are you an alcoholic?

[ohiobrewtus]

I agree for the most part and its sad. I personally am doing my best to change that problem...

As am I. I try to let BMC drinkers know what they are missing as often as I possibly can.

 

[Soulive]

As am I. I try to let BMC drinkers know what they are missing as often as I possibly can.

That's automatic for me. I'm at the point now where I always try to talk to store owners / restaurant managers if I feel the selection's not good. About 3 months ago I got one of the local shops to start carrying craft. He added 2 fridges and filled them with some great stuff that I suggested!

 

[ohiobrewtus]

That's automatic for me. I'm at the point now where I always try to talk to store owners / restaurant managers if I feel the selection's not good. About 3 months ago I got one of the local shops to start carrying craft. He added 2 fridges and filled them with some great stuff that I suggested!

Impressive! I may have to start doing the same.

 

[Soulive]

Impressive! I may have to start doing the same.

Yeah man, that guy in particular gives me free stuff now. I'm working on a local restaurant to devote one of their taps to rotating craft. Its gonna have to be something that BMC distributes though. Shouldn't be too difficult...

 

[DeathBrewer]

i'm a functioning alcoholic...sometimes. basically i drink to my hearts content and make it to work each day. once in a while, i'll go overboard and be late for work or wind up with a massive hangover, then i usually take a little time off and settle things down a bit. it's a vicious, yet entertaining cycle.

i'm half-joking. i like the drinking more than i like getting drunk. i like to try new beers and enjoy my homebrew. but one of my problems is that i like a lot of heavy beers.

my recent solution: make flavorful small beers to have in the keg at home. then i can drink all i want without getting hammered...enjoy the big beers on the weekend.

 

[BierMuncher]

Functional Alcoholic.

Yes I must drink (beer only).

But...

If beer tasted as good without alcohol, I'd drink it.
I don't drink if we're out driving.
I put in 60-65 hours a week at work...in a highly cerebral position.
I'm putting three kids through college right now.
I'd never think of drinking during work hours.
No drinking till my chores or other tasks around the house are done.
I spend about 10 hours a week at the gym.
I never pass out from drinking.
When my stomach is full, I stop drinking.
I’ve never forgotten the night before.

So in other words…yes. I drink every day. But it’s not all I do.

 

[Jesse17]

I think I drink less now that I home brew. I have always been a booze fan over beer, Tequila being my drink of choice, and only drinking enough beer to wash it down. I use to drink sometimes once a week, sometimes 4 times a week, but then I wouldn't have the desire to drink for a few weeks, or a few months. On the other hand, I drank 4-6 shots of Tequila to every beer (again only drinking beer to wash it down) and could put down .5 litters in a night. I never considered myself a alcoholic, just a binge drinker.

Also, I never get angry, or violent or anything eles when I drink. I'm lucky I guess, unlike I've heard others say, I don't have a problem drinking when I'm angry, depressed, etc. it just makes me happy and I forget all about what I'm angry about. I would drink until I'm ready for bed, or I've had so much that I start getting dizzy.

Now that I'm brewing, I drink probably 3-4 nights a week, but only 1 - 4 beers (usually 1 -2) unless it's a party or something.

So, yes I use to drink A LOT, and now I guess I still drink more than what's recommended by society, but it doesn't interfere with my life. I don't buy beer/booze when I can't afford it. I don't drink unless I'm in a safe place where I won't have to drive, and I don't skip events, or arrange my life around drinking.

 

[c.n.budz]

I like to drink, but I never feel the need to drink. I think that is a big deciding factor. If you need to drink, chances are you have a problem

 

[EdWort]

I can go weeks without drinking anything. Then again, I can enjoy a beer or two with dinner, then a couple more afterwards, or if I am BBQing, I can drink plenty. It's hard to count with a kegerator.

 

[sirsloop]

When I was younger, I was an alcoholic. By my definition anyway..

2 rules for me in regards to alcoholism:
#1 You can't have a good time without drinking
#2 your life is disrupted by your consumption.

That pretty much sums it up there. The third rule I would add is you don't realize that you have to have a drink to have a good time and you don't know or don't care that it disrupts your life.

I was definitely drinking alcoholically in school... everything was about getting tore up. Now definitely not. I watched an alcoholic family member get run through the system, picked them up from a psych ward after an arrest, went to a couple AA meetings with them for their 365 and 1825 day* D) achievements. It really opened my eye's to whats at the end of that downward spiral. On average I probably drink bewtween 1-2 a day, but there are many days I have a great time without even thinking about having a beer. I remember when I was growing up it was always about planning an event, and making sure we had enough ice to hold us through. Now I realize thats messed up.

Maybe it would be interesting to see how many you really have... keep track of the ounces of beverage you drink in a spreadsheet. If you are really honest about it, the results could be interesting!

 

[Fingers]

I think I'm a functional alcoholic. I don't beat the wife or kids; in fact, I'm usually in a fairly good mood when I'm having a beer. I don't have to drink every day but I often do if the homebrew is plentiful. If it's not, as in right now, I conserve a bit more. I know I don't HAVE to drink at anytime because I frequently exercise that restraint. I never drink at work, in the morning, or at inappropriate occasions. Sometimes I get horribly hung and have to get up for work, but I'm working on reducing that significantly. Homebrew is good for keeping the hangovers away. I rarely get beebled when drinking with a group of people, but here's the catch: I often drink alone. Ooooooooh!

