"Not you, specifically! Mostly just... everyone else in this place..."

He's not sure he really needs to defend himself, but it seems like the chivalrous thing to do. He didn't really want to imply poorly of her, when she was being nice and friendly with him. He studies the mug for a moment before he decides that it's worth his while to be polite about this one, and knocks it back, chugging as much as he can in one go.

This is decidedly a bad idea. He doesn't learn his lesson. In another time, in another place, this exact same thing happened. The results were predictable.

He makes a face, grimacing as he at least manages to get it all down, pressing his lips tight together as the bitterness slides down his throat and settles into his stomach and he starts to wonder how anyone could ever become an alcoholic. But when he gets his wits together, he gives her a weird smirk, partly apologetic, partly sheepish.

"Uh. It was... actually it was pretty gross, but to be fair I wouldn't know good from bad anyway."