Listen to Episode 23 of "Coffee with Gringos" here or on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher and Soundcloud.
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Paige: You're listening to Coffee with Gringos, I'm Paige Sutherland.
Mariah: And I'm Mariah Wika. So, I want you imagine that you are traveling in an English speaking country, and you go to the bar, and you're ready to order a drink, and you're like, "Shoot, I don't know vocabulary for any of the drinks on this menu!" Or maybe you don't have a menu! That's the worst case scenario. So, today, we are reviewing the vocabulary for some of our favorite alcoholic beverages. Now, we know that some people don't drink, but a lot of you do. So, tune in, and remember that if you get lost along the way, the vocabulary guide and transcript are on our website to help you out. Alright Paige...
Paige: So, because we're in Chile, I think we should talk about wine first. When I arrived here in Santiago, I was not much of a wine drinker. I drank wine probably on special occasions, you know? Formal dinners or maybe on holidays, but now, I drink wine way more often.
Mariah: I can testify that right here in Coffee with Gringos Studios, there are three bottles of wine on the counter, so...
Paige: But don't worry, we only drink coffee during the podcast.
Mariah: This is a sober-made podcast. No alcohol was consumed in the making of this podcast.
Paige: So, as most of our listeners know, the wine here is incredible.
Mariah: It's really, yeah, it's so good. And it's so much cheaper!
Paige: It's so much cheaper! At home, a good bottle of wine is gonna really cost you.
Mariah: Oh yeah, it's expensive.
Paige: I mean, we have cheap wine in the US, but it is terrible.
Mariah: It tastes like poison.
Paige: Boxed wine. Franzia. Uhhh. Right? It's bad. So, if you want a good bottle of wine, which we obviously have in the US, it's pricey. But here, you can get a really good bottle of wine for like.
Mariah: Mil quinientos, dos mil. Right? If I buy a bottle of wine for five luca, wow Mariah, you are really treating yourself tonight. So, tell me, are you a red wine drinker, white wine, rose? What's your go-to wine.
Paige: I would say my go-to is white.
Mariah: Interesting.
Paige: I think the biggest reason is I like my beverages cold. When I drink a red wine, I don't love that it's served warm. But since I arrived here, I drink a lot more red now. What about you?
Mariah: Oh, I'm a red wine drinker. I really love red wine. Yeah. I started my interest in wine in 2013 when I was studying in Italy for a semester, so I was totally spoiled by that experience as well. Great wine. Really good. Lots and lots of red wine. I also like white wine every once in a while. You know, if I'm having like seafood and pasta. Nothing beats seafood pasta with white wine. It's just more refreshing and light, but here, a lot of the food is heavier, right? When you're eating, you know, empanadas and pastel de choclo and cazuela, just these heartier foods or you're at an asado, I think red wine pairs really well with Chilean food.
Paige: Are you someone that when you go out, you order a bottle for the table, or do you usually order buy the glass?
Mariah: I definitely would be more of the order a bottle for the table type of person.
Paige: Or just yourself.
Mariah: Right, right. I'm more of the individual bottle type of gal. Noooo. Okay, but here's a question. So, I think that because in the US, it's more expensive to get a quality wine, beer is definitely the more common beverage in the United States. Wouldn't you agree?
Paige: I would completely agree. I mean, every city has probably at least a dozen craft breweries.
Mariah: Right, and that's a new... that's a relatively new trend, like over the last ten years, the craft beer revolution in the United States has really picked up, and it's something that seems to be starting here in Chile. I love going to breweries, I'm a huge craft beer fan. How about you?
Paige: I have an app on my phone, it's called Untapped.
Mariah: Untapped! Yeah!
Paige: Do you have it?
Mariah: Yeah.
Paige: And I really love it because me and my boyfriend, we travel a bunch, and whenever we travel, we love to try the beer of that city. And I love the app Untapped because I can rate the beer, and I can go back to it. So say, you know, we've been to California a few times. Oh, what beers have I had already? Did I like it? Because there's, like Mariah said, there's been such a boom in craft breweries that I probably tried dozens... hundreds of beers, and I can't remember if I liked it, if I did try it, if I didn't. So it's this, kind of, like your own personalized catalogue of "What beers do I like?" and "Have I tried that before?"
