Some people perception of a Home brewer or am I the only one?

I just started brewing around 2 months ago and I am curious if you guys have this problem to. I have a lot of family members and everyday people I meet who think I am an Alcoholic because I love beer. It really upsets me because I think there is a difference between appreciating beer and being an alcoholic. I drink about 2-3 beers a day and a day off a week. The weekends maybe 5 if I try. I can't remember the last time I was drunk I don't drink beers fast enough to get loaded. I think a lot of people out there are oblivious of just how good a quality beer is and to me its an act of art not just to get drunk off of. Anyways I guess I am a little pissed because I got in a really heated argument with Aunt because shes crazy and thinks if you drink a beer a day your an alcoholic and as you can imagine my other family members think I am hiding my issues. I love good beer and honestly I have been drinking beer for about 11 years and if anything I drink a lot less now then I used to. I remember being 22 and going through a case a weekend. Any how I get tired of peoples ignorance maybe from now on I will offer them a beer.

Ignore your Aunt. Don't drink beer to excess. Drink great beer in moderation.

Just to play devil's advocate, the National Institutes of Health says that more than 14 drinks a week puts you at risk of an alcohol use disorder. Your numbers put you between 20 and 25 a week. Does this automatically mean you will become an alcoholic or already are one? Of course not, but it's something to be careful about and if there is alcoholism in your family than that might just be why she's concerned. Nothing mean spirited. One side of my family has a lot of problems with alcohol so maybe I just keep a closer eye on it than others.

Ummm I have also had my doctor tell me 2-3 beers a day is ok for you just as long as you can control it.

carton132 said:

Just to play devil's advocate, the National Institutes of Health says that more than 14 drinks a week puts you at risk of an alcohol use disorder. Your numbers put you between 20 and 25 a week. Does this automatically mean you will become an alcoholic or already are one? Of course not, but it's something to be careful about and if there is alcoholism in your family than that might just be why she's concerned. Nothing mean spirited. One side of my family has a lot of problems with alcohol so maybe I just keep a closer eye on it than others.

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i was going to say something similar - ever been through the excercise at work where they get everybody to raise their hand, then go through a list;
1)do you drink alcohol,
2)do you drink more than 3 days per week,
etc.

And you get to the end and you only can put your hand down at the very last question... but it ends up at something crazy like haveing a pint a day + a few pints on weekend days. But getting sdmashed one night a week - thats ok!
I guess the big test is could you go cold turkey no beer for a month starting right now? If you feel like you need a beer then there is a problem

Matter of opinion. In my opinion alcohol consumption and alcoholism are subjective matters which will change from person to person.

I know people who are self professed alcoholics who wont take a sip of alcohol. I know those who are functioning abusers of alcohol. (once again my opinion)

I'm not going to quote anything, but in the medical world we receive new reports all the time. The funny thing about the reports is new reports may conflict with old reports. Take butter, and margarine for instance. Margarine use to be so much healthier for a person to consume. Look at how that has changed.

Ultimately it boils down to your subjective opinion. How do you feel about the effect of alcohol in your life? To hell with what others things or say, because ultimately it all boils down to you. I'm sorry your family has the opinion they do. Just please recognize it as an opinion, and develop your own on your own accord.

Could I go cold turkey on not drinking for a month? Absolutely, but I sure as **** can't go a month without brewing a batch.

I have some family that probably thinks I am a drug/booze addled roadie, simply because they don't understand what I do, and that was before I started home brewing.

Sometimes I don't have any desire to have a beer. I went 6 days just last month I woke up and felt like ummm no beer today and then if followed for the next few days then all the sudden I wanted a beer. I guess I haven't really ever thought about it. My wife thinks my drinking is fine. I mean I had a 1/2 pint of a belgian blonde from the keg tonight a Black rye IPA and I poured a glass of a dark chocolate stout I got a growler from the brewery over the weekend. I always want another beer but I know its time to stop because I think more then three beers a day is excessive for me. I don't need a beer everyday I must admit I do look forward to coming home from working all day and pouring a few good pints with dinner and one after then calling it quits. I guess everyone has different drinking habits. I know people who have had 4-6 beers a day for over 40 years and there actually very active and healthy people. Craft beer is just to damn good to me its like Ice cream. You like to enjoy something nasty for dessert.

There is alcoholism in my family. I love good beer. I know because I have an alcoholic parent, the odds are against me. One of my friends went through the hell of alcoholism. He told me everyone has a tipping point. It is an individual thing. I don't want to find mine. For me, drinking everyday could be a bad thing. The odds are against me. For someone else drinking every day could be no problem.

