That's the effect on brain chemistry I referred to.
Do you actually enjoy the smoke in your mouth, burning your eyes and lungs?
A cold beer on a hot day is refreshing just for its temperature alone. A fruity cocktail tastes good because sugar tastes good. What's enjoyable about the physical sensations produced by smoke?
I mean maybe we're arguing semantics, because the pleasure of eating sugar is possibly also an alteration of brain chemistry. But there is a difference.
Anyone who has quit smoking will tell you that the habit is the hardest part about quitting, not the physical addiction.
The reason you like the taste of beer is in large part because your brain has learned to associate that taste with good things happening (the alcohol feeling).
Same with coffee, it's bitter, objectively should taste bad, but you learn to like it.
It's the same process
Explain the popularity of non-alcoholic beer.
> Same with coffee, it's bitter, objectively should taste bad
Many fruits, vegetables, and foods (cheeses, unsweetened chocolate) are naturally bitter and widely enjoyed, even though they don't give you a high.
People also enjoy bitter caffeine-free herbal teas.
> Most people don't actually like the taste of alcoholic drinks when they first try them as a teenager.
Many children don't like vegetables either. Adults more often do. Our tastes change as we grow older.
Many years ago when I smoked - yup, sure did. I loved the entire experience, except maybe going outside in the middle of winter.