For adult dinner gatherings, I have water, iced tea, soft drinks, a couple of different wines, beer. I always have a cocktail hour before dinner, with a reasonably well-appointed bar. Never punch of any kind. Coffee is available to anyone who wants it.

During the Thanksgiving break, we're having a bunch over for different kinds of chili and a sampling of beers from the several micro and nano breweries in town.

Just for the two of us, water and iced tea at any meal. Robert sometimes has a beer or two in the evening, and we occasionally enjoy a cocktail of some kind before supper. I make limoncello, a special treat. We don't drink soft drinks, either....maybe once in a blue moon a sugar free cola sounds good.

Water! And for toasting I serve sparkling cider.

Water, iced tea, lemonade, sodas and after dinner we serve coffee and apple cider with dessert.

Never alcohol as my extended family doesn't drink.

We follow the same drill for meal guests whether at a holiday or not. Before the meal we'll have choices of beer and wine and a limited choice of cocktails (which seem to be less popular these days). With the meal the same wine and beer choices. Spring water and bubbly mineral water available before, during and after. Coffee, tea, after dinner drinks are available after dessert. We don't like soda or other sweet beverages and rarely have any in the house.

With various family branches having dinner here, someone always brings wine. They have their tastes and I don't know what to buy. At dessert, I will offer decaf. For just the two of us at a meal, water. For breakfast or before breakfast, I like tea and DH likes coffee. If I have a fast food taco or burger for lunch, I like a Dr. Pepper. And DH likes a glass of rose' before dinner.

I always serve spring water. Recently, we've been making infused waters in a big water jar. They're very popular. I also have plain water available. A lot of the family like sodas, so we put out a variety with an ice bucket, self serve. Plus, I can always scrounge up some juice for the kids if they want, and their parents agree. If the gathering isn't so big that stuff gets knocked over easily, I use glass tumblers for both. There's always a variety of ales in the fridge, for those who want them, and there's a bottle of whiskey for the few who want that. Generally, however, I serve pretty decent wine. Not great wine because in a crowd with all kinds of odors in the air (food, perfume, babies, etc.), and with most of the people who attend, there's no point in serving great wine. Decent wine suits them just fine. I've learned not to put out the wine that's brought, however, unless I really trust the palate of the one who brought it. No one will say anything if it's just bad. After dinner, I serve coffee and tea to those who want it, and for a big crowd, I'll make both regular and decaf coffee.

Lots of variety there, but mostly it's water and/or infused water.

Mostly water, pure delicious Oregon water, and rarely bottled sparkling water. DH likes his glass of wine with dinner (I sometimes have a sip) or a beer depending on what the meal calls for. We are definitely Californians, having grown up with wine palates in tune with what were cheap California wines. Can't think I have ever tasted a bad California wine. (I'm diabetic, and only sip and enjoy that sip) DH also drinks tea all day!

Need to add, we haven't done company for a long time now, but if we do/did our beverage service would include coffee and sparkling cider or juice for kids. We have a "liquor" cabinet stocked with many years old alcholic beverages but no one in our circles drinks mixed alcohol any more. I still use it for cooking or curing a cold. And, once in a great special occasion a wee dram of scotch.

We drink water with our daily meals. For dinner parties, the beverages vary, but usually include pre-dinner cocktails, wine and water with the meal, and coffee and/or champagne with dessert.

"Can't think I have ever tasted a bad California wine."

There are plenty that fit that description, and they can't be avoided simply by avoiding bottles at the low end of the price range. Some of those can actually be okay, though with most of the low priced products, you don't get what you haven't paid for.

You've been lucky.

Water (distilled at home) is our main beverage, occasionally iced tea (no sugar). Hot tea and cocoa. No alcoholic beverages - mostly because we're cheap, but never were into alcohol - never saw the up-side or benefit. Hubby has a chocolate milk "nightcap" each evening. I use homemade milk kefir as the base for our breakfast smoothie - which is essentially a delivery system for supplements we take.

I started making water kefir this past summer and we've had fun making this fermented beverage into all kinds of flavors. It's a healthier substitute for pop/soda, for anyone trying to reduce/eliminate pop/soda. You add 1/4 c. of fruit or fruit juice to flavor it when you do the second fermentation. Pineapple is a favorite, as is blueberry or blueberry with lavender, lemon or lime work great as well. I even make a root beer version that is pretty tasty.

We also have a Purefizz Soda Maker and can make all kinds of carbonated beverages. We use it when we have guests.

For myself -- I live alone: Coffee or tea for breakfast, water or soda-stream seltzer with or without slices of lemon, lime or a splash of pomegranete juice for lunch or dinner. No sugary or fake-sugary carbonated beverages. An occasional glass of wine.

For company -- I offer coffee if they want it -- especially if they'll be driving late. Water, wine, tea.

Mostly water or iced tea, coffee is available and of course Milk for the kids.

"No alcoholic beverages - mostly because we're cheap, but never were into alcohol - never saw the up-side or benefit."

Wine, beer, and spirits are food choices like any other. I enjoy them, I think they're delicious and in particular wine and beer can enhance flavors when consumed with food. That's the attraction to me. It's not an issue of upside or benefit, it's an issue of enjoying the tastes that they have. Some like them, some don't, like anything else.

I've never understood why some look at alcoholic beverages as a class of food to either take or leave en masse.

I serve water, wine, cocktails before meals if I'm entertaining. I usually have juice available but never punch or soda or iced tea. Coffee and hot tea are easily made for those who want it.