My point is that it's an individual thing. We are all grown ups and make our own choices. If you possess some risk factors for the disease, you have to be careful is all. It sneaks up on people. No child ever said "I want to be an alcoholic when I grow up."

TonyG said:

Could I go cold turkey on not drinking for a month? Absolutely, but I sure as **** can't go a month without brewing a batch.

I have some family that probably thinks I am a drug/booze addled roadie, simply because they don't understand what I do, and that was before I started home brewing.

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Time to get a new family then
And does anyone remember that thread with the guy that really liked to brew (I think it was something like 1 brew per week) but either hated beer or was an alcoholic

I rarely get drunk. But on the other hand I rarely go to bed without having a beer or three. Am I an alcoholic? Who knows? Maybe. You could be too. Time will tell. Either way it's not like we're gonna stop doing something we enjoy unless we have a good reason to. So unless it's causing problems in your life or with your health it's really just an argument about semantics.

mattd2 said:

Time to get a new family then

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Ehh, keeps things amusing...lol
My parents/siblings understand what I do, and my mom thinks it would be fun to have beer and wine on tap in their bar, she is not a big beer person .

Your spouse will know better than anybody, certainly more than an aunt but even more than yourself because we have built in defense mechanisms that we subconsciously protect ourselves with. If she doesn't see a problem, you are probably just fine and you have nothing to worry about. Respect her opinion above others and don't let others get to you. They are just looking out for you, but unwanted and unnecessary advice is annoying as hell, I know.

That being said, three pints with dinner and one more for dessert is 5+ bottles. Like everyone is saying, everyone is different. You might just not be programmed for addiction like some folks are, so you might never develop a real problem and you have nothing to worry about other than a gut. Maybe you have a good metabolism and don't need to worry about that either! But hell, I can't even quit drinking too much pop every day so I just keep this kinda stuff in the back of my mind is all.

I agree Pre66. I know I am not an alcoholic and I don't feel like I am in danger of becoming one. Do I like good beer yes can I stop when I want yes. I think a lot people over react to alcohol. Do think everyone has there own limits and you do need to respect beer or any other type of alcoholic beverage

ignore em .. i am in the same boat as you. i drink 2-3 a day and on a weekend (saturday) i may have 5-6.

I have an internal clock that after about 5 beers I hit a wall. I honestly get sick of beer at that point. I haven't been drunk in a long time. Sorry to bring up such a touchy subject guys. I respect everyone's views and if you don't drink a beer everyday or you have more then I do I honestly don't care. I just hope everyone is safe and remembers beer is to be respected and not abused.

You know, I have the same type of family most of you have. Some of the members are Teetotalers, and some are alcoholics, but in my immediate family I haven't got either. The words of warning I get are usually, make sure you don't go blind, an obvious misunderstanding of the process, and don't get a beer gut. I see it this way, if i go out and spend the same amount of money either way, I should just enjoy the process of making beer and focus on that, to me it's more fun anyway. I also don't go through the beer as fast, I feel I appreciate it more after making it myself.

I think alcoholics usually switch to the hard stuff, I don't know if this is true or not but I figure if alcohol is what you need, why bother with beer? Go straight for the vodka or whatever Lysol, aftershave

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Addiction is defined by its consequences. If alcohol interferes with your work, relationships, finances, health or legal standing etc. then you would be an alcoholic. Regardless of how much you drink, if it doesn't affect your health, your wife doesn't divorce you, you don't get a DUI, and you still get to work on time and pay your bills, then you wouldn't be an alcoholic.


Edit to add: ...not that it's up to me to make the rules of alcoholism...

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I thought it was a physical dependence to alcohol

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One thing I find funny is when someone makes wine....they are viewed as sharing and learning about culture. But if you brew a homebrew...you can be considered an alcoholic? LOL

Many alcoholics can lead seemingly healthy lifestyles, have no job problems, and no family problems. Does this mean that they are not damaging their bodies? Absolutely not. The damage alcohol can do to your body is not measured by the lifestyle you lead (though, of course, your lifestyle can be either a detriment or a boon to your health). Don't fool yourself into thinking that just because you can stop when you want (Can you? Have you tried? Recently?) or that it doesn't interfer with your life, that it isn't harming your body.

