How much is too much?

[tackett]

Ok, just to play devils advocate here because I too love beer.

But, would you "love" beer if it were Non alcoholic? Would you still drink x beers a night for the taste alone? I "love" beer, but will not drink NA.

I would probably love beer even more if it were NA. One of my driving reasons for getting into this home brew business was so I could make some very low abv beers that still suited my tastes more than what's commercially available. I drink beer not because I get drunk, but because I like it. In fact, I would argue that the alcohol is more of an annoyance to me than a attraction. I'd drink beer constantly if it didn't have any alcohol in it and tastes good.

 

[canadianeh]

I have to disagree with most of the people in this thread. I have had a love hate relationship with alcohol in general my whole life. Nothing good has come from drinking to excess (does it ever?) but I love the taste of beer and red wine. I always have and I don't think that will ever go away. Now where I disagree with people who say they love the taste of beer but don't like the alcohol.. come on. Who are we kidding here? Beer gets a good part of it's flavor or taste from the Alcohol. Otherwise everyone would be drinking N/A Beer and let's face it, N/A Beer tastes like absolute crap.

You also can't discount the effects you feel from the Alcohol. Even if you only have one beer, you now have alcohol in your system and it's going to alter the way you think and feel.

I have to say this. Since I started homebrewing I have a greater respect for alcohol and the beer/wine making process. It has taught me to moderate and not abuse it. Plus the fact that I always have beer and wine around doesn't make it seem like such a need anymore.

I think they should make all Alcoholics go to homebrew school.

 

[Brewnoob1]

I have to disagree with most of the people in this thread. I have had a love hate relationship with alcohol in general my whole life. Nothing good has come from drinking to excess (does it ever?) but I love the taste of beer and red wine. I always have and I don't think that will ever go away. Now where I disagree with people who say they love the taste of beer but don't like the alcohol.. come on. Who are we kidding here? Beer gets a good part of it's flavor or taste from the Alcohol. Otherwise everyone would be drinking N/A Beer and let's face it, N/A Beer tastes like absolute crap.

You also can't discount the effects you feel from the Alcohol. Even if you only have one beer, you now have alcohol in your system and it's going to alter the way you think and feel.

I have to say this. Since I started homebrewing I have a greater respect for alcohol and the beer/wine making process. It has taught me to moderate and not abuse it. Plus the fact that I always have beer and wine around doesn't make it seem like such a need anymore.

I think they should make all Alcoholics go to homebrew school.

I'll agree in that we are only having this discussion because of the alcohol in the beer and whether people would find that socially acceptable on the amount we each are consuming in an average week.

 

[salvar]

I agree with the poster who said to do a self-evaluation every so often.

Since I also like to stay in shape and lift weights, I cut out my drinking every time I enter a cut phase of my diet (usually every 3 or 4 months). This helps me get a reality check on whether I'm "addicted" to beer. To be honest I miss pizza more than beer on my diets so I figure this is a good sign.

 

[Xpertskir]

I good friend of mine has been drinking 1500 ml (2 bottles) of white wine every night for the past 10 years. He can count on one hand the number of times he did not drink in the past decade.

He just turned 50, physically active, eats well and takes vitamins and supplements. Every night he drinks his wine till 2 am or so and then gets up at 6am. Been doing this for years.

The doctors tell him that he is in great shape. As for his liver... I dunno

Thats almost 5.5 million ML of wine...way more than most people drink to figure out that red is better.

 

[tackett]

I agree with the poster who said to do a self-evaluation every so often.

Since I also like to stay in shape and lift weights, I cut out my drinking every time I enter a cut phase of my diet (usually every 3 or 4 months). This helps me get a reality check on whether I'm "addicted" to beer. To be honest I miss pizza more than beer on my diets so I figure this is a good sign.

Amen to that. When I used to do a bulk/cut cycle. I dreaded the winter cut simply because I couldn't eat pizza. Beer was the least of my concern.

 

[trbig]

Nothing good has come from drinking to excess

Good gosh... I'll have to respectfully disagree. You've never been around me and my buddies obviously. LOTS of GREAT stories.. lol.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

Thats almost 5.5 million ML of wine...way more than most people drink to figure out that red is better.

