Was "Sonny" Clemonds martini synthehol or not?

[Xerxes1979]

It is made plainly clear that Mr. Clemonds(TNG The Neutral Zone) was an alcoholic who abused his liver.

However if he was the stereotypical hick of the late 20th century would he not more likely order a wild turkey, straight Jack Daniels or some other powerful hard liquor?

I speculate because of this he had a taste for drinks rather than going for the quick intoxication.

People who order martinis are generally not ignorant to the quality of gin. Mr. Scott was conigsour of a scotch that is to be sure so he certainly would be capable of discriminating real from fake.

Do replicators by default operate in alcohol or synthehol mode? Scott ordered from the ten forward bar so that is one possible explaination.


What say you?

 

[Trekker4747]

It's reasonable to assume that the ship's replicators would only produce "synthaholic" beverages for the good of the crew. Thought it's possible it "knew" Sonny wasn't crew and thus gave him a genuine alcoholic beverage.

It's also possible Sonny was a lush he was just a pretentious lush with taste.

As for why/if Sonny didn't taste the "synthahol" in the martini he ordered (as opposed to Scotty's scotch) maybe Scotty's tastes were just more discriminating and Sonny's were deadened from so much alcohol abuse. Or scotch is just one of those things you cannot simulate.

 

[Xerxes1979]

It's reasonable to assume that the ship's replicators would only produce "synthaholic" beverages for the good of the crew. Thought it's possible it "knew" Sonny wasn't crew and thus gave him a genuine alcoholic beverage.

I find the idea strange since Picard went on and on about how humans had learned to control themselves. Would they really have prohibition on the Enterprise when the Captain had to beg Offenhouse to stay off the comm system?

 

[Trekker4747]

It's reasonable to assume that the ship's replicators would only produce "synthaholic" beverages for the good of the crew. Thought it's possible it "knew" Sonny wasn't crew and thus gave him a genuine alcoholic beverage.

I find the idea strange since Picard went on and on about how humans had learned to control themselves. Would they really have prohibition on the Enterprise when the Captain had to beg Offenhouse to stay off the comm system?

Data says in "Relics", "synthahol simulates the apperance, smell and taste of real alcohol but the toxic side-effects can be easily dismissed."

This suggests it's not used because they don't trust Starfleet Officers to drink responsibly but because they want the officers to easily get to work if an emergency should arise.

You get drunk on sytnthahol, Red Alert Klaxon goes off and you can easily "shake off" your buzz and snap into action.

 

[CaptainStoner]

Maybe Mr. Clemons was not a "stereotypical hick". I seem to remember him as more the southern gentleman type. And since Scotty was around when synthahol was being developed, he'd be much more sensitive and aware of it. I imagine he lobbied against it rather vigorously.

 

[The Grim Ghost]

Isn't it stated or implied that he was an entertainer? Perhaps that explains his choice of drink. He had "gone hollywood"

 

[Alrik]

Okay. Here are a few thoughts.

Sonny was portrayed as if he had been some what 'big time'. "Hell, I'll be bigger than I ever was." So it stands to reason, the guy very well could have developed a taste for the 'good stuff'. "Wrong? Only that your computer here fixed just about the best martini I have ever had." I'm guessing that Sonny could have tasted a diffence.

Just because synthahol was the preferred beverage of the time, it does not mean that it was all that was available. 'Up The Long Ladder' is a good case. The replicator was able to provide Danilo and the boys something real with a kick to hit the spot.

Another case is 'Family'. Robert teases JLP about the wine being the real thing at dinner, not the synthehol that he is use to. Later they get smashed drinking real wine. And finally, Robert gives JLP "A little of the fifty-one. (beat) Do not drink it all at once. And try not to drink it alone."

 

[Timo]

Indeed, nowhere is it stated or suggested that all Starfleet alcohol is of the synthehol type - but in many places it is suggested that there are people who dislike "unnatural" alcohol, be it synthehol or replicated ethanol or whatnot. They might dislike it in principle yet be unable to tell the difference in a blind test. Or then there indeed is some sort of a difference in taste, too.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Vic Sixx]

Worf explained in Up the Long Ladder, if you ask the replicator to give real booze it will.
I think Roddenberry thought by then Humans would have a lot more self control, and discipline.

But I think I prefer Leon Rippy as Earl in Saving Grace than Sonny Clements.