I'm in the medical field (a lowly medical student), so I often see the dark side of alcoholism. I've seen several guys as patients who hold down good jobs, but drink about a twelver of beer a night. Not one of them thought they were alcoholics, because every one of them knew they could quit if they wanted to (they just didn't want to). One said he wasn't an alcoholic because he didn't drink in the morning. One in particular had had pretty significant hand tremors during the day until he had his first drink. He "didn't have a problem" because he had a job and a good marriage.

I'm giving some fairly drastic examples because I think a lot of people have the misconception that they don't have a problem because they don't drink X beers a day, or they take X days off per week, etc. Honestly, a fairly high percentage of people on this very site drink too much, myself included.

If your family is telling you that you drink too much, you honestly may be... However, you may also just have a nagging family. Google the average amount that people drink and how much can cause deleterious health effects, and I think you'll see the average amount on this site is quite skewed.

Sorry to be a Debbie downer; I'm just trying to balance this conversation.

You regularly drink 5 beers a night and never feel drunk? That may be a sign...

You wouldn't be an alcoholic if you drink a few here and there. You'd be one if you didn't give a crap about carbonation and drank your green beer as soon as it boozed up.

I drink more than I should, but I often take a few days off.

"More than I should" averages out in a week to 2 beers per day. I keep my home brew bottles in six pack holders so I can keep up with how many I've had in a week.


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This is an interesting conversation. I'll chime in with an "all about me" without pulling any punches. Maybe it'll be inspiring, maybe someone will think I suck. I don't know, but here goes.

There was a time that I use to drink a lot. But I never drank beer. I drank the hard stuff. And I did it in amounts that would kill the average human very quickly. I drank 4 gallons of whiskey a month, every month for 15 years. I never lost a job, I never beat my girlfriends or dogs, I never would get nasty and mean, I just got real drunk and slept like a dead man.

Soon after becoming a father and realizing that I have the best SWMBO in the world, I decided that regardless of my seemingly immortal tolerance to alcohol, it was time to calm down. I decided to turn my disease into art. I put down hard spirits forever and picked up a beer bottle. I soon realized why I didn't drink beer. It was because I hate crappy beer. I do, however, like good beer. So it wasn't long before I took up my fathers torch and began home brewing.

Today I don't usually ever drink more than 2 beers in an evening. I don't even drink every evening. Occasionally I'll get in the mood to down a bunch and even plan to drink 5 beers. I can't remember the last time I drank all 5 beers I had chilling in the refrigerator. After the 3rd one I'm just done drinking. I haven't been drunk for years.

I might be an alcoholic, in that I do not know how my body would react if I suddenly cut out all alcohol. Regardless, home brewing has helped me to stop being a drunk. Yes, I said that. Because it is true for me. I'm not about to say that my experience would translate to anyone else. Some people should not drink, ever. Some people do not have any control over their behavior when they consume alcohol. Other people do maintain control. What is important is that you are not trying to fool yourself about where you stand.

Today I am an advocate for all things in moderation. Yeah, I still drink. But I don't drink anymore than my school teacher neighbors who are pillars of the community. I drink little enough now that it would be very debatable what my status is as far as an alcohol consumer. I don't miss heavy drinking or my whiskey in the least. I never think about it. In fact, last time a friend offered me a whisk of whiskey, I thought the smell would make me sick. I didn't drink it.

Tagz you obviously didn't read my post very well.

Chadwick good post. I agree with you beer is art. At least good beer. I do drink 5 sometimes on a weekend but it's usually over a 6 hour period. I really love drinking a few good ones while I'm bottling or brewing. Playing vinyl records and chilling with the wife.

I'm not going to draw any conclusions about the alcohol use of people I've never met but since I'm sitting across the room from an physician who specializes in Addiction Medicine (who prefers Belgians herself) I'll post information that people can use to draw their own conclusions.

• You can always visit the National Institue of Health's Rethinking Drinking or the American Society of Addiction Medicine websites if you want access to reliable information.
• The guidelines that discuss a number of drinks per day/week are for "standard drink" (12oz 5% ABV beer) servings. Adjust for your 16oz-20oz pints of higher gravity beer.
• If anyone experiences shakes/seizures/DT's when they don't drink they probably have alcohol dependence, it isn't safe to just stop drinking, and they should keep drinking moderately until they can discuss their situation with a professional.
• There's a lot of empty calories in beer. If you aren't at a weight that is healthy for you it may be simpler to drink less rather than exercise more.