He tells me red wine gives him a headache. I believe the brand that he drinks is called Oakleaf and he gets it from wally-world.

It typically runs about $3 per bottle but once a year it goes on sale for $2.50.

When it goes on sale he stocks up. He will get about two and a half full pallets which lasts him and his wife until the next year when it goes back on sale.

 

[Vanderhoof]

In my line of work (psychiatric NP), the diagnostic criteria for Alcohol dependence include increased tolerance, withdrawal and loss of control. If you don't have withdrawal symptoms when you don't drink (strong craving, sweating, racing pulse, headache, nausea, vomiting, shakes and other more severe symptoms like seizures) and you are able to set limits on your drinking (you can plan on drinking 1 or 2 and stick to it). Many of my patients can't stop drinking until it's all gone. Men can typically tolerate 2 drinks a day without having any adverse, physiological effects.

 

[tackett]

He tells me red wine gives him a headache. I believe the brand that he drinks is called Oakleaf and he gets it from wally-world.

It typically runs about $3 per bottle but once a year it goes on sale for $2.50.

When it goes on sale he stocks up. He will get about two and a half full pallets which lasts him and his wife until the next year when it goes back on sale.

My god that **** is nasty. I buy it every now and then to make marinara with. I made the mistake of taking a drink of it once and had to spit it out.

 

[tackett]

In my line of work (psychiatric NP), the diagnostic criteria for Alcohol dependence include increased tolerance, withdrawal and loss of control. If you don't have withdrawal symptoms when you don't drink (strong craving, sweating, racing pulse, headache, nausea, vomiting, shakes and other more severe symptoms like seizures) and you are able to set limits on your drinking (you can plan on drinking 1 or 2 and stick to it). Many of my patients can't stop drinking until it's all gone. Men can typically tolerate 2 drinks a day without having any adverse, physiological effects.

Ok, so I guess I'm gonna stop drinking for a week and see how things are.

 

[Epimetheus]

Here is what the researchers and physicians say. For these purposes, 1 drink is 0.6 oz of alcohol, beer is assumed to be 5% ABV 12 oz container, hard liquor at 40% ABV 1.5 oz (one shot):

National Institutes of Health, US Govt.
Low-risk drinking for men is 4 drinks per one evening and no more than 14 drinks per week
for women, 3 drinks per evening and no more than 7 drinks per week.
reasons are in the link.
http://rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/isyourdrinkingpatternrisky/whatslowriskdrinking.asp
Explaining the physiological reasons for lower limits for women:
http://www.moderatedrinkingoptions.com/what-is-moderation

I think this one is less researched, but it is still referred to by the Centers for Disease control (CDC)
USDA.gov
"If alcohol is consumed, it should be consumed in moderation—up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men—and only by adults of legal drinking age."
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/PolicyDoc/Chapter3.pdf
referenced by
http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm#moderateDrinking

Me, I have always gotten a bit of a buzz from just one 5% bottle, two puts me to sleep. But I have found I build up a tolerance very, very quickly and within a week can take on a 6-pack before a buzz. So I am careful to keep it to 1 or 2 per evening. I am trying lower ABV English Browns to enjoy the flavor. Next batch I'm going to split into two and remove the alcohol from one half, see how that tastes.

Just had a damn fine Session Ale at The People's Pint in Greenfield MA - it went down sloooow. When it is really good, you want them to last and not hammer them down.

 

[trbig]

Hmmmm... Serious stuff. I think I'll go have a beer and contemplate on it a bit..

 

[johnsnownw]

Nothing good has come from drinking to excess (does it ever?) but I love the taste of beer and red wine.

I was attending field school (archaeology) in Scotland. I got really wasted and ended up calling a friend of mine in the US that I had always had a crush on, and proceeded to inform her of said feelings. We've now been married for 2.5 years.

Drinking to excess can occasionally create wonderful outcomes.

 

[canadianeh]

I was attending field school (archaeology) in Scotland. I got really wasted and ended up calling a friend of mine in the US that I had always had a crush on, and proceeded to inform her of said feelings. We've now been married for 2.5 years.

Drinking to excess can occasionally create wonderful outcomes.

There is always an exception to every rule.