Mariah: That's so cool. So, if you wanna try it, the app is called Untapped. And it's really cool.
Paige: Highly recommend it.
Mariah: What type of beer do you usually drink? Do you have a preferred style?
Paige: I love IPAs.
Mariah: Me too. Which are EE-PAHs here.
Paige: IPAs are my favorite by far, but an IPA is heavy, so I can usually only have like one or two of them.
Mariah: Yeah... when it's so hoppy.
Paige: And then I love lagers. American Pale Ales as well. Those are probably my favorite. I'm not a stout person.
Mariah: A good IPA, a good APA.
Paige: I can't drink a stout, I do not like ambers.
Mariah: Really?
Paige: Yeah. What about you?
Mariah: Okay, we're not beer compatible then.
Paige: Besides the IPAs.
Mariah: I really like IPAs as well, but I love amber ales, I love stouts, a double IPA. I like strong beers. And I like beers with weird flavors, like where they're kind of experimenting and trying different things. For example, one of my favorite beers in the world is from a brewery in Minnesota. It's a chocolate milk stout. On a cold day in Minnesota, to drink a chocolate milk stout is the best. It's just this hearty, warm, good beer.
Paige: Yeah, that sounds terrible to me.
Mariah: I think it's so good.
Paige: What is your favorite beer since you've been in Santiago?
Mariah: Here in Chile? Okay... Kross Bar has a really good grapefruit IPA that I like for the summer season. And I like the Kuntsmann Torobayo. I think that's a good, kind of middle-range... it's not super heavy, but it's also not really light. It's just a really drinkable beer. If I'm going for lighter, I like the Austral Calafate as well.
Paige: I think my favorite I would have to say is also from Kross Bar. I love Lupulus.
Mariah: Ahh, Lupulus, yeah that's a good beer.
Paige: That's one of my favorites.
Mariah: Kross 5 is good. But you have to be careful with Kross 5. That'll knock you back. It's strong. I think that Kross 5 is like 9%.
Paige: I'm not a huge fan of beers that are very high in alcohol. Well, it depends. If it's made really well and I can't taste the high alcohol content, I'd be a fan. But when I drink a beer...
Mariah: You want it to be smooth?
Paige: Yeah, I want it to have that hoppy, beer taste... not like a mixed drink, hard alcohol taste.
Mariah: Okay, but speaking of, mixed drinks and hard alcohol...do you have a favorite liquor? A favorite hard liquor?
Paige: If we were talking cocktails in general, especially since I've been here, I love pisco.
Mariah: Yeah!
Paige: Piscolas are great. I love pisco sours.
Mariah: Pisco Sprite.
Paige: That's probably been my favorite drink here.
Mariah: Okay, okay.
Paige: What about you?
Mariah: I like pisco too. In general though, I'm a gin fan. I'm a whiskey fan. Those are my two favorite hard alcohols, so, I like whiskey neat and just straight. I also like a whiskey coke, something like that, but like a G&T... oh my gosh, you can't beat a good G&T on a really hot summer day.
Paige: A gin and tonic?
Mariah: Yeah. Yeah, I love G&Ts. There's a bar in Providencia called Ruca Bar, and they have great G&Ts.
Paige: Not a fan.
Mariah: Not a fan?!
Paige: No. My taste for alcohol is drinks that don't taste like alcohol.
Mariah: Things that taste like juice.
Paige: Yeah, like I love, like I said, pisco sours. I love margaritas. I love, like Sex on the Beach. A screwdriver. These are all cocktails that are very, like she said, juice based.
Mariah: Right, those really good mixed drinks that are a little bit sweeter.
Paige: Yeah, like a whiskey sour to me... an old-fashioned...
Mariah: I do love old-fashioneds.
Paige: I taste the alcohol in that.
Mariah: Oh so you don't like an old-fashioned?
Paige: I do not. No...