Patch62383 said:

Chadwick good post. I agree with you beer is art. At least good beer. I do drink 5 sometimes on a weekend but it's usually over a 6 hour period. I really love drinking a few good ones while I'm bottling or brewing. Playing vinyl records and chilling with the wife.

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It used to be all about guns, booze, rock-n-roll, women, and....other stuff.

Now my life is all about hanging out with my kids and SWMBO, math and science education, and I still like to go out to the range with the guns. Now I take the family with me. A family that shoots together has a hoot together. I still pick up my guitars on occasion too. But I can't remember the last time I fired up the cathode ray tubes and plugged life into one of them.

Never had the shakes. Never hungover. **** I get up at 5:30 during the spring/summer to go fishing. I think people take this subject to far. I appreciate your feedback but 2-3 beers a few times a geeek isn't going to kill you. If you're an alcoholic you're probably not brewing your own beer. You're more then likely getting cheap harf stuff and cheap beer. Just because you enjoy beer doesn't mean that your alcoholic

I grew up in a family that never drank anything...not even wine at dinner on holidays or weddings. It took them a very long time to understand why I make beer, but I was never overly concerned with it. When I talked to them I would sometimes casually mention some bits about beer history, and I think they just started to understand that I was a beer nerd instead of an alcoholic. Eventually they even ended up buying me a gift card for homebrewing supplies and I was able to share some of my homebrew. That took about five years to happen. It takes time, and it might never come. The important thing is to remember that they are your family and that homebrewing is a hobby.

Patch62383 said:

Never had the shakes. Never hungover. **** I get up at 5:30 during the spring/summer to go fishing. I think people take this subject to far. I appreciate your feedback but 2-3 beers a few times a geeek isn't going to kill you. If you're an alcoholic you're probably not brewing your own beer. You're more then likely getting cheap harf stuff and cheap beer. Just because you enjoy beer doesn't mean that your alcoholic

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You're making a lot of assumptions about alcoholism that aren't necessarily true. I'm not making a judgement about your particular situation, but do a quick Google of "alcohol, risk factors." Two to three beers a night might not indicate alcoholism, but it's definitely a risk factor that can contribute to other health conditions. Your family may be nagging, or they may be concerned for you. We're just a bunch of strangers with a common hobby and a lot of opinions.

Moderation in all things is the key.

I have alcoholism on both sides of my family, but I am far from an alcoholic. I do typically have 2 or 3 a day most days, I've been drunk twice in my life and have no intentions on repeating it. I personally don't buy into being an alcoholic because it's in your family, I believe it's a choice. That said, my family doesn't give me call about brewing, my mother isn't particularly fond of it, but it's one that doesn't understand the draw of beer, too. Drink what you want, keep brewing, and don't worry about it.

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Alcoholism is not a choice, it is a disease. "Problem drinking" is a choice. We should not confuse these two situations.

After reading this thread, and checking out the links I have decided to cut down my own drinking to low risk levels. I had no idea high risk was 50% chance of becoming an alcoholic. Can't argue with statistics! Thanks guys

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I think statistics are just that. No one can tell you if you drink 2 beers a day your going to become an alcoholic and if someone told me that. I probably think there wasting time making up this statistic. My neighbor drinking 4 beers a day and has for 45 years and hes is healthy as a horse and is in great health. There is a difference between drinking to get drunk and drinking to enjoy a beer. There is nothing wrong with drinking a good beer and relaxing. If you are down right drinking like a fish and burning through a case a day you probably have an issue. I think your better off drinking 2-3 beers a day then a lot of what we as a society do in America. I find it interesting we if you look up average life span and alcohol consumption in different countries you'd be surprised. If someone doesn't like drinking good for them. If someone drinks responsibly and enjoys themselves good for you. We are all different and I look at it this way if I drink 2 beers a night that's my choice and I know a lot of people who drink more then I do and there not alcoholics. Any ways I think after working my ass off all day its time to pour a cold Belgian blonde from the kegger thanks everyone

^alcoholic

COMPLETELY JOKING! Couldn't resist.


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I'm in the two to three per day range as well and my Dr's are cool with it so I am too.


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I drink almost everday, 1-3 drinks of either whisky, beer, cider or wine. My family being italian/irish also drinks every day along with all my roommates who are german.

I have had a lot of people in my life say im an alcohalic, Maybe i am? Who knows. But what I DO know is, I would be a hell less happy if I was worried about drinking afew because of what others think.

I get allot of comments to when im at wallmart with a cart full of juice and sugar, But who gives a $%*#!

Do as you please my friend, You only have one life.