SIR Signs of Intoxication 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'stacking' in the context of alcohol service?
- Piling glasses on top of each other
- When a patron orders a new drink before finishing their current one, accumulating multiple drinks (Correct answer)
- Arranging bottles on shelves
- A bartending technique for layered drinks
Correct answer: When a patron orders a new drink before finishing their current one, accumulating multiple drinks
Stacking occurs when a patron orders new drinks before finishing current ones, accumulating multiple drinks at their table. This is a warning sign as it can lead to rapid consumption and intoxication.
Question 2: How does carbonation in drinks affect alcohol absorption?
- It has no effect
- Carbonation slows alcohol absorption
- Carbonation speeds up alcohol absorption (Correct answer)
- Carbonation neutralizes alcohol
Correct answer: Carbonation speeds up alcohol absorption
Carbonation increases the rate of alcohol absorption because the carbon dioxide helps push alcohol through the stomach lining and into the bloodstream more quickly.
Question 3: Which of the following changes in behaviour might signal that a patron is becoming intoxicated?
- Switching from beer to water
- Becoming unusually generous with tips or buying rounds for strangers (Correct answer)
- Eating appetizers
- Checking their watch frequently
Correct answer: Becoming unusually generous with tips or buying rounds for strangers
Becoming unusually generous, such as buying rounds for strangers or over-tipping, can indicate reduced inhibition and impaired judgment caused by alcohol intoxication.
Question 4: What is the 'biphasic response' to alcohol?
- Vomiting after drinking
- The experience of stimulation at low BAC followed by sedation at higher BAC (Correct answer)
- Switching between different types of drinks
- Drinking in two separate sessions
Correct answer: The experience of stimulation at low BAC followed by sedation at higher BAC
The biphasic response describes how alcohol initially acts as a stimulant at lower BAC levels (causing euphoria and sociability) but becomes a depressant at higher levels (causing drowsiness and impaired function).
Question 5: Why is it important to observe patrons from the moment they enter the establishment?
- To greet them promptly for better customer service
- To establish a baseline of their behaviour and detect signs of pre-existing intoxication (Correct answer)
- To assign them the best table
- To check if they are regular customers
Correct answer: To establish a baseline of their behaviour and detect signs of pre-existing intoxication
Observing patrons from entry helps establish a baseline of their normal behaviour, making it easier to detect changes that indicate intoxication. It also helps identify patrons who may already be intoxicated when they arrive.
Question 6: What effect does mixing different types of alcohol have on intoxication?
- Mixing types of alcohol makes a person more intoxicated than the same amount of one type
- Mixing types of alcohol has no different effect; total alcohol consumed determines intoxication (Correct answer)
- Mixing types of alcohol reduces intoxication
- Only mixing spirits with beer causes intoxication
Correct answer: Mixing types of alcohol has no different effect; total alcohol consumed determines intoxication
Despite the common myth, mixing different types of alcohol does not make a person more intoxicated. It is the total amount of alcohol consumed that determines BAC and intoxication level.
SIR Signs of Intoxication 3
What is 'stacking' in the context of alcohol service?