What do you drink when you're not drinking wine?

Even as late as the eighteenth century in England, safe (i.e. non-contaminated) drinking water was very difficult to find; most people consumed (weak) alcoholic drinks as a substitute (hence the phrase 'small beer'). The result was that a large part of the population were constantly slightly pissed and liver disease was widespread.

With most of metropolitan Australia (except Adelaide) having a reliable source of drinking water, there's no need to get stuck into the turps at every opportunity for refreshment. In these modern, enlightened times, we also know that it isn't particularly good for you to do so, either.

Now that summer is here, I have to confess that I find it hard to drink much wine on hot days  (red wine especially) and that even white wine goes to my head quite quickly. The one kind of wine I do really enjoy as a summer drink, is Moscato d'Asti - it's light, fun and low in alcohol (usually around 5-5%). You can knock back a few glasses in the sun without feeling like someone has cut open your head and swapped your brain for a large bundle of cotton wool.

But a man cannot live on wine alone. So, what do you drink if you're not drinking wine?

For me, I tend to drink tap water or soda water, coffee or green tea and beer.....