Help me recover from a mistake

[New2Whiskey]

2 months ago, I had about 5 too many pours of bourbon. Just eating and enjoying some bourbon but I crossed the line.

I didn't vomit. But I did feel sick.

Regardless, I've tried to enjoy bourbon like I used to. But my body is rejecting it. The smells are no longer so appealing. The taste is no longer appealing. I have no problem with other fine spirits.

Does anyone know how long it will take my body to recover from my mistake of having too many pours? Bourbon was by far my favorite spirit and the only one I would drink a pour or 2 daily and enjoy like a fine meal.

[Vange]

I had a similar experience with other liquors. Unfortunately it took months for some and years for others.

[barturtle]

I had a similar experience with other liquors. Unfortunately it took months for some and years for others.

I would agree with this statement.

[jwrussell]

Don't push it. Put the bourbon aside for a few months and enjoy something else. Good luck!

[New2Whiskey]

Last year about this time, I made a purchase of Drambuie and Cointreau. As will all liquors and liquers, I taste them neat initially.

Well, I enjoyed them BOTH at the same time a little too much. Cointreau is a staple of all my cocktails. Drambuie, unfortunately I also haven't recovered from that. But Cointreau I recovered from in about a weeks time.

I guess I'll enjoy Cognac for the time being. I just look at all my bourbon and reflect on how much I enjoyed them. At the present, I don't. I haven't recovered.

[mozilla]

Adjust your love of bourbon to history, distilleries and lore until your taste for the product returns. You might even expand your overall interest in whiskies from this experience.

[New2Whiskey]

Adjust your love of bourbon to history, distilleries and lore until your taste for the product returns. You might even expand your overall interest in whiskies from this experience.

I have no problem with other wiskies. I have a 12 year old Highland Park scotch. I can enjoy that no problem. Its just Wild Turkey, Eagle Rare, and even Dickel (tennesee whiskey)

[mozilla]

I meant that you might learn something new which would increase your overall interest in bourbon or rye whiskies.

[StraightBoston]

A physiological reaction that dates back to caveman times -- if you were to suffer from an unrelated stomach flu immediately after enjoying a delicious steak, your body would turn you off steak. We're hardwired to avoid things that makes us sick (e.g. "don't eat those berries!")

Same thing happened to me with tequila that took a couple years to get past. (No, stomach flu wasn't involved, and I actually got off and back on twice -- I'm a slow learner!)

Try rye and/or Canadian whiskeys to work your way back to bourbon.

[ratcheer]

I agree with everyone else. It could possibly take years to overcome this new aversion. But, and I speak from experience, some day you will be able to enjoy bourbon, again. I wouldn't try to push the issue, either. Just wait until your mind can accept bourbon easily, again.

Tim

[fishnbowljoe]

I had the same thing happen to me many years ago, when I was a teenager. I was young, not as smart as I thought I was, and trying to be "cool". In my case, I drank way too much and got sick as hell. It took years until I could handle any kind of whiskey. I drank beer instead, and when I tired of that, I found I could finally drink whiskey again. Maybe give beer a try for a while. Something else that might help, and this is just my own weird idea, if you keep your bourbon out on a shelf or on top of a cabinet, put it away. You know, out of sight, out of mind. If you don't see it, you won't think about it as much. You never can tell. It might help a little. Hope you get you taste back. Joe

[ThomasH]

I have known more than one person go through this same situation. The most famous version of this is overdoing it with Jack Daniels. I know of perhaps a dozen people who can't even take the smell of JD due to over indulging in their youth!

Thomas

[ILLfarmboy]

A physiological reaction that dates back to caveman times -- if you were to suffer from an unrelated stomach flu immediately after enjoying a delicious steak, your body would turn you off steak. We're hardwired to avoid things that makes us sick (e.g. "don't eat those berries!")

Same thing happened to me with tequila that took a couple years to get past. (No, stomach flu wasn't involved, and I actually got off and back on twice -- I'm a slow learner!)

Try rye and/or Canadian whiskeys to work your way back to bourbon.