SWMBO drinks occassionally and we live in the country. There's not a huge social life going on here. If I didn't imbibe by myself I might as well give up homebrewing. So am I an alcoholic? Yeah, probably, but it's not out of hand and I think the negative aspects(What few there are. SWMBO & the kids aren't complaining) can be reduced or eliminated with a little self control. I think I'll go that route rather than abstinence.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I know a two brothers, each of whom in my opinion is an alcoholic. One still drinks, one thankfully has been dry now for about three years. They each had to have at least two beers first thing in the morning just to kill the shakes. One is a custodian at the local high school. he was told to get help or get fired. He's the one that no longer drinks. The other was a mailman until he got caught one to many times with a sixer in his mail truck. Now I think he is a bartender; not sure, haven't seen him in years.


That is two examples of alcoholics IMHO. I do like my beer, but just because I pull a pint or two in the evening I don't think I have anything to worry about.

 

[Willy Boner]

I am literaly Joe Six-Pak, and sometimes 7 or 8 Pak. I rarely find myself laying down holding on to the grass to keep from falling off the face of the Earth. I would call that moderately alcoholic

 

[Pugilist]

I also have NO interest in not having my beer when I am off. I enjoy beer and my time off, if I want to have some beer and relax (maybe even have too many!) that is my prerogative. I also have alcoholism in the family and do try to maintain so I dont go over the threshold.

Had to outline that to my wife a few times, but she understands.

 

[Soulive]

I know a two brothers, each of whom in my opinion is an alcoholic. One still drinks, one thankfully has been dry now for about three years. They each had to have at least two beers first thing in the morning just to kill the shakes. One is a custodian at the local high school. he was told to get help or get fired. He's the one that no longer drinks. The other was a mailman until he got caught one to many times with a sixer in his mail truck. Now I think he is a bartender; not sure, haven't seen him in years.


That is two examples of alcoholics IMHO. I do like my beer, but just because I pull a pint or two in the evening I don't think I have anything to worry about.

That's rough. My buddy owns a liquor store and some of his customers are mind-blowing. One I can remember is this guy who drinks six 750ml bottles of wine each day. He shakes, smells, and can't control himself. If they refuse to serve him, he ends up buying elsewhere. That's not someone who enjoys wine. When enjoyment goes out the window, its become an issue IMO...

 

[cheezydemon]

Yeah, but you kind of want to catch it before it gets to the point of getting the shakes or driving around with a sixer, don't you?

I drink almost every day. I almost never get drunk, but I usually have 2-4 beers. It is not affecting my life negatively, but I am afraid that little by little I could get there if I don't reign myself in.

I have gone whole months before without drinking, but on that 30th day I am so pleased with myself I usually do put away 7-8 beers in one setting.

I just love beer. Also we have had so much stress lately(parent diagnose w/cancer, newborn, holidays, newborn hospitalized for 3 days for fever, company went out of business, new job, etc.)

I like to think that drinking keeps me sane, but is that unhealthy?

 

[Rhoobarb]

No.

I rarely drink during the week. Only the occasional weekday dinner out with friends (or people here on HBT). I'm more of a "weekend only" drinker. I drink as much as I like, but it usually ends up being only one night - a Friday or a Saturday. Maybe an occasional Sunday afternoon. I've never been a beligerent troublemaker when I drink. I think that helps; people don't acuse you of being drunk when you're harmless.

 

[njnear76]

No problem here.

I have a beer a night and 1-5 when I'm with my friends. I think it is good to know your limit. If you know your limit and abide by it then you are golden. By limit I mean 1-1.5 beers an hour.

 

[cheezydemon]

That is so true. I used to drink 4 or 5 an hour in college and shortly after. I can't even imagine that now.

 

[njnear76]

That is so true. I used to drink 4 or 5 an hour in college and shortly after. I can't even imagine that now.

Good God, with your selection, that could kill you! :cross:

 

[sirsloop]

College drinking usually included Busch or Keystone ...lol...its water compared to the stuff I make now!

 

[flowerysong]

I'm not an alcoholic, I'm a connoisseur.

My twenty bottles of whisky and I will be over in the corner if you need us.

 

[MULE]

My problem has always been setting limits. I'll keep going if it seems safe to. I am better at setting limits when I am in public, office party, or at a strangers house.

So... in some ways yes, in most ways no.

 

[rdwj]

No, not even close. I really only drink on Friday and Saturday evenings - sometimes just one of those. Sometimes I feel like having a couple beers, but it doesn't consume me like an addiction would.

 

[Jumbo82]

Alcoholism runs in my family. Both my grandfathers were alcoholics and it contributed to their early deaths. In college I definately drank too much. Drinking games, bars, parties. Most weekends I'd binge drink with friends. I usually didn't drink during the week, but when it came time to have fun alcohol was almost always involved. Looking back, I'd say I met the criteria of an alcoholic. Now that I'm out in the real world, I typically have 1-2 homebrews after work. I know plenty of people whose lives revolve around alcohol and I've made a conscience decision to not become one of those people, especially since I know my family's history. In the right setting I'll still let loose with friends. I'm a firm believer that most things are ok in moderation. Even excess (like eating at Thanksgiving).

 

[kaptain_karma]

I don't have a drinking problem, I have a drinking solution.

 

[abracadabra]

Depends on who you ask:

According to my wife I am, I'm pretty sure my tee-totaler dad thinks so too.

But the medical profession says 2 beers a day are OK. And that's what I try to stick to. Although on occasions I'll go for my personal limit of 3.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I think the perception has a lot to do where you live and grew up. I'm noticing a lot of posts (not just in this thread) from people in the Bible Belt that those around them think they drink too much, or are even perceived as alcoholics. Those of us from farther north don't seem to have the same perception. Dunno why, it just seems that way to me.

 

[Soulive]

This thread has inspired me. I'm gonna go home and have some pints shortly...


edit - I just realized its Mardi Gras

 

[Desert_Sky]

short answer....yes I am

But Im also comfortable with my level of alcoholism. I want to have one maybe two pints every day. After years of this Im sure my body has gotten used to that daily dose of alcohol.