Initial self-administration of high doses of EtOH is shown to be associated in some inbred rat strains with the eventual development of a low preference for EtOH, presumably as a consequence of taste aversion learning occurring during initial intake. Only modest support was obtained for the hypothesis that strain differences in the aversiveness of EtOH affects taste aversion learning. The instrinsic palatability of EtOH and the salience of EtOH as a conditioned stimulus may also affect EtOH preference, but there do not appear to be differences among strains in their general ability to form taste-toxicosis associations.