I agree 100 percent.

when I was about 8 my Dad forced me to eat fried cabbage. I threw it up. I still can't/ won't eat it. When I was 14 I got terribly sic when I ate too much French toast. I didn't eat French toast again till I was in my mid twenties. At the age of 17 I got sick on Southern Comfort...........You get the picture. Learned taste aversion is very real.

I suggest leaving bourbon alone for a while. Then start again with a bourbon and Coke.

[SBOmarc]

Stop drinking it and send all of your Bourbon to me. It will never taste the same to you and why should you be tortured?

Just Kidding. Give it some time and Good Luck.

[callmeox]

I can't touch amaretto or things containing amaretto after overdoing it on Flaming Dr Pepper's over 20 years ago.

Hopefully you turn it around quicker than that.

[JamesW]

..... Its just Wild Turkey, Eagle Rare, and even Dickel (tennesee whiskey)

Try some wheated bourbons like Pappy 15, 20 or lot B.... your love will soon return!

[p_elliott]

There are two schools of thought on this here. When I was in in my teens I got sick on apricot brandy I can't drink it to this day. The other school of thought is you fell off your horse get back on it.

[spun_cookie]

You might try working around the problem with Rum. Work the variations of rums with profiles you liked about bourbon. I am thinking rum and coke, that may lead you to bourbon and coke and then back to Bourbon neat...

You are having to retrain you body that similar and then exactly the same product is acceptable for consumption...

For the record, it was Tequila for me and I just plowed my way back through the issue with higher quality Tequila...

[Thesh]

The problem is, you didn't vomit. Drink either too much, or not enough; stay out of the middle.

[scratchline]

Mix it. Start out with something like a whiskey sour. Cut the liquor by half. Gradually work up to full strength and then roll back on the mixer. Or just wait it out.

-Mike

[ILLfarmboy]

A couple links that are of interest regarding "conditioned taste aversion"

http://www.ctalearning.com/

http://www.magnet.neuro.fsu.edu/Research/tasteaversion.html

Seeing as how alcohol is a toxin and most if not all alcoholic beverages are more or less an acquired taste, I reckon it is particularly difficult to overcome a bad bout of "conditioned taste aversion".

[New2Whiskey]

I wonder if buying a half pint of Old Grand Dad would help me. That was my first introduction to bourbon and I immediately loved it. Unlike others like beer, tequila, and pretty much everything else. Bourbon was like finding the right women and falling in love.

I'll also put the bottles out of sight and maybe a different location. It's just so strange for me to give myself a pour and not being able to finish one pour!! But I want to. Just seems the body doesn't somehow someway.

Nevertheless, I will also take some of the suggestions from your posts. (Except to send all my bourbon) LOL!

[bigtoys]

Start with bourbon and coke, maybe a "blinker" (2 parts rye, 1 part fresh grapefruit juice, 1 part grenadine or raspberry syrup--google it for variations), or a Manhattan. You gotta get back up on that horse. It's all in the mind. I had a pretty bad hangover last summer 2007) from staying up til 5am drinking bourbon and beer with my neighbors; didn't slow my bourbon drinking down one bit. You can do it!

[Dramiel McHinson]

I think a lot of people experience the same thing. Mine was Sloe Gin in 1968 when I was rather young. I've never touched it since because I don't want to. On the other hand, if you want to get back to bourbon then it won't take long. No need to rush, there are other things you can do to recondition yourself. First, ask your spouse, girlfriend or both if you can do something for them like remodel the bathroom. Within two days you'll be back on the couch with a bourbon and a remote enjoying life. The bathroom probably won't be useable for several years but you'll be right with bourbon.

Cheers!

[ILLfarmboy]

I wonder if buying a half pint of Old Grand Dad would help me. That was my first introduction to bourbon and I immediately loved it. Unlike others like beer, tequila, and pretty much everything else. Bourbon was like finding the right women and falling in love.

I'll also put the bottles out of sight and maybe a different location. It's just so strange for me to give myself a pour and not being able to finish one pour!! But I want to. Just seems the body doesn't somehow someway.

Nevertheless, I will also take some of the suggestions from your posts. (Except to send all my bourbon) LOL!