10 Jobs Where You Can (and Should) Drink Alcohol (10 Photos)

Drinking alcohol on the job usually sounds like a terrible idea. In fact, cracking open a bottle at your desk will likely be the last thing you do before updating your resume in search of a new job. After all, being a responsible adult means knowing how to tame the urges of a body driven slightly mad by office routine.





But what if there were jobs where drinking isn't just allowed, but actually required? How would you react if your boss explicitly told you to knock one back today? Believe it or not, these dream gigs actually exist. Here are a few professions that, let's be honest, almost any of us would jump at the chance to do.

1. Sommelier



Let's start with the most obvious choice. To describe wine with true expertise, a sommelier has to taste it. And not just on the job—with countless varieties out there, keeping your skills sharp is practically a daily commitment. Sure, seasoned sommeliers usually spit out their tastings, but who's to say you've reached that level of discipline yet?

Technically, getting started as a sommelier is pretty straightforward. All you need is an interest in wine (check), an ability to drink (double check), and at least a refined enough palate (we can work on that!). A specialized course won't hurt either. Once certified, you can finally bid farewell to your soul-crushing office job and step onto the delightfully wobbly path of a wine expert.

2. Writer





A debatable addition, perhaps, but one that undeniably deserves a spot on our list. Famous authors have long embraced their love for a good drink. Hemingway, Remarque, Márquez, Dovlatov, and Salinger—not to mention Bukowski’s alter ego, Henry Chinaski—were known to sip while they wrote. So, as soon as you discover a spark of literary talent within yourself, feel free to start nurturing it with the gifts of Dionysus.

3. Bartender



Perhaps the most obvious way to drink on the clock from dusk till dawn. For a bartender, the key is knowing how to mix great drinks and, of course, building rapport with patrons. A high alcohol tolerance definitely comes in handy—without it, you won't last a week.

4. Chef



Much like bartenders, chefs can easily sneak a splash of sherry or wine straight from the kitchen supply while on duty. Provided, of course, that a couple of glasses don't turn you into the Duchess from Wonderland, dumping pepper into every dish in sight.

5. Startup Employee



These folks drink a lot more than you'd think. The high-pressure environment of pushing a company to break even requires a real outlet. That's why even tech giants that grew out of startups, like Yelp, let employees grab a beer during breaks. Not a bad lunch hour: a game of ping-pong and a cold beer or two, right?

6. Liquor Store Specialist



High-end liquor stores regularly host staff tastings so employees can actually recommend what they sell. That guarantees you a taste of fine spirits at least a couple of times a week. To land a job like this, all it takes is keeping an eye on open listings—they'll teach you everything else on the spot.

7. Food Critic



Breaking into food criticism isn't easy—for starters, you need an audience that actually respects your opinion, along with a solid culinary background. Building both takes time, but the payoff is well worth it. Along with free meals at the city's finest establishments, you'll get drink pairings tailored to every course. Just make sure not to overindulge.

8. Professional Blogger



Being a professional blogger means curating interesting lifestyle content for your audience—where to spend vacation, which hot spots to visit, and, most importantly, where to find the best cocktails. To become a travel and lifestyle blogger, all you really need is drive and an eye for engaging topics. Clear that relatively low bar, and you can build a career with a Negroni in one hand and a tablet in the other.

9. Brewer



Brewing your own beer sounds fun, but even that can turn into routine pretty quickly—unless, of course, you taste your own product. Many breweries invite staff to sample new releases, making you that envied friend who tried the next big craft brew before it hit the market. Landing a job like this takes work, though: you need a genuine passion for beer and a solid grasp of brewing technology. Growing a beard couldn't hurt either—just to look the part.

10. Sales Executive



Not every salesperson gets to drink on the job. But top sales executives in high-stakes industries know that big deals are often closed at a bar, not at a desk. Inking a lucrative contract is much easier in a relaxed, friendly setting over drinks. Earning the kind of trust from management that gives you full freedom to wine and dine clients isn't easy, but the perks are definitely worth it.