Mariah: Oh that's one of my favorite cocktails. I think that in general, Chile's alcohol scene is great. I think Chile's got it down when it comes to the alcohol choices.
Paige: I think the difference here just in general with alcohol culture is in the US, we tend to binge drink a lot more. And here, there's a big culture around drinking, but it's more of a social, dancing, barbecue, kind of less games and shots... that's the US drinking culture.
Mariah: I think that's a really good point, especially around shots. I have almost never taken a shot here, but in the US, it's really common that at some point in the night, somebody in your group is like, "Okay, tequila shots at the bar right now!" And all of a sudden, there are eight people doing tequila shots. It's just... there's this sort of culture around, "Okay! Let's get wasted tonight!" As if it's the goal. I don't know, I personally prefer a drinking culture that's more low-key, you know where the goal isn't to get hammered, the goal is to enjoy your time, savor your drinks, have a great time with the people around you. There's nothing wrong with getting a little silly, but at the same time, I think that in the US, it can be pretty toxic.
Paige: I think the difference is too, like here, you stay out a lot later, so you kind of are pacing yourself throughout the night. You're like having a drink maybe every hour... but in the US, I mean, most bars close like one or two AM, so you're really just trying to fit as many drinks as can to get drunk and then go home. Where here, I feel like, there's no rush. There's no rush, everyone kind of drinks and dances and has fun and catches up. Where in the US, it's very much like - let's rip three shots, go to the bar, and then at 1 AM, the bar is closed.
Mariah: And there's not an after party or an after, after. And I think, just to clarify, it's also possible that Paige and I are from, y'know, friend groups that are just not that wild here in Chile because if we were talking to a bunch of 20 year olds here in Chile, they might take more of the shots and hammer down the drinks approach. Maybe we're getting old, Paige.
Paige: I think in the US, we obviously are very notorious for our fraternity, sorority culture of binge drinking, partying, games, keg stands. Beer funnels...
Mariah: I was just thinking about that, and I kind of hate to say this, but it's accurate. Like when people ask me: "Are universities in the US like the movies with parties?" To a certain extent... yes! If you walk past fraternity and sorority houses at a big university, you might see somebody doing a keg stand, and you're going to see people playing beer pong, and in many ways, it is just as much of a spectacle and a disaster as advertised.
Paige: Yeah, no, it's sadly not a fictional culture from the movies.
Mariah: No. I mean, when you think about red solo cups and people chanting, "Drink, drink, drink, drink!" Yep! That sounds like college...
Paige: But me and Mariah did not participate in that culture. We are above it.
Mariah: Uh. Paige and I actually just started drinking in Chile with elegant glasses of wine with dinner, we never once pounded shots in college. Not once. So, next time you're at a bar in an English speaking country, we hope that this episode helps you to order exactly what you want. That being said, Paige and I do not encourage excessive drinking. Drink responsible. Thanks for listening, and we'll talk to you soon.
KEY VOCABULARY, PHRASES, AND SLANG
Beverage (noun) - drink
Example: Today’s episode is about alcoholic beverages!
Sober (adjective) - without alcohol
Example: We promise this is a sober podcast!
Cheap (adjective) - low cost, not expensive
Example: The wine in Chile is cheap and delicious.
Treat yourself (slang) - to spend money on something you’ll actually enjoy
Example: When I spend five luca on wine, I think, “Wow, you’re really treating yourself, Mariah!”
Go-to (slang) - your first choice
Example: What’s your go-to wine? My go-to wine is definitely red.
Nothing beats (slang) - there’s nothing better than…
Example: Nothing beats seafood pasta with white wine
Hearty (adjective) - substantial, large, solid
Example: Red wine pairs well with many hearty Chilean foods.
Gal (slang) - woman, informal
Example: I’m a red wine type of gal.
Red wine (noun) - in Spanish, vino tinto
Example: I love Merlot, Cabernet, and other types of red wine.
Brew (verb) - to make beer
Example: They brew great beer in the South of Chile.
Brewery (noun) - a place where they brew and frequently serve beer
Example: Valdivia has some of the most famous breweries in Chile.
