Ethanolics: if it doesn't get you buZed, don't drink it.

Beveraging, aside from a liter of tea everyday, has consisted mostly of beer and whiskey (wine is pricy here). So why ethanolics? Because "alcoholics" has a negative connotation. Some time ago last week we counted how many drinking spots we've been to in the 2 months and we counted about 35+. Any time we talk to anyone about drinking, they make us feel like we may be heavy-handed on the imbibing. One night, we decided to get one beer at a place called Chicken & Beer [EDIT: it's actually called TKK the BAR: Chicken and Beer], which is located in an alley behind the world-renowned club (the world of AmericanBornChinese kids), Luxy.

Not all Asians can take pictures. Why would you cut off the head?!

One beer tower, that is. When the waitress brought it over she looked at me, looked at Jeff, looked around our table, looked at nearby customers, back to me, and said, "Just you two?" Uh, durr. Meanwhile, the adjacent tables would have 6+ people sharing a tower. Whatever. I feel like Jeff and I just get happy with dranks and also...

Even though the drinking age is 18, it's not a drinking culture. Most bars that we've been to don't open until 5 pm (what's wrong with daydrinking?!). Moreover, a lot of those bars/pubs we're finding are very Western. It also seems like when Taiwanese people go hard, they don't know when to quit. I hear many a story where a dude/dudette is KTFO and his/her friends have to carry his/her limp body. For example:

p.s. this 24 hour dim sum was the worst dim sum I've had in my life. AND the priciest. Sometimes you lose sum, you dim sum. But not here. Here, you lose some and you lose some more.

As predicted, we've been drinking lighter beers like hefes, whites, and those similar flavors since they are most common. 

Taiwan Beer reigns as cheapest and most prevalent, we'll roll with it

These were taken at the 346 Taiwan Brewery on Jianguo. They have a cozy little beer garden right in front that we'll have to check out again sometime.

European beers flow through a lot of taps also; Carlsberg, Erdinger, Kronenberg 1664, Guinness. Sometimes cheap, sometimes not. Stouts/porters/IPAs are harder to come by, but are available. Beer & Cheese Social House (No. 169, Section 2, Jianguo South Road, Daan District, Taipei City, 106) provides a pretty good selection of beers, including a local IPA! This is one of those spots you'll find mostly Westerners; maybe 5 Asians at any given point. Jeff+Me+Asian employees=5. In terms of prices, it's comparable to LA. Craft beers run about $6+. 

台is pronounced tai(2nd tone). Clever them!

The owners are geniuses. Genii? They have a food menu that's all grilled cheese sandwiches (save a few other bar snacks) that they make with a panini-press-like appliance. Without a full kitchen, they've cut down on major maintenance/overhead costs whilst having the ability to serve food.

If you go to the Observation Deck at Taipei 101, you'll have a cool spot to drink a beer!

Beer with a view

But it's not always about the beer. We did this one time.

AQ Cava: Zhongxiao East Road, Section 4, Lane 223, 2nd Floor, Taipei City

They look disgusting right? They taste worse. Thankfully, we had a special guest as a third person to help us finish that monstrosity. #royfactor

One thing I'm not used to seeing is how many pubs have darts available for play. Route 66, the gastropub pictured below, is one of them. 

Gastropub, shmastropub, we just thirsty.

Address: Zhongxiao East Road Lane 216 Alley 27 No. 11, Daan District, Taipei City

Usually at the end of the night, Jeff enjoys strolling leisurely in a snake-like pattern (intentional, no doubt) a good half mile behind me.

If you're out there and need someone to have a drink with, keep us in mind, we're probably on our fourth. 乾杯!