Steve Anderson's Guide to Books & Booze

Time to grab a book and get tipsy!

Back by popular demand, Books & Booze, originally a mini-series of sorts here on TNBBC challenges participating authors to make up their own drinks, name and all, or create a drink list for their characters and/or readers using drinks that already exist. 

Today, Steve Anderson pairs the stories from his collection 1979 with the perfect drinks:

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Okay, this is perfect! 1979 is a collection of 13 coming-of-age stories and as I remember it at that age, and most of you may agree, attaining booze was at the top of the list. Now, I say this not to be meant as my dream was to be an alcoholic, but that all the fun stuff we saw are peers engaging in, booze seemed to be somewhere nearby. The overall drink of this collection I would hands down have to say is “Schlitz beer.” Served from its hiding place in some nearby weeds. Let’s get started.

GARAGE WINE: 

Well, the name says it all and you’re going to need some prep time. Or, if you’re like me and now a grown-up adult, you can skip down to your local ‘seedy’ carry-out and pick up a bottle of Boones Farm wine. Preferably strawberry.

MOTEL POOL:  

hmmmm, the character in this story is an 11 year old girl, but hey, you’re the adult chaperone here on this one so let’s go for a Kahlua and cream. You’ve got that coffee liqueur mixed with an innocent dairy product.

BOTTLE TAG: 

These boys got grit and you’re going to need it to drink with them. First, head on down to your local carry-out(you may want to pick a different one than from where you get your wine). It’s a two-person operation, one to distract while the other snatches a vial of Mad Dog 20/20. Enjoy it you “Punk!”

OIL WELLS: 

You need a hot muggy day for this drink. It’s got no label on it and it’s drank from a fruit jar with a back taste of creek water mixed in.

MELVIN: 

The character old enough to drink in this story liked fried banana sam-itches, so whatever goes with that. I’m guessing a nice glass of bourbon, neat.

DOWNTOWN: 

This story definitely needs a drink that can calm your nerves. And, whether it’s a 3 day bender hangover or a bunch of hillbilly dirtbags threatening to re-arrange your gender, the shakes are the shakes and a Bloody Mary would do nicely.      

FIRST GREAT WAR: 

I would say anything French, like a nice Chianti. Wait, is that Italian? Oh well, its whatever wine was available to get that Parisian girl in the mode. Unfortunately, it got weird.

KOA: 

Ahhhhh, now this one we will deviate slightly from the prescribed drink menu and twist one up. Hey, it’s the 1970’s for crying out loud.

DIRT ROAD: 

I keep going back to beer with this story, but it’s a cold beer cuz it’s a hot lazy day and you need to wash the dirt out of your mouth.  

WEIRDO: 

I’m afraid of this drink and the spectator boys in this story are too. It’s probably something dark in a glass, almost syrupy with a kick, but it ain’t no pussy liqueur either. I don’t know what the hell it is!

72’ DODGE DART: 

Okay this one is called “Bubby Drink” and you got to read the story to find out what’s in it. Although, I would add a splash of rum to it. What the hell, make it top-shelf.

STONE QUARRY: 

This drink requires special scientific consideration. It needs to be strong enough to make one brave, but not too strong to make you stupid…or vice versa.  Jack Daniels on ice with a lemon twist.

JOYRIDE: 
This drink requires a popping of a cork. Because the boys in this story desperately want to pop something. I would say a bottle of your finest Andre Sparkling wine pulled from the makeshift wine cellar located beneath the spare tire in the trunk of your car and served at room temperature. 

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Steve Anderson was raised in the Appalachian foothills of southern Ohio. After earning his degree in Computer Science from the Ohio State University, he later moved to Columbus, Ohio where he now resides. A musician and indie film maker in his part time, he has written, directed and produced several short feature films that have shown in Columbus movie theaters. He returns frequently to the hills and valleys surrounding his hometown in southern Ohio where he spends hours biking or sitting and listening to old man gossip in his father’s barber shop.