Craft brewery (noun) - a brewery that brews artesanal beer
Example: Kunstmann is a craft brewery.
Rate (verb) - evaluate
Example: Paige uses the app “Untapped” to rate the beers she drinks.
Hops (noun) - the part of the plant used to add flavor to beer
Example: Hops are actually the flower of the plant used to add flower to beer.
Hoppy (adjective) - beer that has a very strong flavor of hops, often more bitter (amargo)
Example: I really like strong, hoppy beers like IPAs.
IPA (noun) - India Pale Ale, generally a strong and hoppy beer
Example: For some people, IPAs are too strong and bitter.
Weird (adjective) - strange or different
Example: I really like beers with weird flavors.
APA (noun) - American Pale Ale, a smooth, medium beer
Example: Paige likes smooth, refreshing APAs.
Amber ale (noun) - a medium, amber colored beer
Example: Amber ales are a great middle between light and dark beers.
Stout (noun) - a dark, heavy beer
Example: One of Mariah’s favorite beers is a Chocolate Milk Stout from Minnesota.
Drinkable (adjective) - easy to drink
Example: Kunstmann Torobayo is a nice, smooth, drinkable beer.
Drunk (adjective) - borracho
Example: In the US, a lot of people drink just to get drunk.
Knock you back (slang) - make you drunk quickly
Example: Beers with high alcohol content will knock you back.
Hard alcohol (noun) - strong liquor or spirits, like gin, whiskey, rum, etc.
Example: My favorite hard alcohols are whiskey and gin.
Mixed drinks (noun) - a drink with a mix of hard liquor and soda, juice, or another beverage
Example: Piscola is a mixed drink.
Cocktail (noun) - an alcoholic mixed drink
Example: Paige really likes cocktails that don’t have a strong taste of alcohol.
Neat (adjective) - a drink served neat is served without water, ice, or another mixer
Example: I prefer whiskey neat.
G&T (noun, type of drink) - gin mixed with tonic water
Sex on the Beach (noun, type of drink) - a cocktail with vodka, cranberry juice, peach schnapps, and orange juice
Screwdriver (noun, type of drink) - vodka and orange juice
Whiskey Sour (noun, type of drink) - whiskey, lemon juice, and sugar
Old Fashioned (noun, type of drink) - a popular whiskey cocktail with sugar, bitters, and sometimes other flavors
Got it down (slang) - to do something perfectly
Example: Chile's got it down when it comes to the alcohol scene.
Shot (noun) - a small drink of pure alcohol
Example: In US, taking shots is a very common part of the drinking culture.
Low-key (adjective) - relaxed, not intense
Example: I personally prefer a drinking culture that's more low-key.
Get wasted (slang) - to become very drunk
Example: Many people drink just to get wasted.
Hammered (adjective, slang) - extremely drunk
Example: I don’t like that the United States drinking culture is focused on getting hammered.
Savor (verb) - to fully enjoy the taste
Example: I like to savor my drinks.
Rip/pound shots (slang) - to drink small amounts of pure alcohol
Example: Where in the US, it's very much like - let's rip three shots and go to the bar.
Keg stand (noun) - a drinking game where a person stands on their hands on top of a keg of beer
Example: American university culture includes crazy drinking games like keg stands.
Excessive (adjective) - too much, beyond the limit
Example: Paige and Mariah do not encourage excessive drinking. Drink responsibly!
¿Alguna vez has sentido curiosidad por saber cómo es estudiar y vivir en Holanda? En este episodio 181 de tu podcast favorito, Coffee with gringos, seguimos a un Chileno que estudió música y vivió en Holanda, también compartirá sus pensamientos sobre las diferencias culturales entre Chile y Holanda. No te pierdas esta inspiradora historia de un Chileno que vivio y estudió en el extranjero! 😲
Read the full transcript here: https://www.dynamicenglish.cl/coffee-with-gringos-podcast-clases-particulares-de-ingles/episode-181-chileno-viviendo-y-estudiando-en-holanda-paises-bajos