Sherry' is now called 'Sedgwicks Old Brown'! and the more up market 'Moni's Medium Cream Sherry' is simply 'Moni's Medium Cream'.
An example here
(https://www.makro.co.za/liquor/monis-/br-medium-cream-/br-1-x-750ml--105079EAZ)

[BEagle]

..."Watneys Party Seven" was the drink of choice...

You actually chose to drink that horrible tinned horse pi$$? Good grief!

[oldbeefer]

On exercise in Germany in the 80's (in the winter), preferred tipple was 'reinforced gluhwein' - the usual stuff with a large tot of Famous Grouse added.

[Herod]

"Watneys Party Seven" was the drink of choice

That's what I reckon my "six pack" turned into with age. The trouble is, no-one under the age of about 60 knows what I'm talking about

[Warmtoast]

BEagle
You actually chose to drink that horrible tinned horse pi$$? Good grief! My memories are favourable. ISTR it was de-rigueur to serve it at 1970’s parties along with the BabyCham and Blue Nun. Fit the can with a Sparklets Tap and it dispensed its contents with a good head. It may have been horrible to start with, but after a few it tasted alright!

[Onceapilot]

Warmtoast,
Thanks for posting that pic! God bless all the GEs who organised cold beers downroute!

OAP

[John Eacott]

At sea, Watneys produced an Export Ale that was generally sold in the Wardroom bar for 4d a pint. Much betterer than Red Barrel, about 5% from memory, but usually without competition as the only draft RAS'd from the RFAs.

Eventually the replacement for the daily tot became two cans of the export beer that was the predecessor to John Courage Amber Lager.

[John Eacott]

Spingo at HMS Seahawk? Any comment from JE?

Never in my day: Spingo could only be bought directly from the Blue Anchor :ok:

[Failed_Scopie]

Jaegerbombs!

[BATCO]

Rock-ape + plenty of adult beverage* = grinning idiot

Regards
Batco
*any

[BEagle]

Reading Nigel Walpole's excellent book Swift Justice, I came across this cheeky little number, known as 'Pimms 79':

Into a 3.5 imp gallon pot, add:

36 measures Pimms No.1
18 measures Gin
18 measures Cointreau
9 measures Benedictine
5 measures Cherry Brandy
8 bottles Champagne

Serve by the pint!

The pot was 24 in high, with an 18 in base and had been presented to 79 Sqn by Swift pilot Roger Pyrah. When 79 Sqn disbanded in 1960, the 'Pyrah Pot' was passed to 4 Sqn, who took over the role with the Hunter FR10.

38 years later, the 'Pyrah Pot' was still very much in use with 4 Sqn, then flying the Harrier.

But has the pot and its tradition survived, now that 4 Sqn is a reserve squadron flying the Hawk T2?

[JW411]

We used to say;

"Don't take the p*ss out of Watneys. It's the only flavour it's got".

[brokenlink]

Snakebite anyone, cider and black currant? Or Pernod and black, very 80's.

[Minervan55]

Do people stand up when the PMC enters the ante room these days?

I certainly hope so, or the Service has really gone to the dogs since I left 25 years ago (ye gods was it that far away?). But then, do we still have ante rooms any more?

As for drinks, NAAFI used to stock litre bottles of South African Fine Old Golden sherry(FOG). This was always a favourite in our household at Christmas as a lubricant during the preparation of lunch.

Beerwise, I remember Hopleaf in Malta. The saying was ' I thought the bottom was falling out of my world until I drank Hopleaf, and then the world'.... well, fill the rest in yourselves.

Gutersloh cellar bar in the early 60s had a draught beer that we knew as 'Sludge' but I can't recall the name - it might have been Hohenfelder.

[Fonsini]

Anyone ever tried Bull's Blood - Guinness and Cider 50/50, or champagne instead of cider if you were rich. I had a very shaky night out in Redcar on just 6 pints of the stuff.

My Dad used to talk about Courage beer when he was in the Royal Signals, so named because that's what you needed to drink it :}

[Ogre]

Guinness and cider with a dash of black current was locally known as "Hooligan Soup", but only a few of us drank it regularly.

Saying that, I think the official adult beverage would be described as "anything alcoholic we can afford in volume".

[November4]

I was in Cyprs a couple of months back and had a kebab in Sylvanna'sfor old times sake.

I got chatting to one of the men behind the bar as I was the only customer about how times have changed. He said he used to get through 1,000 - 1,200 bottles of Kokinelli a month. Now he is lucky to sell 10 bottles a month.

[Pontius Navigator]

November, therein lies the difference. He now SELLS it, IIRC it used to be used instead of water :)

[goudie]

It was indeed PN. And a rather salty kebab encouraged one to quaff several karafes of the stuff. Which was fine until one went to rise from the table!

[ShyTorque]

Close on four decades ago, during my helicopter training, I got into home brewing and soon developed my own special recipe for bitter beer. It was strong to say the least, but deceptively so.

We held a party at my MQ and after some initial hesitation from some beer snobs, my fairly large stock of home brew was very quickly depleted, in preference to the stocks of commercially brewed stuff, which guests brought along.

The next morning it became obvious that due to the effects of the home brew, some hadn't quite made it home. One particular officer only got as far as our front lawn, where he had slept. He was our next door neighbour!

