I drank alot my senior year of high scool and freshman year of college, I lived in a big fram house in the middle of the nowhere so it was perfect for having parties but I havent had a drink in about 2 years now. Same goes for weed, used to be a huge stoner, now I never touch the stuff.

This was my favorite beer growing up in Germany its brewed just a couple of miles from the town I was born in and almost lived the first 16 years of my life Tauberbischofsheim which also had a local brewery but it went out of business in 1987.
http://www.distelhaeuser.com/Distelhaeuser-Pils.1061.0.html
Another brand I liked a lot was Würzburger Hofbräu. Of the two main varieties of beer in Germany I always liked Pilsen better then Märzen.

Alot of awards, must be a good beer!

I haven't had one in over 20 years but its very good.  I don't think its available outside Europe.  Würzburger Hofbräu I can get where I live in Fort Worth but the only German beer that is well known and almost available world wide is probably Beck's which is pretty good also I like the Dark variety of Beck's.

Eh, most liquor tastes bad or meh so....what ever doesn't taste so bad and has high alcohol percentage

The US banned Absinthe back in 1915 but in 2001, an alternative was legally allowed for sale.  It used southernwood instead of wormwood (the main ingrediant to abinsthe).  But in 2007, the US repealed the ban and now all absinthe sold here contains the same wormwood.

Most have an alcohol volume of 55% (110 proof) but I've heard of some crazy distilleries in France that bottle it up to 80% (160 proof).

I also do not go through the whole sugar and spoon preparation.  I prefer it neat.  Just give me a double shot and I'm good for a while.

Oh, there's a big difference in the taste between something like Smirnoff and Skyy.  I've heard of that regulation as well but it damn sure isn't enforced.

Also, try chilling alcohol in the freezer.  I've found it enhances the taste of many alcohols (or at least helps numb your tongue and throat).

I cut my teeth on Glenddfiddich 12 years ago and in general, my tastes were developed on various Speysides. And while Glennfiddich is no longer interesting enough for me to stock over a laundry list of more obscure distilleries, I do still enjoy a bottle of the 15 from time to time; more interesting than the 18. Solera vat maturation makes for a different product. A bit mild, like many Speysides, but still pleasant when I want something lighter. Also a great pour to introduce the uninitiated into single malt scotch along with Highland Park 12. 

Highlands have the most variety, not surprising given that it's the largest region which makes lumping them altogther for comparison a bit pointless. Aberlour bottles some interesting sherry cask influenced expressions that are a change from Macallan. I usually have a bottle of one of Glenmorangie's standard range bottlings in the cabinet.

But it was right around the time that I tried Laphroaig that I started warming up to peated whiskys and eventually I developed a preference for them with Ardbeg leading the way. Bruichladdich wins hands down for the most variety in Islay though thanks to Jim McEwan. 

It's the presentation mainly. When you order absinthe, it gives the bartender something to do. The first time I ordered absinthe, it was in the Czech Republic. I remember being disappointed when all the bartender did was pour it into a shot glass. 

Originally the sugar and cold water method was to reduce the inherent bitterness of wormwood and gives you a drink you can actually sip and enjoy. If you go to an absinthe bar, they'll have the ice water dispenser at the table that slowly drips cold water over the sugar cube which is fun. 

It's still a good way to tell whether it's "real" absinthe based on the louche action. No louche = probably no wormwood. No wormwood = no thujone. 

Oh, I'd be more than OK with the 'formal' method at an establishment as it would add to the experience but it's not something I would personally do in my own home.   Pour a double and start there.   

Now that I think about it, not sure I'd want absinthe in a restaurant.  I'd feel too limited in the amount I'd be willing to consume (not to mention the price) and the mental alterations provided might be best experienced in some place more inviting of the reactions or expressions of said experiences.