[Dougie M]

In days gone by I believe that the drinks of choice were G&T for the Army, Horse's necks for the Navy and Beer for the R.A.F.
At Benson in the 60's I, as most, attempted home brewing in the airing cupboard until Mrs. M protested that the babies' nappies smelt like barmaid's aprons. (A distinct improvement in some instances). There was one pilot called Mark W**** who did achieve a fantastic result with his home brew and the maturing of another barrel was eagerly awaited. We all declared that he would always have a second string to his bow if piloting became a bore. As it transpired he opened Archer's brewery in Swindon on retirement and poly pins of his amber nectar graced many a barbie, housewarming, or anything convivial, for years. Eventually a restaurant group bought up the brewery on the railway shunting yards of the Great Western but they had the foresight to engage Mark to work for them in a micro brewery at the back of the Weighbridge restaurant. He can be seen like a mad scientist behind the glass wall amongst the copper tuns as the "home brew" saga continues.

[Gypsy]

RAF Luqa - 1970's - best Brandy Sours ever

[Pontius Navigator]

RAF Luqa - 1970's - best Brandy Sours ever

Seconded, No 2_Mess, glass frosted with sugar.

[ValMORNA]

AFAIK there has been no mention of the drinking 'game' 7-14-21, which can be amusing - if you are just sitting in the bar watching the players.

[Pontius Navigator]

ValMorna, a killer in the tropics was double coke without ice. One player paid, drank, chose, paid and drank and four warm cokes did him for the night - one NCHD and the b*gger didnt look a day older 50 years on.

[ValMORNA]

P.N.


Selection: "One of everything in the optics."

[Pontius Navigator]

ValM, in our case it was 'behind the bar'

The bar sold toothpaste too :)

[BEagle]

I was first introduced to 7-14-21 at some pongo mess in BAOR during our RAFC visit back in 1969:

Any number of players.
1 set of poker dice.
Throw dice in turn.
Player who throws the 7th ace chooses a drink - it can be as vile as imagination allows. But with that comes a risk...
Player who throws the 14th ace has to pay for the drink (during our BAOR visit, the pongos were gentlemanly enough to charge the cost to 'mess guests' if one of us threw the 14th)
Player who throws the 21st ace has to drink the concoction which the 7th ace thrower chose. Of course that could be the same player, so if he'd chosen something like Guinness, advocat and pernod, then he'd have to drink it!

Throw the 21st 3 times in a row and you'd have to drink the 'loving cup' - consisting of anything everyone else chose.

Later the game was adopted in the ULAS mess at White Waltham, although to keep the cost down, there were set rules. No more than 2 spirits, nothing more than half a pint in total and the only permitted additives were 'recognised' items such as angostura bitters, Lea & Perrins etc. Innocents that we were, we would then go flying the following morning feeling like death.

But we survived....

[Fonsini]

I'm sure the RAF would give a fine account of itself in any inter-service drinking competition, but I once made the mistake of going out for a pint some time back in the 80s with a seasoned RN stoker, and to this day I question what I witnessed - his ability to consume beer was, well, not of this world. He would buy 3 pints for the 2 of us and drink the first at the bar while the next 2 were being pulled, he would then arrive at the table having drunk most of the second during the walk over. Standing my corner was almost impossible, I would say he drank somewhere between 16 and 20 pints in about an hour and a half and he didn't even seem tipsy.

[Wander00]

PN - a stude on out Towers entry was Pakistani and Muslim, so did not drink alcohol. On his 21st birthday he therefore offered to drink a yard of coca cola- slowest "down" and fastest "back up" I have ever seen

[goudie]

My favourite description of a hard drinker is... he was as drunk as a Glaswegian three badge stoker, celebrating New Years Eve in Macau'!

[Fareastdriver]

I cannot imagine why a three badge stoker would go to Macau to celebrate New Year.

[Pontius Navigator]

FED, may be start 31 Dec and continue until Chinese NY?

[Fareastdriver]

I been to Macau a few times. After 20.00hrs or so I'm over the border and into Zhuhai. Macau is only interested in gamblers.

[goudie]

The description came from book written by IIRC, Nicholas Monserrat. It was in the 50's so probably a bit different then FED
I do like PNs explanation though!

[Fareastdriver]

It certainly was even in 1968 when I first went there. The economic explosion in China created a vast market for what is their national pastime. The growth in Casinos and suchlike accelerated after the lease ran out so that with Asian and American casino enterprises it now outdoes Las Vegas.

Those who have been to Las Vegas will known that the glitter wears off very quickly.

[BEagle]

Fareastdriver wrote:
Those who have been to Las Vegas will known that the glitter wears off very quickly.

Indeed! Last time I was there, the background rattle of quarters from innumerable fruit machines had been replaced by electronic beeping and credits. Hardly the same...

Personally I think that Matthew Broderick (David) and Ally Sheedy (Jennifer) got it right in War Games when, having hacked in to the WOPR and opted to play 'Global Thermonuclear War' as the Russians, they are asked to list their primary targets:

David Lightman: Who should we nuke first?
Jennifer Mack: Um, oh, let's see. How 'bout...Las Vegas?

[Pom Pax]

When I saw the thread title "Apple Safari" I thought it was a jolly to Calvados or at least a tour of Somerset.

[George K Lee]

"Don't take the p*ss out of Watneys. It's the only flavour it's got".

Or as we used to parody the Smirnoff campaign:

"I thought Puking was a city in China until I discovered Watneys."